A friendly reminder to all those who love this channel to hit the like button! It definitely helps the channel grow😁 This review in particular has me interested, as I am looking at having a dedicated guitar for lower tuning
Baritone scale lengths with light strings in standard tuning actually sound really nice too. Buckethead's Les Paul signature is a 27" scale length LP and he plays in standard often.
I like this concept of reviewing it without experience since most people watching don’t own one. All the videos I have seen don’t talk about feel difference of the longer scale length.
PRS is going to release the Andre Fludd signature semi-baritone “2625” with HSH pickups, fat neck, composite fretboard, locking tuners, groundbreaking signature FLUDD-rose ‘trem’ (vibrato) bridge, extra-large frets to keep your fingers from ever touching the fretboard, and body shaped like a bunch of weird zig-zags for ‘ergonomics’. Core model starting at $4500.
Also, Ibanez did a small run of baritone guitars in the early 00s called 7421XL, and yes, I have one 😁. Echo what Dr. Fludd states with regards to upper fret access, my baritone 7 string is my favorite and top tier guitar. I actually prefer it over my Strandberg in some ways.
You and Phil McKnight make videos that are so informative and helpful even when I’m totally not interested in the product it shows me how I am interested in at least some part of it. I really appreciate that, and also how you’ve been continuing to innovate with your videos (love the team up on this one, another product where same boat same reaction). It’s so helpful as a guitarist, and makes the brands you feature look so good. If I ever get a baritone or a PRS it’ll be because of you, thank you!!
You are really on point with your analysis. You are doing a very good job looking at fundamental details with design. Too many channels are just writing something impressive without talking about the finer details. Thank you for your work.
Commented in the middle of watching this. Your man Mathew was spot on with the Fender Twin Reverb. I’ve been using FTR IR’s or physical amps for 7 string or baritones for many years. The high peaks on that amp become very well tamed in this application. Especially for clarity and a good foundation in this application.
Before this guitar, PRS used to make a Mike Mushok baritone signature in silverburst. I've always wanted to own one, but maybe i'll look into one of these. Awsome video as always! :)
As an owner of the Mushok Baritone I like the new 277's better. The beveled top is more comfortable than the flat top on the mushok and the maple veneer is gorgeous. I also prefer the rounder rosewood board to the Ebony board on the mushok. The pickups are pretty similar and can sound a little muddy through some Amps but sound incredible through a di or amp sim. The added feature of the coil split is a really nice touch and gives the guitar an almost p 90 type vibe. The only thing I prefer about the holcomb is the thinner neck. The wide fat on the 277 is way bigger than any other prs wide fat necknive owned or tried
I make 26”+ guitars. Designed to be tuned normally. There are many advantages to a guitar like this. The higher tension creates a ringier tone. The other big advantage is the higher frets are spaced better. I was thinking the way you play a 26” scale would suit you well.
7:35 Solar Guitars has many 26.5" scale guitars. Though I think it's mostly the 7-strings. IMO 26.5" is a perfect in-between. Very comfortable at the high frets and not really a big difference when playing chords. It somehow feels a bit more "relaxed" compared to my 25.5" 7-strings but it's subtle. That is unless I directly switch between them, then I need a minute to readjust 😄
the other guitarist in my band plays a 26.5 scale solar and honestly it doesn't feel bad at all even though we're only tuned down to d standard/drop c!
This is funny, I just got a Gretsch baritone and I love it so. I am playing it a ton. I got most of the transpositions down, so when I record it underneath my regular guitars , it's pretty amazing.
I like the sound and tonal range of Baritone Guitars, and even temporarily converted an Acoustic Electric into one. But, the neck couldn't handle the additional tension, so I switched it back. I use an HX Stomp Pitch Shifter Block to make my Eb Standard tuned Strat easily reach the Baritone range. Works surprisingly well, no extra costs, strings, special guitar, playing adjustments, and instantly reversible with the press of one button. I recently heard Rabea Massaad say he uses Pitch Shifting live. I think it's a pragmatic, easy solution, and also sounds good. 😎
Hey Andre, you start the video with the preface of playing badly. The gorgeous major 7 chords you played during the intro had me very interested immediately ( apologies if I got the chord names wrong, I was just guessing from my fretboard knowledge) The tone is wonderful! I used to play a Mark Tremonti PRS but they are terribly heavy and I've moved to headless guitars to save my back. I'm excited to hear your thoughts on this guitar ! :) . I appreciate hearing a guitarist who isn't a full on metal guitarist reviewing these guitars. I know you like metal from some other videos but I haven't heard you play much metal on guitar ( I would love to hear that! ) I'll edit after watching, the sponsorship from PRS is much deserved, your reviews have helped me to avoid buying too many new guitars and I always come away learning something. Rock on Andre! :)
By the way I'm going to get myself one of the Oasis guitar support cushions that is listed in your Sweet water list! That looks much more comfortable to use than using foot stools as I have been doing.
One thing to help with a guitar tuned lower or any 7 or 8 string is roll off some bass on your eq and boost your mids some. It can get muddy quickly, especially if you play fast and with a lot of gain.
Everyone (who likes the sound or tuning their standard scale guitars down) NEEDS a baritone in their fleet, or at least to try one and find out if it's for them. I was tuning les pauls down (yeah, I know lol) for over 10 years until I found a used 8 string Schecter Omen for really cheap locally. It replaced all of my guitars because I moved to another country and could only bring one so I brought it haha, got really good at playing an 8. Then I started craving 6 strings again so I picked up a used "SEED KOTETSU". Insane guitar, floyd, 33" scale length, dual rail humbucker in the bridge, strat middle & a p90 in the neck. That thing was unwieldy as hell. Then one day I found a PRS 277SE in a music shop new, but half price cause BOO HOOO it had a high fret, took it home & fixed that. Honestly it is the best baritone for people who don't need to tune down to drop F# or lower (I was just rocking mine in drop G but I usually keep it in A standard). Plays great, stays in tune and sometimes I forget that I am even playing a baritone guitar. Since owning mine for a few years now I have made some changes. I swapped out the stock bridge pickup for a Nazgul and made the back of the neck satin. (the neck pickup is amazing for jazzy cleans) Some things I am thinking of doing are putting foam under the knobs, they're a bit too fast for me and golding out the hardware lol. Great guitar!
