In the Market for a Baritone Ukulele - A Few Questions

Aloha!

I'm a bit of a newbie here (first post, but I've been lurking through the forum for a few days now). I'm hoping for a bit of input regarding a baritone ukulele that I'm hoping to buy from Hawaii Music Supply. (I'll be buying this uke long distance - with no hands on - as I no longer live in Hawaii. *sad face*)

Currently, I own a Kala KA-TE (tenor uke), but I'm completely enamored by the rich tones of the baritone - so I'm ready to make the jump! I've been eyeing some gorgeous Ponos at HMS, but I'm afraid the necks might be too "beefy" for my smaller female hands. (Any folks with small-ish hands willing to chime in on this?) I really had my heart set on a Pono & I was ready to drop a pretty penny on a nice pro-classic model w/ a LR Baggs pickup installed. But, after some forum lurking & even an email from a HMS rep, I'm wondering if the Pono will be way too uncomfortable for me to play. *another sad face*

So, now I'm looking at "cheaper" Kala's w/ thinner necks - as the baritones offered by HMS top out around 400 bucks. I'd love to hear that with a nice, low-action set up I'll get just as easy playability from my Kala as I would have with the fancy (radius fretboard) Pono I had my heart set on. But, would the LR Baggs pickup be a waste on this "cheaper" ukulele? I had no problem putting it in the Pono.... But, the Kala?

Lastly... I'd love a recommendation for a great set of strings that might offer easy playability for the baritone. Something coated or smooth perhaps (like Elixers for guitars)? I don't know a lot about strings, but I know that my tenor (all nylon) strings don't hurt my fingers at all. But, those wound strings on the baritone are my nemesis.

Thanks a TON for all the great insights! I'm thoroughly enjoying my "tour" through these forums & I look forward to learning more from you guys.

Mahalo,
Olivia

If you're not sure you'll like baritone, you might want to ask in the Marketplace here to see if anyone has something they'd sell for cheap. If you don't like it, you can resell and not lose much money if any. If you want to go new, Ohana also has a rep for thinner necks: http://cargo.ukerepublic.com/product/ohana-bk-20-mahogany-baritone-ukulele.

Another consideration is scale length. Most modern baritones are about 20" but I've come to like the older 19" scale better. This is harder to find though unless you go vintage or custom - or "long neck tenor".

I'd recommend waiting on the pickup for the same reason. You can always add it later when you find the instrument you want to keep - and if you even have a need for the pickup.

There are a few all unwound string sets for baritone that you can try. Living Water is good. That low D string is fat though so you may or may not like it better than wound options.

Sorry if this has just added confusion.

Hi

An option I would recommend looking at, if your budget goes up to Pono pc ballpark, is a Loprinzi model A or B.

I currently own a Kala all mahogany baritone (which is great btw) but would like to upgrade at some point in the future. Thinking I would be wanting something 'mid-range' pricewise I felt like there weren't too many options. I previously owned a Pono tenor and I didn't really get on with the neck profile so I wasn't keen on going with Pono again. But then I spotted the LoPrinzi and my UAS has been playing up ever since

Also, one online video review I saw stated that LoPrinzi ukes have a characteristically thin neck.

Thanks, Jim!

Yeah... I've been reading good things about those Living Waters strings (but, they don't sell them at HMS). I actually *just* got an email response recommending the Worth Clear or Brown strings for the baritone - plain nylon, so easier on the fingers. I might just give them a try!

I actually tried out a friend's Luna baritone & instantly fell in love. So, I'm certain I will love the baritone size - I just can't settle on a brand/ wood type. And, having dealt with HMS in the past, I trust them tremendously & I'm not sure I'd be comfortable buying from anyone else. I might just jump on the Kala & save the pickup for later - just in case. (But, I know I'll want to perform with it just as soon as I fall in love with it... And, then what?!?! lol... I need a pickup!) I know, I know... First world uke problems.

Thanks so much for the "inside scoop!"

@jollyboy - Thanks for the response! I knew I couldn't be the only one worried about that Pono neck. So, you like your Kala Mahogany? I'm actually swinging back & forth between that one and the acacia model. And, you're right about the lack of "mid range" options. It's pretty much the Kala or the "lower end" Ponos.

