Are baritones picking up in popularity?

Garydavkra

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I decided to jump into ukuleles just over a month ago. I did a lot of research but, it finally came down to what was available locally. I didn't want to buy anything that I couldn't play first. Well, there wasn't much choice so I ended up with a Fender Nohea tenor which I like.

So, I thought that it would be nice to also get a baritone uke. Again, I did as much reading and listening as I could. However, I couldn't find the baritones that I was most interested in locally. The only other option was to order through my favorite music store or over the internet.

The funny thing was that every baritone uke that I was interested in was out of stock! I was looking at Pono and Kala. So, I'm wondering if baritones are picking up in popularity? Are more guitar players going to a baritone now? Pono and Kala are popular brands so maybe that's the reason? I don't know.

Anyway, I finally started looking as lesser well known brands and I changed my thinking about what I wanted. The Pona and Kala that I wanted were much more expensive than what I finally ordered. I decided that I might try the baritone first to see if I like it and that spending less money would be the way to go. If I don't like it then I haven't lost much. If I do then the Pono and Kala and whatever else I come across will be back on my list.

I finally ordered a RipTide baritone from coolukes.com. I talked to Scott the owner who is a really nice guy and he spent quite a bit of time on the phone answering my questions. Wouldn't you know it, the uke that I wanted was out of stock! So, I ordered a spruce top model which I'm waiting to arrive. I'll post pictures and my impressions when it arrives...and after I play it.

Has anyone else had trouble finding a baritone?
 
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I love jazz ukulele and Glen Rose has a great tutorial and book at jazzyukulele.com. He plays a baritone ukulele (a Riptide) with C6 tuning and a Low-G. For these kinds of songs, I decided to get a baritone and ordered one from Mya-Moe. However, I've played much less expensive Makala and Hilo baritones and they were very fun.

This baritone will complete my uke collection with all four sizes. I still like my soprano, mainly play my tenor, and travel with my concert. I don't know if the baritone is gaining in popularity but it definitely should because the size seems to give you a lot of options for tunings. You can tune it like a tenor ukulele or like a guitar.

Have fun with yours!
 
I love jazz ukulele and Glen Rose has a great tutorial and book at jazzyukulele.com. He plays a baritone ukulele (a Riptide) with C6 tuning and a Low-G. For these kinds of songs, I decided to get a baritone and ordered one from Mya-Moe. However, I've played much less expensive Makala and Hilo baritones and they were very fun.

This baritone will complete my uke collection with all four sizes. I still like my soprano, mainly play my tenor, and travel with my concert. I don't know if the baritone is gaining in popularity but it definitely should because the size seems to give you a lot of options for tunings. You can tune it like a tenor ukulele or like a guitar.

Have fun with yours!

Thanks NewKid and thanks for the Glen Rose website. I went over there to check it out. It looks like he is mainly talking about movable chords and staying away from the theory. I think that's a great way to approach it and keep it fun.

I'm looking forward to the RipTide and my decision was based on some of what Glen Rose had to say about them. I didn't mean to make it sound like it's a cheap low end Ukulele and it may end up being the only baritone I every buy.:D
 
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I ended up with a Fender Nohea tenor which I like.

Nohea owners are taking over the world! I bought one in May as my first Uke, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.
 
Another thing that's increasing in popularity re: baritones is putting Southcoast linear strings on them! Nearly everyone reports an improvement in tone.
 
Certainly more available than a few years ago, but whilst the range is bigger, the range of other sizes is MUCH bigger still. So yes, more popular I think, but in line with others. All part of the uke generally staying on a boom.
 
The short answer is "yes", they are certainly becoming much more popular, but not in every country.

Ken, I just saw your rendition of "You can call me Al" with the baritone and it was brilliant! It was the first time I heard you sing and you have a wonderful voice. More please!
 
Those Southcoast improve anything. I am becoming a huge fan. Dick sent me a selection, but the current strings (med) are so sweet, I don't want to restring and test the others yet. THey feel and sound great and you can switch up to different tones. I don't think I'll be using anything else. I have a tenor Mainland and a Kala baritone (grew up playing a bari because my dad bought me a new uke and to him, bigger was better....tuning be damned. But I loved it.) Now I love the high G tenor more, but either way, the SC strings are da bom.
 
Ken, I just saw your rendition of "You can call me Al" with the baritone and it was brilliant! It was the first time I heard you sing and you have a wonderful voice. More please!
Check out Ken's Youtube channel for more....
 
I've dabbled in baritones before and I'm definitely interested in them again. They seem to be quite versatile. My interest lies in having a guitar-like sound without having to deal with six strings of an actual guitar. Others seem to enjoy keeping them GCEA and just getting a bigger sound than you'd get from the smaller sizes.
 
I love the sound of baritones, but it's just waaaay too big for me. I just sold my tenor and am selling the bari. Despite my large hands I prefer sopranos and I'm looking for a concert.
 
