10 Best Baritone Ukuleles Review 2021

Love to dive into the ocean of sweet tone? Then a baritone ukulele can be your best companion. You know it, right? And I guess for that you’re searching for a top-quality baritone ukulele.

That’s fine. In fact, a good uke can float you in the world of melody. And what if it happens completely opposite of it? An imperfect or faulty uke can even deviate you from loving music.

Horrible! And here is the importance of choosing the right musical instrument. Considering this importance, you want to choose the right one for you.

Yes, you can if you just know the way. And way is having a list of best products. The topmost products list will clearly lead you ahead.

We, a folk of passionate musicians are here with a complete list of best baritone ukuleles for you. We believe you will find your desired one from here and become more loveable to your dearest one with the sweet tone of a best uke!

Top 10 Best Baritone Ukuleles Guide-

1. Kala MK-B Makala Baritone Ukulele (Best Budget-Friendly)

This one comes with great features for those who want to join the ukulele team but are skeptical about which one to buy. And it comes with a great option for those who want to have a budget uke. Along with the awesome price range, the instrument comes with great functions which ensure complete satisfaction.

It’s lightweight and delivers a rich mellow tone. This amazingly beautiful instrument is made with a dark-colored wood called agathis. The bridge and fingerboard are of rosewood color.

There is 18 brass fret on the fingerboard and you’d find the pitch control to be perfect! It has a satin finish that enhances its beauty even more. The cherry on the top is that the geared tuner provides great tuning stability.

It will let you have a great value of your money. But sadly it doesn’t come with a case or a bag. You need to purchase a bag separately. The strings that come with the uke is moderate. But, a better set of strings can be bought to resolve this problem.

2. Caramel CB103 Baritone Ukulele (Best For Beginners)

Caramel CB103 is a great choice for beginners due to its affordability and superb quality. It has a height of 76 cm and a width of 8 cm. It’s made of beautiful zebra wood as the name implies and the fretboards are of rosewood.

Even though it’s a budget uke, it comes with Aquila string and buffalo bone nut and saddle. The sound it creates is to some extent, different and unique from other ukes. Even the tone is very clear and sustains for an extended period. The construction of the instrument is admirable being budget-friendly and as it comes with a good set of strings and tuners.

For the electric part, this gem comes with 3 band equalizers for controlling bass, treble, and middle. It has an LCD color display, a chromatic tuner and an indicator for low battery. The main drawback of this product is that it uses a 3V power supply that doesn’t come with it and needs to be purchased separately.

3. Luna Vintage Mahogany Baritone Uke- Red Satin

Mahogany is one of the most wanted wood choices for ukulele lovers these days. And this gorgeous Luna Vintage baritone has a full mahogany body. This is Luna’s first complete mahogany made baritone sized ukulele.

It has a traditional baritone body along with gorgeous red color and walnut bridge and fretboard. This dark beauty comes with a set of tuners and a beginner guide. It’s a great buy for those who have little or no experience with musical instruments beforehand.

The sharp pearl inlays look great but the red mahogany wood is not a professional grade but works fine for the beginners. For initial setup and intonation, professional help will have to be taken.

If you’re looking for a mid-range ukulele with top-notch ukulele then this might be your perfect choice. This is more suitable for the beginner who is on the learning stage. If you’re a professional who wants a uke for regular uses, beach parties, camps, road trips then this is a perfect fit. Keeping the price point in mind this creates a rich mellow tone.

4. Kala KA-B Mahogany Baritone Ukulele

This is one of Kala’s Satin Mahogany series. Kala KA-B is also moderately affordable. But it provides a lot more than the beginner level ukes at this price range. When it comes to the looks, it will remain in the list of top ukulele.

There are more attractive models available in the market. But it’s still quite beautiful along with its non-cutaway baritone body. The entire body is mahogany laminated since it is a part of Kala’s Mahogany series.

It’s a very comfortable instrument to play and, it can be a great choice for the people shifting from the guitar world to the land of ukes. It’s an acoustic uke with a very soothing deep and mellow sound. For the price, it offers a pretty good sustain as well.

It’s walnut fingerboard will let you have smooth playing. And Mahogany back and side of this uke ensures the long time durability.

5. Cordoba 20BM Baritone Ukulele (Best Unique Sound)

Cordoba 20BM has a very deep and resonant sound. If you are looking for a baritone uke that has unique sound quality and doesn’t break the bank then this is the one for you.

