Baritone isn’t the most popular type, mainly because everything about it is different from typical ukes. It’s much bigger, it’s tuned differently, and it resembles an acoustic guitar more than it does a regular ukulele.
That being said, I’d be remiss if I didn’t say that as a guitar player, I absolutely love this ukulele type. Though a bit unwieldy at times due to its huge size, baritones are excellent for adult beginners because they offer superb playability and a deep, warm tone.
Quick Look: Best Baritone Ukuleles
★ #1 Best Baritone Ukulele Overall: Makala Baritone Mahogany Ukulele ★
- Best Cheap Baritone Ukulele: Kmise Baritone Ukulele Bundle
- Best Baritone Ukulele Under $1,000: Kala Ziricote Baritone
- Best Baritone Ukulele Under $500: Ortega Guitars RU5CE-BA Bonfire
Today I wanted to share with you my review of the best baritone ukuleles that the market has to offer, so without any further ado, let’s take a look at the list.
What Is a Baritone Ukulele?
The baritone ukulele is the largest instrument in the ukulele family. It has four strings, just like other ukuleles, but its standard tuning is D-G-B-E, which combined with its size results in much deeper, warmer sonic performance.
Things to Consider When Choosing a Baritone Ukulele
Considering that baritone ukuleles are so different from the other three types, you should adjust your shopping tactics accordingly. These are some of the most important things you should keep in mind when buying a baritone ukulele.
Size and Weight
As I mentioned earlier, baritone is the largest ukulele type. However, models that belong to this category aren’t identical in terms of size. Larger baritones are heavier, but they’re also more playable, and playing them comes more naturally to acoustic guitar players.
I don’t recommend baritone ukuleles to children and immediate beginners, although I’d like to add that a good baritone could feel better and offer superior playability to adults who don’t mind its weight.
The Overall Tone & Sound
One of the most characteristic aspects of a baritone ukulele is its deep, warm tone. In comparison to soprano, tenor, and concert ukuleles, baritones are much louder, and they have more prominent bass in their tone.
Similar tonewoods are used to craft all types of ukuleles, so once again, this is an important element to consider. The tonewoods used in a baritone ukulele’s construction can tame, amplify, or balance its tone.
Price
As far as I’ve gathered, baritone ukuleles are typically a bit more expensive than other ukulele types. This is fairly obvious, though, as these instruments are bigger and slightly more difficult to make.
Still, the price difference between baritones and other ukulele categories is not massive. You can find a good model under $100, but you could also invest a bit more in a great-sounding, dependable instrument.
10 Best Baritone Ukuleles
The current market is overflowing with sopranos and tenors, while good baritone ukuleles are a bit more difficult to find.
Being such an avid fan of ukuleles altogether, I’ve researched the market for models that are either identical or at least resemble the baritones I’ve had the pleasure of playing. If you’re interested, you can find more about them in the sections below.
Kala Makala MK-B Baritone Mahogany Ukulele
- Size: 56 inches by 10.31 inches by 3.2 inches
- Weight: 9 ounces
- What’s included: Standalone ukulele
- Material & finish: Mahogany construction, satin finish
- Best for: Best baritone ukulele overall
Kala Makala MK-B is a good all-around baritone ukulele made of high-quality mahogany. It’s surprisingly sturdy considering it’s the lightest ukulele on the list, which makes it perfect for everyone, regardless of skill level and age.
✅ Lightest baritone ukulele on the list
✅ Excellent durability
✅ High playability
✅ A deep, vibrant tone
❌ Pre-strung with flimsy nylon strings
❌ Potential issues with intonation
Why I Recommend It
Most ukuleles from the Makala series are absolutely wonderful, and I think that Kala outdid themselves with MK-B. This is a highly versatile, lightweight, great-sounding baritone that offers unique benefits and would be the best baritone ever if you changed its factory strings.
Kmise Baritone Ukulele Bundle
- Size: 8 inches by 13.2 inches by 4.3 inches
- Weight: 79 pounds
- What’s included: Clip-on tuner, five felt picks, ukulele strap, gig bag, strap hardware
- Material & finish: Mahogany construction, natural finish
- Best for: Best cheap baritone ukulele
Baritones are pricier than sopranos, tenors, and concert ukes, so if you’re on a cash-strapped budget, you may want to consider Kmise Baritone Ukulele Bundle.
