LAST pieces of advice regarding new guitar

[Ben Thorpe]

Sup, it’s been a while since I last posted. I’m close to buying my new guitar, I want to tune down to drop B tuning and just need some reminders and last pieces of advice, which I know plenty of you have given me in the past. Anything would be greatly appreciated! My main questions are:
1) Would it be better to buy a guitar with all of the necessary modifications already installed, or buy a guitar and THEN make the neccesary modifications?
2) What are the necessary modifications to tune below drop C (bridge, string gauge etc)?
2) Are there any guitar brands that you would recommend?
3) Advice on keeping the price point relatively affordable (ideally less than £300).
I don’t have any major specifications, I simply want to buy a new guitar that can be tuned beneath drop C. If anyone has any advice they could give me regarding any of these questions it would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Ed Seith]

Hi Ben!
Honestly, I’m unaware of “Drop B” being a typical tuning. Drop C is common, but below that is usually B standard, which is a baritone guitar, or 7 string. If you’re sticking with 6-stringers, look for a baritone. It will have a longer scale (frets spaced wider apart) that better facilitates tuning stability on lower tunings like that. With a baritone guitar, there are a lot of guys who will do a Drop A tuning.
Reverb has many options to look through.
https://reverb.com/marketplace/electric-guitars/baritone

 

[Jak Angelescu]

I agree with Ed. You’re definitely gonna wanna look into a baritone guitar. They are built to sustain that kind of heavy tuning and strings. From my experience with Heavy gauged strings, they can put a lot of tension on the neck. And even make the guitar neck bow too much. However because you are drop tuning I don’t think you would have that kind of a problem. Yet if you go with a baritone guitar and decide to go just a 1/2 step down in standard, it’ll be built to take the heat and tension. But I think one going that low, there are many guitarists that strictly go to a baritone guitar for that purpose. Mostly because they are built for that. I think you will save yourself a lot of grief and questioning in the long run if you just get a baritone guitar as it is.