You don't see PRS guitars in general very often on a Luthier's bench. PRS SE come perfect out of the box because they do final inspection before shipping them out. not all companies do this with overseas production models (Reverend and Dingwall also do this). Thank you for the video.
@@andrefludd OFF Topic but I could see you repping or starting your own guitar company one day, an ergonomic line of guitars made out of composite materials or something. Hey, Ola Englund was approached to make a Signature Guitar with a company when he only had 30,000 subscribers on CZcams and he thought nobody would buy his guitar (ended up selling over 100 and gave him the confidence to start Solar Guitars). Thanks again Doc and keep it up!
This was the first guitar I’ve ever bought and I’m not a super high level guitar player, I love my 277 and plan on having some modifications done to it. Great guitar
I have an older PRS SE 277 semi-hollow with P90’s. I don’t think they make those anymore. But, the thing sounds amazing both clean and overdriven. I prefer the P90s on a baritone over humbuckers. Either way, I think having a baritone in your arsenal is always a plus. It’s like having a whole different color palette without necessarily needing to change your approach to guitar playing.
I've had my eye on a Bass VI for a while, but I'll have to look into this one as well. Thanks for the in-depth stuff and for comparing it to the other SE models for reference.
I do think something that helps this guitar with the familiarity of it is the fact that it's only 22 frets, which means the nut is closer to the neck joint so it doesn't feel as far out (as you said, it didn't feel strange and it's just like playing a slightly longer scale length)
Tom Anderson's Baritom models are 28 5/8” scale, which was chosen because it is exactly 2 frets longer than a 25.5 scale. Plus the body was elongated for balance and to allow the pickups to sit in the traditional voicing zones. They're not only perfectly natural to the hands and ears, but also among the finest guitars I’ve played at any scale or tuning.
I own an older Mike Mushok SE Baritone and I love the new 277 and the upgrades PRS made. The body contours make it so much more comfortable, the maple veneer and bird inlays are gorgeous, and the 10 and the push pull is a nice feature that gives the guitar even moral tonal versatility. The only thing I prefer on the older mushok baritone is the thinner neck. The wide Fat neck on the 277 is by far the fattest neck I've ever played on a prs and doesn't feel like the other wide fat necks in the lineup
Totally agree, I love my 277, still getting used to the wide fat neck though, especially for thumbing the 6th string for some jazzy chords, still possible but just adjusting. The fit and finish on the neck and frets makes it enjoyable though.
Yes, absolutely, happens all the time. Especially if one has multiple scale length baritones. I have 25.5 (PRS Holcomb), 26.75 (getting a D'Angelico), 27.7 (PRS 277), 28 (Hagstrom, Italia), 30 (Gretsch), and I forget what else.
Just found your channel and the way you articulate the nuance of each guitar is very cool. I don't really play the same guitars you do but it's interesting to hear your experience and knowledge regarding those guitars. Subscribed!
Ibanez actually makes the RGD series that’s a 26.5 inch scale. Schecter also had some 26.5 inch scale length models. Just throwing that out since you said you think you’d enjoy that scale length.
I have two 26.5 scale 7 string guitars that I love to play. There are a couple of different reasons why. First, you get totally different approaches to chords with the lower tunings. Second, it seems like if I play for quite a while on baritone, when I go back to 25.5 I am FAST. lol. All Schecter 7 strings are 26.5. You asked about if that will work with a 6 string? Well it does, but you have to use lighter strings to be able to keep your ability to bend. So if you removed the 7th string, you still have the same access that you talk about in this video. And I agree with you! I have big hands as well, and it is somewhat easier to get to those upper frets on the 26.5 scale. But if you don't have big hands... Anyways, I have a ton of experience with baritones. Email me if you want! Tray drop A tuning, and use that low A for a moving bassline! It is super fun!
I'm a retired...well supposed to be retired, luthier. I still make stuff, just slower. I make mostly baritones and basses and I make my guitars 26.5 for standard tuning, for 2 reasons, A my stupid giant hands, and B I like higher tension. There is no reason that doesn't work, it will just feel slightly tighter, which can be remedied by either going lighter gauge on strings or tuning down a touch. or you just get used to it. So that 48 E string that on a 25.5 scale would have 20 pounds of tension, you'd have 22 on a 26.5 scale. Noticeable but not HUGE. even tuning down to D# standard would actually be less tension. Like 19.7 pounds. if you got strings with a 45 E rather then a 48E it would feel identical. Tonally there would be almost no difference. Now personally I like very long scale instruments to push the limits and I have a Bass 6 with a normal width and thickness neck but it's a full 34 inch scale 6 string. it's pretty fun. The guitar i play the most is probably my 30 inch baritone, Tele-style hybrid. Tuned to A or G# with a 75 to 13 set and i'm so used to that now that a 30 inch scale feels normal and the 26.5s almost feel mini. But she's my go-to guitar now. Flamed Maple fretboard, maple neck with Purple Heart stripe, Purple Heart headstock veneer, body is Padauk and mahogany with a quarter inch thick top that's a complex amalgam of black burl, wenge, Purple Heart, some walnut and ebony inlay, all brass hardware and bridge. Duncan Nazgul bridge pickup, Vintage Strat neck pickup. Goes from smooth blues and buttery to snarly metal machine with the touch of a switch.
