There is a string instrument that is too large and sounds too different to be called a ukulele.
It also has four strings so you can’t call it an acoustic guitar and its tone is too high to be treated as a bass instrument.
We’re talking about Baritone Ukulele.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks for Baritone Ukuleles
- OUR TOP PICK: Kala KA-ABP-CTG
- RUNNER-UP: Cordoba 20BM
- BEST BUDGET OPTION: Flight NUB310
Table of Contents
- What is a Baritone Ukulele?
- Is a Baritone Ukulele Hard to Learn?
- Can You Really Find a Quality Baritone Ukulele That’s Affordable?
- Baritone Ukulele Playing Tips
- Comparison of the Best Baritone Ukuleles
- Review of the Best Baritone Ukuleles
- Pros and Cons of a Baritone Ukulele
- Comparison Overview
- How to Tune a Baritone Ukulele
- Conclusion
- People Also Ask
What is a Baritone Ukulele?
Baritone Ukulele is the largest Ukulele in the family. It comes with four strings tuned in the same key as the acoustic guitar. Its tone is more mellow and deep and it suits the sound of acoustic guitar more than a Ukulele.
What Size is a Baritone Ukulele?
Baritone Ukulele comes in a size of about 29 inches, having a 14-inch body and 20-inch fretboard. Such fretboard size also means that it has the largest frets of all Ukulele models.
How Many Frets Does a Baritone Ukulele Have?
By default, Baritone Ukulele will come with at least 19 frets, and what exact number it will depend only on the decision of the manufacturing company.
Is a Baritone Ukulele Hard to Learn?
If you have played the guitar before, playing Baritone Ukulele won’t be any different except from the fact it has 4 strings.
For those with Ukulele playing background, it may take some time to understand the tuning differences and adjust to the bigger frets, but in general, it would be the same.
And, in case you don’t have playing experience, learning a Baritone Ukulele is no different from any other Ukulele. The only difference is the body size, weight, and the neck length. If you’re a smaller person, or you want to buy a Baritone for your kid, we would advise you to check other Ukuleles instead.
Can You Really Find a Quality Baritone Ukulele That’s Affordable?
The baritone Ukulele is treated on the market more as a cheaper acoustic guitar than the premium Ukulele.
This means that the manufacturers are doing whatever they can to make it more appealing to the buyers and one of the ideas is to bring the price down.
So, in short, yes, many Baritone Ukuleles actually come at a reasonable price and with decent sound and build quality features. Caramel is a perfect example of a brand that makes such products.
The only drawback is that the market for this instrument isn’t so crowded and sometimes you’ll have to wait a bit until a specific model gets back in stock.
Baritone Ukulele Playing Tips
If you’re coming from other Ukulele instruments, you may struggle a bit with coping all the differences, so let’s give you a couple of hints on how you can make this transition easier:
Understand the Chord Basics
Try to understand the pattern between Baritone Ukulele chords and others. Remember that the strings are placed exactly the same and that it’s all just a different tuning. In other words, the chord shape for D major will match the shape of A major on Baritone Ukulele, while C minor will sound like a G minor on a Baritone Ukulele.
Use Guitar Tabs
Instead of struggling to adapt Soprano tabs written in high G setup, you can actually use guitar tabs instead by simply ignoring or transferring the first two rows. Also, some Ukulele websites such as Dr. Uke have specific pages dedicated to Baritone tabs.
Take Your time
“Rome wasn’t built in a day”, nor your Baritone learning will be productive if you push too hard. Take time and you’ll get it right eventually.
But, if this fails, consider these two tips for a while:
Tune it Into GCEA Setup
While it may not be an ideal choice, there is nothing that holds you back from tuning your Baritone Ukulele into a typical GCEA setup. If you decide to go this route, we would strongly recommend you to use the low G setup as Baritone has a wonderful low range sound that it would be a real shame not to put it in use.
Comparison of the Best Baritone Ukuleles
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Review of the Best Baritone Ukuleles
Finding a good Baritone Ukulele was tough. They are not so mass-produced like Tenor Ukuleles for example, so this is our top 10 on the current market:
Best Overall:
Kala KA-ABP-CTG
No products found.
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
They fell in love with the sound, especially the amount of sustain that comes from such an instrument.
The sound is very deep and rich and they can’t believe that such craftsmanship comes at this price range and they really appreciated the two-colored LCD it comes with.