Aside from featuring a good-sounding ukulele, the bundle also contains a variety of excellent quality accessories, such as five picks, a clip-on tuner, a strap with accompanying hardware, and a lightweight gig bag.
✅ High-value bundle
✅ Very affordable
✅ Good sonic performance
✅ Lightweight gig bag
❌ Flimsy construction
❌ Dense, thick picks
Why I Recommend It
Beginners, hobbyists, and enthusiasts typically can’t make a distinction between the best baritones and merely decent-quality models. If you’re just started playing and don’t want to invest a small fortune in an instrument, Kmise’s Baritone Bundle is perfect for you.
Kala Ziricote Baritone
- Size: 31 inches by 12 inches by 4 inches
- Weight: 7 pounds
- What’s included: Standalone ukulele
- Material & finish: Ziricote construction, walnut fretboard, mahogany neck
- Best for: Best baritone ukulele under $1,000
This model is one of the best-sounding high-end baritones from Kala’s catalog. The Kala Ziricote Baritone features multiple tonewoods, each complementing its sound in different ways, and to top it all off, it’s also remarkably playable, light, and durable.
✅ Lightweight
✅ Built to last
✅ Superb sound quality
✅ Versatile tone
❌ Very expensive
❌ No accessories
Why I Recommend It
Kala’s Ziricote baritone is a beautiful professional instrument that I warmly recommend to anyone who can afford it. Despite the fact that it’s fairly expensive, it offers a uniquely warm tone and superiority in terms of sturdiness and playability.
Ortega Guitars Bonfire Series RU5CE-BA
- Size: 5 inches by 10 inches by 3 inches
- Weight: 7 pounds
- What’s included: Standalone ukulele
- Material & finish: Spruce top, sapele back & sides, satin finish
- Best for: Best acoustic electric baritone ukulele
Even though baritone ukuleles are generally loud, their tone is somewhat unpredictable and uncontrollable. That’s not the case with Ortega Guitars Bonfire Series RU5CE-BA, as it sports a built-in pickup system that can balance out its innate shortcomings.
✅ Integrated tuner
✅ Excellent playability
✅ Great sound quality
✅ Sturdy construction
❌ No accessories
❌ Pricey
Why I Recommend It
Ortega’s RU5CE-BA is a beautiful, highly versatile baritone ukulele that I recommend to experienced players and seasoned uke veterans. Its well-rounded sonic performance makes it an excellent fit for both live performances and studio recordings.
Kala Solid Spruce Striped Ebony Baritone Ukulele
- Size: 35 inches by 10.63 inches by 4.33 inches
- Weight: 1 pounds
- What’s included: Standalone ukulele
- Material & finish: Spruce top, ebony back & sides, mahogany binding, satin finish
- Best for: Best baritone ukulele under $500
My second-favorite ukulele is Kala Solid Spruce Striped Ebony Baritone. It feels remarkably gentle, and its neck offers unprecedented playability. Apart from remarkable sonic performance, this uke is also incredibly light and sturdy as well.
✅ Beautiful aesthetics
✅ Ebony construction
✅ Exceptional playability
✅ High-quality sound
❌ Very expensive
❌ Barely visible fret inlays
Why I Recommend It
If you’re on the market looking for a dependable, road-worthy baritone ukulele, look no further than Kala’s Striped Ebony Semi-Electric Uke. Its tone and playability are almost unparalleled, and it’s also decently light and much sturdier than average.
Alvarez Artist AU70WB Baritone Acoustic Ukulele
- Size: 7 inches by 11.3 inches by 4.8 inches
- Weight: 64 pounds
- What’s included: Standalone ukulele
- Material & finish: Spruce top, walnut back and sides, mahogany neck, natural finish
- Best for: Best intermediate baritone ukulele
The thick, fast neck of Alvarez Artist AU70WB is the main reason why I chose it as my first baritone uke upgrade. What makes it stand out from similarly priced models is its impeccable durability and deep bellowing tone.
✅ Uniquely deep sonic performance
✅ Excellent playability
✅ High durability
✅ Fairly cheap for an intermediate instrument
❌ Slightly heavier than average
❌ No accessories included
Why I Recommend It
I recommend Alvarez’s Artist AU70WB to experienced ukulele players, who will undoubtedly be able to appreciate its exquisite tone and superb durability. It’s decently affordable and offers tremendous value for the buck.
