Baritone guitars may have a reputation of instruments that create honky-tonk, Nashville-style ballads or overdubs, but they are becoming increasingly prominent in contemporary music genres such as rock, heavy metal, jazz and funk. Gone are the days of the baritone guitar being considered a quirky outsider to the regular band ensemble, nowadays, more bands are starting to see the merits of using the baritone guitar as an instrument to enhance their sound. Baritones are much harder to play than regular guitars. This is due to the wider fret space and thicker strings.
Baritone guitars are most commonly six-string guitars which are unique in having longer scale lengths, thicker strings and wider frets. Most importantly, baritone guitars are tuned differently to standard guitars, following a B, E, A, D, F#, B tuning. They provide deeper penetrating tones and are the perfect bridge in between bass and standard guitar. Famous baritone guitar players include James Hetfield from Metallica and Stephen Carpenter of Deftones.
But what is the best baritone guitar to purchase? The article draws on customer reviews and various sources to feature five in-depth product reviews of the best baritone guitars currently available to purchase online. The reviews provide all the key features, the product description, as well as pros and cons. The buying guide provides all the essential information you need to know before purchasing a baritone guitar. Particular areas of focus of the guide include scale length, price, tonewood, warranty and body type.
Many are unaware that baritone guitars are tuned lower than standard guitars. To the ear, it may initially sound slightly strange. The regular tuning for a baritone guitar from low to high is B, E, A, D, F#, B. In some cases, you may find these guitars are tuned lower by a fifth or even a full octave. While the notes are different, the chord fingerings for baritones are the same as standard guitar, which is ideal for those looking to transition.
The tuning of baritone guitars is slightly more intriguing than regular guitars. While it can be tuned in the traditional E A D G B E format, the most common tuning for the baritone is B, E, A, D, F#, B. This tuning provides a fantastic third, fourth and fifth range for players to experiment with. The most common baritone scale is 27” featuring at least 12 gauge strings.
When using a baritone guitar, the same rules apply to the management of strings compared to a standard guitar. The strings will need regular tuning and must measure the length between the bridge and the neck of the guitar. String sets range between 10-46 with the majority of bass models using 32″.
Ideally, the tonewood for a baritone is not one that does not have a high-frequency response as the baritone is lower in pitch. Woods such as koa, white oak and walnut are perfect for baritone guitars.
When purchasing a 
Your reviewers obviously have not tried the Fury Baritone ( not Peavy related). Made by Fury Guitars. It is tuned down to a low A. It’s bottom end is both bright and round. I liked the ESP’s double output for splitting out to two amps, but fount it dull in comparison to the Fury. Your reviewers should give it a listen.
Thank you for your comment and for bringing the Fury Baritone guitar to our attention. We appreciate your input and the recommendation for our reviewers to give it a listen.
In the meantime, we encourage our readers to explore different options and try out various guitars to find the one that suits their preferences and playing style. Your personal experience with the Fury Baritone is valuable feedback and may be helpful to other guitar enthusiasts searching for a similar sound.
Once again, thank you for your comment and for sharing your thoughts with us. We appreciate your engagement and support.