We list our top baritone ukulele options based on quality, sound, and overall value for money.
Written by Jay Searle / Published September 27, 2024
Last updated: September 22, 2024
Many aspiring musicians choose ukuleles over guitars because these instruments are smaller, objectively easier to play, and produce a distinctly different tone. Baritone ukes are becoming increasingly popular as the largest type of ukulele, brandishing a bigger playing surface, larger frets, and a deeper bass-rich sound.
If you’re in the market searching for the finest bari ukes, our experts have handpicked the top five models available and prepared a comprehensive guide to choosing a baritone at any budget, so let’s dive straight in.
Product | Description | Price |
The Kala KA-BG Baritone Ukulele is an eye candy with superior materials to back it up. | ||
The Lanikai LU21-B Baritone Ukulele boasts of its sturdy construction and warm tones that pros prefer. | ||
The Cordoba 20BM Baritone Ukulele is a mid-range level instrument that features high playability. | ||
The Ohana BK-10 Baritone Ukulele is yet another low-cost uke that has high-quality materials and features good intonation. | ||
The Flight Aurora EQ-A Baritone Ukulele is one of the best-sounding and has one of the most robust materials for baritone ukes out there. |
Why Choose a Baritone Uke?
Baritone ukuleles stand out as the largest instruments in this family of stringed instruments. They’re particularly good for players with slightly larger fingers, but these specs also make them exceptionally beginner-friendly.
The deep, rounded tone of a bari ukulele is another reason why many players prefer this type, as smaller ones tend to have a mellower sound that’s better suited for bedroom practice.
Just because baritones are large doesn’t mean that they’re expensive. There are plenty of quality models to be found under $200, but if you’re eyeing the best-sounding ones, you may want to save up a few hundred bucks.
Top 5 Best Baritone Ukuleles for 2024
Some of the best baritone ukuleles ever made hail from the top names in the industry, including Kala, Lanikai, Cordoba, Ohana, and Flight. We’ve chosen the most versatile and best-sounding models across different price points, so let’s jump into the reviews.
Kala KA-BG Baritone Ukulele
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A gorgeous, gloss-finished baritone with a smooth body, back, and sides made of quality mahogany makes Kala KA-BG stand out from other baritones.
This eye candy comes equipped with premium hardware that ensures optimal tuning stability and intonation, including a composite nut and a NuBone saddle. Moreover, KA-BG comes pre-strung with a set of Aquila Super Nylgut strings that greatly amplify its bellowing lows.
Kala’s KA-BG is our top pick because it’s objectively among the best-rounded baritones while being available at a highly affordable price.
Lanikai LU21-B Baritone Ukulele
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The renowned baritone flagship of Lanikai’s LU Series, LU21-B is one of the sturdiest and most stable baritone ukes around. It rocks a laminated Okoume construction that gives it a full-bodied warm tone that professional studio musicians and gigging performers highly covet.
LU21-B is among the handful of highly customizable low-end baritones, featuring simplified truss rods and advanced open-back machine heads. Hardware-wise, it’s similar to KA-BG as it comes with a nut and saddle made of premium NuBone material. Its only downside is that it’s equipped with basic nylon strings, although these can easily be replaced with better ones.
Cordoba 20BM Baritone Ukulele
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Cordoba’s 20BM is a superb mid-range baritone uke, boasting solid mahogany construction, a classic satin finish, a Pau Ferro fretboard, and a composite saddle.
With a finely polished C-shape neck and 14 gentle frets, it elevates the high playability of baritone ukes to the next level. Moreover, it weighs barely over a pound and rocks the standard bari uke scale length of 20 inches.
Ohana BK-10 Baritone Ukulele
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If you’re looking for a high-quality yet relatively cheap baritone ukulele, Ohana’s BK-10 is our top recommendation. It offers the beloved warmth and depth of mahogany tonewoods in its top, back, and sides complemented by the robustness of hardwood tonewoods in its fretboard and bridge.
Although it’s predominantly favored by students, BK-10’s well-balanced performance makes it a worthy backup for touring professionals. This uke is equipped with a set of four highly reliable open-back tuners and a set of Aquila Nylgut strings.
Flight Aurora EQ-A Baritone Ukulele
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Flight’s renowned Aurora EQ-A is our warmest recommendation for experienced players looking for a dependable, great-sounding baritone.
It’s a revamped version of Flight’s older flagship, brandishing a robust top made of solid spruce and back and sides made of rosewood; this unique combination delivers an optimal balance between strong lows and detailed mids without sacrificing tonal clarity and resonance.
Additionally, Aurora EQ-A rocks a string-through bridge design to deliver unparalleled sustain, as well as authentic bone hardware to ensure consistent intonation.
Budget-Friendly Options for the Best Baritone Ukulele
Some of the best ukuleles in the contemporary market rarely cost over $100 and seldom over $200. Kala’s KA-BG, Lanikai’s LU21-B, and Ohana’s BK-10 are shining examples of well-made instruments that don’t cost too much, yet their performance is almost comparable to some boutique ukuleles.
An average entry-level baritone is usually made of a single type of (laminated) tonewood. Our top picks are supplied with quality hardware, but you may need to either re-string a budget uke or upgrade the tuners. Other than that, a quality-made low-cost baritone typically offers exceptional value for the money.
High-end Picks for the Best Baritone Ukulele
With at least $400 in your pocket, you can pick some of the best-sounding, most durable, and most versatile baritone ukuleles ever made.
What sets boutique ukes apart from entry-level instruments is that they’re often equipped with custom hardware and more advanced tonewoods, and they’re almost exclusively made from single pieces (as opposed to laminated), which vastly improves the vibration response, tone, sustain, and other sonic qualities.
The only high-end uke on our list is Flight’s Aurora EQ-A, but you can also browse the upper tiers of Kala, Martin, and Oscar-Schmidt’s catalogs for more options.
Conclusion
As the Jack-of-All-Trades, a reliable instrument with superb sound and looks to boot, Kala KA-BG is our top recommendation for players seeking the best baritone ukulele in 2024. Our other picks bring different advantages to the table, and though not quite as good as the KA-BG, these baritones may serve different purposes.
Grab a sturdy uke like the Ohana BK-10 if you’re keen on playing while traveling; if you’re an immediate beginner, a highly playable baritone like Cordoba’s 20BM is a fine choice. The market is full of unique options, so explore, use our guides to learn more about baritone (and other types of) ukuleles, and ultimately, immerse yourself in the fun of playing.
Jay Searle
Website Founder & WriterJay is a self-professed music nerd and ukulele lover. When not working on the website you’ll find him strumming along to his favorite tunes, spending time with his family, or learning to play the piano.