Kala KA-B Mahogany Baritone Ukulele Bundle
- Size: 33 inches by 5 inches by 12 inches
- Weight: 49 pounds
- What’s included: Polishing cloth, Austin Bazaar instructional DVD, clip-on tuner, nylon bag
- Material & finish: Mahogany construction, satin finish
- Best for: Best baritone ukulele bundle
Regardless of whether you’re a beginner or if you want to restock on your uke accessories, the Kala KA-B bundle is an excellent choice. It’s made of sturdy mahogany and packs a robust nylon bag, a polishing cloth, and a neat but dependable clip-on tuner.
✅ Sturdy mahogany construction
✅ Accurate clip-on tuner
✅ Robust nylon carry bag
✅ Great sound
❌ Slight issues with intonation
❌ No replacement strings or straps
Why I Recommend It
I’ve rarely come across baritone bundles that actually featured a good-sounding instrument. Kala’s KA-B is an exception, and I warmly recommend it to anyone who wants to get the biggest bang for their buck.
Caramel CB402 Instrument Pack
- Size: 28 inches by 5 inches by 5 inches
- Weight: 64 pounds
- What’s included: Ukulele strap, replacement strings, nylon bag
- Material & finish: Mahogany construction, natural finish
- Best for: Best baritone ukulele for band practice and live performances
If you and your friends intend on forming a band, you’ll need a decent uke and a couple of gadgets that would complement its performance.
The Caramel CB402 is a loud, robust, and cheap baritone that comes in a highly versatile bundle consisting of a ukulele strap, replacement strings, and a carry bag.
✅ Versatile selection of accessories
✅ Fairly loud, bass-rich tone
✅ Very affordable
✅ Decent intonation
❌ Flimsy factory strings
❌ Heavy
Why I Recommend It
I used this very uke for my first live gig, and I’m sure that you’ll find it just as useful as I did. Its strong, deep tone works in great harmony with its loudness, but the main reason why I recommend it is its affordability.
Lotmusic Baritone Ukulele Pack
- Size: 25 inches by 11.5 inches by 5.5 inches
- Weight: 59 pounds
- What’s included: Ukulele chords, replacement strings, capo, three felt picks, gig bag, strap
- Material & finish: Mahogany construction, satin finish
- Best for: Best baritone ukulele for music students
If you attend music classes or a music school, Lotmusic Baritone Pack has everything you’ll need. This is a well-rounded bundle of essential uke accessories and a good-sounding, sturdy baritone ukulele.
✅ Very affordable
✅ Numerous accessories included
✅ Decent intonation
✅ Sturdy construction
❌ Heavy
❌ Flimsy strap
Why I Recommend It
I recommend Lotmusic’s Baritone Bundle because its versatility and affordability are remarkable. The uke itself is beyond decent in terms of tone and playability, although it’s fairly heavy.
Lanikai Baritone MAB
- Size: 31 inch by 10.98 inches by 4.53 inches
- Weight: 71 pounds
- What’s included: Standalone ukulele
- Material & finish: Mahogany construction, satin finish
- Best for: Baritone ukulele with the best hardware
Lanikai Baritone MAB is a sturdy mahogany-made ukulele that’s supplied with a NuBone nut, a smooth binding, and remarkable action. It’s substantially more playable and dependable than most mid-range baritones I’ve played so far, while its tone is also incredible in its own right.
✅ Superior intonation
✅ Excellent playability
✅ Decently affordable
✅ High-quality hardware
❌ No accessories
❌ Heavy
Why I Recommend It
I recommend Lanikai’s MAB to anyone who’s looking for a good-sounding, highly playable baritone ukulele. Even though it doesn’t come with any accessories, it compensates for its shortcomings with exceptional dependability and a warm, deep tone.
Baritone Ukuleles Aesthetics & Build
In a nutshell, baritone ukuleles are bigger and heavier than other ukulele types, but they’re aesthetically similar to concerts and tenors.
Choosing a baritone ukulele is not significantly different than shopping for any other ukulele category, so bear these elements in mind:
Wood
A baritone ukulele is, by default, louder and has a deeper tone than more popular ukulele categories, regardless of what kinds of tonewoods were used. However, tonewoods influence the sonic performance of any ukulele, baritones included.
Due to their innate lack of high and mid-range frequencies, I recommend models that feature wood with a bright-sounding sonic signature, such as ebony. If, on another hand, you want the deepest, darkest tones, stick with mahogany, rosewood, and similar tonewoods.
