A year ago last week, I met with Rick Turner at his shop in Santa Cruz to discuss a custom Compass Rose baritone. Rick had just begun exploring the idea of building baritones using the jumbo-shaped body he'd already been using for tenor and concert ukuleles, and he told me that he had become interested in the sound of an octave-lower GCEA ukulele to complement a friend's GCEA tenor when they played together. Because I had begun playing a steel string tenor guitar that was tuned DGBE, I also asked him whether he would be interested in designing and building a Compass Rose steel string baritone. At the time, I ordered a nylon string baritone Compass Rose strung octave lower GCEA. A few months later, I asked Rick if he could add to my order a steel string baritone strung DGBE.
Today, I drove back to Santa Cruz to pick up my (fraternal) twin Compass Rose baritones. Both have Adirondack Spruce soundboards and Amazon Rosewood backs and sides. They look great and sound magnificent. The octave lower GCEA baritone seems to handle the low range really well and with great clarity, and the DGBE steel string is clear, crisp and loud. The only glitch is that there were supposed to be MOP markers on the faces of the fretboards (there are side markers). I'm going to ask Rick whether they can be added, but I love these two instruments just as they are.
Rick thinks that steel string baritones are going to become a huge hit. Mine already is.
Here's a photo. The steel string baritone is on the right, with the angled saddle.
I'll post a sound sample, although I won't be able to do that until after Christmas.
Today, I drove back to Santa Cruz to pick up my (fraternal) twin Compass Rose baritones. Both have Adirondack Spruce soundboards and Amazon Rosewood backs and sides. They look great and sound magnificent. The octave lower GCEA baritone seems to handle the low range really well and with great clarity, and the DGBE steel string is clear, crisp and loud. The only glitch is that there were supposed to be MOP markers on the faces of the fretboards (there are side markers). I'm going to ask Rick whether they can be added, but I love these two instruments just as they are.
Rick thinks that steel string baritones are going to become a huge hit. Mine already is.
Here's a photo. The steel string baritone is on the right, with the angled saddle.
I'll post a sound sample, although I won't be able to do that until after Christmas.
Last edited: