Some guitarists like to tune their instruments lower than normal to achieve a slightly deeper sound. Drop-D tuning is one version of this, and other players tune the whole instrument down a half-step to Eb or even a whole step to D. The effect is quite noticeable and makes the music being played sound darker.
Another very cool option available to the guitarist is to play in a much lower register with a baritone guitar. The baritone guitar is a six-string instrument that falls halfway between the sound of a normal guitar and a bass guitar. It’s generally tuned either a fifth lower (A D G C E A) or a fourth lower (B E A D F# B) than normal. I opt for the fifth below.
The baritone guitar is played just like a normal guitar, except the strings are thicker (especially on the bottom end) and the fret spacing is wider.
If you’ve ever seen an early Clint Eastwood “spaghetti western” movie you’ve heard the powerful and mysterious sound of a single chord being strummed one time on a baritone guitar at key moments.
The sound of the baritone guitar is captivating. It’s an amazing sensation to play the guitar as you normally would and to hear a huge, deep, throaty half-octave-lower sound emanate from your instrument. It can inspire an exciting new direction in your playing and composing.
Danelectro introduced the first solid-body electric baritone guitar in 1957. It looked just like their standard electric guitar but with a neck that was five inches longer! They referred to it as the “UB-2 six-string bass”.
Guitarists as diverse as Jerry Cantrell, Allan Holdsworth, Ani DiFranco, Pat Metheney, Andy McKee, Joe Bonamassa and Dave Matthews have explored the baritone guitar in their recording and performing careers.
Baritone guitars are available from Danelectro, Fender, Gibson, Gretch, Schecter and Ibanez, among others. Try one next time you’re at your favorite music store.