Baritone Scale Length: 28" or 30"?

The short answer

Baritone scale length: 28″ or 30″?

Scale length is the vibrating distance from nut to bridge. On a baritone it governs two things at once: string tension and low-end clarity. A longer scale holds more tension at the same pitch, so notes stay tight and articulate instead of flapping.

Around 27–28″ is the sweet spot for tuning comfortably to B, with a feel most guitarists adapt to immediately. Push to 30″ and beyond when you want to sit reliably at A or lower, or run heavier strings: the bottom gets tighter and cleaner, at the cost of a slightly longer reach in the low positions.

Because every Bacci is made to order, the scale is not fixed. Bruno builds the neck to your target tuning, string gauge and hand, so the instrument is optimised for how you actually play.

28" vs 30"

~28″ scale

Tuning ideal for B to B
Feel close to a long standard guitar
Tension balanced, easy bends
Best for guitarists moving to baritone

~30"+ scale

Tuning confident at A and drop
Feel longer reach down low
Tension tighter, cleaner bottom
Best for the lowest, heaviest voicings

Which Bacci

Built for it, in Tuscany.

Leonardo

The dual-output baritone. Guitar and bass, two independent outputs from one neck.

The Dual Output Story →

Officina

The signature solid-body baritone, played by Cory Wong, Mark Lettieri and Munky.

Explore Officina →

Art of Nature

Tonal-chamber and semi-hollow baritones in solid Italian tonewoods.

Explore Art of Nature →

The maker

It all begins with one man, and his hands.

Bruno Bacci, master luthier, in his Tuscan workshop

Bruno Bacci is a Tuscan luthier with a background in metallurgy, woodworking and design. A guitarist first, he became a builder after a hand injury and trained at the violin-making school of Cremona, where Stradivari had worked three centuries earlier.

He does not begin with a shape. He begins with the sound he wants to hear and builds the instrument around it, testing each piece of wood by hand as though in conversation with it. Every Bacci is made individually and is backed for life by Bruno himself.

Played by the musicians that players love

They chose Bacci.

Matteo Mancuso / Tim Lefebvre / Munky / Cory Wong / Mark Lettieri / Michael League / Marcus Miller / Vincen Garcia / Ron Artis / Emma Nolde /

In their words

What players say.

When I play it, I don’t really miss the bass player.

Matteo Mancuso

This is a funk machine. It nails the baritone funk rhythm sound.

Mark Lettieri

Bruno Bacci’s baritone guitars have been inspiring a whole generation of top players, a whole new musical canon.

Jamie Gale, Boutique Guitar Showcase

The sound

Watch it. Hear it played.

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Good to know

Questions.

What scale length is a baritone guitar?

Baritones generally run from about 27″ up to 30″ or more, versus around 25.5″ on a standard guitar. The longer scale is what keeps low tunings tight.

Does a longer scale mean higher tension?

Yes. At the same pitch and gauge, a longer scale carries more tension, which improves clarity and tuning stability in the low register.

Which scale should I choose?

If you mainly live around B, ~28″ is ideal. If you want A or lower as home base, go longer. Bacci will advise based on your tuning and strings.

Can Bacci build a custom scale?

Yes. Every Bacci baritone is handbuilt to your chosen scale, gauge and tuning, with Dogal Custom Bacci strings matched to it.

Keep reading

Commissions

Crafted for one

Nothing here is in stock, and nothing ever will be.
Every instrument is claimed by one player before the first cut.

01
Reserve

A €1,000 deposit holds your place at the bench and sets the work in motion. It comes off the price in full.
02
Define the sound you need

Woods, pickups, finish, decided one by one, together. The instrument is drawn around you.
03
Play

The balance falls due once the specification is closed. Eight months later, it is in your hands.

Begin your commission Talk to Bruno

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Baritone scale length:
28″ or 30″?