Why it Stands Out to Us
Cedar is famous for having a soft and lush tone. Combined with the Baritone size it results in having a huge warm and embracing sound, thanks to the sustained nature of such a large body. And this sound simply demands from you to perform with a fingerpicking.
Padauk details are not so often found on Ukulele and we must say it brings another wave of a premium feel on this instrument. And that’s not the only premium thing - Grover headstock chrome tuners are usually found even on more expensive models because of their capability to hold the tuning for a long time.
Bottom Line
Baritone Ukulele doesn’t have to be very expensive to sound great and this Cedar Kala is a great showcase for such purpose. Its warm and soft tone will sound great on Baritone body and will create a very calm and relaxing vibe around your performance.
Runner-up:
Cordoba 20BM
No products found.
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
They are impressed with the sound quality it generates, mostly from guys that are used to Cordoba guitar quality. It is mostly described as mellow but with rich overtones.
However, check frets sharpness before initial playing as it may need to be sanded a bit more.
Why it Stands Out to Us
While there is officially no such thing as Travel Baritone, this Ukulele comes an inch thinner than a regular Baritone Ukulele. It may not deliver such a deep sound, but we feel you may trade a bit of it for the sake of portability.
The rest of the sound is compensated with solid top Mahogany and Aquila Super Nylgut strings which ensures the nice and long sustain.
Speaking of design, we also approve the dove neck joint solution while the vintage lovers will instantly fall in love with this model as it comes with no bindings and a unique herringbone pattern rosette.
Bottom Line
If you’re looking for a lightweight Baritone Ukulele that has most of the sound and a bit of more versatile portability, try this Cordoba, it may sound good enough for your needs with no compromise on the craftsmanship part.
Best for the Money:
Flight NUB310
No products found.
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
People are amazed that they got a truss rod at this price. The case is so well-built and padded that they even have ordered smaller sizes for other Ukuleles they have.
And while this may be a good thing, it comes with GCEA tuning, which is a little bit odd for a Baritone Ukulele.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This Baritone body is made of high-quality laminate sapele with arched back design. It has a similar sound to Mahogany tonewood, but it’s more durable to both hits and environmental changes.
The neck is made from exotic African okoume with the Walnut 19-fret fingerboard. Walnut is a bit softer so if you play fast and a lot, your fingers will appreciate this while the intonation will remain stable thanks to specially designed headstock fitted with geared tuners.
We need also to emphasize the quality of the padded gig bags Flight provides as they are both lightweight and stylish with the beige color.
Bottom Line
Flight is a new European company that has a wide array of models to offer. As they need to cut through the market you may take advance of these odds and buy a decent entry-level Baritone for not so much money.
Best Baritone Ukulele Under $200:
Alvarez Artist AU70WB
No products found.
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Buyers weren’t aware of this product brand so it was a leap of faith to purchase it. Those who did, say that it sounds much better than its price indicated and would gladly recommend it to the others.
You might need to oil the fretboard it upon purchasing as it comes unoiled.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This Baritone Ukulele is made of A+ Sitka Spruce wood combined with the Walnut on the sides and back. The result is a deep and crisp sound, very close to the classical guitar.
It uses a dove neck joint system so the connection between the neck and the body is more firm. It also provides you with a real bone nut and saddles and solid rosewood slotted bridge, which will improve the projection and make string changes easier and quicker.
And as it may make a difference, it’s good to know that Alvarez is offering you a Lifetime Warranty for this product.
Bottom Line
Alvarez Artist is an underdog in the realm of Baritone Ukulele and we may say they deserve to spread a good word about them. AU70WB sounds really nice and the quality they invested in that headstock work deserves to be promoted further.
Best Beginner Baritone Ukulele:
Caramel CB904 Electric
No products found.
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Buyers say that this feels like a great entry-level or backup instrument for semi-pro players. love the Satin finish and also report that customer support is quite responsive and handles pretty well all the complaints regarding shipping quality control. They felt respected and all the problems were addressed as best as possible.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This model is made from Stripped Ebony wood combined with Satin finish and it simply looks gorgeous. Sound wise it is deep and clear in the bass, with nice sustain in all levels.
It comes with a unique fish-shaped sound hole and handcrafted bindings, and pretty decent electric preamp with 3-band EQ and chromatic tuner with a large LCD.