The top f this uke is made with pure mahogany so is the back, side, and the neck. S there is no question about the durability of it. The fingerboard and bridges are of rosewood.

There are noticeable pearl inlays on the fingerboard. The saddle and nut are of composite. It has a natural satin finish that will make you fall in love with it at first sight. It also comes with Aquila Nylgut strings which are top-notch and help you creating some ethereal sound.

Considering overall features, this uke can be perfect choice for you. It will be the best use of your money if you consider to have it.

6. Oscar Schmidt OU53S Baritone Ukulele (Best Stunner Ukulele)

Oscar Schmidt OU53S is an absolute stunner. This ukulele comes with rosewood side and back and selected spruce top which makes it durable. The uke also provides superb tonal quality.

The fingerboard and the bridges are also rosewood. It has a smooth neck and the frets do not have any bumps or scratches. Moreover, it holds the tuning well and provides a very vibrant sound.

Considering all the features the ukulele comes with, it is a great choice for both the newbie’s and the professionals. The strings provided along with are quite decent.

It will be a great value for money as well. On top of that, the manufacturers provide a lifetime warranty on this Oscar Schmidt OU53S baritone ukuleles.

7. Alvarez RU22B Regent Series Baritone Ukulele (Best For Student)

This is from the regent series of Alvarez Guitars. It’s an excellent choice for the players who need a budget friendly ukulele with good quality. It’s made especially for the students and keeping that in mind the price is kept at an affordable range.

It has a mesmerizing sound that is a treat for your ears. It has a satin mahogany finish with Rosewood Bridge and fingerboard. The nut and saddle are made with real bone which is an awesome addition at this price tag.

It has closed chrome made tuner with black buttons. It comes with top graded Aquila Nylgut strings that provide beautiful mellow tone and ensures good action. The sound might not be as rich as other baritone ukuleles we have reviewed before but for the price, there are no complaints.

The mahogany wood keeps the tone warm and deep. After all, if you consider the features compared to it’s price, This one can be your best companion.

8. Hilo 2655 Baritone Ukulele (Best at Mid-Range Price)

Hilo is a well-known brand in the ukulele market. This brand image has been made as they have been in business since 1926. And the Hilo 2655 Baritone Ukulele is another budget-friendly uke of this brand designed for students. This is a great fit when you have just joined the ukulele world.

Considering the specification it’s a mid-range uke. It has mahogany-finished body with wood fingerboards that have 18 frets and 4 geared tuners with plastic heads. It is 30.4 inches long which is quite standard baritone ukulele size. Despite the size, the resonance is well balanced.

These are handcrafted ukes made in Hawaii with skilled craftsmen. It comes with a guidebook too that helps the people at the introductory phase. As this is a baritone, the sound is not very high pitched.

The fret edges are a bit sharp but this can be solved by sanding. The D’Addario Nyltech strings that it comes with are of standard quality but investing on a good set of strings will bring out better results. The main drawback of this uke is it needs to be returned now and then.

9. Oscar Schmidt OU57 Baritone Ukulele (Best Handcrafted)

This handcrafted piece of art is one of the best baritones you can get your hands on. The manufacturer goes through a thorough inspection to ensure quality. Though it’s a bit pricey compared to all the others we have reviewed yet, but it’ll be worth your every penny.

As the name implies, the top, back and sides all are made of spalted mango. The nut and saddle are of synthetic bone.

It has deluxe quality Grover Chrome tuners with ebonite buttons that provide celestial musical experience. The manufacturer ensures all the facts to get customer satisfaction.

The premium look of the baritone is one of its major pluses. The beautiful honey blonde color will give that antique look which will surely make it a family heirloom. Along with that look, it has great sound too. It’s the best of worlds.

10. Cordoba 22B Baritone Ukulele (Best Acoustic)

This beautiful 22 series was made to bring the popular Indian rosewood and spruce combination to the uke world. This magnificent baritone ukulele has a solid spruce top with Indian rosewood on back and sides. Different wood produces a different sound and this spruce-rosewood combination would give you a deep warm melodious experience.

It has mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard and bridge. On top of that, it’s an acoustic cum electric uke so that you can always plug and play. It comes with silver geared tuners with black buttons.

The volume sustain ratio is quite excellent and the fretboard is very straight which makes it easier to get your grip on. Due to the high gloss finish, durability of this uke is guaranteed.