Baritones are super super great for ambient and post rock music (think of bands like hammock). Check out chords of Orion too he uses several prs se baritones
Baritone is my favorite I have a 8 sting baritone acoustic where the 3 and 4 strings are chorused. Sounds so beautiful. I got the neck off eBay from china and it was a perfect replacement.
Thank you for yet another thorough review of an instrument I'm interested about! @13:00 I'm a little bit shocked he cuts so high. Consulting a note/frequency chart, the B1 fundamental stands at 61.74 Hz. For reference, his cutting frequency of 134 Hz is just above C3 (8th fret of the standard E tuning). While you may want to remove some of the low end in a mix to make room for the bass guitar and kick drum, and rely on the second harmonic for pitch information, I think it's not that good for a review/solo artist setting where you'd want to hear the whole range of the instrument including its fundamental tones. I would have cut around 80 Hz maximum. Glad you included that segment. It helped me assess what I was hearing: a significant lack of low end. Thanks to it, I know it may not be due to a lack from the pickups but just the effect of an overzealous cut in the sound processing used.
I agree the shorter baritone scales are an easy transition from the standard 25.5 or less. The Bunn is the baritone expert, but he also has particular tastes. The 27.7 scale is just this side of workable for me. My habit of tuning to standard A makes this scale a little unwieldy. Standard G is out of the question. The issue with electric baritones is one of energy. You're demonstrating this when you swap from humbuckers to coil-splits. There's so much more energy in those heavy strings that the pickups are easily overpowered. The 277 with P90s is very poised compared to the humbucker version. Which brings up the subject of exactly how weak the humbuckers aught to be. I'm a sucker for Filtertrons, but not everyone is. PAFs would be my first choice, and I rarely say that. They will break up at the drop of a hat so finding a considered set deliberately underpowered flys in the face of all aftermarket pickups. Chances are JBE humbuckers are your best bet.
To get a few ideas about what music to play on a Baritone, I suggest listening to Mark Lettieri, he started Bariton'ing around way before it was popular
I think one way to get a better understanding of the scale length situation is to also listen to some of the doom genre related guitar channels. They tune very low, but often will use a 24 and three-quarter inch scale guitar. The secret sauce (for some) is to use a Wound third when setting up the guitars. The core gauge of your wound strings is what makes a difference in the tension. So you have to adjust intonation pretty dramatically when switching to a wound third. It might be interesting to try a Gibson RD style guitar at some point in the future. They are surprisingly ergonomic. Cheers!
26.5 is a common scale length. I have an 8 string multi scale 26-27.5 I love it. So comfortable. I have lots of 25.5 guitars. I have a 27’ tuned to standard, and the multi scale. I considered getting a cheap baritone I saw by firefly but maybe I’ll go with prs.
I got two Schecter 7 strings and they’re 26.5” scale length - close to what you’re looking for. The more expensive one I have is the Banshee Mach 7, and it actually feels so comfortable, so much so that I forget it’s not a 6 string
As far as longer scale guitars go, Jackson makes the SLA6 baritone with a 26.5 scale length, and Schecter omen 7 string guitars have a 26.5 inch scale too.
With regards to preferring split coil sounds compared to full humbucker with a baritone is related back to the low tuning of the guitar, a lot of bands tuning really low such as Loathe etc. much prefer P90s, noiseless single coils and really mid heavy/bright humbuckers to bring back some clarity you lose tuning really low
Hey I love your videos, Jericho guitars I believe have 26.25 as standard on all 6 strings. They aren’t crazy expensive and from what I’ve heard they are really comfortable.
FGN makes a couple different 6 string guitars with a scale length of 26.15" (664mm). I have the Tele version with EMG's setup in D Standard at the moment, and it plays and sounds fantastic.
The Schecter Kenny Hickey signature, which is a LP-style guitar, has a 26.5" scale length and they consider it a baritone, even though the industry standard for a baritone scale length is 27". However, considering that its scale length is about 1.75" longer than the usual Gibson 24.75", it's comparable to Fender's baritones (27") being 1.5" longer than their normal scale lengths, in fact the added length is longer in comparison.
Interesting about the 26-26.5" scale. As many have said, they're super popular on 7 strings. In my opinion, it's my favourite scale length. If tuning standard or close to E standard, I always shy away from anything 27" or longer. Reason being I feel the high e gets compromised (shrill/chimey and tighter feeling). Granted, I like strings to be more pliable, but I personally disliked the sound and feel of .010s in e standard on a 26.5".
I've been wanting one of these for a while but PRS are so inconsistent with their tops on these it's crazy! Just look at Sweetwater and Reverb on these... they are all over the place. Also, there are 26.5" and 27" and 28" baritone guitars... You might want to look into those also.
Looking forward for the holcomb review as I own one. I somehow enjoy the 20” radius and the 25,5” scale. Also own the prs baritone semi hollow p90. It growls like crazy, but my tiny hands are unable to do the 3 notes per string (for sale)… so the holcomb is a better match for me. Tho, i wonder how a 26,5” would play :-)
I agree that the SE McCarty 594 (and the SE DGT and SE Santana guitars, for that matter) should be offered with the same hardtail bridge that the SE 277 uses. My neuromuscular disorder makes me extraordinarily sensitive to neck pitch (i.e. neck angle), and I cannot play guitars with tune-o-matic bridges (and other bridges of similar height) due to the steep neck pitch they necessitate.