It’s also incredible to see an adjustable truss rod coming at this price with an even included wrench so you can adjust the action. And if that’s not all, Caramel provided you with the same model made for left-handed as well.
Bottom Line
There are even cheaper Baritones on the market, but, at some point, you have to draw a line at which point the low price starts working against you. Based on our opinion, the guys from Caramel beat all the competition at this price.
Best Electric Baritone Ukulele:
Caramel CB417 Electric
No products found.
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
The amount and the quality of the accessories are highly appreciated as well as the appearance of this model.
They can’t believe they got a solid Mahogany Baritone Ukulele at this price. Buyers feel that this instrument has more than great value for money and would gladly recommend it to others.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This is the most expensive model Caramel made so far and it’s made of all solid wood Mahogany combined with the Walnut fretboard and bridge. Preamp comes with the 3-band EQ control and large and accurate chromatic tuner. There is also a big pack of accessories provided.
Just like all the other Caramel models, this one also comes with the adjustable truss rod and the same wonderful accessory package that includes not just a gig bag and the set of extra strings but even a wall hanger, bridge pins, and instrument cable so you can plug in directly upon arrival.
Bottom Line
While all Caramel models come with an Electric preamp and wonderful accessory bundle, this one stood out because of its unique butterfly sound hole design and all solid Mahogany body.
Best Kala Baritone Ukulele:
Kala KA-ZCT-B Ziricote Baritone
No products found.
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Most buyers bought this instrument as a second Ukulele and they are mostly satisfied with the sound difference they got. Then tend to describe the sound as almost guitar-like and say that this Baritone sound beats other Ukulele types out there regarding depth and details.
Why it Stands Out to Us
Ziricote is a tree found in tropical Central and South America that excels in the upper spectrum, so the overall sound can be described as clear and extremely playful for advanced fingerpicking performance. It sounds a bit more warm and deep than your regular Mahogany Baritone Ukulele.
The Laurel 18-fret fingerboard could be considered an ideal pick for such an instrument as it has a slightly softer response than typical Rosewood.
Finish is simply gorgeous with beautiful light Sapwood details in the middle and on the sides below the black bindings. It’s one of those Ukuleles that everyone will notice.
Bottom Line
This is our favorite dark color Ukulele. It’s got a lot of professional traits inside and has a wonderful body finish and we would gladly recommend it to anyone who plans to go towards being professional at playing Ukulele.
Best Lanikai Baritone Ukulele:
Lanikai ACST-B
No products found.
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
They love how the factory action is set initially and feel thankful for having the option to adjust the truss rod to their personal taste.
However, they complain that some models go look a bit too different from the images found online, but that’s unfortunately the nature of the Acacia wood grain pattern.
Why it Stands Out to Us
Whole instrument is made from Acacia, a wood that has a vintage vibe due to its specific wood grain pattern. Single-lined rosette and bindings support such a design and we like that this color is made in Natural Maple instead of white. It looks wonderful on the neck with nice black fret markers.
Speaking of sound, its intonation is supported with the adjustable truss rod and Chrome open back tuners.
We also appreciate that the strap button is provided as an instrument of this size can’t be held so comfortably without a strap in standing position.
Bottom Line
Lanikai has made a beautiful vintage-like Baritone Ukulele that comes with great D’Addario strings.
Best Oscar Schmidt Baritone Ukulele:
Oscar Schmidt OU53S
No products found.
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Buyers love the tone quality and the vintage appearance of this Baritone Ukulele.
While there are some complaints on build quality found, the recent reviews say that no troubles were found with the instrument. It might be that the company has resolved quality control issues they had before.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This Ukulele has a unique combination of solid Spruce top and laminated Rosewood for its tonewood solution which eventually results in having a bright and crisp sound. This brings the whole unit a bit away from the guitar sound in a good way while maintaining the loudness at the typical Baritone level. We must say that having such a good tone and intonation quality at this price seems almost incredible.
The design seems to be vintage and the Gloss finish and Abalone details on the rosette and bindings give the unit vibe of more expensive units.
Bottom Line
If you’re looking for an affordable Baritone Ukulele that tries to maintain the Ukulele family tone, this Spruce and Rosewood model may provide you with that edge you need along with a decent vintage design with beautiful rosette and binding inlays.
Editor's Pick:
Caramel CB500 Electric
No products found.
