Baritones are meant to be tuned DGBE. That is the tuning the instrument is made for, but being uke players, folks just can't seem to leave things alone. Now there are strings designed for the higher tunings some folks can be lazy and not adapt to a different tuning and "Oh no, you mean I have to learn new chords"! The uke has now so many different configurations in body sizes, necks, strings arrangements and players, that it has become a simple four string monster. That is just the way it is and that is why folks like it. You would think with 5 different ukes scales that it would be enough, I guess not!
I take exception to this.
Lazy? I spent a long time developing my playing skills and a significant part of it was working through the ukulele sizes to find what worked best for me. As it turns out, the baritone suited my physical size and finger stretch and happened to be a perfect match. I wanted the instrument to still maintain the tonal nuances of it's smaller brothers without sounding too much like a small guitar.
It had absolutely nothing to do with "learning new chords," etc.
I am a Baritone Ukulele Player. This is my collection and
every one is tuned GCEA (low G tuning.) And I want to thank Dirk Wormhoudt at Southcoast for developing such a fine set of strings.
2012 Graziano Custom Baritone (build in progress)
'12 Ko'olau CE-1 Baritone
'11 Pono Acacia Deluxe Baritone
'09 Pono Mahogany Deluxe Baritone
'08 Pono Macassar Ebony and Cedar top Baritone
’64 Gibson BU1
'64 Guild BU-1 Baritone
'64 Favilla B2 Baritone
'72 Yasuma Model 51 Baritone
'75 C.F. Mountain Model 51 Baritone
'53 Vega Arthur Godfrey Solo Lute
'52 Vega Arthur Godfrey Baritone (deluxe)
'55 Harmony Model 695 Baritone
'65 Harmony Model 695 Baritone
'65 Airline Baritone
'59 Biltmore Short Scale Baritone
'71 Bobby Henshaw Baritone
'55 Kent Carmencita Baritone
'55 Kustom Kraft Baritone
'68 Lyra Baritone
'70 Giannini Baritone
'66 Aria Model 1255 Baritone
'10 Eleuke Mahogany Baritone
'72 Regal Spruce top Baritone
'68 Silvertone Baritone
'09 Kala KA-B Mahogany Baritone
'11 Cordoba Cuatro (as Baritone)
'09 Jupiter Creek Telecaster Steel String Baritone
'09 Oscar Schmidt OU55CE Koa Baritone
'70 Maccaferri Islander Plastic Baritone