7 Best Baritone Ukuleles of 2024

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When most people think of ukuleles, they think of their unmistakable bright and cheerful tones, which are higher pitched than just about any other stringed instrument. But the world of ukuleles spans even further than most people know.

For those who want an entirely different take on the instrument, allow us to introduce you to the baritone ukulele. With a lower tuning and deeper sound, the baritone uke opens up all sorts of new possibilities for your uke playing.

In this article, we rank the top 7 baritone ukuleles on the market today. There are a lot of great contenders, but the Lanikai OA-CEB Oak Ukulele gets the top spot thanks to its impeccable build quality and abundance of features.

After the list, you can enjoy a buyers guide and FAQ section so that all your questions about baritone ukes can be answered. Now let's get to the rankings!

Best Baritone Ukuleles

1. Overall Best Pick – Lanikai OA-CEB Oak Ukulele

SPECS

• Oak laminate top, back, and sides
• Acoustic-Electric-electric

You can't go wrong with the Lanikai OA-CEB Oak Ukulele. On the beach of ukulele features, Lanikai left no stone unturned.

The oak laminate body is durable and smooth, and the grooves in the wood make for a nice aesthetic. Speaking of aesthetics, Lanikai included a beautiful, professional-looking gig bag with this ukulele. This is a great inclusion for an instrument that is so likely to come along with you on your road trips or tours.

Acoustically, this baritone uke has a rich tone that sounds somewhere between a standard ukulele and an acoustic guitar. It is fantastic for unique acoustic jams on the go or with a band.

In addition to its beautiful natural sound, the Lanikai OA-CEB also comes equipped with top-of-the-line electronics. You can amp up using its Fishman Kula Electronic Interface, which includes a built-in tuner and 3-band EQ.

We can't find anything wrong with this baritone ukulele, even if we were looking to nitpick. It plays fantastically with or without amplification. It keeps its intonation well. It has sturdy build quality. Its natural tone is exactly what you want from this type of instrument.

They really covered all the bases here!

2. The Runner-Up – Luna High Tide Koa Baritone Acoustic-electric Ukulele

SPECS

• Koa top and body
• Mahogany neck
• Luna electronics

The only reason Luna's High Tide Koa Baritone Ukulele didn't get the top spot on our list is that it comes at a slightly higher price than the Lanikai OA-CEB. Aside from that, the Luna packs all the same features into a beautiful, stylish body.

Let's start with the first thing most people will notice about this baritone uke: its unique visual garnishes. The Pau Ferro fingerboard has wave-shaped abalone rosette inlays, which make this instrument really pop.

The ukulele plays great too, its aquila strings giving it a guitar-like sound, but with more emphasis on the high-mids. When it comes to ukuleles, baritones are fairly versatile since they can approximate the sound of a tenor ukulele or soprano ukulele thanks to their extended neck length.

The Luna High Tide is even more versatile than most thanks to its electronic components. You can amp up for a projected sound, just like you can with the Lanikai.

Luna's electronic component includes a built-in tuner and 2-band EQ, which is plenty to work with when you're jamming in a full band setting, or at a solo gig that uses a PA system.

We also love the inclusion of a padded gig bag that looks great and will constantly come in handy if you're a musician on the go.

3. Best on a Budget – Cordoba U1B Baritone Ukulele

SPECS

• Mahogany body
• Mahogany neck

There are novelty or decorative instruments out there for next to nothing, but if you're looking for a quality playable instrument, you'll usually need to spend at least $150 or so.

That is, unless what you're looking for is a baritone ukulele. The Cordoba U1B is a perfectly playable baritone ukulele for just $90. It sounds great, looks beautiful, and won't break the bank.

This bari uke makes a great gift for someone who wants a portable string instrument but perhaps doesn't need a guitar. Baritones are tuned to D,G,B,E (the top 4 strings of a guitar). This means that guitar players will be familiar with the most common chord shapes for baritone ukes.

