Comments on: Designing a Baritone Guitar (Part III)

By: Hendrik Gideonse

Hendrik Gideonse — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 23:20:11 +0000

Hi Dani,
The books that I used to learn how to make the guitars are the following:
Martin Koch’s
Building Electric Guitars

Melvyn Hiscock’s
Make Your Own Electric Guitar

Dan Erlewine’s
Guitar Player Repair Guide

Other than reading the books, I already had some experience working with wood. With acoustic guitars, you need to learn how to bend the wood, which is the hardest part probably. If you have any other questions, feel free to respond here. Where are you from?

Best,
Hendrik

By: dani

dani — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 22:39:17 +0000

your guitars a very cool, i want to learn how to make guitar but i dont know how to i dont even got books or any one to to teach me how to. i want to make acoustic guitars first then go to electric guitars.
if you can help me make guitars pleas do so thanks.

By: Hendrik Gideonse

Hendrik Gideonse — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:47:20 +0000

Thanks for the comment Ron! The scale of my guitar is 27.5 inches and is tuned down a 4th to B. It also works tuned down to A very well. String gauge is a hard thing to figure out. D’Addario has a pretty decent chart of string gauges with different scales.

Also check out:
http://www.mcdonaldstrings.com/stringxxiii.html
which is a great string gauge calculator and also
http://www.daddario.com/resources/jdcdad/images/tension_chart.pdf

Good luck!

Hendrik

By: ron hyde

ron hyde — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 03:57:48 +0000

i enjoyed your ramblings on baritones and guitars in general/so what was the scale length /tuning and string gauges you finally went with?i made a 32scale 5string banjo to be tuned 1 octave lower than usual and had problems with string gauges/check out my website/under construction/later;ron

By: Hendrik Gideonse

Hendrik Gideonse — Tue, 05 May 2009 01:38:04 +0000

Thanks for your awesome comments. To me the Gretsch didn’t feel very good, it somehow felt kind of small and congested. One thing that you may want to think about is finding a Fender 6, which is a shortscale 6 string bass tuned like a guitar, down an octave. I have started making five more baritones all with white ash bodies. I invested in having a computer cut template made to make the routing easier and more consistent. Good luck with the choice tonight!

By: Jeff

Jeff — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 01:33:47 +0000

I’m inspired!

I’ll hold on to this info, and may try to find you again later… I’m going to break down and buy a Hellcat VI or Gretsch Jet Baritone tomorrow to use as a 6 string bass, but I really wanted a baritone to start with, when I only recentloy discovered their existance! I also never knew of the Fender Bass VI, or that the modern 6 string bass is different still, with a Lower B, like the Fender 5 string Jazz bass I did know about, but it has one string higher as well.

I’d be tempted to go with a regular 6 string guitar form only moved to the lower B, like the common baritones. I just found out all I know in the last week or so. I play guitar and mostly bass and have been doing a combination by using my Strat knockoff with an octave pedal to create the effect of a guitar and a bass.

What I intend to do now is play a 6 string Bass in E for most stuff, but then when I get, or possibly make a Baritone I’ll sometimes use it as a bass/guitar as well in B, by using the octave pedal. But simply having the added creative spark a baritone would add working with our guitarist’s Telecaster, tending toward some new harmonies and all, will be a great addition to my band’s sound. I don’t want to sound straight old surf, tic-tac country style or metal, but use elements of all in new song writing.

I had decided to order the Gretsch tomorrow, but now that you bring up the weight issue I remember something else I read in a review, about it being a little heavy on the headstock end, not bad according to the reviewer, but it made me wonder if that would be an issu.

The Hellcat VI looks like it’s a bit closer to what I’m used to, so i may buy that instead. Tonight I am making my final choice for this one instrument. I enjoyed reading your article, and how you are willing to help others but don’t want someone to rip you off and profit off your idea leaving you in the cold. I may ask for some help instead of buying the Chinese made Gretsch, but it will be that or the Korean made Schecter tomorrow, I don’t want to be patient about this as you were to build this beauty. I decidedly want a painted guitar, but this creation of yours is exquisite. I’d love to hear an MP3 sample or five.