Suggestions of baritones?

apdsqueaky

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Hi all! New here, but I've been playing a Kala KA-C for a few years now. Almost entirely self-taught, although I was classically trained in piano and have a very strong background in music theory, so that helped. I originally learned on my old roommate's Harmony baritone, and while I've grown to love the concert, I'm much more accustomed the baritone's lower, guitar-like sound (the re-entrant tuning of the concert put me off for a long time, and the KA-C's high action didn't help). It was also easier to play most of the songs we wanted to sing and not feel like something was entirely missing (i.e. the bass notes).

Long story short, I want to get a baritone that I can play and occasionally take with me to my old roommate's without worrying too much if I put a scratch or a little dink in it (I will knock it over at some point, a glossy finish will get scratched up, and I don't want to be so worried about that that I'm afraid to play it). I was looking in the $100-$150 range, considering the Kala KA-B (if the formula works, why change it?), Luna Vintage Mahogany Baritone (inexpensive and I like the simple laser-etched design - simple, yet different), and Oscar Schmidt OU52 (inexpensive). I haven't found as many reviews or comparisons of the latter two, so any comments on build quality or how they sound compared to other baritones would be appreciated. I know that a lot of ukes in this price range are still "budget" ukes for beginners that maybe won't be as satisfying in the long run. I don't really consider myself a beginner anymore, so I'm willing to go a little over that budget for something higher quality that will last me, as I don't really intend on getting another uke after this.

So any recommendations? Most stores near me are chains like Guitar Center and Music & Arts, and from what I've seen, a lot of them don't carry ukes (or don't have baritones), so it's harder for me to go out and try them.

TL;DR - Please give recommendations of budget-friendly baritones for an intermediate-ish player.
 
You may or may not find one in your price range, but give a spruce top a try to see if you like it. I find spruce, and particularly cedar give it more of a classical guitar sound, but cedar's probably out of your price range. I've got a Cordoba 24B I really like but that's around $230(?), I think. A Cordoba 20B might be in your price range. The Cordobas have a nice comfortable feel to them (to me anyway), and a slightly slimmer body, which I like.
 
Someone else also recently suggested Cordobas to me, funny enough [they had a 23B]. Both the 23B and 24B are gorgeous but a little bit out of my price range. I have a bit of a weird love-hate relationship with spruce [sometimes I can't stand how it looks for some reason, but other times I'm fine with it]. I'll look into the 20B and try to find a store in the area that carries it [no luck so far, but I'll keep hunting]. Do you know how the Cordoba baritones sound compared to each other? Is there a significant difference? Does the slimmer body affect the sound/projection at all? Also what kind of finish do they have?

On a tangentially related note, I've heard solid woods are more susceptible to temperature/humidity changes than laminate. I've never done anything special to care for my KA-C regarding climate control [it's held up fine, although I feel the need to give it a proper cleaning now and it desperately needs a string change], so I'm curious if there's anything particular I should be careful about or pay more attention to.

Sorry, I have a lot of questions :uhoh:
 
I normally don't like the look (or even the sound) of spruce on ukuleles either. I consider my baritone to be my guitar-substitute, so I don't mind the look on a baritone. There's a pretty significant difference in tone between mahogany/acacia/laminate and spruce/cedar. I liked the cedar sound more than spruce, but the spruce sounded better than the laminates or the mahogany. But that's just my personal preference. I didn't find the slimmer body made much of a difference. It might only be 1/2" slimmer than normal, I'm not sure. But if you want to stick to a budget, there's a good chance you'll be happy the KA-B. Interestingly, I tried the Makala version and didn't like it much. Might have been the finish.

The Cordobas alternate between gloss and satin so can't recall which is which, 24B is satin. They have pretty good specs on their website so check that out. I think they switched from gloss to satin (or vice versa) when they changed from 22B to 21B.

If you live in a humid area, it might not be an issue, but get a humidistat to see where you're at. If you can't be bothered, stick with laminate. Also, if you have forced air heat and or A/C, your home air may be a lot drier than outside.
 
Thanks very much for your input! I'll need to get a hygrometer soon anyway for other reasons, so I'll be sure to check. I would feel more comfortable within my budget, but I will try to hunt down a shop that has Cordobas I could try, to see if I can't justify the price hike for something nicer.

Jim, thanks for the tip! I heard somewhere [and naturally, I won't be able to find it again, so it's possible I misread/misremembered] that Mim was phasing out baritones. I've found a handful of online shops that say they do setups. I've never had a setup done before - are there any adjustments should I be sure to ask for?
 
Thanks very much for your input! I'll need to get a hygrometer soon anyway for other reasons, so I'll be sure to check. I would feel more comfortable within my budget, but I will try to hunt down a shop that has Cordobas I could try, to see if I can't justify the price hike for something nicer.

Jim, thanks for the tip! I heard somewhere [and naturally, I won't be able to find it again, so it's possible I misread/misremembered] that Mim was phasing out baritones. I've found a handful of online shops that say they do setups. I've never had a setup done before - are there any adjustments should I be sure to ask for?

