I actually got this ukulele a month ago but have been keeping it under wraps. I am unworthy of this amazing ukulele. I saw it listed on the HMS site and tried to ignore it but 2 friends mentioned it to me, saying, “I see that builder you like has a baritone up on the ukulele site.” Plus, I still had that 2-year old store credit to use up. So I took the plunge.
To begin with this Barron River baritone is stunning to look at. I personally am generally not a fan of rope binding but this style of binding is gorgeous. The rosette is unique and beautifully proportioned. I recently saw another uke maker online attempting a similar style of rosette and it was proportionately too large and came across as ill conceived and clumsy. Made me really appreciate Allen McFarlen’s artistic sensibility. I am not a fan of flashy bling, although I can appreciate it. The design of this baritone lets the woods speak for themselves to give it that wow factor.
The way the fretboard finishes at the sound hole with an asymmetric over hang is another joy I appreciate every day. And I love the Frank Lloyd Wright fret markers, they make more sense to me than the traditional dots. And they look just great. The finishing of the neck and frets makes the playability smooth as butter. The neck thickness is very slim and works well for me. The neck and head stock being thinner makes it lighter than a slot headed tenor I used to own. So there’s a very nice balance.
The body shape is unique and again beautifully proportioned. The body is not as deep as my Pono baritone and overall the ukulele is light weight-wise. But the sound is anything but light. And the sustain is everything I could ask for. Check out Corey’s sound sample and photos here: Barron River Baritone Spruce and Brazilian Mahogany
By the way Allen uses Martin Baritone strings M630. Luckily for me, I happened to have stocked up on these when I went on a Martin Guitar factory tour last fall.
To begin with this Barron River baritone is stunning to look at. I personally am generally not a fan of rope binding but this style of binding is gorgeous. The rosette is unique and beautifully proportioned. I recently saw another uke maker online attempting a similar style of rosette and it was proportionately too large and came across as ill conceived and clumsy. Made me really appreciate Allen McFarlen’s artistic sensibility. I am not a fan of flashy bling, although I can appreciate it. The design of this baritone lets the woods speak for themselves to give it that wow factor.
The way the fretboard finishes at the sound hole with an asymmetric over hang is another joy I appreciate every day. And I love the Frank Lloyd Wright fret markers, they make more sense to me than the traditional dots. And they look just great. The finishing of the neck and frets makes the playability smooth as butter. The neck thickness is very slim and works well for me. The neck and head stock being thinner makes it lighter than a slot headed tenor I used to own. So there’s a very nice balance.
The body shape is unique and again beautifully proportioned. The body is not as deep as my Pono baritone and overall the ukulele is light weight-wise. But the sound is anything but light. And the sustain is everything I could ask for. Check out Corey’s sound sample and photos here: Barron River Baritone Spruce and Brazilian Mahogany
By the way Allen uses Martin Baritone strings M630. Luckily for me, I happened to have stocked up on these when I went on a Martin Guitar factory tour last fall.
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