Can confirm Andre, if you want to dolow tunings you won’t have any problems with that guitar. I confortably tune 25.5 scale guitars as low as G# standard
Ibanez makes model called the rgd that is a 26.5 inch scale they offer a few 6 string models. I owned the 7 string multiscale for a while and it was a solid guitar. Also love you sneaking vildhjarta in there
I love baritones and I'm not a metal guy. I have a Kiesel plus a Taylor acoustic, and I do believe all guitar players need at least one baritone. Talking about the SE277: although PRS did a really great job voicing their pickups, I disagree about the neck. My hands aren't small -- I'm a 6' tall guy -- but the 277 neck felt like a baseball bat in my hands. The one I've tested felt barely unplayable to me. My Taylor baritone (27" scale) is more comfortable, even being an acoustic guitar. My Kiesel (26.5" scale) is way easier to play than this SE (I'm not a Kiesel fanboy, and I also had problems with my order) with a kind of modern C neck carve that reminds me some strats from Schecter. Anyway, my two cents: if you like regular/modern C necks, or shred super-thin necks, stay away from the SE277; don't even consider it. On the other hand, if you like chunky necks, this SE may please you. Additionally, because of the extra length, you can maybe tune it even lower, think A standard or even G standard - I've seen Mark Lettieri in a video going that low with the SE277. Andre: I've found your channel a couple of months ago and I really like the way you approach your vids!
For a review there was a lack of playing. Would have enjoyed more than Just strumming for a "tone" demo. Would also see the tone difference between a normal scale vs baritone and how well it does with alternative tunings vs standard.
I wonder if you could string this up with really light strings and get it up to standard E, or at least E-flat. Like string it up with 8's or 9's. That would give you the higher notes and easier fret access. Probably not worth it because I bet it's a pain to bend. LOL
I'm really enjoying this series! I have 3 PRS guitars, 2 SEs and a CE24. Are you interested in checking out PRS amps as well? I'd be interested in a demo of the HDRX 20 and your opinion of the MT15 (I personally own the latter). Cheers!
Andre, I would suggest checking out some of Xander Ray Charles videos. He plays a lot of tuned down and drop tunings on baritone guitar. Which I know is stylistically different but he does know a lot about baritones.
@@andrefludd I'm sorry for suggesting somebody you already knew about. I too watch a lot of musicians of styles outside of my own and try to draw what I can from them. I'm actually a drummer lol.
I feel that with 7 or 8 string guitars bass and regular guitars there's nothing a baritone can add ... except for one thing and that's the tonal quality you get playing notes near the neck with no distortion. Once you add pedals or distortion then you might as well play a 7 string. Once you start playing high notes you lose that baritone tone and it sounds like any other guitar. I do like that baritone sound.
baritone guitar is wrongly only associated with metal guitar when is not true, Marc litteri is a example who made 2 album only with baritone guitar, I particularly love it on lean tone, type bluesy rocky tone, baritone guitar haven't be popular cause to have a good baritone with stable neck you need a great manufacture, and PRS is the best out there truest them to make more more of those guitar that very nicely betwen guitar and bass guitar
Baritone guitars are great man. To me there isn't any... "way" to play it. There's no "Baritone" playing stuff... (to me)... Whatever I play on my normal guitars works exactly the same on a Baritone. It just depends on if you like whatever tune you're playing... just lower. Lots of fun. No need to pay attention to extra strings or whatever.
A friendly reminder to all those who love this channel to hit the like button! It definitely helps the channel grow😁
This review in particular has me interested, as I am looking at having a dedicated guitar for lower tuning
Baritone scale lengths with light strings in standard tuning actually sound really nice too. Buckethead's Les Paul signature is a 27" scale length LP and he plays in standard often.
C standard tho no?
No he plays in E standard or Eb standard depending on the song
I run a 28" in D Standard, feels very much like a strat with the same gauge. Running 14s to force a lower tuning just sucks.
I like this concept of reviewing it without experience since most people watching don’t own one. All the videos I have seen don’t talk about feel difference of the longer scale length.
PRS is going to release the Andre Fludd signature semi-baritone “2625” with HSH pickups, fat neck, composite fretboard, locking tuners, groundbreaking signature FLUDD-rose ‘trem’ (vibrato) bridge, extra-large frets to keep your fingers from ever touching the fretboard, and body shaped like a bunch of weird zig-zags for ‘ergonomics’. Core model starting at $4500.
That’s actually pretty much perfect 😂. The only thing I’d add is stainless or evo gold frets and a 20inch radius and we are set :).
7:30 Ibanez actually does that! Their RGD Series 6 strings are all 26.5 inches. You might want to check them out.
Oh I’m def gonna check that out
Also, Ibanez did a small run of baritone guitars in the early 00s called 7421XL, and yes, I have one 😁. Echo what Dr. Fludd states with regards to upper fret access, my baritone 7 string is my favorite and top tier guitar. I actually prefer it over my Strandberg in some ways.
You and Phil McKnight make videos that are so informative and helpful even when I’m totally not interested in the product it shows me how I am interested in at least some part of it. I really appreciate that, and also how you’ve been continuing to innovate with your videos (love the team up on this one, another product where same boat same reaction). It’s so helpful as a guitarist, and makes the brands you feature look so good. If I ever get a baritone or a PRS it’ll be because of you, thank you!!
I appreciate that thank you :)
Just got a baritone this week! After playing guitar for almost 20 years, and man… it’s a game changer and wicked inspiring.
Reassuring hearing your thoughts as a first time baritone player. I've yet to try one too, surprisingly. Killer stuff man!
Is this a Baritone Metal Core riffs forecast? 👀
@@WailingRaven 👀👀👀
Does this mean we'll see a review of a baritone guitar on your channel soon Jack :) ? I'm 100 percent down for that!!
You are really on point with your analysis. You are doing a very good job looking at fundamental details with design. Too many channels are just writing something impressive without talking about the finer details. Thank you for your work.
Commented in the middle of watching this. Your man Mathew was spot on with the Fender Twin Reverb. I’ve been using FTR IR’s or physical amps for 7 string or baritones for many years. The high peaks on that amp become very well tamed in this application. Especially for clarity and a good foundation in this application.
Great stuff, Andre! Thanks for having me back on!
