Help me choose a new baritone ukulele up to $300

[old and slow]

I knew Keith would recommend his Kala cedar top as he always does, they have a great tone. Cedar is softer then mahogany, but you probably know this with your classical guitar. I own a few cedar topped instruments and with a bit of care you should no issues, they won’t explode on impact or anything

Actually, I believe that old Yamaha has a spruce top. But cedar is a little softer than spruce.

[old and slow]

But I couldn't pass up this old, made in Brazil, Giannini baritone uke that they were practically giving away. A few nicks and dings, and needs new strings. But very solid overall.
I was able to tighten up the friction tuners, but will most likely upgrade to geared tuners down the road.

It has a narrower neck and nut than what I had planned on. And a shorter scale. So that kind of changes my tuning preference. Maybe a re-entrant. Cuatro or banjo tuning maybe. Or probably just standard baritone tuning to start.

This will quell my impatience for the moment. But I still want a bigger bari that I can tune lower....eventually.

[Arcy]

Nice. You said you wanted a traditional look, and I think you nailed it on that count!

[old and slow]

Nice. You said you wanted a traditional look, and I think you nailed it on that count!

Thanks!

[Steedy]

This seems like it fits the specs
https://www.theukulelesite.com/shop-...-baritone.html

I have the Kala solid mahogany baritone. It's an excellent value & I highly recommend it.

I will third this recommendation. A member and friend has one, I have played it and it is a great instrument

Ditto on the Kala solid mahogany baritone. That's what I bought when I needed a baritone uke, and it's a good one. It has a quality build, plays well, and sounds good, with a very warm, mellow tone.

[old and slow]

Ditto on the Kala solid mahogany baritone. That's what I bought when I needed a baritone uke, and it's a good one. It has a quality build, plays well, and sounds good, with a very warm, mellow tone.

Wow....this seems to be the consensus. And I really love the look of this ukulele too. And the cedar(maybe more) also. And I should probably just go ahead and pick one of these.

But...... I have a wondering eye. I mean these are small instruments. I could easily have two or three baritone ukes. Maybe each tuned a little differently. Or just my one antique Giannini tuned high. And then another tuned more conventionally, or lower.

Now after getting the old cheap baritone today, I'm trying to hold out a little while to find the best deal. Maybe I'll get lucky on Black Friday or Cyber Monday.

And as much as I like the features and dimensions of the Kala solid mahogany and the cedar top Kala, I also really like the acacia wood and mango. I've been eyeing the Lanikai ACST-B that's 15% off right now which has similar dimensions to the Kala solid mahogany. And would've probably already bought a Luna bamboo for a knockabout if it came in baritone, and in the large dimensions I would prefer with a wide nut and long scale.

I guess my recent acquisition, even though it's more of a collectable for me due to it's unconventional dimensions, has me hesitating a bit. Because the Kala KA-SMHB really is almost everything I was looking for. But maybe now I'm thinking the Giannini will be my house uke, and I should be looking for something more neglect worthy that I can carry around. Or maybe the Giannini is just something I'll put on the bookshelf for a little contrast to the Kala, and only play the Kala.
It seems to be quite the conundrum.
I need to pick up some strings tomorrow and get the Giannini tuned up and see how it plays and sounds.

[Rakelele]

Aloha City Ukes in Illinois now has a Black Friday deal on a Pono AB for 349 USD. That's the one baritone I'd pick in that price range.

[DownUpDave]

But I couldn't pass up this old, made in Brazil, Giannini baritone uke that they were practically giving away. A few nicks and dings, and needs new strings. But very solid overall.
I was able to tighten up the friction tuners, but will most likely upgrade to geared tuners down the road.

It has a narrower neck and nut than what I had planned on. And a shorter scale. So that kind of changes my tuning preference. Maybe a re-entrant. Cuatro or banjo tuning maybe. Or probably just standard baritone tuning to start.

This will quell my impatience for the moment. But I still want a bigger bari that I can tune lower....eventually.

I own this very same baritone by Gianinni. It has a wonderful full sound tuned DGBE, although I have goofed around with other tunings. Put on a set of Martin M630 or D’Addario Titanium baritone strings and you are good to go. Congratulations and enjoy your “new to you” baritone. Mine was old and beat up when I bought but plays and sounds great.

[old and slow]

I own this very same baritone by Gianinni. It has a wonderful full sound tuned DGBE, although I have goofed around with other tunings. Put on a set of Martin M630 or D’Addario Titanium baritone strings and you are good to go. Congratulations and enjoy your “new to you” baritone. Mine was old and beat up when I bought but plays and sounds great.

Thanks! I just ordered a set of each. D’Addario's should be here today.

After measuring the specs of the Giannini, I started thinking it might be more along the lines of your 19" super tenor. I had been leaning toward flourocarbon(like the m630), but I'm sure either of those strings you suggested will make a huge improvement over what's on there now. And I'm probably not ready to start experimenting with a bunch of different string configurations just yet.

Although I have begun, in my mind, to explore alternative avenues of the baritone uke world. Since joining here, I've been reading about long scale, 22-23", baritone ukes. Some fashioned out of small guitars. And that gives me something else to keep an eye out for, as I believe I'd like to have a super baritone in my collection.

[glennerd]

Since you mentioned cedar, I really like my Cordoba 24B. Looks great too with the red padauk binding, but the cedar top Kala has the slotted headstock.