What is the Best Baritone Ukulele?
Ukuleles come in four sizes, and each one has its own benefits. Out of the four sizes, the baritone ukulele is the largest. It also has the lowest tone. In this article, we have reviewed five of the best baritone ukuleles, available on the market. We have also added a buyer’s guide. It will help you learn what to look for when purchasing your baritone uke.
Our Top 5 Baritone Ukuleles
It has made many a best-seller lists despite a small number of users reporting issues with minor cracks around the screws.
However, the overall sound quality of this instrument is excellent. It does the job and although it could be used by pro musicians, but it is more suitable for an intermediate or beginner ukulele player.
Pros
- Strong tone with prominent mid-range
- Beautiful satin finish
Cons
- Some customers have reported receiving damaged instruments due to shipping/packing issues
Unlike most ukuleles, this one comes with an adjustable trussrod. Therefore, you can adjust the action to suit. It uses premium metallic & nylon strings that produce a warm and lush sound.
The frets are made from silver-nickel, and the fingerboard and bridge are constructed out of walnut. Kmise provides an 18:1 sealed geared tuner with this instrument. It will help you always keep your instrument tuned. It has a total of 20 frets. This instrument is not a solid wood instrument. It is finished with mahogany laminate, but it still has a quality soft sound.
Pros
- Comes with everything needed
- 18:1 sealed geared tuner for accurate and stable tuning
- Adjustable trussrod
- Well-finished fretboard with no rough frets
Cons
- Some customers have reported issues in the overall sound volume output
The gig bag that is included is a hard case. It will provide your instrument with protection from outside dings. However, it may need something placed on the inside to make sure it does not shift and get damaged from the inside. It has a traditional design, but it is highlighted with cream bindings and a satin finish. This makes it shiner and flasher looking.
Kala uses Aquila super nylgut strings on this instrument. It does come with a set of strings already installed.
Pros
- Walnut fingerboard
- Satin finish
- Mahogany neck and body
- Cream binding
Cons
- A little on the pricey sde
This ukulele is classified as an acoustic electric instrument, and it has a truss rod. The truss rod makes it easy to adjust things, and it has 18 frets. It has 3 Band EQ controls: Treble, bass, and middel. The chromatic tuner comes with an LCD color display and a low battery indicator. The power supply takes a 3V battery, but it is not included.
It comes with a buffalo bone nut and saddle, which gives it an elegant design. The truss rod is found in the middle hole of the ukulele. The best strings to use with this instrument is the Aquila 21U string set. It will give you the best sound. Overall, this instrument is a classified as a starter instrument, but it can be used by an intermediate musician.
Pros
- Built in tuner
- Walnut fretboard and bridge
- Unique Zebra Wood finish
- Embedded truss rod
Cons
- Intonation can be slightly off
The overall sound of this instrument gives a warm tone. It comes fully assembled with Aquila nylgut strings, which makes it playable upon arrival. The body has a natural satin finish to make it shine. This instrument has 4 strings: D, G, B, and E. It can be tuned to different tones, which makes it versatile for your needs.
Despite being on the higher end of our price range in this review and not including any bundled extras, the Cordoba is still decent value due to its high quality materials and build quality.
Pros
- High quality build and materials
- Made from mahogany wood
- Rosewood fingerboard and bridge
- Natural satin finish
Cons
- Pricey, considering there are no bundled extras
- You’ll almost certainly need to set this up yourself after delivery
Best Baritone Ukuleles – a Buyer’s Guide
What separates the best baritone ukulele from the rest?
The baritone ukulele has a lower tone frequency than the concert ukulele, the tenor ukulele, and the soprano ukulele. It is also the largest uke, on the Every type has its own strengths. It is important to know what they are to be sure you are looking at the right type to fit your wants and needs. There are three major benefits of these instruments that we will discuss.Size:
The soprano ukulele is the smallest and most popular type of this instrument. Yet, many people find it difficult to play if they have large hands. Baritone ukuleles are much larger (the largest, in fact), which makes them easier to play. The neck profile and nut width are wider. This allows those with larger fingers to play with ease. There is a huge difference in the size of the different types of these instruments.- Soprano Ukulele – Traditional size: 20inches (51 cm)
- Concert Ukulele – Next tier size: 23 inches (58 cm)
- Tenor Ukulele – Most recent poplar size: 26 inches (66cm)
- Baritone Ukulele – Largest size: 30 inches (76 cm)
Tuning:
Anyone that plays the guitar finds it easier to transit to this instrument. When tuning this type of ukulele, it tunes to DGBE. It removes the first two E and A strings, which can be easier to learn as a beginner. Most beginning musicians have issues getting their instruments tuned properly. With this instrument, they only must worry about tuning four chords properly.Low Frequency Tone:
Each type of ukulele has a unique tone frequency. Compared to other versions of this instrument, it has a lower frequency tone. This allows it to be played with other types of instruments to complete a harmonic and complete musical ensemble. For example, the low frequency tone will allow you to play with other musicians in a band or concert ensemble and bring value to the overall sound.Materials
The materials that the instrument is made from are an important factor. The material can have a direct impact on the total output of the ukulele and the price. Traditionally, they were built with koa wood, which provides a warm tone. This wood is still used for high-end ukuleles. Yet, many quality instruments are made from mahogany. These instruments provide a softer tone than the koa wood. Rosewood is often used for the bridges and fretboards because of its rich color. Yet, some manufacturers go with walnut wood for these parts as a cheaper option. With materials, some instruments are solid wood, and some are laminates. If an instrument is classified as a solid wood, this means the entire instrument is made from the wood. These instruments are usually higher quality and more expensive. However, this does not mean that instruments made with laminate are bad. They are cheaper. It just means that only the outside is a wood laminate. Beginner ukuleles are often laminated not solid wood.Accessories
Accessories are not an actual part of the uke. Yet, they are important enough to be aware of. Each one can add value to your overall playing experience. So, here are a few accessories that should be considered.- Gig Bag– A gig bag is a special carry case. It is designed to make it easier to carry your instrument. Plus, it helps to ensure the safety and security of it, during transport.
- Electronic Tuners– Anyone who plays a string instrument should own an electronic tuner. It makes it easier and faster to tune your instrument, especially if you are a beginner. Yet, even pro musicians find them useful to speed up the process.
- Strap Buttons– Straps are useful when you are standing and playing. Strap buttons make it faster and easier to connect the strap to the instrument.
Know Your Needs
The most important tip to offer someone looking for this type of instrument is to know what you want and need. You can read 100 reviews on different ukuleles, but what is right for one person might not be right for you. So, make sure that you do research to find out if the instrument you are looking at will be the best for what you want to do. Answer the following questions when looking at each model:- How much am I willing to invest in my instrument?
- What types of accessories will I need?
- Is the product manufactured by a quality manufacturer?
