Love the build of your baritone but tired of living down in the low tunings? You don’t have to leave it there forever.
Some players retune one so a single guitar can cover both the deep stuff and regular pitch. It’s a doable change, as long as you adjust the right parts instead of just turning the pegs.
This guide covers what the conversion takes and how the tone holds up afterward. First, a quick look at what makes a baritone different in the first place.
What Is a Baritone Guitar?
A baritone guitar is a type of guitar with a longer scale length, typically 27.5 inches, and it’s usually played with thicker strings and a heavier gauge. Some models stretch the scale length all the way up to 30 inches.
The main reason for owning one is the sound. It’s rich, gutsy, and has a more “bassy” tone than a standard-scale guitar.
How to Tune a Baritone Guitar to Standard
The tuning procedure is basically the same as on any other guitar, but there are a few things to keep in mind:
- Pick up some very light guitar strings like an 8 or 9 gauge at the high E string.
- You’ll probably need to change your intonation at the bridge of your guitar.
- After tuning, check your neck to see if you need a truss rod adjustment.
The lighter strings matter most. A baritone’s longer scale puts extra tension on strings at any given pitch, so the heavy gauges meant for low tunings would feel stiff and play poorly at E standard.
Advantages and Disadvantages of E Standard
There are a few real advantages to tuning an electric baritone guitar to standard:
- It lets you play more songs on the instrument, so you don’t need extra guitars just to cover more tunings. This is by far the biggest benefit.
- People with big hands may find baritone guitars easier to play thanks to the longer scale length.
- Light strings with good tension tend to feel amazing to play.
- You can get a very lively sound.
- The mids in the tone are super rich.
The disadvantages are few. The main one is that the tone can come out a little thin, without much bottom end, because of the lighter strings.
Typical Baritone Guitar Tuning
Baritone guitars are usually tuned to baritone standard, which is B-E-A-D-F#-B. This makes for a great tuning because it sits halfway between standard guitar tuning and bass tuning.
It also lets you use the same chord shapes as a standard-tuned electric guitar, just transposed down.
Can a Regular Guitar Be a Baritone Guitar?
Yes, technically you can tune a regular guitar to a baritone standard tuning. To be honest, I wouldn’t recommend it because it doesn’t sound great and the guitar doesn’t play very well.
But if you still want to try, there are some things to keep in mind:
- Use heavier strings. Otherwise they’ll get floppy.
- You may need to widen the slots in the nut to accommodate the heavier gauge strings. Skipping this can make chords hard to keep in tune.
- You’ll definitely need to reset the intonation, though it may not intonate properly if there isn’t enough tension on the saddles.
- The neck may need a truss rod adjustment, since the tension will be different than when the guitar is tuned to standard.
How Low Can You Tune a Baritone Guitar?
You can get quite low. How low really depends on your guitar, the string gauge you’re using, the scale length, and other factors.
My recommendation is to experiment and go as low as you can while the guitar still holds tune and the strings don’t get too floppy.
Other Baritone Guitar Tuning Options
Some of my favorite alternate tunings for a baritone guitar:
- Drop A - just drop the B string down one full step to an A.
- Double Drop A - similar to double drop D on a standard guitar. Here you drop both B strings, the top and bottom, to A. Note that with this tuning your first and second strings are no longer a perfect 4th apart. They sit a minor 3rd apart, which changes your scale fingerings, so it takes some getting used to.
- A-E-A-D-E-A - this is the baritone version of DADGAD tuning on a standard guitar.
- G-D-A-D-E-A - this gets very low, and you can pull some beautiful chord sounds out of it.
- A-D-G-C-E-A - this is basically standard baritone a step lower.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need different strings to tune a baritone to standard?
Yes. The thick, heavy-gauge strings that come on most baritones are built for low tunings, and they’d feel stiff and sound dull at E standard.
Switch to a lighter set, around an 8 or 9 gauge at the high E, so the strings sit at comfortable tension on the longer scale.
Will tuning to standard damage my baritone guitar?
No, tuning a baritone to E standard won’t damage it as long as you set it up properly. Because you’re using lighter strings, the neck actually sees less tension than at baritone standard, so a truss rod check and a fresh intonation setting are all you usually need.
Does a baritone guitar sound good in standard tuning?
It can sound very good, with rich mids and a lively character, though the bottom end may feel a little thin compared to baritone tuning. A baritone in E standard trades some of that deep growl for the versatility of playing standard-tuned songs and chord shapes.
How is baritone standard tuning different from E standard?
Baritone standard is B-E-A-D-F#-B, which sits a perfect 4th below regular E standard (E-A-D-G-B-E). The interval pattern between strings is identical, so the same chord shapes apply and everything just sounds lower.
Final Thoughts
Overall, baritone guitars make for an interesting and unique instrument, and most players really enjoy the deeper tone. Tuning one to E standard is absolutely doable, as long as you fit lighter strings and take a few minutes to reset the intonation and check the neck.
Whether you keep it in baritone standard, drop it lower for heavier sounds, or bring it up to E standard for everyday playing, the baritone rewards experimentation. Definitely give it a try if you have the opportunity.