If you're going up into the $200s you'll start getting into solid tops. "All solids" usually start in the $300s. For your stated purpose, even all laminate with good setup and strings should be perfectly fine. Honestly, anything on these pages would be good:
https://cargo.ukerepublic.com/category/baritone
https://www.theukulelesite.com/shop-by/size/baritone.html?dir=asc&order=price
https://www.elderly.com/collections/baritone-ukuleles-1?sort=price-ascending

Any of those will know how to do a good setup and you won't have to tell them anything. But if you have specific desires, let them know. Personally, I usually ask for an action height of 2.5mm at the 12th fret. Often these will come from the factory well over 3mm and sometimes the target is about 3mm, which some people prefer but is higher than I like.

If you want a strap pin (or two), you can ask for that as well. Usually that will be a small upcharge ($10-20), but well worth it in my opinion.
 
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After re-reading your original post, I'm inclined to agree with Jim. See if the KA-B feels right & try the others you mentioned for comparison. As for your KA-C, it's a simple job to lower the saddle and get that string height down and shouldn't cost much. You could even do it yourself if you're handy and won't sand it down crooked like I might. ;)
 
Might look at vintage. I picked up two recently on eBay. A 1950's solid mahogany Vega for $50 and shipping. A 1960's Tempo laminate for $30 & shipping.
 
There are several people on here that like their Makala-MK-B, so it's a possible, but I'd go with either a Kala or an Ohana, good value instruments. Buy from one of the recommended dealers.

(I have two baris, my best is the Kala Cedar Top, great sounding uke.)
 
any aversion to buying used? id keep an eye on the marketplace here. plenty of folks move up from a nice intermediate quality instrument to something quite nice. at 60-70% of original price these mid-market ukes can be a great value. buying used will put you into a much nicer instrument. being that you are already a player, I think that it’s something to consider. most all my nicest instruments are used. I could not have afforded them new. People generally take pretty good care of their ukes. Often they can be selling just cuz they don’t like the size, or they have given up on learning to play. Vintage, is a whole nother deal, where if you don’t know much, you can get a stinker that may need expensive work to be playable. just my 2c
 
any aversion to buying used? id keep an eye on the marketplace here. plenty of folks move up from a nice intermediate quality instrument to something quite nice. at 60-70% of original price these mid-market ukes can be a great value. buying used will put you into a much nicer instrument. being that you are already a player, I think that it’s something to consider. most all my nicest instruments are used. I could not have afforded them new. People generally take pretty good care of their ukes. Often they can be selling just cuz they don’t like the size, or they have given up on learning to play. Vintage, is a whole nother deal, where if you don’t know much, you can get a stinker that may need expensive work to be playable. just my 2c

It can be hit and miss, but if you find people like us who have more ukes than we have time to play, some people are selling ukuleles in like-new condition. As long as you know your prices, you can avoid the people who want to recoup 80-100% (or more!) of their purchase price.
 
Thanks again, guys! I found videos on The Ukulele Site that go over what they do when they setup a uke, which was immensely helpful (so I know what to expect). I've found a handful of stores that might stock baritones that I can at least try out...they're an hour away, so I'll have to find time to actually check (I'll probably still buy from one of the sites Jim suggested because I'm not under the impression that any of them do setups).

I'll try to keep an eye out for used ones on the marketplace too. I'm going to be moving around a lot over the next two months, so I have a fair bit of time before I can reasonably buy anyway, since I won't be able to receive the package.

Thanks for the tip, Glenn. I was planning on adjusting the saddle on my KA-C right before I change the strings (which it desperately needs, the poor thing).
 
Someone else also recently suggested Cordobas to me, funny enough [they had a 23B]. Both the 23B and 24B are gorgeous but a little bit out of my price range. I have a bit of a weird love-hate relationship with spruce [sometimes I can't stand how it looks for some reason, but other times I'm fine with it]. I'll look into the 20B and try to find a store in the area that carries it [no luck so far, but I'll keep hunting]. Do you know how the Cordoba baritones sound compared to each other? Is there a significant difference? Does the slimmer body affect the sound/projection at all? Also what kind of finish do they have?

On a tangentially related note, I've heard solid woods are more susceptible to temperature/humidity changes than laminate. I've never done anything special to care for my KA-C regarding climate control [it's held up fine, although I feel the need to give it a proper cleaning now and it desperately needs a string change], so I'm curious if there's anything particular I should be careful about or pay more attention to.

Sorry, I have a lot of questions :uhoh:

If you check out Reverb, there are usually a few B stock and returned Cordoba 24Bs to be had for less than $150. I have one I picked up for about $120 that way.
They are lightly built, responsive, very nice looking..with a lightly applied satin finish. they play easily with their wide fretboards and fast neck finish and profile, and they sound great! Quite loud, and with a warm, dry, woody tone.
Nice instruments, those Cordoba 24 series ukes with their solid cedar tops, but I’m not a fan of baritones in general so...I’ll probably sell or trade in my 24B soon. I don’t think I’ll part with my 24T though, I love that uke!
 
