Anyone have an Ohana BK-10 (baritone)?

didgeridoo2

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I just picked one up on a whim. I haven't had a baritone and not sure how much I'll play it. Sometimes I walk into a music shop (this was Kaye's music scene in reseda, ca), and I'll pick up a baritone and love the sound. Kaye's just became Ohana dealers recently and I hadn't played the bk-10, until today. It's a laminated uke and it is strung with ghs strings. He also has the cordoba solid top bari, the kala Bari and a Makala Bari. And he had the Ohana solid top Bari (bk-20). I went in to see the new islander ukes by kanilea since they've been getting tons of attention lately (they're lovely, btw).

Back to the bk-10...it sounded as good as the solid tops and the fit and finish was top notch, which is expected with Ohana. For a uke under $120, I think I did alright.

Anyone else have one and any suggestions on strings? This might be an opportunity to try the south coast linear sets, but I am open to suggestions.

Now I have to figure out how to explain it to the wife...
 
I use the Southcoast linears on our Baritones. The tone and playability is excellent and are a great match for the baritone's size and fretboard width. Wonderful product and a terrific company as well.

Mike
 
I don't have one--but I'm hoping you'll post a video review. I have been considering going back to the baritone and of the makes I am looking at, I keep admiring the Ohanas in many sizes. For low-to-mid range, they seem to be a very good brand. And especially want to hear the other strings, because though Aquilas are miraculous in taking meh sounds to good--sometimes you don't want that brightness.
 
As you can see on my signature, I am almost totally a baritone "fanatic", as I prefer their sound, fretting, and overall feel. And until someone puts two more bass strings and a larger body on them, they in no way sound like a guitar. And as Ukulelecowboy, I use Southcoastukes strings on almost all my Baris. The linears can't be beat for low G C tuning. Their lights are great for reentrant C tuning. I think you will enjoy immensely your Ohana Bari, as Ohana builds a quality Uke, at any level. Good luck as you travel the path of Uke UAS and the exploding world of Uke music! Lozark
 
I just received my new Ohana BK-10 yesterday from UkeRepublic and I love it. I am happy to hear that after you played other baritones you chose the Ohana BK 10. I think it looks and sounds beautiful and I do like the sound of the baritone.
 
+1 on the Southcoast linear C's. I slapped them on my Rogue and they sound great.

I just ordered a solid spruce top bari, bone nut and saddle, from Uke Repulic for $169 delivered. I think I got a great deal... we'll see how she sounds.
 
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This will get old I am sure, but Southcoast Linears here on both my Bari's, Lights on everything else. Dirk's strings are the greatest, and he is a swell fellow to send money to.
 
Thanks for the responses. I have talked with Dirk and ordered a set of linear flat wound strings. I am considering taking the BK-10 back and upgrading to the BK 20. I think I'm enjoying it enough to appreciate the solid wood top for the long run. So I amend my thread and if anyone knows the BK 20, please feel free to chime in. I'd sure appreciate it.
 
Okay...who's the player who grabbed that BK-20 over the weekend? I went to upgrade today and was told it was gone. Someone came in looking for the BK-10 and ended up getting the BK-20. No worries, tho. Only need to wait a couple more days for the order Kaye's placed for me. With a couple mya moe ukes and a couple kiwayas, I would not have expected to be hooked on the deep tone of a relatively inexpensive baritone. Uas strikes in mysterious ways, don't it?
 
thanks for the review

Thanks for the brief "review" of the BK-10. There's not much info/feedback out there about that instrument.

I nearly bought one from Mim. Actually, I didn't nearly buy it - I bought it. But Mim found a defect in the intonation that she couldn't fix and she could tell, based on conversations we've had, that I've got sensitive ears and it would bother me, so she refunded it to me. Anyway, do you still play it?
 
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My two cents. I'm a big fan of Southcoast Strings and Dirk, and of Ohana. So, try Dirk's dGBE strings, really cool. Because the baritone has such a low tuning the G string functions as bass string and you get all the sweetness of having reentrant tuning, and don't get me wrong, I love a low G on my tenor GCEA tunings. I even like a low D baritone tuning, but I've been really enjoying Southcoast's dGEB stings.

Glad to hear that there's such a good inexpensive baritone and made by Ohana. I love my old Bushman baritone and say it really ranks up there. You'd have to hear me play it. it's light like a really expensive uke. Mahogany's under-rated. My first uke was a Kala mahogany baritone and six years later I'm still playing, and much better.

I picked up a cheap Lanakai spruce top bari on line and I put Southcoast Cuatro strings on it. Instead of having a regular E in the DGBE tuning, you have an octave lower E. Ain't it funny all the variations in tunings? The Cuatro tuning is cool for rhythm and it opens your ears and gives new ideas if you start picking.

best wishes
 
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