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Gig bags are reported to be very durable and useful, while the tuner seems to be quite accurate so they don’t have any need to put on any other tuner.
Acoustically it’s not very impressive, but it is commented to sound really great when plugged into any amp or speaker system.
Why it Stands Out to Us
Another quite affordable entry-level model comes from Caramel.
This time it is a very unique and authentic Ukulele made all from an Exotic Rosewood body (we would bet it’s Indian Rosewood) accompanied with the buffalo bone nut & saddle and beautiful handmade bindings. And while the wood color may lead you to expect the dark sound, the result is quite the opposite - clear and bright high frequencies.
When you think about the natural sound of the typical Baritone Ukulele, this wood choice appears to be a great compromise, especially with the 3-band EQ controls provided on the preamp and the Aquila Nylgut Baritone strings installed.
Bottom Line
We couldn’t resist but to provide this list with another Caramel product. We must congratulate them on delivering such wonderful designs on all models and also in making almost all models available for left-handed people as well.
Pros and Cons of a Baritone Ukulele
Here are some quick facts about Baritone Ukulele:
Pros
The following are some pros of this kind of baritone ukulele:
Guitar-to-Ukulele Link
The baritone ukulele is a wonderful instrument for those who would like to make a transition and learn the other instrument. Guys who play acoustic guitar will love the same tuning and chord positions, while the Ukulele players will love the familiar four-string setup
Fret Size
Ukulele frets may be small for some players which makes them uncomfortable to playing anything other than basic strumming. Baritone Ukulele has the longest neck and therefore a lot bigger frets.
Guitar-Like Sound
This doesn’t have to be a bad thing in general, but if you’re looking for a Ukulele sound, Baritone Ukulele will probably sound closer to an acoustic guitar than a Ukulele.
Unique
Baritone ukuleles are not so often to find and if you like to have rare and quality items, so they will stand out on their own among many other Soprano, Concert, or tenor ukuleles.
Cons
However, it comes with some drawbacks, including:
Different Tuning
If you’re used to Ukulele GCEA tuning, Baritone DGBE might be awkward for you at first as the chord positions will be different.
Size Factor
Ukulele instruments are famous for being very portable. Baritone Ukulele is the heaviest model and it can’t be held just like you would do with the Soprano or concert ukulele.
Comparison Overview
Let’s make a quick review of the differences between the Baritone Ukulele and other models:
Tenor vs. Baritone Ukulele
The tenor is the second largest Ukulele, right next to the Baritone so they do share a bit of common things. Their weight is similar, the size difference is not very drastic and the depth of the sound is somewhat similar.
However, Tenor Ukulele still sounds like a real Ukulele, while Baritone could be easily mistaken with a guitar sound.
Also, companies tend to create much more Tenor Ukulele models than Baritone.
Baritone vs. Soprano Ukulele
The soprano ukulele is the smallest Ukulele in the family. When you put them next to each other or try to listen to the sound you wouldn’t even tell they belong to the same family.
Speaking of price, Soprano will provide much better quality than a Baritone Ukulele at the same price.
Concert vs. Baritone Ukulele
It goes quite similar to with Soprano Ukulele. The only difference lies in the fact that Concert Ukulele is a bit larger, so those size differences aren’t so drastic.
Also, let’s not forget that Concert Ukulele shares the same tuning with all the other Ukuleles (GCEA), while the Baritone comes with its own (DGBE) that matches the tuning of the standard acoustic guitar.
Guitalele vs. Baritone Ukulele
Guitalele is a unique instrument that comes with six strings and resembles the miniature version of real acoustic guitar. It’s also a hybrid instrument placed between a Ukulele and acoustic guitar but smaller and lighter than a Baritone Ukulele. It may be a perfect guitar learning model for younger players.
Roughly speaking, as it’s smaller in size, it could be described as a Tenor Ukulele accompanied with two lower strings tuned so they add lower A and D strings on a regular low-G Ukulele tuning in the C key.
How to Tune a Baritone Ukulele
While Baritone Ukulele can be tuned in GCEA tuning, by default it should be tuned in to a different, guitar-like DGBE setup.
Play the open string and check the display on the tuner placed on your headstock. If your string is in tune, the tuning needle should be in the middle. In case it doesn’t, dial your headstock pegs until you get the straight line (and usually green color) on your tuner display.
