Pono Acacia Baritone Nui

Kibes37

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I will be receiving this:

https://theukulelesite.com/pono-2019-acacia-baritone-nui-bn4-1-7980.html


On Thursday. I’m super excited and there are no regrets, but I’m not sure what I’m getting into. I have been listening to Justin Johnson play this:

https://youtu.be/x9DoslFveUY

And it had me craving the guitar (which I gave up for the Uke). I looked at some acoustic guitars but decided I was sticking to the 4 strings and all the work I’ve put into them over the past two years. I then started looking at Baritones. I have heard great things about Pono, but had a bad experience with a high end company offering a “great” value in an over seas cheaper option. I will leave out the names out of respect. The company handled it, but I wouldn’t give their over seas option another chance. I have however curbed my champagne taste until I feel I deserve as high end as I can afford. Either way, I’m sure this will be a solid instrument. Dont love the light wood, but overlooking aesthetics more.

So back to this Big a$$ Pono. It’s basically a guitar with 4 strings as you can see. I have some questions for the Bari players out there:

Although I plan to play standard Bari tuning mostly, can I string this with reentrant baritone strings with and even longer neck?

Do I use a guitar tuner when the Bari is in standard tuning?

Where can I find instrumental tabs and good online teachers?

Was it a bad idea to get a Bari if I can’t read music and my theory is weak?

Thanks
 
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I would be concerned about the tension being too high on the one string if you tuned to reentrant. Maybe someone has done this but you would need a string that is fairly thin.

If your tuner is not uke specific then you can use it. The tuner must be able to register DGBE and a uke specific tuner can’t do that.

There are a few baritone specific website out there with tabs, Google is your friend. My way of saying I can’t remember them, lol.

Not a bad idea to get a baritone, I can’t read music and my theory is weaker then an old used tea bag.
 
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Congrats on the Pono, I'm sure it will be well made. Pono has a good reputation with their baritone sound. I've been tempted on a couple I've seen.
 
Thanks Cadia. And thanks for the info and perspective Dave! I usually am solid on the google search, that’s what worries me about Bari material without arrangement Skill
 
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Although I plan to play standard Bari tuning mostly, can I string this with reentrant baritone strings with and even longer neck?

You'll have to use classical guitar strings.
The Nui has a significantly longer scale length than a Baritone ukulele, hence length/tension of baritone uke strings may not be right.

For regular baritone tuning, quite simply install the DGBE strings of a classical guitar set directly onto the Nui. You'll simply not use the bass E and A strings of the set. Personally I'd get a D'addario Pro Arte classical guitar set in Normal tension. Many different brands and tensions out there for you to choose from.

You can install re-entrant by getting a spare classical guitar E string (1st) and tuning it to high D.
I think a hard tension classical guitar E (1st) string would be just right for re-entrant high D on the Nui.

Do I use a guitar tuner when the Bari is in standard tuning?

Tuners are universal. Just look at the note displayed on the tuner (DGBE).
If the tuner is programmed to think the instrument is a guitar for some reason, then you'll just be tuning 4 out of the 6 strings of a guitar.


Where can I find instrumental tabs and good online teachers?

All regular ukulele instrumental tabs work with baritone.
The overall pitch is different, but the relative tuning is the same.
eg: If you use instrumental tabs written in C for a regular ukulele on a Bari, you'll just be playing the same song but in the key of G.

Was it a bad idea to get a Bari if I can’t read music and my theory is weak?

The question doesn't make sense.
Baritone ukulele is just a larger ukulele tuned a bit lower in pitch. The music and theory that applies to it is no easier nor harder than on a standard tuning ukulele.
 
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You'll have to use classical guitar strings.
The Nui has a significantly longer scale length than a Baritone ukulele, hence length/tension of baritone uke strings may not be right.

For regular baritone tuning, quite simply install the DGBE strings of a classical guitar set directly onto the Nui. You'll simply not use the bass E and A strings of the set. Personally I'd get a D'addario Pro Arte classical guitar set in Normal tension. Many different brands and tensions out there for you to choose from.

You can install re-entrant by getting a spare classical guitar E string (1st) and tuning it to high D.
I think a hard tension classical guitar E (1st) string would be just right for re-entrant high D on the Nui.



Tuners are universal. Just look at the note displayed on the tuner (DGBE).
If the tuner is programmed to think the instrument is a guitar for some reason, then you'll just be tuning 4 out of the 6 strings of a guitar.




All regular ukulele instrumental tabs work with baritone.
The overall pitch is different, but the relative tuning is the same.
eg: If you use instrumental tabs written in C for a regular ukulele on a Bari, you'll just be playing the same song but in the key of G.



The question doesn't make sense.
Baritone ukulele is just a larger ukulele tuned a bit lower in pitch. The music and theory that applies to it is no easier nor harder than on a standard tuning ukulele.

Wow, great info! I really appreciate you taking the time. Great points all around.
 
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