SE custom 24 for drop b tuning?

[Patmachine]

Hi,

I am looking for a guitar that I can set up for drop b tuning (B F# B E G# C#). Today I played an SE custom 24 at a guitar store and really liked the instrument. Sadly the strings were really sloppy and I'm not sure if it can handle quite thick strings (eg .60 for the low b?).

Of course, I'll have to adjust the nut, but will the bridge be okay with such thick strings? Or will I have to replace it?

In general, can you recommend the SE custom 24 for drop b? I'm curious to hear if someone has set up his SE like that.

Thanks in advance
Patrick

 

[mezzio]

You'd probably be better off looking for an SE Mike Mushok Baritone. I'm sure you could set up a cu24 to work with the thicker strings, but you'd pretty much have to keep it at that tuning.

 

[Coldvisions34]

The SE Custom 24 is plenty capable of handling Drop B and lower. The bridge will be fine but you will definitely have to adjust the neck a little bit. I've used the older sparkle Orianthi SE which is a glorified Custom 24 SE in Drop A# with 62-13's and it was great. Bought a new nut, PRS Phase II tuners, and some new pickups and it was one of my favorite guitars until I sold it. Anthony Armstrong from the band Red has used a couple Custom 24 SE's (Orianthi & custom finished CU24) in the past running 70-14's on it and from what I understand did a really nice job. I've moved on and gotten a few of the Mushok baritones for the low tunings. They are a lot more stable and enhance the low end of the spectrum much better. I would also take a look at the Clint Lowery SE. Its a Custom 24 set up stock with 56-11's. Tension is perfect and it plays really nice. The pickups are also ok for an SE. If you got options I would look at these 2 first.

 

[solacematt]

If you are going to dedicate the guitar to that tuning put a set of 11'2 or 12's on it and have the guitar properly set up for that tuning. It will play just fine.

 

[Maccadude33]

You'd probably be better off looking for an SE Mike Mushok Baritone. I'm sure you could set up a cu24 to work with the thicker strings, but you'd pretty much have to keep it at that tuning.

Are the MM Baritones still in production? It looks like they're unavailable at all the major retailers. I'd be interested in trying one out if I could, but that doesn't seem to be an option.

 

[sleary]

Prs se Clint lowrey already is in drop B I believe

 

[VHTStark]

Hey! A regular Custom 24 can do "B" tuning, but as has been mentioned, there are better options. The Mushok isn't in production anymore and is a baritone. The Clint Lowery is 25.5" scale and even that 0.5" makes a difference when tuning down.

 

[Maccadude33]

Prs se Clint lowrey already is in drop B I believe

Thanks, I'll have to keep an eye out for one of those.

VHTStark, yes, I'd prefer something with a longer scale length. I currently only have guitars with a Gibson/24.75" scale length and don't want to modify them for lower tunings. It would be nice to have a baritone with a longer neck.

 

[ViperDoc]

Thanks, I'll have to keep an eye out for one of those.

VHTStark, yes, I'd prefer something with a longer scale length. I currently only have guitars with a Gibson/24.75" scale length and don't want to modify them for lower tunings. It would be nice to have a baritone with a longer neck.

I have an old SE Santana setup in drop B with .012s and it plays excellently.

 

[mezzio]

Are the MM Baritones still in production? It looks like they're unavailable at all the major retailers. I'd be interested in trying one out if I could, but that doesn't seem to be an option.

PRS stopped making them, but there is still some stock out there, I just picked one up from GC a couple weeks ago

 

[shinksma]

Are the MM Baritones still in production? It looks like they're unavailable at all the major retailers. I'd be interested in trying one out if I could, but that doesn't seem to be an option.

There are a few of them out there on the used market. One on reverb.com right now. But you're right, none at the major retailers I checked. If you want to try one, you'll have to scour the used market and hope one pops up at a local store.

 

[Maccadude33]

Thanks for the info guys, that's what I was afraid of. I've been checking online, but none of the stores near me seem to have any. I don't think I've seen anything on craigslist either. I'm not in a rush to get one, but I'd like to have some options when I'm ready to buy something.

ViperDoc, I've thought about modifying normal guitars into baritones in the past, but I'd be concerned about the additional string tension. I take it that hasn't been a problem for you?

 

[shinksma]

If you use the appropriate string gauge, you should be able to maintain "normal" string tension across all strings - you would use a thicker string, but tuned lower, so overall tension would be the same. I use this website to experiment with what might work:

http://www.stringtensionpro.com/

But if you think about it, imagine using the "bottom" (thickest) 6 strings of a seven string guitar - that will get you a guitar tuned in Standard B (once you adjust the "G-string" to an F#).

 

[Maccadude33]

If you use the appropriate string gauge, you should be able to maintain "normal" string tension across all strings - you would use a thicker string, but tuned lower, so overall tension would be the same. I use this website to experiment with what might work:

http://www.stringtensionpro.com/

But if you think about it, imagine using the "bottom" (thickest) 6 strings of a seven string guitar - that will get you a guitar tuned in Standard B (once you adjust the "G-string" to an F#).

I suppose you're right. Still, I'd like something with an extended neck (or at least 25.5") to try something a little different.

That's an awesome tool, thanks for sharing it with me. I'll have to play around with it.

 

[Patmachine]

Thanks for the answers!

I once tried the Mark Mushok baritone and found the neck to be a little too long for drop b. Now they also vanished from the stores in my area.
But I will definitely test the Clint Lowery SE. In my opinion it doesn't look as nice as the SE custom models but it seems to do exactly what I want without any special adjustments.

 

[Coldvisions34]

Thanks for the answers!

I once tried the Mark Mushok baritone and found the neck to be a little too long for drop b. Now they also vanished from the stores in my area.
But I will definitely test the Clint Lowery SE. In my opinion it doesn't look as nice as the SE custom models but it seems to do exactly what I want without any special adjustments.

In what manner was the neck too long for drop B? You just didn't like the tension or the way it felt?

 

[Patmachine]

I just found it a little harder to play, especially for soloing. Though, I didn't have the chance to try lighter strings.

 

[Coldvisions34]

I gotcha, yeah lighter strings and a neck adjustment will get that string tension perfect for leads in B or A#. I run 2 of my Mushoks in drop A# with 62-13's and they play like butter.

 

[Patmachine]

I played the Lowery SE. Seems to be what I was looking for!
Now keeping my eyes open for a used one in my area.

 

[ViperDoc]

Thanks for the info guys, that's what I was afraid of. I've been checking online, but none of the stores near me seem to have any. I don't think I've seen anything on craigslist either. I'm not in a rush to get one, but I'd like to have some options when I'm ready to buy something.

ViperDoc, I've thought about modifying normal guitars into baritones in the past, but I'd be concerned about the additional string tension. I take it that hasn't been a problem for you?

String tension increases directly with scale length. So a Drop B 25-inch scale guitar will have less tension than say a 25.5-inch guitar when using the same string guages that are tuned to the same pitch. String guage can be manipulated on any string length to provide the desired tension. It's common for longer-scale guitars (26.5-27 inch scale) to use lighter string guages (.009) in order to maintain the desired playability. It's whatever you prefer, but the physics are very different.