Recommend a good Baritone Acoustic please

[telewired]

looking for something with a 1 11/16" nut--- And has great action---
I am new to the world of acoustic baritone but have some experience with electric baritone.
Maybe up to $1500 tops----used and a players guitar is fine.

[Earl49]

Your only option with a nut that narrow will likely be the Alvarez ABT60. All the other baritone guitars that I know of (including my recently sold Taylor) will be 1-3/4" at the nut. You need a bit more room for those wider heavy gauge strings.

I believe that Taylor has some new 300 series baritone LTD's that should fit your budget, or get close.

[Andromeda]

I second the Alvarez ABT60 Baritone. I own one and just love it!!

[Teleplucker]

Save a little more and buy a new one from Trevor Khronbauer. Hands down the best deal in baritone guitars.

[rogthefrog]

Originally Posted by telewired

looking for something with a 1 11/16" nut--- And has great action---
I am new to the world of acoustic baritone but have some experience with electric baritone.
Maybe up to $1500 tops----used and a players guitar is fine.

A 1 11/16" nut is going to be really crowded with the typical higher-gauge strings on a baritone.

[Wade Hampton]

After Telewired wrote:

Originally Posted by telewired

looking for something with a 1 11/16" nut--- And has great action---
I am new to the world of acoustic baritone but have some experience with electric baritone.
Maybe up to $1500 tops----used and a players guitar is fine.

Rog replied:

Originally Posted by rogthefrog

A 1 11/16" nut is going to be really crowded with the typical higher-gauge strings on a baritone.

Right. The heavier strings quite literally take up more room.

Tele, when Roy McAlister was in the process of building my acoustic baritone guitar for me, he asked me what my normal nut preference was. I told him 1 3/4". So he made the nut width 1 7/8", reasoning correctly that this would give the guitar the feel if not the reality of a 1 3/4" nut.

The strings really do take up more space on a baritone guitar, and you'd need at least a 1 3/4" nut to give you the feel you want.

Hope that makes sense.


Wade Hampton Miller

[L20A]

I also own an Alvarez ABT-60.
The string spacing has never been a issue for me.
Like any guitar, try to play one before you buy it.

Correct me if i'm wrong but doesn't Taylor recommend tuning C to C at the lowest?
I like the B to B tuning that I get with my Alvarez.
This allows you to play with other standard tuned guitars more than C to C tuning does.

[Brucebubs]

As an 'entry-level' introduction to baritone guitar the Alvarez ABT-60 does a great job.
Now I know what works and what doesn't I'd love to play a higher end baritone guitar like this stunning Kronbauer for sale here in the AGF classifieds.
I bet this thing sounds as good as it looks.
http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...light=baritone

[usb_chord]

Another - http://www.wildwoodguitars.com/produ...oryID=121&n=24

This one I've actually played and it's incredible.

[Brucebubs]

Originally Posted by usb_chord

Another - http://www.wildwoodguitars.com/produ...oryID=121&n=24

This one I've actually played and it's incredible.

Huh? That link is for a 1953 Martin D-28 .... not a baritone.

[Shoreline Music]

The 326e Baritone 8 matches your checklist, assuming you go with 1 3/4 nut to compensate for the fatter strings for B tuning:

[telewired]

Thanks for the suggestions---
really want to keep it a 6 string---
and I think 1 3/4" nut would be ok----

[Earl49]

Originally Posted by GrandpaD

....Correct me if i'm wrong but doesn't Taylor recommend tuning C to C at the lowest?....

Taylor baritones come stock with 70-16 Elixir strings tuned B-b, or standard tuning down five frets. I replaced those with regular heavy gauge strings (59-14) tuned C-c to make it easier to play for my left hand. That is essentially a very light gauge set of strings for this application. Back in the day, they used heavier strings and C#-c# tuning for the Leo Kottke Signature Model, per his request. I've never heard of them recommending anything other than B-b for their baritones.

Like you Telewired, I don't care for those eight string baritones. I waited a long time to find a six string version. If I want a 12-string sound, I play my twelve string.

[SuperB23]

Avian Falcon Baritone plays and sounds like a $3000-$4000 guitar but cost $1150. I highly recommend them!! I have one in European Spruce and Indian Rosewood with a bevel and McIntyre Feather Pickup. It holds its own with my other $8000+ guitars.

On the Nut width subject. Remember baritone strings are a lot thicker and that 1 11/16" nut width can feel very very cramped. I've played two baritones with 1 11/16" and they were nearly unplayable and I'm usually good with that size nut. 1 3/4" or even 1 13/16" is usually better for a Baritone acoustic.

[telewired]

Those Avian Falcon Baritone look really good and right up my lane---but they seem impossible to find-----