Budget friendly(Mid/Range) Large Body Baritone Ukelele? or Tenor Guitar (DGBE)

[Adomaru]

Heyoo people, so for the past 10 months I started with Baritone Uke and rather a cheap one Ortega ru5-ba(80euros) but im loving it so far with Daddario Titanium strings. And now I want to spend a little bit more money on a new one, and I want it to be larger than typical Baritone size, I saw PONO sells those large body ones, but that is way wayyyy out of my budget. I'm looking something between 200 and 300 euros one. If I can't find a large body Baritone Uke, my other option is Tenor Guitar, saw good tenor guitars for that price and I saw that they can be tuned to DGBE but not sure if I should then buy other set of Strings for it, I know they use steel strings so the sound won't be warm like a Bari than. So if you guys have any recommendations, please let me know !

 

[Ms Bean]

Welcome to UU, Adomaru!
Unfortunately I can't help you with your question. I hope someone else will be along soon, though. There's quite a bit of experience around. Good luck with your search!

 

[Wiggy]

Having tried a Blueridge 40T (steel string) I felt that it sounded "thin" compared to a baritone ukulele. Also (for me), fretting and fret reach was considerably harder. Bare fingerpicking and strumming (arpeggio rolls) were difficult due to the steel strings and narrow neck. Using a pick (I don't) seemed mandatory. It would be best to try a TG before you buy.

 

[merlin666]

A baritone is pretty much a partial guitar. There are many cheap small guitars such as parlor guitars available. Just buy one of those, remove the two bass strings, and move the remaining four strings to positions that are comfortable for you. You can also install a fresh nut for more even spacing.

 

[Billy Rich]

The Pono ULN. . . series are nylon string bari/tenor guitars tuned DGBE. Email HMS and ask what strings they use.

 

[Adomaru]

I want to thank you all first for the replies. But now what @Wiggy mentioned, I thought more about it and I definitely want to keep that warm Bari Uke sound and the playability I have on it. I'm definitely used to the wider Bari Uke neck and playing with fingers. As far I have seen, Tenor Guitars Necks are more narrow, and I kinda want to avoid the steel strings sounds and as Wiggy mentioned "Bare fingerpicking and strumming (arpeggio rolls) were difficult due to the steel strings and narrow neck" . Well, I guess the Tenor Guitar falls out for now. I will keep looking for a little bit bigger than usual size Bari for the price I'm looking for, if i don't find it well ill just get a good mid-range bari uke for that price.

@merlin666 I do have a classical guitar smaller one 1/2 salvador cortez cc-22-bb. I do sometimes play it as Bari Uke , but kinda want a real Bari with lil bit bigger body. But the more I think about it, I probably should get myself a decent regular Bari Uke from Kala.

 

[Eggs_n_Ham]

I want to thank you all first for the replies. But now what @Wiggy mentioned, I thought more about it and I definitely want to keep that warm Bari Uke sound and the playability I have on it. I'm definitely used to the wider Bari Uke neck and playing with fingers. As far I have seen, Tenor Guitars Necks are more narrow, and I kinda want to avoid the steel strings sounds and as Wiggy mentioned "Bare fingerpicking and strumming (arpeggio rolls) were difficult due to the steel strings and narrow neck" . Well, I guess the Tenor Guitar falls out for now. I will keep looking for a little bit bigger than usual size Bari for the price I'm looking for, if i don't find it well ill just get a good mid-range bari uke for that price.

@merlin666 I do have a classical guitar smaller one 1/2 salvador cortez cc-22-bb. I do sometimes play it as Bari Uke , but kinda want a real Bari with lil bit bigger body. But the more I think about it, I probably should get myself a decent regular Bari Uke from Kala.

While browsing different ukulele sites yesterday I looked through pennylaneemporium.com and they have several mid-priced baritone ukes for sale

 

[DownUpDave]

I am assuming you want a bigger baritone for a bigger sound. A baritone with a solid wood top will give you a very nice sound, more projection, sustain and resonance. A few close to your budget are the Kala KA-SCAC which has a solid cedar top and laminate acacia back and side at $329.00.

Mainland Ukuleles are great instruments at very reasonable prices for all solid wood instruments. They have an all solid mahogany model at $339 and an all solid cedar and rosewood at $379. If you can stretch your budget that's the one I would get.

 

[BrookeBaugh]

I am assuming you want a bigger baritone for a bigger sound. A baritone with a solid wood top will give you a very nice sound, more projection, sustain and resonance. A few close to your budget are the Kala KA-SCAC which has a solid cedar top and laminate acacia back and side at $329.00.

Mainland Ukuleles are great instruments at very reasonable prices for all solid wood instruments. They have an all solid mahogany model at $339 and an all solid cedar and rosewood at $379. If you can stretch your budget that's the one I would get.

Thanks for the suggestion, I will keep it in my mind

 

[about2]

I will put a vote in for an Ohana 70RB. It has a bigger body than the regular baritone, projects nicely and is in your price range. I think it hits well beyond its price point. It won't fit in a normal hard side bari case though. But it will fit in a Kala Transit or Sonoma gig bag. It has a rounded molded back like the old Ovation guitars.