Before this guitar, PRS used to make a Mike Mushok baritone signature in silverburst. I've always wanted to own one, but maybe i'll look into one of these. Awsome video as always! :)
As an owner of the Mushok Baritone I like the new 277's better. The beveled top is more comfortable than the flat top on the mushok and the maple veneer is gorgeous. I also prefer the rounder rosewood board to the Ebony board on the mushok. The pickups are pretty similar and can sound a little muddy through some Amps but sound incredible through a di or amp sim. The added feature of the coil split is a really nice touch and gives the guitar an almost p 90 type vibe. The only thing I prefer about the holcomb is the thinner neck. The wide fat on the 277 is way bigger than any other prs wide fat necknive owned or tried
@@daniellowry660 Awesome, thank you so much for your insight. I must say i really like the way the beveled edge looks. Cheers!
I make 26”+ guitars. Designed to be tuned normally. There are many advantages to a guitar like this. The higher tension creates a ringier tone. The other big advantage is the higher frets are spaced better. I was thinking the way you play a 26” scale would suit you well.
Andre, thank you for the great video. I love your editing and your background lighting.
Thank you :)
You can get 26 1/2" scale lengths on Kiesels
7:35 Solar Guitars has many 26.5" scale guitars. Though I think it's mostly the 7-strings. IMO 26.5" is a perfect in-between. Very comfortable at the high frets and not really a big difference when playing chords. It somehow feels a bit more "relaxed" compared to my 25.5" 7-strings but it's subtle. That is unless I directly switch between them, then I need a minute to readjust 😄
Also of note Ibanez RGDs I believe are all 26.5” scale for both 6 and 7 strings
the other guitarist in my band plays a 26.5 scale solar and honestly it doesn't feel bad at all even though we're only tuned down to d standard/drop c!
This is funny, I just got a Gretsch baritone and I love it so. I am playing it a ton. I got most of the transpositions down, so when I record it underneath my regular guitars , it's pretty amazing.
I've always been tempted to get a baritone and play stuff tuned to Drop G#/Ab instead of using a 7 string.
Same. I want to play low stuff without needing a willow for the neck
Thanks Andre, mine arrives tomorrow!
Hope you enjoy it!
I like the sound and tonal range of Baritone Guitars, and even temporarily converted an Acoustic Electric into one. But, the neck couldn't handle the additional tension, so I switched it back.
I use an HX Stomp Pitch Shifter Block to make my Eb Standard tuned Strat easily reach the Baritone range. Works surprisingly well, no extra costs, strings, special guitar, playing adjustments, and instantly reversible with the press of one button. I recently heard Rabea Massaad say he uses Pitch Shifting live. I think it's a pragmatic, easy solution, and also sounds good. 😎
Hey Andre, you start the video with the preface of playing badly. The gorgeous major 7 chords you played during the intro had me very interested immediately ( apologies if I got the chord names wrong, I was just guessing from my fretboard knowledge) The tone is wonderful! I used to play a Mark Tremonti PRS but they are terribly heavy and I've moved to headless guitars to save my back. I'm excited to hear your thoughts on this guitar ! :)
. I appreciate hearing a guitarist who isn't a full on metal guitarist reviewing these guitars. I know you like metal from some other videos but I haven't heard you play much metal on guitar ( I would love to hear that! )
I'll edit after watching, the sponsorship from PRS is much deserved, your reviews have helped me to avoid buying too many new guitars and I always come away learning something. Rock on Andre! :)
I appreciate your kind words thank you :) and you are correct they were mostly major 7 inversions along with some other diatonic chords
By the way I'm going to get myself one of the Oasis guitar support cushions that is listed in your Sweet water list! That looks much more comfortable to use than using foot stools as I have been doing.
Of course, you're welcome! :) Thank you for the brilliant videos@@andrefludd
One thing to help with a guitar tuned lower or any 7 or 8 string is roll off some bass on your eq and boost your mids some. It can get muddy quickly, especially if you play fast and with a lot of gain.
This. 100%.
Everyone (who likes the sound or tuning their standard scale guitars down) NEEDS a baritone in their fleet, or at least to try one and find out if it's for them.
I was tuning les pauls down (yeah, I know lol) for over 10 years until I found a used 8 string Schecter Omen for really cheap locally. It replaced all of my guitars because I moved to another country and could only bring one so I brought it haha, got really good at playing an 8. Then I started craving 6 strings again so I picked up a used "SEED KOTETSU". Insane guitar, floyd, 33" scale length, dual rail humbucker in the bridge, strat middle & a p90 in the neck. That thing was unwieldy as hell.
Then one day I found a PRS 277SE in a music shop new, but half price cause BOO HOOO it had a high fret, took it home & fixed that. Honestly it is the best baritone for people who don't need to tune down to drop F# or lower (I was just rocking mine in drop G but I usually keep it in A standard). Plays great, stays in tune and sometimes I forget that I am even playing a baritone guitar.
Since owning mine for a few years now I have made some changes. I swapped out the stock bridge pickup for a Nazgul and made the back of the neck satin. (the neck pickup is amazing for jazzy cleans) Some things I am thinking of doing are putting foam under the knobs, they're a bit too fast for me and golding out the hardware lol.
Great guitar!
respect for the vildhjartra part🤝
You don't see PRS guitars in general very often on a Luthier's bench. PRS SE come perfect out of the box because they do final inspection before shipping them out. not all companies do this with overseas production models (Reverend and Dingwall also do this). Thank you for the video.
Every reverend I’ve ever tried was also great.
@@andrefludd OFF Topic but I could see you repping or starting your own guitar company one day, an ergonomic line of guitars made out of composite materials or something. Hey, Ola Englund was approached to make a Signature Guitar with a company when he only had 30,000 subscribers on CZcams and he thought nobody would buy his guitar (ended up selling over 100 and gave him the confidence to start Solar Guitars). Thanks again Doc and keep it up!
