BEST ELECTRIC BARITONE GUITARS IN 2022

The word “baritone” is used to describe guitars with scale lengths (the distance between the nut and the tailpiece) that are longer than average. Most of the time, “standard scale length” means 24.75 to 25.5 inches. With a scale length of 27 inches or more, electric baritone guitars can be tuned much lower than regular guitars, but they still sound great and feel snappy when the strings are at their tightest.

How “tight” a guitar feels to play depends on its scale length, string gauge, and tuning. B standard is the standard, but the longer scale of a electric baritone guitar lets you try out a lot of different tunings that are all much lower than those of a regular guitar.

You can make things like the Fender Bass VI by making the scale length longer. It is tuned one octave lower than a regular six-string guitar, as the name suggests.

During the 1950s and 1960s, baritones were used a lot more. Due to their low tuning, they could match the sound of a double bass, but their bright, “twangy” sound was more like that of country and surf music. Also, because they could make low, ominous melody lines with a single-coil twang, they were perfect for the soundtracks of spaghetti westerns.

Electric Baritone Guitars are still often used in this way, and everyone from Phoebe Bridgers to Emma Ruth Rundle to Hozier loves them because they can play both the bass and a regular electric guitar so well. Standard-scale guitars were tuned to C, B, or lower by metal musicians, who also like them. Longer scales let you play quickly and clearly at high gain without giving up the low-end impact.

A quick list of the top Electric baritone guitars to buy in 2022

• Squier Baritone Cabronita Telecaster
• Ibanez RG Iron Label Baritone RGIB21
• ESP LTD Viper-400B
• Gretsch G5260T Electromatic Jet Baritone
• Reverend Descent RA Baritone
• Danelectro 56 Baritone
• Eastwood Sidejack Baritone DLX

Squier Baritone Cabronita Telecaster

Specifications

Brand	Fender
Color	Surf Green
Top Material Type	Wood
Body Material	Poplar
Back Material Type	Poplar
Neck Material Type	Maple
Fretboard Material Type	Laurel
Guitar Pickup Configuration	S-S
String Material Type	Nickel
Hand Orientation	Right

The Baritone Cabronita Telecaster from Squier’s Paranormal line adds a 27-inch scale and two Fender-designed soapbar P-90s to the Cabronita Telecaster platform to make it even more unique. P-90 pickups are known for their versatility. Their output is punchy and clear, which works well with both clean and distorted sounds.

The baritone electric guitar also has a slim C-shaped neck, a cream pickguard with a deep black finish, and a string-through hardtail bridge. Even though this guitar is basically a Telecaster, its longer scale and two P90 pickups make it a great choice for both experienced players and those who are just starting out.

Ibanez RG Iron Label Baritone RGIB21

Specifications

Brand	Ibanez
Top Material Type	Ash, Maple
Body Material	Swamp Ash
Back Material Type	Maple Wood
Neck Material Type	Maple
Fretboard Material Type	Maple
Guitar Pickup Configuration	H
Hand Orientation	Right
Guitar Bridge System	Hardtail Bridge
Scale Length	28 Inches

Since this baritone electric guitar looks sleek and sharp, it shouldn’t be a surprise that it’s made for metal guitarists. The Ibanez RGIB21 has a set of active EMG 60/81 pickups and a sturdy string-through bridge with side plates for extra stability, so it’s more than just a pretty face. Since the ferrule for the lowest string is also bigger, you can use a bass guitar string as your lowest string without making any changes. This would also be a stable project, since the length of the scale is a solid 28 inches.

The body is made of nyatoh, and the neck is made of three pieces of maple and purpleheart. The fretboard is made of rosewood. Its 24 frets make it a good metal axe, especially if you spend a lot of time there practising.

ESP LTD Viper-400B

Specifications

In keeping with the metal theme, the ESP LTD Viper-400B has a top-loading tune-o-matic hardtail bridge, a 27-inch scale length, and a set of active EMG humbuckers, this time a set of 85/81.

The Viper-400B is a good choice for gloom or sludge music because it has a set mahogany neck, a mahogany body, and a slightly shorter scale, all of which make the sound deeper. There are still 24 frets for lead playing, and the strong output of the pickups gives you a lot of options for how to shape the sound.