Of course, at this point, I'm even willing to go dirt-cheap w/ a KALA KA-BE - just for the pickup. Would that be so crazy?

_Silly_Me_Sitting_Here_ said:

So, you like your Kala Mahogany? I'm actually swinging back & forth between that one and the acacia model.

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I love my Kala mahogany It's my very favouritest uke ever. It has a warm, rich tone and seems like a lot of bang for the bucks (to me,anyway). On the other hand - I've heard sound samples of the acacia and it really does sound nice. Personally I'm not keen on the bling - the fretboard inlay isn't to my taste at all - but if you can live with its looks I'd say it's a great uke for the money.

_Silly_Me_Sitting_Here_ said:

I actually tried out a friend's Luna baritone & instantly fell in love. So, I'm certain I will love the baritone size - I just can't settle on a brand/ wood type. And, having dealt with HMS in the past, I trust them tremendously & I'm not sure I'd be comfortable buying from anyone else. I might just jump on the Kala & save the pickup for later - just in case. (But, I know I'll want to perform with it just as soon as I fall in love with it... And, then what?!?! lol... I need a pickup!)

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Ah, well in that case, I'd say just give HMS a call, tell them about the neck concern, and go with whatever they recommend. The uke you and HMS decide on will play well and should "fit" you well. And go ahead and get the pickup you want regardless of the cost of the uke.

If you have the cash for a Pono or Kala do it. Baritones are great to play and listen to.

If cash is important then consider a Caramel. True they are not as perfect as a high priced uke but for $85 to $100 they are very competitive sound wise. My CB-103 Zebra wood is sound wise competitive with a lot of higher priced bari's, Kala, Nalu, even a King custom, I've tried at the local shops. It plays great and Caramel is pretty good now at providing a good setup. They come with Tuner/Equalizer so you can play electric out of the box.

As for Strings, Worth Browns are very nice. If you want to try it as dGBE (Hi-d) then get the Brown FATs for a tenor, which will give you a hi-d, but the other strings are the same as the Baritone set. I want to see what Southcoasts are like as they have non-wound sets for Baritones. Living Waters are highly respected too, but I haven't tried them yet.

One thing to try while you make up your mind is getting a set of D'Addario Carbon EJ99T's for your tenor and tune dGBE. That will give you a Baritone sound and you can always tune them up to gCEA later.

I would agree with Jim. Don't be afraid to add a pickup to a cheaper Uke as long as it sounds good. The pickup doe st care how much the Uke costs. I saw a great band one time which the role of lead guitar was played by a guy with a plugged in Oscar Scmidt. I'm not a huge fan of the oscars but it sounded good enough through the system that i made my way to the front of the stage so I could see what he was playing. I was surprised. Andrew Zimmern from bizarre foods say, "If it looks good, eat it!" I say if it sounds good, plug that dude in a play it. Good luck with your hunt.

Just to throw a curve ball at you guys..... What do you think of a low G tenor *instead* of a baritone? I'm assuming the Pono neck is smaller on the tenor than on the baritone... And, goodness, I had my heart set on a Pono. Would that low G string give me the depth I'm looking for in a baritone (and easier playability, too, as I wouldn't have to re-think all my chord positions)?

_Silly_Me_Sitting_Here_ said:

Just to throw a curve ball at you guys..... What do you think of a low G tenor *instead* of a baritone? I'm assuming the Pono neck is smaller on the tenor than on the baritone... And, goodness, I had my heart set on a Pono. Would that low G string give me the depth I'm looking for in a baritone (and easier playability, too, as I wouldn't have to re-think all my chord positions)?

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In a word, no. You simply can't get that low tone from a tenor in my opinion. Low g can certainly sound great in a tenor but not quite like a baritone. Just my two cents.

_Silly_Me_Sitting_Here_ said:

easier playability, too, as I wouldn't have to re-think all my chord positions)?

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You don't have to do that anyway: https://jimhanks.wordpress.com/2016/08/25/think-in-c/

Ok... All good points!

