Baritone Comparison

I am a newbie to ukes, and am thinking of getting a Baritone Uke. In the lower price range, but not the lowest.

One that I am considering is the Kala Mahogony Baritone Uke, that you can see at Amazon.com by clicking here. $118

On the Kala site, I also saw variations of that one, for instance "gloss finish" (is that just for looks, or does it affect sound?), with EQ, etc. (Does EQ mean with electronic pickup?)

However, for a little more, also on Amazon, a Lanakai bari uke with Spruce top for just a little more, $137, which you can see here (It says there "Solid Spruce Series") To get a spruce top bari uke on Amazon from Kala, however, costs much more, $181, as you can see here.

Does the spruce top give a better sound than all mahagony? What is the advantage of it? Is there a reason that the Kala spruce top bari costs much more than the Lanakai one?

Thank you for your input.

The sound is not necessarily better, just different. The mahogany (solid) instruments, like the Ohana BK-35, have a sweet mellow sound that will sound even better with age. The solid spruce-topped ukes will have a bit more guitar-like sound to them and be louder with age. Louder, especially in baritone ukes, is not always better, either.

The Lanikai ukes don't put out much volume at all. I have always liked their action (good neck setup), but they are really NOT mahogany, they are NATO. Their genuine mahogany ukes are higher priced.

If you want sturdy construction and a solid top, take a look at the Ohana BK-20CE, which also has a UK-2000 pickup in it.

I believe the mahogany Kala ukulele is actually mahogany laminate. If you go to Kala's website, you'll notice in the "ukulele" pulldown menu that there's a "mahogany" category and a "solid mahogany" category. Typically, if the word "solid" is not used, the wood is a laminate. On the Kala website, the solid mahogany baritone is listed at almost twice the price ($330) of the lamiante mahogany baritone ($175). The one you saw at Amazon lists for $175.

Both sprucetops would be more expensive than the Kala mahogany ukulele because the spruce top is actual solid spruce, not spruce laminate. I'm not sure about the price difference between the two sprucetop ukuleles on Amazon, although I noticed that Amazon's price for the Lanakai is 45% discount from the list price, but its price for the Kala sprucetop is only a 33% discount from the list price. The stated list prices ($270 for Kala, $249 for Lanakai) are not that far off from each other.

As for the sound differences, sprucetop instruments tend to be "brighter" than many other woods like mahogany. And here you'd be comparing a solid top (either of the sprucetops) to a laminate (mahogany) top. While some people like laminates, solid wood tends to age and, as a result, the sound matures. (Some people prefer laminates because they're less reactive to changes in humidity.) If you can, go to a music store and try to compare the sounds by playing any solid spruce top ukulele or guitar and then playing a mahogany (or other wood) laminate body ukulele or guitar. Your ear is the best judge of what's right for you.

Aloha MaiKii,
I have never tried any of those...but I do like my cheapie, which has a big deep rich sound....if you're not picky on asthetics....The Rogue Bartitone has a
really nice sound and the best bang for the buck...it Beat out my Kamaka baritone for sound quality....At Musician's friend for,,, get this $29.99 plus shippng..
check it out and get it...Good Luck! If you're a newbie or not, it the way to go...Good Luck, whatever you choose...MM Stan...

Check my website for full reviews of the Pono, Lyra and Beansprout all-solid mahogany baris. Three very different sounds.

The Pono is my favourite - mellow, sweet but lots of volume and sustain. Very clear, too. Strung high-D, it has the most uke-like sound. The Lyra is remarkable - an inexpensive instrument but feather light with amazing volume and tone, great sustain too. Strung low-D with Martins, it sounds very guitar-like and a bit twangy. The Beansprout is in the middle, with less of everything. It's a bit thin and flat, with mediocre volume and sustain compared to the other two. It's also strung high-D. Would probably sound better to me if I didn't have the other two as comparisons.

I'm in the market for a cedar baritone, myself, since I think cedar gives a nice sound - brighter than mahogany but less brash than spruce.

I have three baritones. The Kala spalted maple solid spruce top, Makala mahogany laminate, and the Rogue Stan mentions. All of the above comments ring pretty much true in my comparisons. The Kala Maple spruce top is the clearest more punch of the three, with the Makala Mahogany much more mellow and deeper sounding, and the Rogue, for me unfortunately comes in a third. I like my rogue and bought my six grandkids Rogues to learn on. The Rogue is a great buy for 30$, but it just won't have the quality sound, feel and fretting capability of a better class uke. The wood used is also of a heavy stock and feel and doesn't resonate as nicely as my other ukes. As my grandkids progress and show a real liking and feel for the uke, I will definitely move them up to a better quality uke. And of course STRINGS will make a difference. My advice, buy the best quality uke you can afford! Lozark

Thank you for all the replies. Interesting.

I wonder why solid spruce top is much less expensive than solid mahogany top?

It is tempting to get a solid top for only about $18 more in this case than laminated mahogany. (Considering the two I linked to--that kala mahogany laminate, and the lanikai spruce top.)