 

[baconsalad]

IMO if you can do a B-flat on uke without issue then you can play a guilele or 1/2guitar super easy. Lots more options now. eg. guild, ortega, or yamaha guille or cordoba mini, etc.

 

[casualmusic]

I play baritone with ukulele groups, and guitar alongside other instruments.

It’s comfortable to use the same basic technique on both, and when you are ready the extra strings of the guitar lets you add bass lines.

I agree with others who say that a higher grade baritone, and especially solid (non laminated) cedar and spruce tops will give a fuller and louder tone.

I started with the previous version of the Kala KA SCAC and am happy with it five years later.

Kala KA-ABP-CTG Baritone Ukulele - REVIEW

Got A Ukulele looks at a new baritone ukulele from Kala, the KA-ABP-CTG

www.gotaukulele.com

And the Ohana 70RB aka Clearwater will be added soon.

Clearwater UCW7B/PU Roundback Baritone Ukulele - REVIEW

Got A Ukulele reviews the Clearwater Roundback Baritone Ukulele

www.gotaukulele.com

Extra large baritones are very expensive. I think that you want more volume playing your classical guitar would be better and more fun.

Cheers.

 

[Aspencreek]

Having tried a Blueridge 40T (steel string) I felt that it sounded "thin" compared to a baritone ukulele. Also (for me), fretting and fret reach was considerably harder. Bare fingerpicking and strumming (arpeggio rolls) were difficult due to the steel strings and narrow neck. Using a pick (I don't) seemed mandatory. It would be best to try a TG before you buy.

Wiggy, was it the longer scale length that made fretting and reach harder?

Like the OP I've also thought about one of the larger-than-standard baritones like the Pono ULNs or Nui, or a tenor guitar, but do wonder if the longer scale and/or narrower tenor neck would throw me off too much. My thinking now is to maybe instead of a larger baritone just get a pickup installed in a normal size one so I can amp it for when I want more volume.

 

[John Stephen]

@Adomaru, I don't think you said why you want the larger body. Is it a matter of comfort, or loudness, or some other reason?

@Aspencreek, if you want volume, a pickup will certainly do more for you than a larger sized baritone, so it sounds like you're on the right track.

Tenor guitars are often advertised with the statement that they can be tuned DGBE, in addition to the usual tenor guitar tuning (which is in fifths, variously CGDA or GDAE). But, having two tenor guitars myself, I can tell you that they don't necessarily take DGBE tuning very well. My tenors have string/fret rattle when I tune them to the DGBE tuning, and in my electric tenor, the truss road needs to be adjusted if I tune it to DGBE because there's so much less tension on the neck with that tuning.

Soooo.......I'd stick with baritone uke if you want the DGBE tuning. As always, others here on the forum may have had different experiences, but I thought I would offer these comments in case it's helpful. Good luck to both of you in your searches.

 

[Aspencreek]

Great info, thanks for the response John.

 

[John Stephen]

Kala, and I think Luna, make baritones with pickups built into them. Other makers may as well.

 

[ic-uke]

Heyoo people, so for the past 10 months I started with Baritone Uke and rather a cheap one Ortega ru5-ba(80euros) but im loving it so far with Daddario Titanium strings. And now I want to spend a little bit more money on a new one, and I want it to be larger than typical Baritone size, I saw PONO sells those large body ones, but that is way wayyyy out of my budget. I'm looking something between 200 and 300 euros one. If I can't find a large body Baritone Uke, my other option is Tenor Guitar, saw good tenor guitars for that price and I saw that they can be tuned to DGBE but not sure if I should then buy other set of Strings for it, I know they use steel strings so the sound won't be warm like a Bari than. So if you guys have any recommendations, please let me know !
View attachment 147440

Perhaps, this is worth a boo:

Pono Cedar Top Acacia UL Baritone (ULN4-1 7302)

Pictures show the exact ukulele available here. This is a new, unique, and wonderful baritone from Pono. It has a 21.4" scale, and it's shaped and braced like a mini guitar. It has a smaller body and shorter scale than a tenor guitar, but it's larger than a baritone. Pono describes the...

theukulelesite.com

Cheers

ic-uke

 

[John Stephen]

Wow, that is nice. Would love to have one of them myself.

 

[ic-uke]

Wow, that is nice. Would love to have one of them myself.

Ditto; I'd sure like to take one of them around the block for a test drive!

The accompanying demo video is quite nice.

 

[Patrick Madsen]

I had a large Pono Nui for a while, was a nice instrument but didn't like the carve of the neck so had this built by a local luthier; George E.Thomas in Bellingham, Washington. Also had a Circle Strings Tenor guitar I changed over to Chicago tuning with nylon strings. It sounded pretty faunky until I had a good reset done to the action. Made all the difference. May be yours just needs to be setup for nylon strings tuned for Chicago tuning (D,G,B,E,)

Here's my Thomas, a 23" tenor guitar scale but built for nylon strings. 4A western red cedar top with old growth 4A walnut b&s. I play sitting down so had a wedge built into the lower side at the angle I hold the instrument. Also has an asymmetrical shape carved in the neck so I don't have to change wrist positions as I play up the neck. K&K pickup with a volume control wheel just inside the sound hole for better volume control when playing rhythm or lead.