Baritone Ukuleles... Explain.

So, I've sort of been ignoring the existence of baritone ukes because my daughter got a soprano and I want a concert, but then I read about how baritones are tuned like the bottom four strings of a guitar.

Well, I've also been looking into cigar box guitars because my son, who is starting guitar, wants to make some kind of cigar or lunch box guitar which he can make out of a super hero lunch box or paint himself or something. Those typically have four strings and are often tuned D-G-B-E as well.

So, it occurred to me that the same music could be used for a baritone ukulele and for a cigar box guitar. It also occurred to me that if there were songs out there with harmonizing soprano and baritone ukulele parts, my son and daughter could learn those and my son could play the baritone part on guitar. It also occurred to me that children playing instruments together is super cute.

Can it be done? The baritone ukulele part played on guitar? Also, is there music out there with harmonizing soprano and baritone ukulele parts?

OR... maybe I just need to buy a baritone ukulele after all since my son has guitar skills which can be transferred to the baritone uke. Might be a case where I simply have to buy another uke for the sake of adorable children playing instruments together. I mean, the world needs that. I'd be like... a hero. Right?

Right! A Uke Hero!

Buy a baritone. Because you have tremendous options--either tuned like a guitar DGBE, or, you can tune with different strings so it plays with the same key as your daughter's soprano--CGEA. How cool is that?

Lime said:

...I read about how baritones are tuned like the bottom four strings of a guitar.

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No, the standard baritone tuning of DGBE is like the TOP four strings of a guitar, not the bottom four strings.

I feel the need to point that out because the more people see it mentioned incorrectly, the more it gets perpetuated that way, like you just did.

itsme said:

No, the standard baritone tuning of DGBE is like the TOP four strings of a guitar, not the bottom four strings.

I feel the need to point that out because the more people see it mentioned incorrectly, the more it gets perpetuated that way, like you just did.

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Well, I do get confused on that, I mean it's top as in higher notes but bottom as in physically closer to the floor when you're holding it.

Sounds like a good reason to get a baritone. Or maybe two - one tuned DGBE and one tuned GCEA.
Oh and maybe a third tuned re-entrant dGBE - Ken at Living Water strings are great

igorthebarbarian said:

Sounds like a good reason to get a baritone. Or maybe two - one tuned DGBE and one tuned GCEA.
Oh and maybe a third tuned re-entrant dGBE - Ken at Living Water strings are great

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Don't forget a fourth baritone tuned F Bb D G strung with South Coast Flat Wound to complete the quartet.

Lime said:

Well, I do get confused on that, I mean it's top as in higher notes but bottom as in physically closer to the floor when you're holding it.

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There's a lot of confusion about this but I agree with itsme - the top string is the one closest to the FLOOR when you're playing.

Also, 'UP' the fretboard means AWAY from the nut - another one that drives me nuts!

If your son is more into steel strings, you could also consider a tenor guitar, 4 strings and can be tuned like a baritone [chicago tuning] . also easy to open tune and play with a slide[.DGBD] instead of DGBE. the necks are narrower and the frets farther apart, but they are fun.Blueridge makes a decent one for about $350.

Okay, so, I did something a tad crazy and ordered this gambler's special baritone. Well, I "made an offer", which I thought was pretty low-ball and I didn't really think he'd accept and he went ahead and accepted it! So I may or may not have to learn how to repair ukuleles. But hey, I'm into that sort of thing anyway, so here's to being adventurous.

Lime said:

Okay, so, I did something a tad crazy and ordered this gambler's special baritone. Well, I "made an offer", which I thought was pretty low-ball and I didn't really think he'd accept and he went ahead and accepted it! So I may or may not have to learn how to repair ukuleles. But hey, I'm into that sort of thing anyway, so here's to being adventurous.

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I've been very tempted by those gambler specials as I'd like a baritone to experiment with various pickups etc. I'd really like to hear if your gamble paid off please.

Raygf said:

Don't forget a fourth baritone tuned F Bb D G strung with South Coast Flat Wound to complete the quartet.

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And a 5th one to tune an octave lower than GCEA for ensemble play.

camperman said:

I've been very tempted by those gambler specials as I'd like a baritone to experiment with various pickups etc. I'd really like to hear if your gamble paid off please.

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I bought one just because it was so cheap. It has no defects and sounds and plays amazing [for the price]. I don't really need it so PM me if you are interested. sort of a no gamble gamblers specdial.

I would totally order one of those except that importing it to the UK would cancel out most of the saving.