The high gloss finish protects the wood from external damages. Also, the shine is quite an eye-catcher. So having excellent body finish, this uke can remain your top list in purchasing your own ukulele.

Buying Guide For Best Baritone Ukulele

The baritone is a unique instrument in comparison with the other variants of ukuleles. It’s bigger in size and tuned in slightly different manner. But while purchasing baritone, you have to consider same facts that will let you have the best baritone. And if you just go through these considerations, there will be minimum chance of getting worst one.

What makes a good instrument?

When you opt for buying an instrument, several factors should be taken into consideration.

You should keep in mind that in most cases you get what you pay for. So, we suggest you save up and invest in a good instrument that you can use in the long run. But, if that’s not possible then there are plenty of good instruments in the market which will give you a great experience as well. The beginners or those with little or no experience should not invest a huge amount initially. They should instead go for a mid-range ukulele. Those who are in need of a professional instrument should opt for a higher end one.

Experience Matters

Experience plays a vital role in what baritone ukulele will suit you the most. People who have prior experience with a guitar will find it easier to cope with a baritone since it’s tuned like the upper four strings of a guitar. Those who are familiar with other ukuleles such as soprano, tenor or concert will find it a bit different since it’s tuned differently than those. However, tuning of the baritone can be different.

Just because you have no prior experience doesn’t mean you’ll stop playing. You can always learn though, right?

Just go and grab the one that meets your budget, liking, and needs. Get ready to rock the world!

Sound

This is, in fact, a very subjective matter. You should opt for the one that sounds good to your ears. One thing that should be checked while buying a ukulele is whether there is buzzing sound of the strings. If you’re a newbie to the uke world, then you can always take help from a professional or a friend who has knowledge of this.

To be honest, in general, the more you pay the better you get when it comes about the ukulele. If you compare the sound of a high-end ukulele such as Oscar Schmidt OU57 with a budget-friendly Hilo 2655 baritone then you’ll find the difference. That doesn’t mean there aren’t any good differences at an affordable range. We have reviewed above some that have excellent sound and won’t make a dent in your wallet, too!

The material of the ukulele

Different woods tend to produce a different kind of sound. Koa is the native Hawaiian wood that’s the traditional choice for ukuleles. It’s popular for its wide range of colors, mesmerizing patterns, and beautiful tonal quality.

Mahogany is one of the popular wood choices for the ukulele body as it creates a warm tone. It’s also widely available around the world.

With the rising popularity of ukulele, many manufacturers are now making ukes with Spruce which is used for guitars. Spruce wood’s denseness gives an oomph to the sound produced.

Rosewoods are mainly used to make ukulele frets. But now-a-days, they are being used to make the body as well. Rosewood helps to produce a beautiful mellow tone that is enough to make you fall in love with it.

Performance

It is important that you’re comfortable with the instrument you’re going to play. The instrument needs to be lightweight and comfy. It might take some time to get accustomed to though. If you’re a beginner then try to avoid the hybrid instruments such as a ukulele cum banjo. Start with a simple acoustic instrument. Once you’re confident and skilled enough, then you can migrate to other instruments of your choice.

It’s not the quality of the ukulele that’s important. You need to do some work too in order to keep it awesome! No matter what kind of a ukulele you use, maintaining the ukulele is a very crucial task. To ensure that it has a proper tone, you must take care of your instrument.

There are several written guidelines and videos that will help you out but here are some tips and tricks that will help you along the road:

1) Ukuleles need to be kept in standard room temperature. Never keep them out under scorching sunlight or just throw them out into the snow.

2) Never use furniture polish or any other wax on ukulele. Go for Dunlop 65 which is a ukulele cleaner or use a very lightly dampened rag. But make sure it is not too dampened.

3) The strings need to be changed at least once a year, sometimes twice or more depending on the usage. It doesn’t matter whether the strings are broken or not. They need to be changed as they’ll wear out and have an inconsistent radius. It will cause intonation; the accuracy of the pitch will be disrupted.

4)  It is essential that your ukulele is stored properly. It doesn’t matter whether you always keep it indoors or not, dust particles should always be there. It’s mandatory that you invest in getting a bag or a case. It doesn’t have to be fancy, as long as it gives protection from dust and light dings, your uke is will remain in good hands.

