Got a ESP E-II Baritone Guitar...

[OsvyRock]

Well... I got an ESP E-II Baritone 7 String Guitar like two months ago.
27'' scale with Fishman Fluences, currently setup with .13 - 74 strings.

I like to play in the following tunings: C#, B and A# (the last being my fav tuning for this guitar).
After reading a little bit, it seems 27'' is just not enough to be a ''baritone guitar''. Tuning seems unstable on my instrument, strings too wide, stiff. They don't do power chords as good or in-tune as a regular guitar. It could be something in the nut, the strings I'm using for it (Stringjoy), may need another setup...

As a singer-songwriter I purchased the instrument with the goal of having a new songwriting instrument to experiment, but for now the experience hasn't been so ''WOW''. I have only completed one song with it and I got it to C# if I remember correctly.

Just would like to know how I could improve my experience with this sort of instrument.
I have considered going to .12 - .72 gauge, new setup and/or finding a new ''standard tuning'' for this instrument.
Which are your recommendations or observations? I imagine that selling the instrument could also be another option. This is the only baritone/7-string guitar on my collection, but I'm open to reading opinions or suggestions before going forth and selling it (if that would be the case).

[JB_From_Hell]

Your strings are way too heavy if don't want it to sound like a bass. I had an 8 string that was 27.5", and I used a .074 or .080 for low E or F#, and a .058 or .060 for B. Tons of people tuned B-B with .013-.056" on Les Pauls or Strat scales for years before long scale guitars were a thing, and many still use standard scales.

Stringjoy has a really good tension calculator. Don't get too hung up on the numbers rather than what feels and sounds good, but it'll get you close. In lieu of that, try something that goes 11 or 12 - 60.

[OsvyRock]

Your strings are way too heavy if don't want it to sound like a bass. I had an 8 string that was 27.5", and I used a .074 or .080 for low E or F#, and a .058 or .060 for B. Tons of people tuned B-B with .013-.056" on Les Pauls or Strat scales for years before long scale guitars were a thing, and many still use standard scales.

Stringjoy has a really good tension calculator. Don't get too hung up on the numbers rather than what feels and sounds good, but it'll get you close. In lieu of that, try something that goes 11 or 12 - 60.

Thanks! That's exactly the reason that I wrote. There's something odd about the feel and response of the instrument, but my fingers/mind tell me that thinner strings could do. The question would be on how to remain ''stable''. These types of instruments operate a little bit different than standard guitars. Perhaps that could be the thing. Strings may be too heavy. I received the guitar with a gauge of .10's. It was very nice to play, but I know I require more tension. For comparison, I play .10's on 24.75'' and 25.5'' scale instruments at the time. Some 24.75'' are still setup for .11 - 49, but I'm already leaving that tension behind. .10 feels right to me at this time.

[JB_From_Hell]

It's gonna take some experimenting, and you're right, weird stuff happens when you get to the scale lengths between a guitar and bass. Somewhere in the mid-70 range, there's a second wrap used to make the string, further making it sound like a bass. I bet 12, 16, 24w, 36, 46 will work for the top 5. For the low string, get all the singles 56-64 and see what works.

Are there any bands getting the tones you're after? Look into that, and I bet they're using lighter strings than you'd think, and slightly higher action, too.

[OsvyRock]

It's gonna take some experimenting, and you're right, weird stuff happens when you get to the scale lengths between a guitar and bass. Somewhere in the mid-70 range, there's a second wrap used to make the string, further making it sound like a bass. I bet 12, 16, 24w, 36, 46 will work for the top 5. For the low string, get all the singles 56-64 and see what works.

Are there any bands getting the tones you're after? Look into that, and I bet they're using lighter strings than you'd think, and slightly higher action, too.

It may sound odd, but I'm not really looking for like an specific band tone. I really wanted to step out of my comfort zone at the time of songwriting. I mostly write on E Standard, Eb, C# Standard (or Dropped), but wanted to explore more.

My writing/performing style is a mix of palm mutes, power chords, normal chording, U2 like fills, some lead solos or fills here and there. Nothing complicated, but the mix of everything creates the songs. I do like some heavy bands and riffs, but imitate none.

Something I would definitely like is to actually do normal/regular chording like for example, a chord such as Em7 on the 7th fret of a regular guitar. Here should be like a ''B'' something, but because the strings feel so heavy, I can't manage to make the chord sound or feel smooth. It feels very bass like as you have mentioned. If it could somehow be the dropped (low tuned) chord but clear enough to feel and sound more guitar like...

As you mentioned, it requires more experimenting. .12 could be the gauge for me.
I'm thinking of trying out this set.... https://stringjoy.com/guitarstrings/...uitar-strings/

[JB_From_Hell]

Just checked, 72 at B on your ESP is gonna be like 27lbs. Get closer to 20lbs and you'll get that clarity you're looking for. It's very likely the clarity you're looking for has less tension than you'd like, but it's a trade off.