Introduction to Electric Baritone Guitar
Picture yourself at your local Long & McQuade, scanning the guitar rack when your eyes land on what looks like an odd electric guitar. It looks a bit like a bass, but with extra strings. Is it a bird? A plane? Nope—it’s the electric baritone guitar!
What exactly is a baritone guitar, you might ask? This blog will explain the baritone guitar, explore its use, identify who plays it, how much it costs, where you can buy one, and provide practical guidance for potential players. Together, these points will clarify the unique qualities that make the electric baritone guitar a distinct member of the guitar family.
What Is an Electric Baritone Guitar?
Baritone guitars are guitars with a longer scale length (27” to 30”) than standard electric guitars (24.75” to 25.5”). They were first found in Germany and are sort of like the guitar’s answer to the mandocello. They’re typically tuned down a 4th, from B to B, or, in some cases, from A to A.
The development of the electric baritone guitar dates back to the late 1950s, when manufacturers such as Danelectro and Fender introduced extended-range instruments like the 6-string bass and the bass VI in 1957. However, it was not until the 1990s that Jerry Jones produced what is widely considered the first commercially available electric baritone guitar specifically designed for baritone tuning and scale length, marking a significant milestone in the instrument’s evolution.
What’s the difference, you might ask? A bass VI is exactly that, a bass guitar. It’s tuned down a full octave (E to E) and features all wound strings. An electric baritone, by contrast, traditionally has 2 unwound strings and 4 wound.
Although both have longer scale lengths and lower tunings, the baritone’s voice sits between the bass and standard electric guitar. The bass VI functions more like a “short scale” bass, while a baritone is a low-tuned electric guitar.
Confused yet? As a general rule, when I think bass VI, I think the intro to Wichita Lineman by Glen Campbell or Ennio Morricone, and when I think baritone, I think Dwight Yoakam or Ry Cooder. Hope that helps!
Who Plays the Electric Baritone?
The baritone has found a home most notably in surf and country music, but is also used in other genres. Modern metal guitarists like Jeff Loomis have incorporated baritone guitars into their setups to take advantage of their low tunings while retaining string tension. Meanwhile, indie artists such as Phoebe Bridgers have used a baritone in tandem with a capo to access lower open tunings that would otherwise require extensive down-tuning on a standard electric guitar.
Baritones have even made their way into genres like funk and jazz; for example, Mark Lettieri of the Fearless Flyers/Snarky Puppy uses a baritone on "Deep: The Baritone Sessions" and in his live work. You’ll also hear baritone guitars in pop-punk, such as in Blink-182’s song "Obvious" from their 2003 self-titled album, and "Adam’s Song" from Enema of the State.
How to Play the Electric Baritone
If you currently know how to play the guitar, you’re in luck. The coolest thing about trying out a baritone electric is that you’ll find all of your normal electric guitar tricks and skills transfer over seamlessly- try all of your usual open cowboy chords, and you’ll hear their new, moody, and complex variations.
Try a few of your favourite low-string riffs, and you’ll be shocked at how cutting, bassy, and direct they now sound. Because a baritone essentially plays the same as a “normal” electric, you won’t have to change your playing style much or your approach to get a wildly different sonic result.
Pair those sounds with a deep tremolo and a drippy spring reverb on your Fender amp or favourite plug-in, and you’re on your way to cowboy Flavortown. Or arpeggiate your way through some triads with a big hall reverb, and you’ll notice new resonances and harmonics you’ve likely never heard before.
The baritone guitar makes for a great overdub machine in your recordings, creating texture and adding depth in choruses and verses, or serving as a lead line or riff at the top of the song.
Where to Get an Electric Baritone
The recent popularity of the baritone guitar has been fantastic for those curious about the instrument, as the market has opened to more affordable offerings under $1000 for guitarists looking to try them out. Long & McQuade has one of the largest collections of electric baritone guitars in Canada, available in-store and/or online and shipped to your home from coast to coast to coast.
How Much Does an Electric Baritone Cost?
Just like most guitars, the price of a baritone will depend on features and the quality of the materials used, the brand's reputation and popularity, and whether the guitar is considered a custom model.
Baritone guitars typically start around $700 CAD. Here are some examples of popular baritone guitars under the $1000 mark:
Try a Baritone In-Store!
No matter your genre or playing style, baritone guitars carve out a unique space in the sonic spectrum for adventurous players. Ready to expand your sound? Visit your local Long & McQuade today to experience a baritone guitar firsthand, or order online and discover a whole new range of musical possibilities.