This was the first guitar I’ve ever bought and I’m not a super high level guitar player, I love my 277 and plan on having some modifications done to it. Great guitar
Which mods?
Im swapping the bridge pickup for a Lundgren M6 and am having an evertune installed on it
Yamaha drop 6 is 26.25". It's out of production, but can be bought used for about $650-$850
I have an older PRS SE 277 semi-hollow with P90’s. I don’t think they make those anymore. But, the thing sounds amazing both clean and overdriven. I prefer the P90s on a baritone over humbuckers. Either way, I think having a baritone in your arsenal is always a plus. It’s like having a whole different color palette without necessarily needing to change your approach to guitar playing.
I've had my eye on a Bass VI for a while, but I'll have to look into this one as well. Thanks for the in-depth stuff and for comparing it to the other SE models for reference.
Those seem so bad ass.
I do think something that helps this guitar with the familiarity of it is the fact that it's only 22 frets, which means the nut is closer to the neck joint so it doesn't feel as far out (as you said, it didn't feel strange and it's just like playing a slightly longer scale length)
Tom Anderson's Baritom models are 28 5/8” scale, which was chosen because it is exactly 2 frets longer than a 25.5 scale. Plus the body was elongated for balance and to allow the pickups to sit in the traditional voicing zones. They're not only perfectly natural to the hands and ears, but also among the finest guitars I’ve played at any scale or tuning.
I own an older Mike Mushok SE Baritone and I love the new 277 and the upgrades PRS made. The body contours make it so much more comfortable, the maple veneer and bird inlays are gorgeous, and the 10 and the push pull is a nice feature that gives the guitar even moral tonal versatility. The only thing I prefer on the older mushok baritone is the thinner neck. The wide Fat neck on the 277 is by far the fattest neck I've ever played on a prs and doesn't feel like the other wide fat necks in the lineup
Totally agree, I love my 277, still getting used to the wide fat neck though, especially for thumbing the 6th string for some jazzy chords, still possible but just adjusting. The fit and finish on the neck and frets makes it enjoyable though.
Would you say they differ tonally?
Yes, absolutely, happens all the time. Especially if one has multiple scale length baritones. I have 25.5 (PRS Holcomb), 26.75 (getting a D'Angelico), 27.7 (PRS 277), 28 (Hagstrom, Italia), 30 (Gretsch), and I forget what else.
Just found your channel and the way you articulate the nuance of each guitar is very cool. I don't really play the same guitars you do but it's interesting to hear your experience and knowledge regarding those guitars.
Subscribed!
Ibanez actually makes the RGD series that’s a 26.5 inch scale. Schecter also had some 26.5 inch scale length models. Just throwing that out since you said you think you’d enjoy that scale length.
Baritones are like five string basses and fretless basses for bass players.
Not necessary, but can open up possibilities.
I have two 26.5 scale 7 string guitars that I love to play. There are a couple of different reasons why. First, you get totally different approaches to chords with the lower tunings. Second, it seems like if I play for quite a while on baritone, when I go back to 25.5 I am FAST. lol.
All Schecter 7 strings are 26.5. You asked about if that will work with a 6 string? Well it does, but you have to use lighter strings to be able to keep your ability to bend. So if you removed the 7th string, you still have the same access that you talk about in this video. And I agree with you!
I have big hands as well, and it is somewhat easier to get to those upper frets on the 26.5 scale. But if you don't have big hands...
Anyways, I have a ton of experience with baritones. Email me if you want! Tray drop A tuning, and use that low A for a moving bassline! It is super fun!
I'm a retired...well supposed to be retired, luthier. I still make stuff, just slower. I make mostly baritones and basses and I make my guitars 26.5 for standard tuning, for 2 reasons, A my stupid giant hands, and B I like higher tension. There is no reason that doesn't work, it will just feel slightly tighter, which can be remedied by either going lighter gauge on strings or tuning down a touch. or you just get used to it. So that 48 E string that on a 25.5 scale would have 20 pounds of tension, you'd have 22 on a 26.5 scale. Noticeable but not HUGE. even tuning down to D# standard would actually be less tension. Like 19.7 pounds. if you got strings with a 45 E rather then a 48E it would feel identical. Tonally there would be almost no difference. Now personally I like very long scale instruments to push the limits and I have a Bass 6 with a normal width and thickness neck but it's a full 34 inch scale 6 string. it's pretty fun. The guitar i play the most is probably my 30 inch baritone, Tele-style hybrid. Tuned to A or G# with a 75 to 13 set and i'm so used to that now that a 30 inch scale feels normal and the 26.5s almost feel mini. But she's my go-to guitar now. Flamed Maple fretboard, maple neck with Purple Heart stripe, Purple Heart headstock veneer, body is Padauk and mahogany with a quarter inch thick top that's a complex amalgam of black burl, wenge, Purple Heart, some walnut and ebony inlay, all brass hardware and bridge. Duncan Nazgul bridge pickup, Vintage Strat neck pickup. Goes from smooth blues and buttery to snarly metal machine with the touch of a switch.
Baritones are super super great for ambient and post rock music (think of bands like hammock). Check out chords of Orion too he uses several prs se baritones
PRS definitely got the right guy to talk about their guitars. Another great vid can’t wait for them to inevitably let you interview Paul.
That would be insane haha
Baritone is my favorite I have a 8 sting baritone acoustic where the 3 and 4 strings are chorused. Sounds so beautiful. I got the neck off eBay from china and it was a perfect replacement.
Hey man can you review a Dustie Waring PRS, pref the Floyd Rose model? :) peace
Thank you for yet another thorough review of an instrument I'm interested about!
@13:00 I'm a little bit shocked he cuts so high.
