Didn't Know Pono Made a Steel String Baritone

I just saw this on the Facebook Ukulele Marketplace.

A Pono UL15 Mango Steel String Baritone.

I didn't know they made them. Looks very nice. Upper bout is more narrow than I expected. An interesting instrument.

www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1883417241801746/



No, I'm not associated with this in any way. Just thought it was something I hadn't seen before. And there is an interest in Baritones on this forum.

Straight up it doesn't look like its an instrument that Pono "built" to utilise steel strings. Someone who has no idea what they are doing might have retro fitted steel strings.

The instant give away is the saddle. The pictured instrument has a straight saddle as per nylon/classic strings. Steel string instruments NEED a slanted saddle.

Steel strings and nylon strings aren't interchangeable on the same instrument.

EDIT: OK, I've been corrected. I'm still not totally happy with the saddle design. Its a big compromise in the name of simplicity.

Well, here is the link for the exact uke from HMS:

https://www.theukulelesite.com/pono-mango-steel-string-baritone-ul4-15.html

mingus said:

Well, here is the link for the exact uke from HMS:

https://www.theukulelesite.com/pono-mango-steel-string-baritone-ul4-15.html

Click to expand...

I remember that. Isn’t that a steel-string version of their Baritone NUI?

Hey Anthonyg, check facts first before making incorrect assumptions.

Pono did indeed develop this as a dedicated steel string instrument from the ground up.......and they know what they are doing. I owned one, Rainer owns one, Doc J owned one and a number of members here also own one.

They come in a number of woods, all acacia, mahogany, mango, spruce/rosewood, cedar/mahogany. They were developed utilizing the terz body shape and size, not the Nui which is a much bigger body. It has an approx 21” scale length, 1/3-8” nut width and handles medium gauge 13-56 strings.

DownUpDave said:

Hey Anthonyg, check facts first before making incorrect assumptions.

Pono did indeed develop this as a dedicated steel string instrument from the ground up.......and they know what they are doing. I owned one, Rainer owns one, Doc J owned one and a number of members here also own one.

They come in a number of woods, all acacia, mahogany, mango, spruce/rosewood, cedar/mahogany. They were developed utilizing the terz body shape and size, not the Nui which is a much bigger body. It has an approx 21” scale length, 1/3-8” nut width and handles medium gauge 13-56 strings.

Click to expand...

OK, well I don't know how it intonate's correctly up the neck. Maybe it doesn't.
The close up pic from theukulelesite.com does show a tiny bit of saddle compensation that couldn't be seen in the original post yet it still doesn't look to be enough and I do own steel string ukuleles so I am in a reasonable position to know just how much more saddle compensation the bass strings need over the treble strings.

I still say its lacking enough saddle compensation for the bass strings. Maybe they built it that way intending to fit reentrant strings, although even strung reentrant the third string won't have enough compensation to intonate correctly.

EDIT: OK, I did a bit more research. They've fitted an "average" slanted saddle. It will have some intonation issues but more likely on the second string and the fourth string. Not the third. My apologies yet the small picture in the original post looked like a perpendicular saddle and I have seen people selling instruments designed for classic strings with steel strings fitted instead.

Well anthonyg, have to say...

You are incorrect yet again.

I was the original owner of that STEEL string Pono baritone; bought it from HMS with full set-up. I sold it to tomthebaptist. He has it for sale now.

The UL-15 is a wonderful instrument and INTONATION is PERFECT.

I would recommend you get “hands-on” experience before you make uninformed claims on a public board.

This model has been around for years now. I should know, because I was among the very first to own one (it was me and Dave who suggested to John Kitakis from Pono to make such as model):

https://forum.ukuleleunderground.co...s-of-the-Pono-Steel-String-Big-Baritone-(UL4)

It is slightly larger than a baritone ukulele. Scale length is 21.4", the body is deeper than an ukulele as well, more like an acoustic guitar. It's built after the small and slim parlor guitars of the 19th century used for "Terz tuning" (three steps up from a regular guitar). The bracing, saddle and bridge are specifically designed for steel strings. Intonation is not a problem (depending, of course, on the set of strings you are using).

These are great instruments for people who like baritones and want to experience that sparkling steel string sound. Mine is still among my all-time favorites (haven't played it in a while because I had to undergo some surgery and was restricted to smaller an lighter ukes).