Finish
Satin, gloss, and painted are some of the most popular ukulele finishes. They don’t play a major role in the performance of any ukulele, so you shouldn’t focus too much on this element.
Aesthetically speaking, gloss and satin-finished ukuleles look more attractive, so if you have a keen eye for pretty instruments, search for models that have such a finish.
Binding
The binding is essentially a type of structural reinforcement that provides the ukulele with additional durability. Be it PVC or hardwood, any sort of binding will invariably prolong your uke’s lifetime.
Buying New vs Used
Baritone ukuleles are renowned for their superior sturdiness, so buying a used model isn’t as frowned upon as buying used soprano and tenor ukulele.
If you opt for this, ask your potential seller how they’ve stored their ukulele. Ukuleles degrade more rapidly if they’re left on the floor or put against a wall. The best way to store any instrument, baritone ukuleles included, is in a hard-shell case or a carry bag.
What’s in the Baritone Ukulele Box?
Like any other ukulele type, baritones are available as standalone instruments and as a part of a bundle.
If you’ve opted for a baritone package, these are some of the items that you should expect to find inside:
Carry Bag
The carry bag is an essential part of any ukulele box. As a matter of fact, even certain standalone models are sometimes supplied with this feature.
It’s also the most useful feature in the sense that it provides you with means of safe storage. Furthermore, taking your uke to band practice or music lessons is also much easier with it safely tucked inside a bag.
Most complimentary carry bags are made of nylon, which is typically not particularly sturdy. Hard-shell cases are the best, but they’re rarely part of a baritone ukulele bundle.
Replacement Strings
You can never be completely sure as to how long the strings of your ukulele were idly sitting before the box arrived at your doorstep. Obviously, ukulele strings lose their durability and sonic properties after a while, so the addition of carefully packaged replacement strings is valuable.
Even if the replacement strings are identical to the ones equipped to your ukulele, they will sound much different after you unpack them and attach them to the instrument.
Tuner
A tuner is an excellent tool for beginners who haven’t developed their sense of hearing to the point of being able to tune their ukulele by ear. Most ukulele bundles are equipped with one, although not every model is precise per se.
Semi-acoustic ukulele packs normally exclude this feature, as it’s integrated into the ukulele itself. Personally, I don’t like built-in tuners because they aren’t as flexible as pocket or clip-on tuners.
Strap
A strap is another common part of a baritone ukulele bundle. These are typically lightweight and flimsy, so don’t expect to use them for years on end. Ukuleles are traditionally meant to be played without a strap, but that doesn’t apply to baritone ukuleles.
Baritones are much heavier than other ukulele types, as I mentioned before, so having a strap handy will certainly improve your overall uke-playing experience.
Extras
Each ukulele bundle is different, so it’s only normal to see different brands add atypical accessories, such as a guitar capo. I’ve seen many ukulele boxes equipped with some form of sheet music too.
Even though these accessories have limited functionality and versatility, they may become useful over time when you become more skilled and familiar with your instrument.
Baritone Ukuleles Brands to Avoid
While everyone knows that Kala, Lanikai, Martin, Cordoba, and Ortega are some of the most popular brands, not many people know the exact names of the ukulele brands that are to be avoided.
The blacklist of unreliable ukulele brands is indefinite, so I’d rather provide a few guidelines on how to recognize them.
First and foremost, compare the prices of budget ukuleles. Bad-sounding, flimsy models are often ridiculously cheap.
Secondly, undependable ukulele brands tend to hide the poor quality of the instrument they intend to sell behind a package with numerous accessories. You’ll need that gig bag and tuner, but you don’t need twenty picks and five straps.
Finally, check out reviews from other people on online marketplaces. A few negative reviews can be perceived as isolated cases, but a consistent low rating tells an accurate story of the brand’s quality.
Review This Post
Table of Contents
In Conclusion
Let’s wrap up my review of the best baritone ukuleles with a few parting words of advice. You’ll notice that baritone ukes are big, but don’t be dissuaded by their size. They’re typically much more playable than they appear due to wider fret spacings.
Baritone ukes have a deeper sound, but they can perform excellently in other aspects of the tonal spectrum just as well, especially acoustic-electric models. Consider choosing brighter tonewoods for the best effects, such as ebony or maple.
Just because they’re huge doesn’t mean baritones are sturdy by default. Consider models with hardwood or PVC binding if you want to prolong their lifetime considerably. I hope my reviews and buying guide have helped you find the best baritone ukulele for your particular needs.