Consulting a note/frequency chart, the B1 fundamental stands at 61.74 Hz.
For reference, his cutting frequency of 134 Hz is just above C3 (8th fret of the standard E tuning).
While you may want to remove some of the low end in a mix to make room for the bass guitar and kick drum, and rely on the second harmonic for pitch information, I think it's not that good for a review/solo artist setting where you'd want to hear the whole range of the instrument including its fundamental tones.
I would have cut around 80 Hz maximum.
Glad you included that segment.
It helped me assess what I was hearing: a significant lack of low end.
Thanks to it, I know it may not be due to a lack from the pickups but just the effect of an overzealous cut in the sound processing used.
You should try some Baritone Funk as well, Mark Lettieri's Baritone Sessions are a great place to start.
He’s an amazing guitarist and composer.
Great review, appreciate the depth would have loved to see more playing :)
I agree the shorter baritone scales are an easy transition from the standard 25.5 or less. The Bunn is the baritone expert, but he also has particular tastes. The 27.7 scale is just this side of workable for me. My habit of tuning to standard A makes this scale a little unwieldy. Standard G is out of the question.
The issue with electric baritones is one of energy. You're demonstrating this when you swap from humbuckers to coil-splits. There's so much more energy in those heavy strings that the pickups are easily overpowered. The 277 with P90s is very poised compared to the humbucker version. Which brings up the subject of exactly how weak the humbuckers aught to be. I'm a sucker for Filtertrons, but not everyone is. PAFs would be my first choice, and I rarely say that. They will break up at the drop of a hat so finding a considered set deliberately underpowered flys in the face of all aftermarket pickups. Chances are JBE humbuckers are your best bet.
this is what gain control is for on your amp.
To get a few ideas about what music to play on a Baritone, I suggest listening to Mark Lettieri, he started Bariton'ing around way before it was popular
Great suggestion
I think one way to get a better understanding of the scale length situation is to also listen to some of the doom genre related guitar channels.
They tune very low, but often will use a 24 and three-quarter inch scale guitar. The secret sauce (for some) is to use a Wound third when setting up the guitars.
The core gauge of your wound strings is what makes a difference in the tension. So you have to adjust intonation pretty dramatically when switching to a wound third.
It might be interesting to try a Gibson RD style guitar at some point in the future. They are surprisingly ergonomic. Cheers!
26.5 is a common scale length. I have an 8 string multi scale 26-27.5 I love it. So comfortable. I have lots of 25.5 guitars. I have a 27’ tuned to standard, and the multi scale. I considered getting a cheap baritone I saw by firefly but maybe I’ll go with prs.
I got two Schecter 7 strings and they’re 26.5” scale length - close to what you’re looking for. The more expensive one I have is the Banshee Mach 7, and it actually feels so comfortable, so much so that I forget it’s not a 6 string
As far as longer scale guitars go, Jackson makes the SLA6 baritone with a 26.5 scale length, and Schecter omen 7 string guitars have a 26.5 inch scale too.
With regards to preferring split coil sounds compared to full humbucker with a baritone is related back to the low tuning of the guitar, a lot of bands tuning really low such as Loathe etc. much prefer P90s, noiseless single coils and really mid heavy/bright humbuckers to bring back some clarity you lose tuning really low
I love loathe thanks for the info
Hey I love your videos, Jericho guitars I believe have 26.25 as standard on all 6 strings. They aren’t crazy expensive and from what I’ve heard they are really comfortable.
Andre: Some companies give you a long series of number and letters that mean nothing
Ibanez: $w34t1nG
😂😂I still love them, but there naming does suck
Shit they made a guitar model out of my bank password ?!?!
My lefty Rivolta Mondata baritone is quite the instrument....well made, great pups....sounds great...fun to tinker.
FGN makes a couple different 6 string guitars with a scale length of 26.15" (664mm). I have the Tele version with EMG's setup in D Standard at the moment, and it plays and sounds fantastic.
I have a 26.5” baritone and I love it. But I’m short with small hands and don’t tune down too much.
All Ibanez RGD are 26.5 inch scale i think. Don't think you'd like the ibanez neck profile though.
I have one of these. Out of all the guitars I currently own it’s my favorite.I wish I could get a custom 24 with the same bridge.
The Schecter Kenny Hickey signature, which is a LP-style guitar, has a 26.5" scale length and they consider it a baritone, even though the industry standard for a baritone scale length is 27".
However, considering that its scale length is about 1.75" longer than the usual Gibson 24.75", it's comparable to Fender's baritones (27") being 1.5" longer than their normal scale lengths, in fact the added length is longer in comparison.
Interesting about the 26-26.5" scale.
As many have said, they're super popular on 7 strings. In my opinion, it's my favourite scale length.
If tuning standard or close to E standard, I always shy away from anything 27" or longer. Reason being I feel the high e gets compromised (shrill/chimey and tighter feeling).
Granted, I like strings to be more pliable, but I personally disliked the sound and feel of .010s in e standard on a 26.5".
I've been wanting one of these for a while but PRS are so inconsistent with their tops on these it's crazy! Just look at Sweetwater and Reverb on these... they are all over the place. Also, there are 26.5" and 27" and 28" baritone guitars... You might want to look into those also.
Looking forward for the holcomb review as I own one. I somehow enjoy the 20” radius and the 25,5” scale.
Also own the prs baritone semi hollow p90. It growls like crazy, but my tiny hands are unable to do the 3 notes per string (for sale)… so the holcomb is a better match for me.
Tho, i wonder how a 26,5” would play :-)
I'm pretty sure that most Schecter baritones are 26.5" scale - not sure about 26" scale lengths, but 26.5" is definitely in use.
Waiting on that Holcomb review!!
