Baritone Ukuleles

mlindsey

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Hi. I am new to the board. I would appreciate a referral for a good baritone uke. I am a musician, but pretty new to the uke. Any suggestions? I see a mahogony Melokia advertised on several sites, but it looks very different from the ones on the Melokia site that a koa wood.
 
Many love the Mainland Mahogany Baritone Uke. I have my eye on an Ohana locally.
 
I've had a chance to play the Ohana Roundback Baritone and I loved the sound. I'm sure the Mainland is just as good though.
 
I can't help with what to buy as I don't play baritone, but I have played a bunch of Mainland ukulele's and they are a great value....

As for Baritone ukulele's, my friend does a great Bari Blog which is fun....
http://humblebaritonics.blogspot.com/
 
I'm curious why you would want a baritone ukulele... you say you are a musician, are you a guitar player? Pretty much all the manufacturers have a full line up from soprano or smaller up through baritone. Then, it depends on what you think you might like as far as tone and looks. You know I know one that I bet would be awesome. http://www.amazon.com/Riptide-UB-5NS-Baritone-Ukulele-Finish/dp/B002SSU85Y/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=musical-instruments&qid=1300917016&sr=8-2 I say this because I tried their concert in this line and it was real nice. Also someone else on here tried the tenor of this version. But, I myself have a Makala which costs about half of this, but its no looker. This Riptide I bet would be a great instrument--even though i have not tried it.
 
To me, baritones are sort of not exactly ukuleles but their own thing because they are normally tuned differently. Not that you have to tune them differently .... but normally they are tuned like a guitar, not a ukulele.
 
I became a convert and an addict to the baritone ukulele last year, now rarely play my other ukes. My favorite is a korala mahogany, just perfectly set up, but not sure if they are available where you are. If your looking at the cheaper end of the market, then the Kala laminate mahogany is very nice, as is their 'cheap as chips' Makala bari.
 
What is your budget?? Melokia is similar to KPKs ukes...and do you prefer a laminate or solid wood??
 
I have a Pono solid mahogany baritone that I like a lot. But I don't have much experience with other baritones.
 
Don't know what your budget is. While I was shopping for a baritone, I ran across this one, a Koloa KU-650 Baritone ukulele, all solid mahogany top, sides, and back, bone nut and saddle. Have never seen an all solid baritone for this price. May need a setup, but may be worth researching.
$157 with free shipping.
http://www.elevation-music.com/kokuprsomaba.html

A Gianinni on ebay, solid mahogany http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180643441953&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

And if you are really looking to spend some bucks, check out the Pono listed in the marketplace. You just missed two ponos there, one for $300, the other for $400
 
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Howdy,

I just bought a Oscar Schmidt OU52 new off ebay for $79.99 FREE S&H & gig bag, "Handcrafted" in Indonesia, not China. Really looks good, nice warm tone. I'm new to the Ukulele, but fit & finish is way above what I expected. For $80 bucks, you are not going to take a big hit, but I did shop a lot before clicking "Buy It Now."
 
Hi. I am new to the board. I would appreciate a referral for a good baritone uke. I am a musician, but pretty new to the uke. Any suggestions? I see a mahogony Melokia advertised on several sites, but it looks very different from the ones on the Melokia site that a koa wood.

I got a Melokia solid mahogany concert a year or so ago and love it! But beware there are several ukes using the Melokia name, I've seen several cheesy cheap laminates on eBay using the name. The Melokia site is (I think) the same manufacturer that made my mahogany, but they too are a bit misleading, their ukes are made of an Acacia BUT NOT Koa! Koa is a species of Acacia but it does not come from Asia! They are basically the same as the Koa Pili Koko ukes.
As for Bari's I have two and do like them, especially the one tuned low gCEA.
 
To me, baritones are sort of not exactly ukuleles but their own thing because they are normally tuned differently. Not that you have to tune them differently .... but normally they are tuned like a guitar, not a ukulele.
ARGH!

Tuning can't be a factor because the GCEA is only one of several "standard" tunings for a uke, all of which have been used in the past or are still used today. Regardless of the pitch, all ukes are tuned in the same relationship between strings. Baritones can be tuned low or high-D, or even GCEA. It is that relationship and the number of strinsg that determine if it is a uke.

Size can't be a factor either because the soprano wasn't really standardized until into the early 20th century -both concert and tenor are additions after that. And there are some manufacturers today who vary from the "standard" scale lengths.

Baritones are EXACTLY ukuleles. Enough with this anti-baritone-ism!
 
ARGH!

<snip>

Baritones are EXACTLY ukuleles. Enough with this anti-baritone-ism!

Yes, I agree. I didn't until I played a vintage Martin Baritone. The newer ones I played did feel and sound guitarish (sorry), but I've only played a few and I really don't know much about them. But the Martin had a narrow fret board, and even in classic tuning it sounded like the uke that a Baritone is to my 40 years of guitar playing ears.

When I finally get a Baritone, it will have to have that narrow, easy fret board. Maybe it will be that Martin! :)
 
ARGH!

Tuning can't be a factor because the GCEA is only one of several "standard" tunings for a uke, all of which have been used in the past or are still used today. Regardless of the pitch, all ukes are tuned in the same relationship between strings. Baritones can be tuned low or high-D, or even GCEA. It is that relationship and the number of strinsg that determine if it is a uke.

Size can't be a factor either because the soprano wasn't really standardized until into the early 20th century -both concert and tenor are additions after that. And there are some manufacturers today who vary from the "standard" scale lengths.

Baritones are EXACTLY ukuleles. Enough with this anti-baritone-ism!

I share Ian's perspective. I play only baritones and of the 15 that I own, none are tuned DGBE. They all sound like ukulele and they all (for the most part) give me the kind of control that I need when playing. They also provide a very nice historical basis for which to present the linage of the instrument to our audiences.
 
I'd like to +2 the few previous comments.

I get sick of hearing people saying things such as "if it isn't re-entrant, then it isn't a ukulele." That's borderline bigotry...

A uke by any other tuning still sounds like a uke!!!

~DB
 
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