Doc_J
Well-known member
A recently arrived Favilla baritone uke has impressed the heck out of me.
I didn't have new baritone strings yet (...still in the mail). So, I left on the old strings it came with, that I guess are old crystal nylon Martins.
So, it settled in and wow, it sounds terrific even with these old strings, very warm. Have a listen to it on this sound sample recorded today
https://app.box.com/s/h1i9fuxcfemtnh9grs0x
Can't wait to see how it sounds with some new strings on it.
**update ***new Martin M630 (fluorocarbon) strings arrived and installed. Now it sounds even better:
https://app.box.com/s/zsouiktbb40yq8hni7p9
Aside from the great warm sound, it is beautiful. Nicely figured mahogany with I guess Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and bridge. The bridge looked a little strange. Seems it was designed to compensate without modifying the saddle much. It is taller on the bass end. I've never seen that before on a uke. Odd, but it works. Are all Favilla Baritones like this?
I read that some sources credit Favilla for developing the baritone uke. Not sure how this stacks up against a Martin. But I like it.
A thing about this that really works for me is the 19-inch scale. Plays so much easier than my Kamaka baritone (20 inch scale). It even sounds different than my 20-inch baritone. Anyways, you don't see folks talking much about these Favilla baritones. They are not expensive. But I think this is an amazing baritone. Its going to be my blues uke. Kind of makes me wonder why modern baritones have gone to 20-inch. Any thoughts on that?
I didn't have new baritone strings yet (...still in the mail). So, I left on the old strings it came with, that I guess are old crystal nylon Martins.
So, it settled in and wow, it sounds terrific even with these old strings, very warm. Have a listen to it on this sound sample recorded today
https://app.box.com/s/h1i9fuxcfemtnh9grs0x
Can't wait to see how it sounds with some new strings on it.
**update ***new Martin M630 (fluorocarbon) strings arrived and installed. Now it sounds even better:
https://app.box.com/s/zsouiktbb40yq8hni7p9
Aside from the great warm sound, it is beautiful. Nicely figured mahogany with I guess Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and bridge. The bridge looked a little strange. Seems it was designed to compensate without modifying the saddle much. It is taller on the bass end. I've never seen that before on a uke. Odd, but it works. Are all Favilla Baritones like this?
I read that some sources credit Favilla for developing the baritone uke. Not sure how this stacks up against a Martin. But I like it.
A thing about this that really works for me is the 19-inch scale. Plays so much easier than my Kamaka baritone (20 inch scale). It even sounds different than my 20-inch baritone. Anyways, you don't see folks talking much about these Favilla baritones. They are not expensive. But I think this is an amazing baritone. Its going to be my blues uke. Kind of makes me wonder why modern baritones have gone to 20-inch. Any thoughts on that?
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