Are you saying though, that solid does not necessarily sound better than laminate, just that it grows with age, or something like that? And while spruce will sound louder than mahogany, less sweet?

Of course there are cheaper mahogany laminates than the one I mentioned--even with Kala, for instance--its lower end line, the Makala series. What would be the difference between the Makala mahogany laminate, and the one I listed?

How do Oscar Schmidt's compare?

Ichadwick, you say to check out your website, but I see no link to it. You mention Ponos. What price range are they in? Where available?

Not really possible to try out all these in a music store, as most do not have a large selection of ukuleles.

What about my questions re gloss finish and EQ (see first post in thread).

Thank you again for your replies.

I love my Lanikai spruce-top tenor. I've never heard or played the Lanikai baritone.

maikii said:

I wonder why solid spruce top is much less expensive than solid mahogany top?

What about my questions re gloss finish?

Click to expand...

The sides and back of the Kala solid spruce top baritone are a mahogany laminate, not solid mahogany. On the Kala solid mahogany baritone, the sides and back, as well as the top, are made of solid mahogany, not laminate. that probably explains the difference.

Has anyone played a Kala solid mahogany baritone? I have a Kala solid mahogany concert and I really like its mellow sound, but I'm wondering how the "plinkiness" of a solid mahogany concert would translate to baritone scale.

There's been lots of discussion in the forums about whether the finish of an ukulele affects the sound.
These links may help you:

http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?24184-Finishes-and-tone-gloss-vs-matte

http://www.ellisguitars.com/features_finish.html

You could also ask about finish in the luthier's lounge forum.

Well has anyone here tried the Kala mahogany laminate baritone, that I linked to in the first post?

If so, what can you say about it?

Anyone familiar with this Oscar Schmidt Bari? Only $99.99 at Best Buy. (I wonder if they have it at the BB stores to try out? Probably not.)

It is cheaper (from that vendor, at least) than the Kala laminate mahogany I saw at Amazon for $118, in the first post. How would this OS bari (OU52) compare with it?

(Interestingly, I do not see that model on the Oscar Schmidt ukulele site. It lists an OU53, which sells for a much higher price.) (If they are basically the same model, and the OU53 is just a new model number, and the 52s are being closed out due to having been discontinued, might that be a better deal than the others mentioned in the first post?

Edit: It turns out that the BestBuy price is not unusual. Same price for that OS bari OU52 on amazon. And still cheaper at Austin Bazaar, $89.95 with free shipping.

Is the quality of the OS OU52 as good as the Kala Mahogany laminate I linked to in the first post?

Also, what are some good gig bags for the bari uke--padded, etc.?

Thanks again.



OT--I find it strange that Washburn chose to name their ukulele division with the name of a German man. (Was there a ukulele player by that name?) I wonder if they would sell better with a Hawaiian name?

Hohner, which is a German company, chooses to call their ukuleles "Lanakai", to make them sound Hawaiian. Yet Washburn chooses to call their ukes by a German name. Strange.

Totally trivial and unimportant. Still, it is interesting. But please respond to the main post above this trivial curiousity.

maikii - for what its worth, here is a video of the OU52 being played

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4DBBZqk69U

maikii said:

Ichadwick, you say to check out your website, but I see no link to it. You mention Ponos. What price range are they in? Where available?

Click to expand...

Look in my signature. First item, labelled "ukulele reviews." It is a link to a magical land....

Ponos are made by Ko'olau and are generally somewhat bit more expensive than Kala or Mainland. Look online - eaBay seller MGM is a good source if you want new. But there are often used ones here, FMM and eBay, too.

The finish on most production ukes is more an aesthetic choice than anything. Both satin/matte and gloss are urethane finishes; the satin just has a chemical added to make it dull, not shiny. The thickness of the finish is much more important than the shininess. Once you get to custom, handmade ukes, with hand-rubbed oil finish, you can start to ponder the merits of finishes. With production ukes, choose the one that you think looks best. I like matte because it hides my fingerprints more, but I also see small shiny spots developing where my fingers rest against the top.

PS. I have tried several OS ukes in stores and not been impressed with them. I think for the same money, Mainland, Kala and Ohana make a better instrument. Just a personal perspective and the models I played might not have been the top of the OS line.

ichadwick said:

PS. I have tried several OS ukes in stores and not been impressed with them. I think for the same money, Mainland, Kala and Ohana make a better instrument. Just a personal perspective and the models I played might not have been the top of the OS line.

Click to expand...

Of course, as stated, being a newbie to ukes, I am not looking at the top of any line. Interested in a comparison, for example, between the OS OU52, and the similar KALA model I mentioned in the first post, which sells for about $20 more. Is there any advantage at that price range, to spend a little more for the Kala?

I think all Ohanas are in a higher price range, and therefore I have not been looking at them.

I looked at the Mainland site, and it appears that they do not make baris, correct? (correcting myself--they do, although not obvious on first glance at their web page, which shows a soprano, concert and tenor, but no bari). However, also a more expensive price range, than I was discussing. (No laminates, for example, from what I can see, only solid.)

