r/638Baritone

Finally got a green machine in the post, sharing a photo feels redundant here, we have all seen it, some first points; The Bad. Not sure about that bridge, but okay we'll see if it intonates. Tone knob is janky, bridge pickup is DOA, I'll take a look at it at some point but not a big deal, planned to replace all the electronics eventually anyway. Prob just loose wiring. Action is uh, about half a centimetre, but that okay, to be expected. Nut is absolutely yikes, looks like slots were made using a Stanley, quite entertaining to see. Couple of finish nubs here and there, nothing a little abrasive scrub won't lift. Fretboard edges need rolled off a little, very hard edge.

The Good. This neck is awesome, satin finished, first roasted maple neck I have owned and it's beautiful. It's the main reason I purchased a 638, the binding, fretwork and inlay is actually tidier than a D'Angelico I picked up the other week. Very straight, well assembled and solidly built. Body is surprisingly light, and the finish is much better than I expected for what I paid. Tunes pretty well, though will switch those out too.

Overall for a cheap mod platform it's not bad at all for such a niche product. Impressed.

Is the top layer on the pickguard supposed to peel off? It feels like it shouldn't but i can't tell. The air pockets makes me think twice

Hi all. Bought a 638 on a spur of the moment and I’m a fan of Machine Head who tend to use drop B or C# standard. From some reading it has suggested that for the higher tunings it’s better to have lighter strings to reduce neck and string tension.

Any recommendations on what would be the lightest strings I could use with this tuning, bearing in mind the reverse headstock requiring very long strings?

Cheers.