Baritones making a comeback?

DeVineGuitars

DeVineGuitars

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I'm not sure comeback is the right term since Baritones have never enjoyed the success that the other sizes of ukes have.
But, I have notices a little bump in Bari orders in the last month. It has been quite a while since someone has ordered a big Bari and I have taken a few orders just this month.
Is this a sign of things to come?
 
I have more baritones than any other size of uke... actually, I have more baritones than ALL other sizes combined.
 
Could it be that your baritones are just a little bit special:drool:, Eric? Everybody has been listening to Kimo Hussey playing them and they sound OK, too:confused:? Really, I'm more inclined to think you are cornering the high-end market as it exists for baritones. However, should you discover at any time that interest in baris is waning and you just want to unload one, I've got room at my house. Seriously, they are stunning and sound fantastic. I'm envious of everyone who has placed an order.
 
Every uke group needs at least one baritone. Yup, its true.
 
We have 25 baritones in our collection. It's the only size that I play.

If I could afford a DeVine Baritone, we would have 26!

Mike
 
My first impression was that baritones were just some sort of wannabe guitars. I've come to my senses, though, and I have to admit I like the sound and feel a lot. Baritones are great for blues.
 
They are certainly not wannabeguitars. I just picked up a Makala MK-B which is very inexpensive and will be changing out the strings to South Coast. It has a UKE sound when strummed but deep. I really like the sound. I do not like the sound of my fingers squeaking on the wound Makala D and G string, but changing those out will fix that issue. It's loud! Nice tone for a cheap laminate. I did play a bari as a kid and I like it. In fact, I was strumming madly within a few minutes of getting it because the sopranos always sound a bit light to me. It's all what you like, but it definitely is NOT a guitar. It is a uke, just different.
 
Just picked one up last week. I had always thought about adding one, but didn't get around to it. I guess since I'm happy with the tenor, concert and soprano ukes I have, my uas still has some issues to work out.
 
I have become completely hooked on the Baritone over the last couple of months. It seems to me to be a distinctly different instrument to the other three standard sizes. For me, I'm either playing a uke, OR a Baritone Uke. And my Baritone makes such a sweet harmony with my wife's concert. I have one Baritone tuned re-entrant and another Linear and would love another one that I can keep in a different key. There's just so many options! I hope it's the start of a baritone boom, I'd love to see more players out there.

Oh, and I'd also love to see the pictures of the finished product Baritones your making Mr Devine. Your instruments are sublime!

And to DRBekken, I have to say I'm a massive fan of your baritone songs on youtube. Keep them coming please!
 
if you are going to have a linear tuning, it might as well be a bari so you get really nice bass notes. Some chords are a bit of a stretch though.
 
Got one, and I love it. A tenor is on my list, and I think that's the end of my UAS. But we all know better.
 
I agree with strumsilly.

The only issue is that there aren't as many string options for baritone in linear C tuning... I think the times they are a changin' though. I'm happy even if all I can get is the Southcoast linear C set in unwound nylon strings... I think they sound great. Also, there is a lot more experimentation with baritone tunings than with other sizes. I think the bari will continue to pick up steam, but won't be as popular as other sizes any time soon. Which is fine with me. I like being the oddball :)

Another thing that appeals to me about the baritone in DGBE tuning is you can slap a capo on the fifth fret (assuming it's a fairly decent uke) and play it in linear C tuning for your "islandy" stuff... I like versatility ;)

For me, who likes the lower tones but learned on GCEA tuning (and prefers a low G in that tuning)... this is ideal.

Your mileage may vary.
 
Last edited:
Flyke said:
And to DRBekken, I have to say I'm a massive fan of your baritone songs on youtube. Keep them coming please!
Click to expand...
YES!!!!!!! Doc should be added to the list of 'best bari players' in that other thread too
 
drbekken said:
My first impression was that baritones were just some sort of wannabe guitars. I've come to my senses, though, and I have to admit I like the sound and feel a lot. Baritones are great for blues.
Click to expand...

Great for Blues?? Because its darker? richer? more sustain? more range of projection?? Let's hear it.
 
SuzukHammer said:
Great for Blues?? Because its darker? richer? more sustain? more range of projection?? Let's hear it.
Click to expand...

All of the above; plus the fact that I personally like the sound of blues played on nylon strings instead of steel. It makes fingerpicking so very much easier for me, and four strings feel way better than six.
That does NOT mean that I'm knocking the other ukulele sizes, though. I love the soprano and like the tenor, but for blues and picking, the baritone is my thing. The two others are great for strumming and playing the old jazz stuff that I have loved since I was a kid, back in the 70s. I also feel that the baritone is so different from the other ukes as to be 'another' instrument. That makes it easier not to mix them up in my head while playing.
Let me also say that I am flattered to death from reading that someone actually puts me on some list of 'best' baritone players. How can you think such a thing? To a frozen-to-the-bone Norwegian on a distant arctic shore, it's heart-warming!
 
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