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Pros:
- Great vintage looks
- Nice construction
- Quality hardware
- Comes with a great hard shell case
Cons:
- Uneven string spacing
- Sound leans more towards banjo (if that is what you are looking for that it is not a problem)
- Tuning issues
Many, many years ago when I first found out about the existence of banjoleles my immediate reaction was dismissal. Well, you see, my inexperienced and kind of ignorant brain thought that banjoleles were some sort of a new marketing skim to make people buy more useless stuff. Boy, was I wrong? Banjoleles have an immense and interesting history (not to mention the unique construction and sound). So if you stumbled upon banjoleles fairly recently or have been meaning to buy one for years, then you might have come to the right place. Gold-Tone BUB Baritone Banjo Uke Banjolele, among many other models that we have on our “best banjoleles” list, will be a perfect starting point for a complete novice or even someone more experienced. Let’s get into it.
Build
First things first, whether it is banjolele (or banjo ukulele) or acoustic guitar or whatever you have, the build/construction of the instrument is the most important part that you can never dismiss. Bad construction and tonewood mean bad sound and playability. Well, it also means lower price but trust me, in the long run, it is always better to invest a little bit more and have the instrument, especially banjolele, not die on you in a year. This baritone scale model has maple neck that beds gorgeous and smooth rosewood fingerboard that has mini-dot inlays. The 8″ rim and steel tension hoop is of great quality. This beauty is treated with a satin vintage brown finish that gives it that old look while also allowing it to vibrate.
Hardware
Now let’s move on the hardware. Gold-Tone equipped this baritone banjo ukulele with maple bridge, Grover-style tuners, bone nut, and a two-way adjustable truss rod. The tuners are okay, although you need to tune a bit often at the beginning. The real bone was a great addition because nowadays even the more expensive models do not feature bone. One complaint I do have about the setup of this instrument is that the strings are not spaced evenly. While this problem is fixable it will take a bit of effort or money for a beginner. If you need to adjust the neck the truss-rod is pretty much a must and makes your life so much easier.
There is nothing over the top with the hardware, Gold Tone usually goes with the standard, no risk details so that the sound and playability are not ruined. Most times this move pays off and, fortunately, in this case, it does. Apart from that, this banjolele ships with hardshell case which is a nice addition, especially if this is your first instrument (or if you are as clumsy as me). This is the pretty nice quality case. In spite of pretty sturdy construction, it is lightweight so you won’t break your back carrying around too much weight. Some sellers also offer this model along with the tuner and a stand. I would suggest going with that deal if it is your first instrument because you will be saving some money and time on research.
Baritone Banjo Ukulele Sound
Sound-wise, this banjo ukulele leans more towards banjo than a ukulele. While some people enjoy that aspect, for some I am pretty sure the balance of the sounds is the key. Personally, even with that I still loved this model. And, of course, it helps that the tone is close to perfect, the action is great and the volume is really bombastic.
Conclusion
If this is your first foray into the world of banjoleles it might be hard to find the one that will fit you the best because… well because you don’t really know much about them. After a couple of days, maybe weeks or even months or research you will come up with some amazing banjo ukuleles. One of them, I am pretty sure, will be Gold Tone BUB Baritone Banjo Uke Banjolele. Not because the market for banjoleles is small but because it is, in our opinion, one of the best banjoleles in its price range (and kind of in the higher price ranges too). This vintage looking banjolele with solid construction and the stunning sound is just too good to miss out on.
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