The Baritone

steel rider

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I know the answer is to go into a shop and try one, but I thought I'd ask for people's experiences here. I mostly play tenor but am interested in an even deeper sound.
Will the baritone provide that if strung low G C E A?
If I go dbge I assume I can't just play exactly like I play a standard tuned uke, right? Seems like I'd be learning all over again, and I'm still just learning.



Thanks
 
Yes, the baritone will give you deeper sound, especially tuned DGBE. My favorite uke is a Vintage Favilla baritone tuned GCEA with Southcoast [no wound] I also have one tuned DGBE. when you play the baritone he chords are the same, just in a different key, so a G=D,etc. Be aware that your mileage may vary. there really is no standard scale length or body size. The older Favillas have a deeper body and 19" scale. Most modern baris have a 20, but I have seen almost 22. Even the later Favillas had a 20. So how deep of sound will depend on a lot of factors, build, wood, strings.
 
If I go dbge I assume I can't just play exactly like I play a standard tuned uke, right? Seems like I'd be learning all over again, and I'm still just learning.

Thanks

I'm still new to the Uke and thought the same thing. But as I've recently learned, you can generally play low G-specific arrangements and many other re-entrant tunes and they'll generally sound fine (there are some exceptions), albeit in a lower key. I recently borrowed a baritone from another local Uke player (and let them borrow one of my Ukes) for a day. I was just messing around and played I song I know and it sounded perfect but in a lower key, even though I was playing different chords (same finger position, different chords). This is because the song was simply transposed I was convinced enough that I promptly scoured eBay for a decent buy and picked up a lovely Airline vintage baritone uke. It's having some fretwork done but cannot wait to really get to spend some time with it.

Maybe you can borrow a baritone Uke from somebody for a day to give it a try?
 
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OK that is interesting guys. I will have to try out some baritones in various tunings. Of course my wife would NOT be happy if she saw another uke in the house. Maybe I can justify by selling the Peanut that doesn't get any play...but it's so cute...but I don't use it...but...
 
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