As far as the features this ukulele has to offer, what stands out most is its playability. You can play chords and melodies at just about any skill level, and the notes will be able to be heard clearly. This is thanks to the instrument's quality construction and perfect adjustment.

Playing notes that are free of fret buzz or unwanted muting is important for any stringed instrument, so it's great that Cordoba offers a well-adjusted baritone ukulele at this affordable price point.

4. Most Eye-Catching – Luna Vista Deer Acoustic-electric Baritone Ukulele

SPECS

• Multi-wood top, koa back and sides
• Rosewood fingerboard
• Fishman electronics

Luna has created one of the most gorgeous ukuleles ever made, and perhaps one of the best-looking instruments of any kind available today.

Many guitars and basses have solid colors, gradients, or patterns incorporated into them. It's less common, however, to have an entire work of art featured on an instrument's body.

Luna's Vista Deel Acoustic-electric Baritone Ukulele features artwork depicting beautiful scenery, with deer drinking from a river and the moon setting behind the trees.

This design is achieved by combining several different types of wood, and even abalone, on the top of the ukulele's body. The result is a sturdy yet refined instrument that's sure to turn some heads.

While the Luna may not be as much of a bargain as some of the other entries on this list, there's a case to be made that it's the best baritone ukulele on the market today.

It comes with Fishman electronics, so you can amp up or play acoustically. The 3-band EQ and built-in tuner are a nice touch as always.

It also has impeccable craftsmanship and a rosewood fingerboard, resulting in fantastic playability. There's not much more you could ask for!

5. Most Durable – Cordoba 24B Baritone Ukulele - Spruce

SPECS

• Spruce top, maple back and sides
• Mahogany neck, Pau ferro fingerboard

Every ukulele on this list is durable, but Cordoba knocks it out of the park with the 24B Baritone. This is a no-frills ukulele with a solid spruce top. Spruce is known to be one of the most durable top woods.

With a C-shaped Pau Ferro neck, this ukulele maintains good intonation and playability. It also delivers the fun ukulele tone we all know and love. This is all thanks to the combination of spruce and maple that comprise the ukulele's body.

The Cordoba has a snappy tone with a well-defined high end, making your ukulele parts sound crisp and clear in any setting. Spruce, in addition to being durable, also provides a natural acoustic projection that makes for a loud natural tone.

This is a quality instrument that can certainly go head-to-head with any other baritone or tenor ukulele on the market.

6. Best for First-Time Buyers – Mitchell MUB70S Baritone Ukulele Natural

SPECS

• Spruce top, rosewood back and sides
• Indian rosewood fretboard

The Mitchell MUB70S Baritone Ukulele lies between the Cordoba U1B and Cordoba 24B, in both price and quality.

When it comes to buying your first instrument, it can seem like a daunting task. Do you go ultra-budget, or reach straight for the top shelf? Since you probably don't have that much knowledge to base your decision on, where do you even begin?

At American Songwriter, we believe that the best choice first-time buyers can make is to choose a well-made, long-lasting instrument so that you won't need to replace it in six months to a year.

This doesn't mean you have to immediately spring for a top-of-the-line instrument, but if you buy a subpar one, you'll find the process of learning the instrument to be more frustrating than it needs to be.

The Mitchell MUB70S is the perfect baritone ukulele for first-time buyers because it is budget-friendly, but still highly playable and durable.

Thanks to the rosewood fretboard, you'll be able to fluidly articulate your melodies, and hit your chords perfectly.

And with the solid spruce top, your notes will project loudly no matter your playing style. It also doesn't hurt that if the uke gets dropped or banged around, spruce is a wood that is not likely to crack or break.

If this uke is still a bit pricier than you'd like, then the Cordoba U1B remains a solid choice for first-timers.

7. Most Iconic – Kala KA-ZCT-B Ziricote Baritone Ukulele - Natural Gloss

SPECS

• Ziricote body
• Mahogany beck, rosewood fingerboard

Any ukulele enthusiasts reading have probably been wondering where Kala is on this list. For the uninitiated, Kala has been one of the most iconic ukulele brands for almost 20 years now.