I've dabbled in baritones before and I'm definitely interested in them again. They seem to be quite versatile. My interest lies in having a guitar-like sound without having to deal with six strings of an actual guitar. Others seem to enjoy keeping them GCEA and just getting a bigger sound than you'd get from the smaller sizes.

Same here. I like the deeper, warmer sound and I like the fact that it has four strings instead of six. I like the sound of my tenor uke too. I wonder if the person that invented the six string instrument had a hard time with math? :wallbash: I realize that six strings provides more range but, at the same time sometimes less is more. I just seem to have an easier time playing ukulele than guitar and it's a whole lot easier on my fingers. I got my first uke about five weeks ago and I didn't have any callouses on my fingers. I was able to sit and play for two hours without any discomfort. On my steal string guitars, I'm lucky if I can go an hour and without callouses about ten minutes.

I like the ukulele. It is a good instrument with a good aura about it.
 
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I've heard that baritones are indeed picking up steam. This Cordoba 20 BM I have is my first instrument, but I've learned loads already just being subscribed to this forum and cruising the internet and having two music teachers:D! Mine is tuned the guitar way of the DGBE and I just love the sound that comes out of it(until I hit a bad note that is:biglaugh:). At this point I am quite happy with mine and glad I made the decision. Welcome to the forum and above all, have fun!
 
Garydavkra;1001845 Has anyone else had trouble finding a baritone?[/QUOTE said:
I ended up buying a Martin baritone ukulele last year, but it was through a series of fortunate events.

I purchased a cavaquinho, which is a bright sounding Brazilian ukulele with steel strings used in samba, choro and forró (my favorite genre).

I realized that a baritone ukulele could be tuned the same way. Now I like playing the Martin even more than the cavaquinho!
 
I ended up buying a Martin baritone ukulele last year, but it was through a series of fortunate events.

I purchased a cavaquinho, which is a bright sounding Brazilian ukulele with steel strings used in samba, choro and forró (my favorite genre).

I realized that a baritone ukulele could be tuned the same way. Now I like playing the Martin even more than the cavaquinho!

whats the tuning like..

i think baritones are just way more versatile.. they accommodate alot more different kinds of strings and tunings..

i think as ukuleles grow in popularity, so will the demand for more flexibility and technical usage.. so i think baritones are the natural choice and wave of the future, internationally.. likely not in Hawaii, but in other countries where serious bands and musicians want to add the ukulele, i think the baritone is most always the preferred choice..

i think there's just so much toyish joking connotation surrounding the ukulele that nobody really takes it seriously.. the baritone is obviously something to be taken seriously, even by the jokers.. its just a beautiful instrument with a beautiful size, shape, and sound..

i think we can blame all those tourist-shop manufacturers of those super crappy ukuleles .. really. why would they even make those? what is the reason? i find it insulting bigotry.. they are placed around the room at little 'luau' parties on the mainland, they given to kids who cant do anything with them anyway, they are literally just useless pieces of crap which mock players of ukuleles, and mock the validity of the ukulele as an instrument..

whoever thought up those crappy ukuleles was probably himself a guy who saw the size of the ukulele and laughed out loud about its appearance, likely making fun of the little silly natives who wielded it ..

its a shame.. i think they should be taken off the market..

but anyway, i myself would like to pick up a baritone uke, but i think i'd prefer to play it in GCEA

the sound is deeper, the chambers much more full sounding, if made well, and its a nice-looking instrument people unfamiliar with ukuleles arent just going to laugh at when u take it out.

i cant tell u how many times i've taken out my uke only to have some retard grab it out of my hands and start dancing around with it with a goofy 'look im a silly hula girl' look on his face, like it was some sort of children's toy i brought as a joke.. and i play a tenor Acacia Kala!

i think people generally respect the baritone as a real instrument, which keeps it safer.

and its way smaller and more compact than a guitar.. i think its definitely set to become the instrument of the future around the world, by guitarists who want more portability and ukers who want more depth, size, and volume..
 
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i think there's just so much toyish joking connotation surrounding the ukulele that nobody really takes it seriously.. the baritone is obviously something to be taken seriously, even by the jokers..
As you point out, the baritone needs to be taken seriously. One whack aside the head with a baritone, and anyone would understand that it's not a toy.

Perhaps I was intended for the big size and the simplicity of a baritone over a guitar; as a child, I became proficient at the upside-down washtub, broomstick and clothesline bass.

I ordered my first baritone ukulele just now. Tonight, about twenty minutes ago. I will try it first in a familiar re-entrant tuning, and go from there. Time will tell.

And my compadre, ukuhippo, I will post if its "waists" match. You and I know they won't.
 
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heh.. cool..

let us know how u like it.. my Uncle plays one, i really liked it alot, i just was too lazy to learn all the chords again.. i still kind of am.. what tuning will u play it in?
 
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