The HF-4 Kamaka Baritone!!
*A Hawaiian Treasure*
This is a new Kamaka Solid Koa Baritone ukulele made 100% right here in Hawaii. The Kamaka family has been the #1 ukulele makers for the past century. The third and fourth generation Kamaka family now run the business and head the building and design process. The new Kamaka's are more impressive than ever and even though the ukulele is being made world-wide now, by more makers than ever,Kamaka is still at the forefront of their art and craft. Casey, Chris, Fred Jr., and Dustin Kamaka have studied building techniques and wood selection their whole lives. The result is instruments like the one you see here.
This gorgeous book-matched koa body resonates wide-ranging tones. There is a focused nucleus to the sound, giving definition, but the overtones are spacious and beautiful.
If you play the other tuning a fourth higher, the normal GCEA. Then you can play baritone because all the shapes are the same but in a lower key-DGBE. Much more relaxing in sound than a tenor, concert, or soprano. The baritone lends itself wonderfully to fingerstlye playing. Something really nice to play at the end of a long day. I guess the beginning of the day would be nice too. :) Here is the same HF-4 model played by Corey.
Corey Fujimoto demonstrates some of the different styles and sounds of a Kamaka HF-4 Baritone.
The main reason you would want a baritone ukulele is because it sounds so dang good. It is significantly smaller than a guitar but still gives you a similar depth and color. The standard G C E A just does not do this, and vise versa. Both G C E A and D G B E are the same intervals but with a different key and tension. The same shapes inspire different composition. It is fun to have both a regular ukulele and a baritone ukulele. Both are equally, and uniquely ukulele. Corey put together this basic Baritone chord chart for you! Share with anyone~ Aloha!