5)  If you use a high-end ukulele, it is important that you maintain the right humidity. Woods soak up moisture from the atmosphere, they react to their surroundings. So, you have to be extra cautious if you live in a very dry or a very high humidity area.

Aesthetics

Aesthetics plays an important role when you opt for an instrument. When you choose your baritone ukulele you should find one that attracts you in terms of looks as well. It is important that you find the right one that you’d love to hold, look at and most importantly, something that you will cherish to have for lifetime. Most buyers prefer wood finishes which give a more premium look but Hey! You’re the judge and you have to decide what you prefer.

The Budget

Budget plays a pivotal role in every purchase decision. Considering the material used, the maker, the brand, prices seem to vary. It is important that you go for the instrument that matches your budget and affordability. Jimi Hendrix’s first guitar was bought with only five bucks but that did not stop him from being the musical God. So if you’re a musical prodigy, the price of the instrument is not a big deal. It’s you who can do the magic! Baritone ukuleles are a bit pricier compared to the other variants and wood gives a more premium vibe hence comes at a higher price than the rest.

Quality of Sound

The quality of the sound and the tone of a baritone ukulele vary depending on the material used in it. Baritone ukuleles are great for playing ballads as the tone is much deeper and mellower. It creates an amazing vibe when combined with singing and simple classical and fingerstyles go great with it. Baritone ukuleles have warmth to their tones and if you play other ukuleles you’ll see that there are some chords which are easier to play on a baritone than the others.

If you’re a musician who travels frequently then it is for you. It takes a lot less space than a guitar and you can use it as a bass too.

Baritone ukuleles are getting more popular these days but the options available in the market are less compared to others like soprano, concert, and tenors. So, without further ado let’s jump into the review.

Why Learn Playing Baritone Ukulele?

Alright, before we finish this article, we should tell you a few reasons to actually end up learning baritone ukulele. Actually, we got more than one good reasons for learning baritone ukulele and I am sure, you are going to like a few of these.

What are some of the top reasons?

Super Easy to Learn

Baritone ukulele is the easiest to learn amongst all. If you think about it then Ukulele is actually a lot easier to learn compared to a regular guitar or other instruments. Amongst all ukuleles, baritone would be the easiest one to learn. When you are learning musical instrument, all you need is a quick result because you want to impress your friends.

And in that case a ukulele would be an ideal instrument to make that happen.

Portability

The best part about a ukulele is the portability. It is very portable and that makes a world of a difference. Think about it for a second. Yes, you can carry a guitar around if you wish but that is not possible all the time. A guitar is heavier and a guitar is also tougher to manage.

On the other hand, a ukulele can be carried around all the time. You can carry ukulele on your backpack if you wish and that is not possible with a guitar. Of course, it is not possible to carry a keyboard or a drum around and ukulele is the perfect fit in this situation.

Great Sound

Have you ever heard about the concept of a baritone voice? In case if you didn’t, you should know that a baritone voice is a voice that keeps on humming in your brain even after finishing listening the tone.

Baritone music is much better than a baritone voice and that is exactly what a baritone ukulele will offer you. It is something that you will not find anywhere else and that matters a lot.

Easily Adaptable Songs

What is the main difference between standalone music equipment and a ukulele or a guitar? Well, let me ask you the same question with a twist. Why do you think people go for guitar? The answer is very simple.

A guitar is music equipment which will allow you to sing songs on your own. You don’t need another musical instrument and you can play and sing all your favorite songs on your own. This is not possible with a lot of equipment. Think about it. You cannot start playing your favorite song with a drum or even with a bass guitar.

A ukulele offers the types of similar advantages that a guitar comes with. It will allow you to play almost all your favorite songs with a few exceptions here and there. This makes ukulele an ideal solution for every solo music lover.

Create Music

You do not only want to play songs and hum with them but you also want to create your own music from time to time? Fortunately, a ukulele will have that option for you. Yes, it is true that almost all 12 musical note based items will have that enabled but it is not easy to make that happen with everything.

We will be honest with you with the fact that a piano or a keyboard is still a better choice for music creation than a ukulele but they are costly. If you want a quick starter that doesn’t cost a lot and is very easy to learn, a ukulele would be surely an ideal option.

FAQS

What is a baritone ukulele?

Ans: A baritone ukulele is one of four types of ukulele available in the market now. This is biggest in size, usually around 30” inches long. It produces more of a deeper tone than the other variants.

Are baritone chords different than other ukulele chords?