I agree that the SE McCarty 594 (and the SE DGT and SE Santana guitars, for that matter) should be offered with the same hardtail bridge that the SE 277 uses. My neuromuscular disorder makes me extraordinarily sensitive to neck pitch (i.e. neck angle), and I cannot play guitars with tune-o-matic bridges (and other bridges of similar height) due to the steep neck pitch they necessitate.
One of my favorite days of the week… Fludd video day!
I appreciate you!
If you’re wondering what to play on a baritone guitar. Look up Taproot-smile
Can confirm Andre, if you want to dolow tunings you won’t have any problems with that guitar.
I confortably tune 25.5 scale guitars as low as G# standard
Thanks for the confirmation
Ibanez makes model called the rgd that is a 26.5 inch scale they offer a few 6 string models. I owned the 7 string multiscale for a while and it was a solid guitar.
Also love you sneaking vildhjarta in there
Yes, once you chug on Drop A, or even Drop F, its another experience lol
7:38
The Jeff Loomis signature guitars have a 26.5 inch scale length. You might want to look into trying one of them out.
See thanks why I need you guys. I’ll check it out
I love baritones and I'm not a metal guy. I have a Kiesel plus a Taylor acoustic, and I do believe all guitar players need at least one baritone.
Talking about the SE277: although PRS did a really great job voicing their pickups, I disagree about the neck. My hands aren't small -- I'm a 6' tall guy -- but the 277 neck felt like a baseball bat in my hands. The one I've tested felt barely unplayable to me. My Taylor baritone (27" scale) is more comfortable, even being an acoustic guitar. My Kiesel (26.5" scale) is way easier to play than this SE (I'm not a Kiesel fanboy, and I also had problems with my order) with a kind of modern C neck carve that reminds me some strats from Schecter.
Anyway, my two cents: if you like regular/modern C necks, or shred super-thin necks, stay away from the SE277; don't even consider it. On the other hand, if you like chunky necks, this SE may please you. Additionally, because of the extra length, you can maybe tune it even lower, think A standard or even G standard - I've seen Mark Lettieri in a video going that low with the SE277.
Andre: I've found your channel a couple of months ago and I really like the way you approach your vids!
I like my baritone but i don't know what I'm doing with it. I pretty much just play the same songs in lower keys.
Thanks for the education!
Thanks for watching Anthony :)
still saying “McCarthy” that made me giggle love you man
but for playing Vildhjarta you need that 24th fret too haha ! this one hasn't :(
I recently bought a Harley Benton Amarok baritone. I just learned how to tune it. Now,... What am I to do with it...
wow that sounds great
@7:32 I’d be interested in hearing your thoughts on the Ibanez RGDIX6MPB
There’s dragonfly maroon guitar with kinda 26.5” lengths
@andrefludd Would you have any interest in trying out a multi-scale guitar in the future?
I've seen Schecter do 26.5 scale guitars. Mostly 7 string but *I think* they do make 26.5 and 6 string instruments.
For a review there was a lack of playing. Would have enjoyed more than Just strumming for a "tone" demo. Would also see the tone difference between a normal scale vs baritone and how well it does with alternative tunings vs standard.
I agree.
Loving that Oathbreaker shirt, almost forgot about those guys!
They need new music it’s been way too long
@@andrefludd Oh 100%
My Jackson Baritone has a 26.5” scale
I wonder if you could string this up with really light strings and get it up to standard E, or at least E-flat. Like string it up with 8's or 9's. That would give you the higher notes and easier fret access. Probably not worth it because I bet it's a pain to bend. LOL
That’s something I wanted to try
I'm really enjoying this series! I have 3 PRS guitars, 2 SEs and a CE24. Are you interested in checking out PRS amps as well? I'd be interested in a demo of the HDRX 20 and your opinion of the MT15 (I personally own the latter). Cheers!
Honestly, I’m not much of an amp guy. I’m sure they’re great but it’s not an area I know much about
I bought this guitar a few months back just to play some of Breaking Benjamin's tuning A# F A# D# G C and it's works perfect 👌
Could you do a video for guitars 2000 and under that are good ergonomic wise and spec wise
Are you going to Demo/Review the Hollowbody II SE Piezo?
Yep!
The Ibanez rgd has like a 26ish scale
Andre, I would suggest checking out some of Xander Ray Charles videos. He plays a lot of tuned down and drop tunings on baritone guitar. Which I know is stylistically different but he does know a lot about baritones.
I watch him all the time :). Seems like a great guy.
@@andrefludd I'm sorry for suggesting somebody you already knew about. I too watch a lot of musicians of styles outside of my own and try to draw what I can from them. I'm actually a drummer lol.
I personally prefer 7 and 8 string
But baritone 6 are cool
I feel that with 7 or 8 string guitars bass and regular guitars there's nothing a baritone can add ... except for one thing and that's the tonal quality you get playing notes near the neck with no distortion. Once you add pedals or distortion then you might as well play a 7 string. Once you start playing high notes you lose that baritone tone and it sounds like any other guitar. I do like that baritone sound.
Baritone blues, "Yeah baby"
baritone guitar is wrongly only associated with metal guitar when is not true, Marc litteri is a example who made 2 album only with baritone guitar, I particularly love it on lean tone, type bluesy rocky tone, baritone guitar haven't be popular cause to have a good baritone with stable neck you need a great manufacture, and PRS is the best out there truest them to make more more of those guitar that very nicely betwen guitar and bass guitar
What is the tuning low to high?
I would love a baritone guitar... but man are they expensive
Another comment before I can actually watch, for the algorithm Lords. Plus I’m a proud PRS fanboy!
Thank you :)
extra algorithm comment
Baritone guitars are great man. To me there isn't any... "way" to play it. There's no "Baritone" playing stuff... (to me)... Whatever I play on my normal guitars works exactly the same on a Baritone. It just depends on if you like whatever tune you're playing... just lower. Lots of fun. No need to pay attention to extra strings or whatever.