How to Tune a Baritone Ukulele Without a Tuner
In case you don’t have a tuner with you, use other instruments such as a piano or keyboard to give you a reference note.
All you have to do is to remember that the note order:
- The first string (from the top) is D
- The second string is G
- third should be B and
- the last (bottom) string will require note E.
Repeat the tuning until you hear that your sound matches with the reference instrument.
Once you’re done with all strings, you can also do a quick check-up to see if the notes are still in tune and you’re good to go.
The easy way to do it is to play some notes on different strings and here is the pattern:
- Press the 5th fret on the top string and play the open 2nd string along
- Press the 4th fret on the second string and play the open 3rd string along
- Press the 5th fret on the third string and play the bottom string open
If those 3 sounds sound exactly the same match, congratulations, your Ukulele is in perfect tune.
This technique may help you a lot if you’re performing solo and don’t have any reference pitch nearby. Perhaps your Ukulele may not be in perfect tune, but at least the strings will be aligned properly so your chords and notes won’t sound wrong when played together on different strings.
Check the video below if you would like to see what we have described right here:
Conclusion
The baritone Ukulele is a very interesting instrument that joins the world of Ukulele and guitar together. While it may fail to impress both of these worlds, it’s still a very handy instrument that will help players of both worlds make an easy transition into another.
People Also Ask
Now that you know more than just the basics about Baritone Ukulele, let’s expand your knowledge a little bit more and answer usual doubts regarding many playing and others aspects of the Baritone Ukulele and also cover the related terms such as Bass Ukulele and truss rod:
What is Bass Ukulele?
We have said that Baritone Ukulele is the largest Ukulele. To be completely fair, that title should belong to the Bass Ukulele as it ranges from 30” to 32”. However, its sound resembles the sound of the acoustic bass and that’s the reason why it’s “excluded” from the standard Ukulele comparison.
What is a Truss Rod?
The truss rod is a part of some Ukulele models that stabilizes the neck. It’s made in the shape of a steel bar that goes under the fingerboard. Most truss rods have a nut at both ends that allow you to adjust the tension - the distance between the fretboard and the strings.
Can a Baritone Ukulele Be Tuned to G-C-E-A?
Sure. You may not use all the benefits of a Baritone large body, but there is no actual reason why you couldn’t set it up to the standard GCEA tuning with a high G setup. There are even some Baritone strings that are specially designed for such tuning.
Are the Chords For a Baritone Ukulele Different?
The answer is both yes and no. The tuning is different so if you try to copy the chord from your Soprano Ukulele to the Baritone, no, it won’t sound the same. But, if you use Capo on your Baritone’s 5th fret, you will get exactly the same chord like on Soprano Ukulele.
What Key is Baritone Ukulele in?
The Key can be defined by playing the open string chord. That’s why we say that Soprano, Concert, and Tenor Ukuleles are in the C-major key, while Baritone is in G-major key. It’s based on the notes you’re playing in open string position and therefore, Baritone string from a G6-major (DGBE) while others form a C6-major chord
Is Baritone Ukulele Good For Beginners?
If you’re a guitar player that would like to try out Ukulele instruments, we strongly suggest you to go with Baritone Ukulele first. For the rest of you, we think that Soprano, Concert, or Tenor Ukulele might be a better solution. Which one specifically? Well, it depends on your physical size.
Does a Baritone Ukulele Sound Like a Guitar?
It could be said so. The string setup is exactly the same as the last four strings of the acoustic guitar. But, Baritone Ukulele has a bit less deep sound so it’s best to say that it’s somewhere between Ukulele and acoustic guitar sound.
Can I Play Guitar Songs on Baritone Ukulele?
Yes. As they share almost the exact fret size and are in the same tuning as the acoustic guitar, you can play any Guitar song on Baritone Ukulele. But, bear in mind that you’re having only the first four strings so you may have to readjust some song structure first.
ar it won’t be wrong to use guitar picks on it. However, it will depend on the strings you’re using, so, if you’re playing nylon strings, we recommend using leather or rubber Ukulele pick instead.
Do Baritone Ukuleles Have Steel or Nylon Strings?
While steel strings are possible, Baritones are still designed to use nylon and fluorocarbon strings. There are some special models, however, that are designed to bear such load and tension, but we would still advise you to think twice before you set steel strings on a Baritone Ukulele.
