# Fender telecaster drop B/A



## Humzgrodn (May 2, 2016)

Hello everyone,

I'm curious if someone here once did this.
Because I really like the feel of telecasters but most shops don't have them tuned this low . Is it doable or should I look for a different guitar for drop B/A?
Right now I am looking at a second hand Mexico fender telecaster (maybe swap the pickups?). I will be playing thru a 5150 212 combo.
Can someone help me out?


----------



## bstigen97 (May 2, 2016)

A guy I jam out with from time to time has a standard telecaster (SS configuration) tuned to usually Dropped A or G#, it goes straight into a Line 6 DT25 Head with an Orange cabinet and it sounds brutal! You'll just need thick as hell strings, I think he uses a .74 for the A? I can't say for sure.


----------



## stevexc (May 2, 2016)

A Tele will work for B or A tuning just as well as any other 25.5" guitar - that's arguably the most common scale length for 7-string guitars. You won't even need that thick of a string, depending on your taste for tension. A .056" will work for B, although a .059"-.064" is more common.

You may want to swap the pickups for something hum-cancelling but I found that the overall tone of a single-coil works pretty well for low tunings. If you want a humbucker, though, the Seymour Duncan Hot Rails sound great.

The only thing that may give you issue is the saddle for the low B, if it's the traditional 3-saddle style bridge you may not necessarily be able to intonate easily. IIRC though most MIM teles lately have been using modern-style 6-saddle bridges which won't give you much of an issue.


----------



## jimmy906 (May 2, 2016)

Fender made a blacktop baritone telecaster, which has a 27 inch neck. Made for B to B tuning!
someone just put one up for sale on reverb, i don't know if they still make them anymore.
They are kind of hard to find.


----------



## NSE (May 2, 2016)

The Jim Root tele is factory set up for Drop B and I assume easily capable of A


----------



## cip 123 (May 2, 2016)

Open B and Open C here with a Tele.


----------



## jeremyb (May 2, 2016)

I used to have my tele in drop A, with a D'addario light baritone set on it, 13-62 

Harder to intonate tho', better off getting a blacktop baritone!


----------



## toner (May 2, 2016)

I use Ernie Ball 12-56 with a wound 22w-24w on the 3rd string, for Drop B.


----------



## austink (May 3, 2016)

I have never even thought of going low with my tele. It may be something I have to try.

But as everyone else has mentioned, just be mindful of the saddles on there. I have the 3 saddles and it is definitely a compromise when it comes to getting intonation correct.


----------



## rockskate4x (May 6, 2016)

25.5" scale length does it!
Tele pickups can have great grind and clarity for lower tunings, but your milage may vary. Single coil hum might be a turn-off, and I also wouldn't necessarily expect a super compressed "chuggy" tone. 
Look out for 3 saddle bridges. Intonation can be a beotch.
As with any guitar going from regular strings to super fat strangs, expect to need the nut filed.


----------



## deluxeg (May 6, 2016)

NSE said:


> The Jim Root tele is factory set up for Drop B and I assume easily capable of A



The Jim Root guitars come with .09s in standard tuning.


----------



## Mprinsje (May 8, 2016)

Any guitar will do any tuning as long as you put the right strings on it and set it up right.


----------

