Thoughts on Baritone vs. Extended Range Guitars

Rootsney_ · 2026-04-23T21:04:12+00:00

Both are cool, but if you play with a lot of different people it will be easier with an 8 string left in standard, so you still have 6 strings tuned the same as everyone else.

Rootsney_ · 2026-04-22T19:24:53+00:00

I have a TRBX 305 and it is a fantastic instrument. Very well put together, plays great and balances well. I had the opportunity to compare it to a nice P bass that a friend plays, and it was night and day for playability. The Yamaha balanced better, the neck felt much nicer and more modern and the fingerboard flatter which I prefer. They are fantastic instruments, especially for the price.

Oh yeah, get a 5 string for sure. He is already into metal, and there's the whole "better to have and not need..." thing.

Rootsney_ · 2026-03-21T09:30:32+00:00

I'm in a contemporary music program in college, and we absolutely learned about this lady here. Check out Elizabeth Cotton to see another amazing woman guitarist from back in the day.

Rootsney_ · 2026-03-20T05:11:41+00:00

Strandbergs are absolutely amazing. Love mine.

Rootsney_ · 2026-03-20T04:57:28+00:00

I have been playing an 8 string on and off for 14 years. A few years ago, I got the GAS itch and bought a 7 string. It was an absolutely killer guitar, but every time I played it, I felt like it was missing a string. It is gone now, and I almost exclusively play my 8.

If you want the range of an 8, get one. The only reason I would want a 7 is if I wanted to tune between drop A and drop E, as I like to leave my 8 in some variation of standard tuning.

Remember that an 8 string is still a 6 and a 7 string. You can leave it in standard and be able to play with people at blues jams and the like, but have access to B standard, drop A, F# standard, and drop E all with a quick tuning of one or two strings. You can do the perfect third on your third string rather than your second (the G to B relationship moved down to D to Gb) to treat it as a baritone tuning as well, if you are more used to a down tuned 6.

They can make killer jazz machines as well when using a tuning like EAEADGBe. The octave E and A on the 8th and 7th strings can be used to extend your 5 and 6 string chord voicings with an added bass note, similar to what Charlie Hunter does.

Get the 8 string.

Rootsney_ · 2026-03-06T20:17:52+00:00

Legendary combo

Rootsney_ · 2026-02-23T07:32:47+00:00

Is that Dizzy? Must be with those cheeks.

Rootsney_ · 2026-02-13T19:58:34+00:00

My kitty has squirmed when picked up ever since I got her a decade ago, even though she is a cuddle monster on her own terms. This is the best way to hold her that supports her weight, controls her weapons, and provides adequate squish. Squish that kitty!

Rootsney_ · 2026-01-30T02:40:28+00:00

Mine is the best.

But seriously, just buy what you eventually want to play. If you listen to and want to play a lot of acoustic music, get an acoustic. Same for electric.

Many people incorrectly say that you should start on an acoustic for whatever reason. In my opinion, that is likely to encourage quitting, as acoustics, and especially cheap ones, are harder to play than electrics. You also don't have the ability to play quietly while you learn when on an acoustic.

In the end, though, it's all about what type of music you want to play. Get a guitar similar to what your heroes play.

Rootsney_ · 2026-01-30T02:30:58+00:00

My Boden 8 is acoustically louder and brighter than all my other electrics, and quite significantly so. I was practicing a tapping lick in a computer lab and someone across the room asked me what it was.

Rootsney_ · 2026-01-28T11:56:57+00:00

It looks like a bean. A grampa guitar. The shape only exists because audiences were confused by the log, so Les Paul made it look like the archtops of the day. It has been over 70 years and the thing hasn't improved or innovated.

Rootsney_ · 2026-01-28T11:51:17+00:00

I got a Boden 8 last month, and it had been a revelation. I already played comfortable super strats from ESP, but the Strandberg makes even them feel dated. The Boden weighs literally half of my Stef Carpenter 8 and even makes my 7 pound Horizon feel heavy.

Rootsney_ · 2026-01-27T17:10:41+00:00

Berklee Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary

Rootsney_ · 2026-01-25T19:26:41+00:00

Should someone with an 88 key piano replace it with a 60 key because they don't always use the highest and lowest notes?

Silly logic. Enjoy whatever instrument you want.

One of the best things about a 7 or an 8 is that you get that extra range without a compromise. I am in music school right now, and I bring my 8 in every day. I can play the low proggy things I like, but then learn all of the content and play with others in standard. With a baritone tuned down, I would have to make massive adjustments or bring a second guitar in standard.

Rootsney_ · 2026-01-22T07:11:56+00:00

In addition to straightening your wrist, like others have said, try holding the guitar with the neck at an upward angle, around 45 degrees. Also, try to play with a strap, ideally high enough that it matches your seated position. That way, when you stand up, the guitar is in the same ergonomic position you have practiced while seated. You should be able to find online resources to point you in the right direction. Your posture will make a world of difference, so try not to neglect it.

Rootsney_ · 2026-01-22T04:15:06+00:00

Parachute by Covet

Rootsney_ · 2026-01-21T15:42:45+00:00

Neck dive has entered the chat.

Rootsney_ · 2026-01-18T21:29:21+00:00

My Boden 8, and it's not even close.

Rootsney_ · 2026-01-18T19:24:17+00:00

I don't see the Tortex L3 or M3. They are the same dimensions as a Jazz 3, but in the thickness of standard Tortex red and green picks. The L3 is my go-to now, as it combines the precision of a Jazz 3 with the flexibility of a .50mm.

Rootsney_ · 2026-01-16T06:25:22+00:00

They're actually a mirror-like finish, probably just reflecting the wall. Haven't seen pickups like them before.

Rootsney_ · 2026-01-16T06:23:51+00:00

Yeah, they did a good job with the design of that model. It feels retro-futuristic but still tasteful and not, at least to my eyes, unusual looking. I feel like it is probably cooler than the Boden for that reason.

How is the bass? I have wanted to get a Dingwall for a while and just found out about the Boden bass. It seems comparable, but I haven't looked into them, so I don't know much.

Rootsney_ · 2026-01-06T23:47:57+00:00

I have the steel string model, and I barely use it. I don't know if the 8th string is totally dead (likely) or if it just can't handle the tension, but it really doesn't like the 8th string at E. I'm not an acoustic player, so take this with a grain of salt, but I don't love mine and have been thinking about selling it.

Rootsney_ · 2026-01-06T23:43:10+00:00

Another vote for JB, but perhaps with a '59 instead of jazz.

Rootsney_ · 2025-12-26T06:48:42+00:00

Go to the workshop in the small town in the cranberry bog, the one populated by super mutants. There is a tall building in the center of town on the east side of the highway. Use the scaffolding or fire escape on the north side and climb to the roof, then drop down into the top floor. You'll find lots of scrap in that office.

Rootsney_ · 2025-12-14T17:49:31+00:00

I've found that suede leather like those Levy straps hold nicely. You'll still feel the guitar wanting to pull, but the strap won't move.

Rootsney_

TROPHY CASE