Thinking about it more, I have seen such good reviews of the $30 Rogue bari here, I am thinking of getting that, instead of one in the approx $100 price range, like I was thinking about before. Then, if later I want a better one, I would probably go to a higher price range than I was originally thinking, like $200-$300, etc.

What do others think of that? Would there be much advantage for a starter bari, to pay $100 for a OS laminate, or $118 for a Kala laminate, rather than $30 for the Rogue?

I previously thought that ukuleles so cheap as $30, like the Mahalos, are junk, but people here are saying that the Rogue Bari is really a decent instrument, although of course not as good as expensive ukes.

Opinions on that? Or better of to pay $100 or a little more, for a starter bari uke, rather than $30 for the Rogue?

Aloha Maikii,
I have 2 of the Rogue baritones...I like it so much that I bought a second for different strings....it's a good ukulele, especially for an entry level one...however in the right hands and if you know how to tune it
by ear and can drop it down a half step it and turn into a really nice sound..many times deeper and richer than My Kamaka Baritone costing thirty times more...now afer 31/2 years of playing them I still like
both of mine...I guess some who have experienced them have not tried to dropping the tuning to see what they are truely capable of doing....for $29.99 , what is there you got to lose....even their rogue
soprano is wonderful to play too...If you do purchase them and would like the settings for a them, I'll be glad to provide them for you...jus ask..That said, I like it more for a picking arpeggios best...WoW..
My humble opinion....that ukulele taught me how to tune by ear, picking, and choosin chords for songs....well worth 29.99 ...and is enjoyable to play..if you close you eyes and not worry about asthetics.
Good Luck!! MM Stan..

maikii said:

Thinking about it more, I have seen such good reviews of the $30 Rogue bari here, I am thinking of getting that, instead of one in the approx $100 price range, like I was thinking about before. Then, if later I want a better one, I would probably go to a higher price range than I was originally thinking, like $200-$300, etc.

What do others think of that? Would there be much advantage for a starter bari, to pay $100 for a OS laminate, or $118 for a Kala laminate, rather than $30 for the Rogue?

I previously thought that ukuleles so cheap as $30, like the Mahalos, are junk, but people here are saying that the Rogue Bari is really a decent instrument, although of course not as good as expensive ukes.

Opinions on that? Or better of to pay $100 or a little more, for a starter bari uke, rather than $30 for the Rogue?

Click to expand...

How much is your time worth? Its not worth spending much time agonizing over a $30 ukulele - just buy it and see. If you hate it, sell it for $15 or give it away. If you love the bari after playing it for awhile, buy a better one, if you still want it. Its a cheap rental fee.

I do the same thing sometimes, but I always feel better after I just do it.

I used to own a Kala mahogany baritone, and while it was okay I'd say my Kala mango baritone is much better.

mm stan said:

Aloha Maikii,
I have 2 of the Rogue baritones...I like it so much that I bought a second for different strings....it's a good ukulele, especially for an entry level one...however in the right hands and if you know how to tune it
by ear and can drop it down a half step it and turn into a really nice sound..many times deeper and richer than My Kamaka Baritone costing thirty times more...now afer 31/2 years of playing them I still like
both of mine...I guess some who have experienced them have not tried to dropping the tuning to see what they are truely capable of doing....for $29.99 , what is there you got to lose....even their rogue
soprano is wonderful to play too...If you do purchase them and would like the settings for a them, I'll be glad to provide them for you...jus ask..That said, I like it more for a picking arpeggios best...WoW..
My humble opinion....that ukulele taught me how to tune by ear, picking, and choosin chords for songs....well worth 29.99 ...and is enjoyable to play..if you close you eyes and not worry about asthetics.
Good Luck!! MM Stan..

Click to expand...

HA Ha. I did end up ordering one of these. I figured why not for the price, folks say its good, and if I really like bari, and want a better one later, I can get it. It did not come yet.

What do you mean by "..if you close your eyes..." ? Does it look that terrible?

You tune it down a half step? You mean Db Gb Bb Eb (4-3-2-1)? What on earth for? The reason I am interested in bari is the same tuning as the guitar, not having to think about transposition, etc. Why then would I tune it a half step down? Anyone else do that with any bari? Is that common?

You say that you have two, with two different sets of strings. What are the two different sets? I believe I read that the stock strings on it are pretty bad, so I bought a set of Aquila strings off Ebay (I hope the ebay ones are genuine), and intend to restring it with them immediately. What two kinds of strings are your Rogue Baris strung withm, and why?

Thanks.

I don't have a Rogue Bari but I got one of their sopranos on MM Stans recommendation, and was not to impressed with it with the stock strings, but once I put a set of Aguila's on it is my favorite travel uke. It is a bit heavy, but since I bought it to take flying with me (and for my 4 year old grandkids to play) it's perfect. It play in tune and the intonation is pretty good. I also have a couple of cheap Bari's (a Hilo and a Sunlite) and with Aquila's they are pretty decent sounding. I have the Sunlite tuned low gCEA and really like the sound.