Here's another "hmmmmm..... Maybe that could work?" Has anyone ever shipped a ukulele back to the sender (in this case, HMS)? I'm wondering how much return shipping would cost. My thinking is.... Why not order the Pono baritone w/out a pickup just to make sure it's gonna work out. Then, if I really do hate the thicker neck, I won't lose the 10% re-stock fee (for pickup installation) if I ship it back.

This can't be the craziest idea in the world, right?

_Silly_Me_Sitting_Here_ said:

Ok... All good points!

Here's another "hmmmmm..... Maybe that could work?" Has anyone ever shipped a ukulele back to the sender (in this case, HMS)? I'm wondering how much return shipping would cost. My thinking is.... Why not order the Pono baritone w/out a pickup just to make sure it's gonna work out. Then, if I really do hate the thicker neck, I won't lose the 10% re-stock fee (for pickup installation) if I ship it back.

This can't be the craziest idea in the world, right?

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I don't know, but where do you live sister? Maybe someone or a shop near you has a pono baritone you can get some hands on so you will know for sure about the neck. Just a thought.

Not crazy. Be aware that shipping a baritone is likely to cost you $40-50. Still, that's not a bad "safety valve" if you're considering a pro-classic. It sounds like you have your heart set on the Pono and you're likely going to keep wondering "what if" if you don't get it.

I have played a couple Pono baritones and didn't care for the neck. They both sounded great, but the neck was too much for me (I'm not trying to bash Pono, they are great instruments and have a faithful following, but I prefer a thin neck so they are just not for me). I recently picked up a Kala with a cedar top and was blown away! My plan was to buy it just to see if I liked the sound of cedar and then look for a more expensive uke and move it on, but that plan has gone out the window. This Kala is wonderful. I no longer feel the need for a different one. I played around with several different baritone strings, but didn't love any of them. I now have it strung with Thomastik-Infeld classical guitar strings and these are far better than any set of baritone strings I have tried. The tension and sound is just what I was looking for. They do have wound strings, but they are smooth wounds and don't really bother me (I am not a fan of traditional wound strings).

I wouldn't worry too much about the neck. We have a Pono Baritone which my wife plays very comfortably with no complaints, and she has small hands. Frankly, I think that the "beefiness" of Pono necks is a bit of a myth (perhaps true for soprano and concert). I have measured the neck profiles of more than 20 different tenor and baritone models, including some very high end, and Pono is only slightly above average. As a matter of fact, that round, guitar-like neck profile might even add comfort to barring chords, along with the radius fretboard.

Kala cedar top with Living Water strings.

Rakelele said:

I wouldn't worry too much about the neck. We have a Pono Baritone which my wife plays very comfortably with no complaints, and she has small hands. Frankly, I think that the "beefiness" of Pono necks is a bit of a myth (perhaps true for soprano and concert). I have measured the neck profiles of more than 20 different tenor and baritone models, including some very high end, and Pono is only slightly above average. As a matter of fact, that round, guitar-like neck profile might even add comfort to barring chords, along with the radius fretboard.

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I agree. Finally got a Pono bari earlier this month. Bought it used from Kilin Reece. I didn't find the neck too beefy and thought the set up was excellent. In fact I thought the neck was very comfortable. Getting a nice used bari might be a good start. If you find you don't like it, you wouldn't lose much on a resale. Make sure that you get it set up well. A bad set up could make you dislike any bari.

Side note: Many folks here have a Pono from Kilin. He is a Pono dealer and excellent repair luthier. Kilin has his own website ( krstrings.com ) and lists on eBay. All his ukes receive a professional set up.

_Silly_Me_Sitting_Here_ said:

@jollyboy - Thanks for the response! I knew I couldn't be the only one worried about that Pono neck. So, you like your Kala Mahogany? I'm actually swinging back & forth between that one and the acacia model. And, you're right about the lack of "mid range" options. It's pretty much the Kala or the "lower end" Ponos.

Of course, at this point, I'm even willing to go dirt-cheap w/ a KALA KA-BE - just for the pickup. Would that be so crazy?

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Acacia is very heavy.
Pono is very heavy.
So when I combine the two plus being a bigger size, it's like hanging a log of wood on your neck!
I owned Pono acacia. Couldn't handle the weight but neck is fine!