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You want a baritone

Hi all! New here, but I've been playing a Kala KA-C for a few years now. Almost entirely self-taught, although I was classically trained in piano and have a very strong background in music theory, so that helped. I originally learned on my old roommate's Harmony baritone, and while I've grown to love the concert, I'm much more accustomed the baritone's lower, guitar-like sound (the re-entrant tuning of the concert put me off for a long time, and the KA-C's high action didn't help). It was also easier to play most of the songs we wanted to sing and not feel like something was entirely missing (i.e. the bass notes).

Long story short, I want to get a baritone that I can play and occasionally take with me to my old roommate's without worrying too much if I put a scratch or a little dink in it (I will knock it over at some point, a glossy finish will get scratched up, and I don't want to be so worried about that that I'm afraid to play it). I was looking in the $100-$150 range, considering the Kala KA-B (if the formula works, why change it?), Luna Vintage Mahogany Baritone (inexpensive and I like the simple laser-etched design - simple, yet different), and Oscar Schmidt OU52 (inexpensive). I haven't found as many reviews or comparisons of the latter two, so any comments on build quality or how they sound compared to other baritones would be appreciated. I know that a lot of ukes in this price range are still "budget" ukes for beginners that maybe won't be as satisfying in the long run. I don't really consider myself a beginner anymore, so I'm willing to go a little over that budget for something higher quality that will last me, as I don't really intend on getting another uke after this.

So any recommendations? Most stores near me are chains like Guitar Center and Music & Arts, and from what I've seen, a lot of them don't carry ukes (or don't have baritones), so it's harder for me to go out and try them.

TL;DR - Please give recommendations of budget-friendly baritones for an intermediate-ish player.

So does it really need to be a new one? Have you ever heard of Favilla?
They are solid mahogany and have a wonderful tone as well as a nice feel and sound. I f you were near Salem Oregon, I would invite you over to play and hear them....and take your pick for $225.
 
If you check out Reverb, there are usually a few B stock and returned Cordoba 24Bs to be had for less than $150. I have one I picked up for about $120 that way.
They are lightly built, responsive, very nice looking..with a lightly applied satin finish. they play easily with their wide fretboards and fast neck finish and profile, and they sound great! Quite loud, and with a warm, dry, woody tone.
Nice instruments, those Cordoba 24 series ukes with their solid cedar tops, but I’m not a fan of baritones in general so...I’ll probably sell or trade in my 24B soon. I don’t think I’ll part with my 24T though, I love that uke!

I've looked briefly at the B-stock listed on Reverb. Seems like that would be a good option, although I'm still trying to understand how severe a defect relegates an instrument to B-stock. If you do decide to sell your 24B, I might be interested [after I determine the humidity of my apartment to decide if solid is a reasonable option for me at the moment].

So does it really need to be a new one? Have you ever heard of Favilla?
They are solid mahogany and have a wonderful tone as well as a nice feel and sound. I f you were near Salem Oregon, I would invite you over to play and hear them....and take your pick for $225.

I had not, but now I have something else to research when I have proper internet again :) I'm not opposed to a well-loved and maintained uke. After all that's what I learned on...well, the well-loved part anyway :D
 
I've looked briefly at the B-stock listed on Reverb. Seems like that would be a good option, although I'm still trying to understand how severe a defect relegates an instrument to B-stock.

The B-stock I've seen usually involves some minor defect on the finish of an instrument in a small location. Sometimes it's hard to notice. If it's in a location you don't see when playing, that's ideal. Mim has some good photos of the defects on her B-stock items, and they're pretty minor. Might vary from each manufacturer as to what they consider B-stock.

I will say, I've considered B-stock a few times and in those cases the price difference wasn't great enough for me so I paid the extra money for new stock. Depends how much you care about a few minor flaws.
 
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I've looked briefly at the B-stock listed on Reverb. Seems like that would be a good option, although I'm still trying to understand how severe a defect relegates an instrument to B-stock. If you do decide to sell your 24B, I might be interested [after I determine the humidity of my apartment to decide if solid is a reasonable option for me at the moment].

Specifically in the case of the 24 series Cordobas, I strongly suspect most of them are returned for scuffs on the cedar tops. The finish on these is very thin, which is wonderful for the tone.... but the cedar tops do get scuffed up more easily as cedar is a soft wood.

In short, Ithink many buyers send them back for purely cosmetic reasons.

With the more reputable sellers, they describe any repairs they’ve made, so it’s often a matter of choosing one that just had some surface marks, instead of one that had a crack repair.
 
Hi apdsqueaky, just sent you a PM. if you're still interested in a very affordable and good baritone uke that you don't have to worry about, read message and reply when you can! I'm selling my Caramel CB500 baritone if you want it. : )
 
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