Their selling point is that they cater to uke players of all skill levels and budgets; they're an impressively versatile brand.

All things considered, the Kala KA-ZCT-B is one of their best baritone ukuleles. Its ziricote body with gloss finish looks beautiful and elegant. Its rosewood fingerboard delivers impeccable playability. Its Aquila strings sound clear and pronounced.

And of course, Kala delivers nearly perfect craftsmanship and instantly recognizable aesthetics, as they always do. While there's nothing particularly exceptional about this Kala baritone uke, it simply has no shortcomings and is well-made all around. Any ukulele player will be jealous.

Best Baritone Ukuleles Buyer's Guide

Props to you for being interested in a ukulele that's a little off the beaten path. Baritone ukes are certainly not the first thing that will come to people's heads when they think of ukuleles -- but that's why we like them so much!

Baritones have a unique flair and will certainly make you stand out. Here are all the most important things to consider in your search for the perfect baritone ukulele.

Budget

Your budget will determine the quality of the instrument you'll be able to buy. Fortunately, there are some relatively affordable baritone ukuleles available for less than $100.

A high-end bari uke can cost over $400, but unlike other stringed instruments, you're not likely to find one for more than $500.

The ideal budget for a baritone ukulele is around $200 - $250 if you're looking to maximize value.

Tone

Your uke's tone comes from a combination of the strings, the type of wood used, and the adjustment or setup of the instrument.

We could tell you all the qualities a baritone ukulele's tone is supposed to have, but the truth is, there is no right answer here. If you like your instrument's tone, then it's a good tone!

If you have the option of playing your uke before you buy it, you can hear its tone firsthand and see if it is one that resonates with you.

Build Quality

Build quality is very important because it accounts for the durability, playability, and aesthetics of your instrument. Simply put, you're going to want a ukulele that is well-made.

Some ukuleles have poor build quality since they are a relatively cheap category of instruments that are sometimes sold as novelty items. This list, however, contains only ukuleles with good build quality.

It's generally not too hard to tell the build quality of a ukulele; just hold it in your hands, strum it a few times, and feel how sturdy it is. A well-made uke will last you a lifetime.

Extra Features

How important is it to you to have extra features on your instrument?

Many baritone ukes have electronic components that allow you to amp up, control the amplified tone, or use a built-in tuner.

Other ukes come with accessories like gig bags. We chose the Lanikai OA-CEB as the best baritone ukulele because it comes with all these special features, so there's nothing left out.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How are baritone ukuleles tuned?

Baritone ukuleles are tuned to D, G, B, E. These are the same notes as the top 4 strings of a standard-tuned acoustic guitar.

It's important to note that this tuning is different from the other types of ukulele, meaning you'll need to use different shapes to play the same uke chords.

What styles of music are best suited for these instruments?

Baritone ukuleles can be used creatively in all sorts of different musical contexts.

They are most typically associated with jazz, blues, surf rock, reggae, and traditional Hawaiian music.

Are baritone ukuleles hard to learn?

Baritone ukuleles are no harder to learn than other types of ukuleles. They are relatively easy to learn as far as stringed instruments go.

For guitar players, they may actually be an easier transition than other types of ukulele, because you can use the same chord shapes as you would with the top 4 strings of your guitar.

In Conclusion

Whether you're a beginner or a pro, there's no doubt ukuleles are an iconic instrument. They come with their own backstory, instantly transporting you to an island and making your worries blow away in the beach breeze.

Baritone ukuleles are a unique spin on the instrument, giving you a longer neck and deeper tones to work with. If you'd like to get your hands on one, just grab the Lanikai OA-CEB Oak Ukulele, or any other entry on this list, and you can do no wrong.

Now you can enjoy a mini Hawaiian vacation any time you pick up your instrument. Happy playing!