When a musician is looking for a baritone ukulele he is faced with the task of trying to determine what the difference is between said baritone ukulele and his or her other options. Without the right information this can seem like a daunting task and can undoubtedly get very overwhelming very quickly. However, with the right information it is easy to see what it is that makes a baritone ukulele different from its counterparts and make the right decision as to which instrument you would like to purchase. Below we take a look at a few of the differences that come into play when comparing a baritone to a concert to help you decide when you inevitably come to this fork in the road.

The first and perhaps most noticeable difference between a baritone ukulele and a concert, is that the concert is on average around 7 inches shorter. Though this element doesn’t affect the theory involved with learning the instrument, it does involve things like playing stance, portability, and general appearance preference. The size also generally makes it easier for guitarists to transfer the skills they have already developed from one instrument to the other.

Another major factor or the baritone ukulele, is that it is generally tuned DGBE as apposed to GCEA like the concert and all the other styles of the instrument. This factors into a musicians decisions in two different ways. First, it changes the scales used on the instrument as well as the formation of the chords. Second, it once again makes the instrument easier for guitarists because this is the same tuning as the top four strings of the guitar. However, this will obviously only be a real factor if the buyer has played guitar before, otherwise the learning curve for the theory will be very similar.

The last difference that I would like to mention is the number of frets featured on both of these instruments. Due mostly to size, the baritone ukulele generally has over 19 frets, while the concert usually has between 15-20. This just means that the baritone ukulele offers a bit more range up and down the neck. This is really just a preference of the player as the extra frets won’t come into play until the musicians desires to play further down the neck.

These are just a few of the basic qualities you will want to consider when deciding between a baritone ukulele and a concert. Either way, you can get a great instrument that with the right time and attention can make a great past time. So get whichever instrument fits you best, keep practicing, and I’ll see you under the bright lights!