Baritone Bridge Pearls

So, I restrung my new Kala KB Barry with dGBE all nylon strings and I LOVE IT.

But I also don't like classical guitar string tie style, so I found these in the bride's sewing room and--presto--pearl bridge buttons



Classy, ain't it?

Pearls give that one a classy look -- well done.

Still on the fence about re-entrant tuning for the baritone? I know it will sound great, but the standard wound D and G give it such a different sound from the rest of the stable. Decisions, decisions...

connor013 said:

Pearls give that one a classy look -- well done.

Still on the fence about re-entrant tuning for the baritone? I know it will sound great, but the standard wound D and G give it such a different sound from the rest of the stable. Decisions, decisions...

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I like the pearls, too. They almost look like fancy bridge pins.

Personally, I would keep the bari standard DGBE. I already have enough ukes in gCEA/GCEA tuning that I want my bari to actually be a bari.

itsme said:

I like the pearls, too. They almost look like fancy bridge pins.

Personally, I would keep the bari standard DGBE. I already have enough ukes in gCEA/GCEA tuning that I want my bari to actually be a bari.

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But you don't understand. This give me an excuse for MULTIPLE BARRY'S--in EVERY TUNING!

It's a bari, itsme. dGBE is lovely, absolutely lovely. Low and re-entrant and gorgeous, I agree with PDX. I don;t need a four string linear tuned guitar in my ukulele arsenal.

My Favilla bari is heavy Southcoasts dGBE and it's such an awesome ukulele. I played it for an hour today. Blues simply resonate on it...

Thanks for the tip on the pearls! I am going to check out some beads at JoAnn's Fabrics or Michaels.

I have been an exclusive Bridgebone Bead user from Dirk on about 7 ukes so far, but his price is now $19 for a set of fancy beads (used to be $11) Dirk, I love ya, but $19?

Thanks, PDX. I sure wish we lived closer, I'd bemeeting you and trading ukes to try and play and rrecord.

coolkayaker1 said:

I don;t need a four string linear tuned guitar in my ukulele arsenal.

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Blasphemy!

Two of my five tenors are in Low G.

Haha! I loved my Martin guitar ('66 000-18 that i'm gifting to my son) and I DO like barrys tuned DGBE, but I gotta admit they do sound like lil' guitars. dGBE sounds like a uke to me. I know, I know--Barry blasphemy. Don't worry, I'll have a barry tuned that way cause i like it--but it's gonna haver to be unwound strings because I hate that squeeky guitar thing and I love the buttery no metal thing. (Open for suggestions on unwound DGBE set.)

Steve, I've actually been laying around and jazzing up PAPER MOON on my Barry, something I'd never do on the soprano .Also playing NINE POUND HAMMER with a lot of blues chords. I think the bride got these pearl things at Joanns.

And it does still sound very very different than anything else because of it's deep voice. Even dGBE. very yummy warm. I like it a lot.

coolkayaker1 said:

I have been an exclusive Bridgebone Bead user from Dirk on about 7 ukes so far, but his price is now $19 for a set of fancy beads (used to be $11) Dirk, I love ya, but $19?

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WOOPS!!

Good catch, coolboy - and fast, too! The new Accessory section just went online tonight. As always there are a few glitches on a new website. I've been editing all evening, but this is one I missed.

They did go up, but only to $12.75. $19.00 is the price of a Shubb Capo, and somehow that ended up on the BridgeBoneBeads as well.

They're still expensive, of course, compared to Michael's, but then again they have some advantages, as you would expect from a custom design. Easier, faster, and more secure tie + a flat bottom to keep from buzzing on the soundboard. Only way you can be sure that won't happen at Michael's is to take your uke into the store. (But then again, if anyone would string up in the bead section CB, you would be the one to do it!!)

Dirk: Whew! LOL I'm a BBB user again. lol

Here's pics of them on my Koaloha tenor. I have them on many ukes. I agree with Dirk. They have a flat area so sit off the sound board. And they have many holes and a special tie method that prevents slippage. It's not just looks, they actually are ideal for tie bridges, and they stop the string from cutting the bridge. (I wish there was something equivalent for knotted bridges, like on many sopranos---those get chewed up pretty fast, esp with thin modern strings cutting into them; inventors, please invent). Note to all: you get five BBBs of that price, just in case you drop one into the divan cushions and lose it. But, for those with nimble fingers, that means for every four sets you buy, you'd have enough for a fifth uke@!

Highly recommend BBB from Southcoast.

Dirk, as an aside, I read your entire new webpage re: tunings and string designs today. You write exceedingly clearly on a complex subject. Still info dense (your prose, not my head...lol), I will re-read it a couple more times...one of those things where each time it's read, something new can be gleaned. Much more clear than your old website. Thanks so much. I can tell that took some serious time to write, edit, re-write, etc.

Well done, Professor Dirk!

I have a set of those BBB that I got from Dirk in my box. Saving them for a fancier Barry

BTW, my bridge pearls also sit off the body of the uke. Hey Dirk , I'll wholesale them to ya! haha

pdxuke said:

Hey Dirk , I'll wholesale them to ya! haha

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Don't be flip, Thom.

(lol--you da man!)

coolkayaker1 said:

Don't be flip, Thom.

(lol--you da man!)

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Ha! No, those things Dirk sells are incredible. Lke I said, I have them currently in a bag--I've been saving them for that Favilla or Kamaka baritone

connor013 said:

Pearls give that one a classy look -- well done.

Still on the fence about re-entrant tuning for the baritone? I know it will sound great, but the standard wound D and G give it such a different sound from the rest of the stable. Decisions, decisions...

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That's why you need baritones in twos (two mahogany, two koa, two spruce...)

coolkayaker1 said:

It's a bari, itsme. dGBE is lovely, absolutely lovely. Low and re-entrant and gorgeous, I agree with PDX. I don;t need a four string linear tuned guitar in my ukulele arsenal.

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It's funny, that's exactly what I think of my Pono linear bari as, my "little four-string guitar" - but that's okay, because I sometimes want to play a little four-string guitar. I also want a baritone uke, so I have another one strung reentrant.

John

OldePhart said:

It's funny, that's exactly what I think of my Pono linear bari as, my "little four-string guitar" - but that's okay, because I sometimes want to play a little four-string guitar. I also want a baritone uke, so I have another one strung reentrant.

John

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Me too. But not always. Which is why we get to have a bunch of baritones