Baritone haters

savagehenry

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Since I have been on UU, I have read many posts where someone says that a baritone is just too much like guitar. I got a baritone and like it for fingerpicking but not strumming, I felt is was too low and too much like a guitar haha. This being said, I really did like it though, but decided to order some new strings. I ordered some strings from Southcoast, linear nonwound and tuned it GCEA, and all I can say is WOW! I love these strings, they made my baritone sound like a ukulele. If you've been afraid of getting a baritone, don't be, just tune it to C. It's a nice rich sound, probably the way a tenor is fuller than a concert, the baritone is the next step. Any body else love a baritone tuned to C?
 
I always thought I'd have to relearn the chords to play a Baritone but, never thought of just tuning it to GCEA!

Now you've got me thinking!...
 
I always thought I'd have to relearn the chords to play a Baritone but, never thought of just tuning it to GCEA!

But you don't even need to do that. You already know the chords. The chord shapes are EXACTLY the same, they're just in a different key. So if you were to play a C chord shape, it would make a G chord sound on the baritone. A soprano F chord shape makes a C chord sound on the baritone. And so on. You don't have to re-learn any chord shapes, you just have to understand that they now mean different chords. Super easy.
 
But you don't even need to do that. You already know the chords. The chord shapes are EXACTLY the same, they're just in a different key.

I just watched a bunch of YouTube Baritone videos and found exactly what you mentioned about the chord shapes.

The chord shapes are the same but, the tone is lower and mellower. I like the sound of the DGBE tuning on the Baritone better than the GCEA tuning. It just fits the Baritone nicely.
 
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I can't decide which I like better, but I love my Bari. It is a Guitar without the added distraction tuned to DGBE, and it is a loud sustain machine of an Uke tuned GCEA. I will say i will probably leave it tuned GCEA mostly because Southcoast Strings are BRILLIANT.
 
Having 61 guitars, I do not own a baritone. Most of my 15 ukuleles are soprano. I have two tenors - a Fender Koa Nohea (had a passive piezo pickup in it) and a Stagg Stratocaster Tenor solid body electric. I also have one concert Kala Travel uke. If I want a guitar sound, I'll play a guitar. Ric
 
Thus the aforementioned mentioned "hate". Everyone has an opinion about the baritone. Even those who never play one.

Ive been thinking of Seasick Steve - a damn fine six string player. He also plays with four strings, three, and sometimes just one. All significantly different sounds - all in the guitar range. He doesn't give a crap what you call it. So as for "if I want a guitar sound I'll play a guitar", knock yourself out, although you may want to listen a bit closer - personally I hear a huge difference. As for me, I'll play whatever I need for the sound I want at the time.

I keep a bari tuned in C, one in G, a tenor guitar tuned like a G bari with steel strings... All significantly different, and all different again from my six strings and my tenor ukes. I'll leave the judgment to others and just play the snot out of the things.
 
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I love baritone uke for lots of reasons. Yes, it sounds guitar-like, but it is more mellow than a guitar. It limits me in terms of playing any "leads" that I might want to throw into a song, but in a uke group session, it is nice to fill in the bottom end of a tune and people always end up wanting to play the thing before we are done. I have some really sweet Martin guitars, too.
 
I played tenor all the time, until about a year ago when I bought a baritone from a UU member, more on a whim than real desire. Wow. I was bowled over by the sound. Now I play more bari than tenor.

I have had a bari tuned to GCEA and didn't like it. My first impression was the tension was too much. Strings felt stiff, inflexible, unwilling to bend. Hurt my fingers to play. Swicthed them to re-entant D.

My impression with a C-tuned bari was that it was just a somewhat louder, richer tenor. What the hell, I can amp a uke to get more oomph, so why bother? I like the different pitch. Gives me something new to work with.
 
I had a Makala baritone and never played it so I sold it. Then I missed it so bought another one! I like it tuned DGBE. I like it for the deep tone and do think of it as an alternative for me having to learn guitar. The strings are too close together on a guitar for my tastes.

I would find the frets two far apart for playing it like my sopranos though. I tend to prefer the sopranos and have a few of them. I have one concert and one tenor and one Baritone ... all makalas... Just for the variety.
 
Mine's tuned an octave below soprano. Try the guadalupe custom strings.
 
spookfoote

wow so thats lower than DGBE right? Since DGBE is 5 half steps and you are tuning TWELVE half steps down.
 
spookfoote

wow so thats lower than DGBE right? Since DGBE is 5 half steps and you are tuning TWELVE half steps down.

Yep - that's an octave. Cool idea - really cool actually. I play an octave mandolin, which is an octave lower than standard mando tuning... I never thought of doing it for uke. Looking into it.
 
Yup that's where I'm at with my G tuning dropped .....great for fingerpicking richer deeper tones...
 
I have to confess I have never liked baritone. I watched some of the new Kimo Hussey DeVine Ukulele videos this morning and listened to the South Coast Ukes samples of different baritone tunings and they've won me over. I wouldn't mind finding a descent baritone to try some of the various tunings. BAS has struck. Any suggestions? Thanks.
Regards,
Ray
 
I have to confess I have never liked baritone. I watched some of the new Kimo Hussey DeVine Ukulele videos this morning and listened to the South Coast Ukes samples of different baritone tunings and they've won me over. I wouldn't mind finding a descent baritone to try some of the various tunings. BAS has struck. Any suggestions? Thanks.
Regards,
Ray
So true, I think the problem a lot of people have with baritones is that they want it to sound like a tenor. It is it's own sound all together and if you be itself it may just surprise you.
 
I don't like playing them but I really like playing with people that play them. Really adds a lot to a duet piece with any uke, soprano,concert or tenor. Very cool.
 
My impression with a C-tuned bari was that it was just a somewhat louder, richer tenor. What the hell, I can amp a uke to get more oomph, so why bother?
I disagree with your logic, if that were the case we'd all be playing sopranos through amps. Each of the scales provides a benefit, whether it be volume, tone, feel, or all of the above.
 
I have to confess I have never liked baritone. I watched some of the new Kimo Hussey DeVine Ukulele videos this morning and listened to the South Coast Ukes samples of different baritone tunings and they've won me over. I wouldn't mind finding a descent baritone to try some of the various tunings. BAS has struck. Any suggestions? Thanks.
Regards,
Ray

Well like I said, I bought yet another Makala Baritone. They are great for 77 bucks. I have not played any others myself, but I suspect the Riptide is quite excellent. I did try one of their concerts and it was really pretty nice. I would sorta like to try it. And Savage Henry likes his Koloa. Of course I suppose you know you could get your feet wet for 29 bucks on a Rogue. Stan has some of those.
 
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