Turning a Bass into a baritone?

S

Smoke_Jaguar101

New member
What do you reckon would be cheaper ? Buying a baritone, or taking a cheap 6 string bass (say, second hand but nice quality one), replacing the bass pickups with guitar ones and using light gauge bass strings tuned to B/A standard? XD

Take into account the woodwork required, and the fact that a nice baritone will cost schloads more than a (i guess) Tenor (?) guitar.
 
Re: Turning a Bass into a baritone?

The OLP baritone was pretty darned cheap. Bass scale length is a bit long for a baritone, I'd say.
 
Re: Turning a Bass into a baritone?

what about a short scale bass neck with a 6 string nut? lol add two more machine heads!
 
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Re: Turning a Bass into a baritone?

A short scale 5 string bass converted to a 6 string guitar (I.e. add a tuner, new nut, new bridge and guitar pickups) will make a good baritone. But have fun finding a short scale 5 string.

Normal bass scales are too long to be used effectively as a baritone, and the string spacing is too wide for most guitarists. Again, a 5 string will mitigate the width and spacing issues when used with a 6 string guitar nut and bridge, but the scale being almost 10" longer will take at least a bit of getting used to ;)
 
Re: Turning a Bass into a baritone?

If you want a baritone range instrument, buy one.

As has been pointed out, conventional bass guitar scale length would be difficult for anyone (except Anthony Jackson) to play regular guitar chords. Converting a medium scale bass guitar could prove expensive.

One alternative suggestion - buy an affordable (pre-owned) five string bass guitar and restring it EADGC.
 
Re: Turning a Bass into a baritone?

If you want cheap AND easy then buy a used strat/squire/tele whatever from wherever and get a baritone conversion neck from Warmoth, WD etc. and swap out the neck. Boom. Baritone.

However, frets will need to be dressed if you get one of those necks, but you could probably get a used one ebay or wherever where this has been done already.
 
Re: Turning a Bass into a baritone?

Aha, I seem to have forgotten to mention that I'm a lefty :s as such, it's almost impossible to buy a baritone without it costing schloads, so converting a cheap starter bass would probably be cheaper...?
 
Re: Turning a Bass into a baritone?

Smoke_Jaguar101 said:
Aha, I seem to have forgotten to mention that I'm a lefty :s as such, it's almost impossible to buy a baritone without it costing schloads, so converting a cheap starter bass would probably be cheaper...?
Click to expand...

It would still probably be cheaper to buy a baritone conversion neck and stick it on your guitar (provided you have a strat/tele already). A maple/maple or maple/rosewood neck would cost about $200.
 
Re: Turning a Bass into a baritone?

Besides if I remember, the Dano baritones were 27" scale but most basses are 30-34" scale.
And if fender and gibson tell us anyhting, it's that 3/4 of an inch makes a big difference, much less 3 whole inches.
 
Re: Turning a Bass into a baritone?

so should i use a knife to cut this cake

or should i use a broadsword but just swing it real slow?
 
Re: Turning a Bass into a baritone?

I've been in similar situations where I have wanted to get from A to C, but instead of going though B I want to try and go through Z and work backwards.

Trust me when I say it may seem to be expensive or too troublesome to go A-B-C, but it will be cheaper and less of a headache in the end.

Pinch your pennies, watch the used market and get yourself a lefty baritone.
 
Re: Turning a Bass into a baritone?

It seems like it would be easier to take a regular 6-string guitar and set it up for a low tuning than to take a bass and set it up for guitar-style playing. But if you are handy with this stuff, it may be worth it to try something unique.
 
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