Re: warmoth Bari conversion users...
the guy who invented fire said:
Ok...I know that the conversion makes the scale length 28 5/8...for anybody that uses one I have 3 questions...
-What guage strings do you use?
-What do you tune it to?
-It the string tension solid enough to not get muddy under mild to medium gain levels?
1) I've been experimenting with gauge, D'Addario makes a couple of sets. Currently I'm using 14-68. It seems ro do the trick.
2) B-B, a perfect fourth down from standard.
3)Yes. I put SSL-1s in the neck and middle, and was undecided for the bridge, considering a P-90. At Seymour's advice, I ordered a CS humbucker, Alnico 5, vintage wind, with a 4-conductor cable. I have it wired with a three-way mini switch for series/parallel/split. It sounds amazing. In the middle of the 5-way, it selects the neck and bridge together instead of middle only. The underwound humbucker is a great match with this guitar. With the thick strings, it has plenty of sustain, and stays clear, even when overdriven. It seems like a hot pickup would sound like a muddy mess with the thick strings and all those overtones. I was looking for rock & roll/rockabilly/country cleans and overdrive, not metal chunk. I can do a kind of Danelectro twang, or crank it up a for an overdriven tone. I haven't tried heavy distortion with it (that's not really my thing). Hope this helps.