Gretsch G5260T Electromatic Jet Baritone

Specifications

Brand	Gretsch
Color	Black
Top Material Type	Maple, Mahogany
Body Material	Mahogany
Back Material Type	Maple Wood
Neck Material Type	Maple
Fretboard Material Type	Laurel
Guitar Pickup Configuration	H
Hand Orientation	Right
Number of Strings	6

The Gretsch G5260T Electromatic Baritone comes in two different styles, one with a Bigsby and the other without. Without it, you get a V-shaped stoptail bridge. Even though not everyone may like the way a Bigsby guitar has a slight wobble, this one is well-equipped for the price.

It has two Gretsch mini-humbuckers that are linked to a simple three-way switch, a master tone control, and a master volume control. The long scale length of 29.75 inches makes sure that tension stays the same even with thinner strings or tunings like Bass VI.

The fretboard has 22 medium-jumbo frets and a radius of 12 inches.

Reverend Descent RA Baritone

Specifications

Back Material	Maple Wood
Body Material	Korina
Color Name	Midnight Black
Fretboard Material	Maple
Top Material	Maple Wood
Neck Material Type	Maple
Number of Strings	6
Guitar Bridge System	Tune-O-Matic

The Descent Reverend says that the baritone’s scale is “long enough to make thunderous lows, but short enough to play like a regular guitar.” It is 26.75 inches instead of the more common 27 or 28 inches. So, if you’ve found that the frets on your electric baritone guitar are too far apart, this might be the one for you.

The guitar also has locking tuners, a boneite nut, and Railhammer Chisel humbuckers, in addition to its unusual scale. The guitar’s body is made entirely of Korina, while the neck and fretboard are either made of roasted maple or pau ferro, depending on the finish you choose. Lower tunings should also sound better when used with the rest of your rig thanks to Reverend’s distinctive electronics, including the renowned passive bass contour knob and a treble bleed volume control.

Danelectro ’56 Baritone Electric Guitar

Specifications

Brand	Danelectro
Top Material Type	Maple
Body Material	Rosewood
Back Material Type	Rosewood, Maple Wood
Neck Material Type	Maple
Fretboard Material Type	Rosewood
Hand Orientation	Right
Guitar Bridge System	Adjustable
Number of Strings	6

The semi-hollow Danelectro ’56 Vintage Electric Baritone Guitar, which is a reissue of that instrument, was one of the first electric baritones to hit the market. Also, you get a lot of guitar for your money, which is a literal statement.

The Gretsch ’56 and the Gretsch G5260T both have a scale length of 29.75 inches. It also has a semi-hollow composite body with a poplar frame and centre block. The bolt-on neck is made of maple, and a pao ferro fretboard with 24 frets sits on top.

The electronics are made up of two punchy lipstick single-coils. These give the guitar a sleek, retro-Danelectro look. A simple way to control these is with a master tone, a master volume, and a three-way toggle.

Even though they look very old, the lipstick pickups can definitely handle powerful rock tones. Also, the long scale length and 24 frets will give you an advantage if you need to play fast, very low-tuned riffs.

Eastwood Sidejack Baritone DLX

Specifications

Brand	Eastwood
Color	Black
Body Material	Wood
Neck Material Type	Maple
Fretboard Material Type	Rosewood
Hand Orientation	Right
Guitar Bridge System	Tremolo
Number of Strings	6

This is how Eastwood’s return to the famous Mosrite style sounds on a baritone. Even though some people might not like the unusual designs, they do have a charm from the 1960s that might be just what you need to get in the mood for surfing.

A pair of P-90 pickups and a vibrato like a Jazzmaster, which is not known for being good at divebombs, move us even further away from riffs and toward a “vintage” sound.

Final Thoughts

Like any other electric guitar, the most important things about a baritone guitar will tell you if it’s the best guitar for you. Work backwards from the guitar sound you want. For example, if you want to add a clean, textured sound to a band’s sound, a guitar with high-output active pickups might not be the best choice. Also, if you want a baritone to make bone-crushing down tuned riffs, something with lipstick single-coil pickups can get in the way.

There are no hard and fast rules, but a good place to start is by thinking about the guitar’s overall target market.