Review: Ohana BKT-70G Short Scale Baritone Ukulele

UkeStuff

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I like this idea a lot: baritone body with tenor neck, for those that want baritone resonance with tenor feel. I find GCEA tuning on a baritone a bit tight for my personal tastes.

This one would do great with linear Low G tuning.

Longer UkeGuide and short One Minute Ukulele Reviews below.



 
Good thoughts. I guess Ohana is thinking the market for this is primarily for those who want to play in GCEA.....how do you think this would do as a true Bari? There are strings out there that would work - the advantage is the shorter neck makes those longer finger stretches between frets for killer chords more accessible. Seems like Ohana could do well to give buyers the option of which way they wanted to have it strung.
 
I'd check in with Ken Middleton (Living Water Strings) and see what he would suggest. Certainly reentrant dGBE tuning would be feasible--I wonder about the low D. I'm sure it has been done and will be done again!
 
Thanks for the review. I'm really interested in trying this one out with the baby baritone strings from Pepe Romero - the shorter scale length baritone appeals to me.
 
I really like your review methodology. Starting off your reviews by playing the instrument is really really appreciated. I am somewhat annoyed by reviews that start off with a lot of narrative before (finally!) playing the instrument.

I have this Ohana baritone-bodied tenor ukulele & love it. I tuned it down to Bb (with low F on 4th string) because that baritone body deserves to have some full-sounding low notes in order to show what it can really do. Tuned C, it's mostly "just another tenor." Tuned Bb, it's an instrument that makes a crowded room suddenly go quiet & listen.

I just wish someone would make this type of tenor-scale/barry-body combo with an all-solid mahogany body, priced around $1000 or under..
 
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Ohana BKT-70G

I would describe this as a "short neck" baritone with a tenor scale.

It has a shortened baritone-width neck in tenor scale on a baritone body. It is not a tenor neck, which would be thinner both in width and girth, on a baritone body. The difference being it frets like a tenor but the neck feels like a Baritone.

In essence, this is a baritone neck with the nut set at what would be 4th fret. Capo a baritone at the 4th fret and you'll get the feel of it.

The BKT, as mentioned, required positioning the 12th fret at the body to make a tenor scale work. I personally don't play way up the neck or beyond the 12th fret, so that doesn't restrict me. I don't use "front" dots, as I can't ever see them without hunching over, so I like the art at the 12th fret.

Its overall length is about 24" and the large body makes it easy to hold on my lap. Big, bold sound. I really like it.

<edit> I have it strung and tuned as a re-entrant baritone.

-Wiggy
 
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Pepe Romero's baby baritone string's work great on the tenor scale.
 
I really like your review methodology. Starting off your reviews by playing the instrument is really really appreciated. I am somewhat annoyed by reviews that start off with a lot of narrative before (finally!) playing the instrument.


What's really annoying imo are reviews/sound samples with singing or drum tracks or other accompaniment.
 
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