Based upon the Neptune ‘Baby Jumbo’ shape, this Baritone Acoustic is quite something. When you first play it, you notice that an acoustic guitar doesn’t normally sound this deep and dark. However, perseverance and understanding of its strengths pay off quickly with chord voicings heard as never before. Plus, we dare you to amplify it and add a little reverb. Once you do, things will never be the same again. And that’s a promise!
This Baritone Acoustic uses one of our favourite shapes – the baby-jumbo Neptune. This guitar features a longer neck and scale length compared to regular acoustics (700mm / 27.5inches) and is fitted with longer, heavier gauge strings allowing it to be tuned to a lower register.
Although its length would make this a little large for some players of a smaller stature, this big beauty rewards the player with a deep, dark tone unachievable in any other way. Plus, when amplified using the inbuilt Fishman INK3 preamp system, it positively jumps into life, making those deep acoustic tones even more defined and captivating.
The longer scale length means that significantly lower tunings can be achieved without strings losing tension and sounding nasty. In use, you’ll notice that the Baritone sits comfortably between the bottom end of a regular acoustic and the top end of a bass guitar.
You can still tune your Baritone in a standard tuning pattern and play the same shapes you’re used to yet achieve a much deeper sound, but instead of tuning from a low E, you can instead begin at a low C, B or even A! Every semitone difference brings a whole world of new ideas and smiles.
In keeping with the other HiGloss models, this Neptune Baritone features premium quality Solid Engelmann Spruce for the top; beautifully figured, 3-piece Indonesian Rosewood, bound in Flamed Maple on the back and sides; and Indonesian Ebony for the fingerboard, bridge, headplate, and heelcap.
The pairing of Spruce and Rosewood tonewoods has been popular for decades as together they produce that classic tone with sparkling highs, rich bass notes and fabulous articulation across the spectrum. These tonal characteristics are still evident despite the Baritone guitar’s unusual dimensions and scale, but naturally you will hear lots of low end and mid-range, both with great clarity.
And, in case we didn’t make the point strongly enough before: plug it in! It is a revelation!
When you’re ready to experience the Baritone amplified (and once you do, you will never put it down!), under the saddle you’ll find a Fishman S-core piezo pickup - part of the Fishman INK3 preampsystem. This makes amplification super-easy. The nearly flush, side-mounted preamp has a chromatic tuner, a three-band EQ, and a volume knob and the output socket is cleverly built into the bottom of the instrument, making it very easy to change the battery too.
To ensure that your beautiful new instrument is well protected and cared for, your guitar is complete with a woodshell hardcase, with padded plush interior. We recommend that you keep your guitar in the hardcase whenever not in use.
Specification
Top Spruce - Engelmann (Solid)
Back & Sides - Rosewood (Solid)
Fingerboard - Macassan Figured Ebony
Fingerboard Radius - 16"
Fingerboard Inlays - Mother of Pearl 'F' at 12th Fret
Binding - Solid Flamed Maple
Machine Head - Grover Rotomatic Gold
Neck - Mahogany
Neck Joint - Patrick James Eggle Bolt-On Design
Trussrod - 2 Way
Nut / Saddle Width - 45mm / String Spacing 56mm
Nut / Saddle Material - TUSQ (PQ-6116)/(PQ-9110)
Bracing Material - Hand-Scalloped Quarter-Sawn Spruce
Bridge - Macassan Figured Ebony
Bridge Pins - Macassan Figured Ebony with Abalone Dots
Rosette - 5mm Abalone with Fibre Border
Finish Type - High Gloss Top, Back and Sides
Preamp / Pickup - Fishman INK3 Preamp with undersaddle pickup
Hardcase - Included