Ans: Yes, baritone ukuleles are tuned differently than others. They are tuned as D G B E, more like the top four strings of a guitar.

Can you tune baritone ukuleles like the others?

Ans: Yes, you can. By placing a capo on the 5th fret of a baritone the open strings will change to G C E A, making it similar to the tuning of a soprano, tenor or a concert ukulele.

Which is the best baritone ukulele in the market?

Ans: There are many high-quality baritone ukuleles available in the market. Here are our top 10 picks:

1)         Kala MK-B Makala Baritone Ukulele

2)         Caramel CB103 30 Inch High Gloss Zebra Wood Baritone Acoustic-Electric Ukulele

3)         Luna Vintage Mahogany Baritone Uke- Red Satin 

4)         Kala KA-B Mahogany Baritone Ukulele

5)         Cordoba 20BM Baritone Ukulele

6)         Oscar Schmidt OU53S Baritone Ukulele

7)         Alvarez RU22B Regent Series Baritone Ukulele  

8)         Hilo 2655 Baritone Ukulele  Luna Vintage Mahogany Baritone Uke- Red Satin

9)         Oscar Schmidt OU57 Spalted Mango Baritone Ukulele

10)       Cordoba 22B Baritone Ukulele

How much does a baritone ukulele cost?

Ans: There are many options available in the market- from low range to high range.

What sort of string does a baritone ukulele have?

Ans: Baritone ukuleles have nylon strings like the other kinds of ukuleles.

What are the materials used for the body of a baritone ukulele?

Ans: The body is made of wood such as mahogany, rosewood, mango wood, spruce, etc.

How to Play a Baritone Ukulele

Before we end this article, we think we should inform you of at least a few tips on how to play baritone ukulele. Now, when you are reading this then I assume, you already know about how to play. However, there are lots of people who start with the product research and then go for playing.

Also, you will require a ukulele to eventually learn to play the device anyways and therefore, there’s no harm to have a quick guide on how to play a baritone ukulele before we dig deep.

The good news is that it is not as hard as you would have imagined. Here’re some of the quickest ways you can start learning the art:

Get a Teacher

There are ukulele instructors available in each city that you can ask to come to your home to teach you. Yes, it will cost you a bit more than the regular coaching if they come to your home but it has much worthiness. We have seen in many cases that people who learn the art at their home perform faster than those who go for coaching. The reason of unwillingness to go to a dedicated place to learn something every week is a strict timetable and not being able to learn alone.

Attend Coaching

Now, though getting a teacher is definitely the best way to go about it, you can also attend coaching in your local area to learn the ukulele. The benefit of coaching is definitely the cost saving. Getting a teacher only for yourself will cost much which will not be the in case if you go for coaching.

On the other hand, you will have students who are in similar shoes like yours and that helps to improve your learning too.

The bad news, however, would be that you wouldn’t get enough time directly from the instructor that you would have received if it was in your home.

Coaching is definitely the most popular method of learning ukulele all over the world.

On Your Own Using YouTube

It is 2019 and the learning process has changed quite a lot in the last decade. Even we could have never imagined someone learning a musical instrument over the internet back in the days, it is possible now and you can do it from the comfort of your home.

The biggest advantage of doing digital coaching or YouTube is the cost. If you use free tutorials then it will not cost you anything. And even if you purchase digital coaching, it will cost you less than the traditional ways.

Another great benefit is the time issue. You can give as much or as little time you want to in a particular session that you couldn’t do in coaching as you would have to maintain with other students and their timelines. A video can be watched again and again. So you will obviously not be missing anything.

At the end, it is fun and it will keep your awkwardness to only yourself. Musicians do not generally like to be around a lot of people when they are learning something and if you are the same, going for a digital learning system might be a good idea.

Conclusion

It is really tough to reach on decision that which instrument will be perfect for you.  There are so many things to consider here. it’s even harder when you’re a beginner. So it’s better to seek professional help at the start.

All the instruments that we have reviewed here can be an excellent companion with you whether you’re a pro or a beginner.

Try to figure out which kind of uke is best suitable for your ears and fingers. In the end, it is you who have to decide what will work best for you.

And among out list, the Hawaiian beach vibe of the baritone ukulele can surely make your life better. This versatile, unique instrument will bring great joy and it’s something that you’ll definitely love keeping as a part of your music life.

So, try to grab that uke and rock the world!