What an absolutely stunning ukulele from Chris Perkins. Designed with an 18 inch scale, so it can be tuned either Baritone DGBE or tenor GCEA successfully, this baritone/tenor hybrid has tone, class and presence that puts it in the world class bracket.
The wide 38mm nut makes this an absolute doddle to play, and the neck feels very comfortable and intuitive, certainly in my hands. But, the way it looks and feels is completely blown away by the sound that this beauty makes. The spruce top is such a powerful sound engine, giving huge expressive range, clarity to all styles of playing and sustain for days.
The Tasmanian blackwood on the back and sides is not just a pretty cosmetic adornment - it really helps to focus the sound, giving it lovely definition. Overall, you get the sense that you are hearing the true characteristics of the wood - so called "true to wood" tone - which is a real treat for the ears.
This is strung low GCEA at the moment, but you can change this to DBGE without trading anything in terms of feel or sound. So many players are asking for baritones tuned like tenors and tenors tuned like baritones at the moment, and they always feel like a bit of a compromise. With this hybrid, you need not make any compromises at all.
In tenor tuning, the string tension is slightly tighter than normal, but not so that it would throw anyone off their stride, but this adds significantly to the volume and projection of the instrument. You do get a vastly richer and more resonant sound than you do with a standard tenor bodied uke, with greater complexity in the sound. The resonance of this thing just has to be heard to be believed!
Strung as a baritone in DGBE, the strings will feel a little easier under the fingers than a standard baritone, and you find yourself lost in deep dark depths of velvety sonorous rumblings. Sadly, you do have to change the strings to switch between the two tunings, but really this is one of only a handful of options available now where you can successfully tune it either way without stressing the instrument.
This one has a small 6mm mark under the finish on the top, near the A string side of the bridge. So we have reduced it by 10% to take this into account.
Specification:
Solid European spruce top
Solid figured Tasmanian blackwood back and sides
18 inch hybrid baritone/tenor scale length
19 frets total, 14 to body
Ebano binding to body
Bird's eye red cedar soundhole rosette and headplate
Ebony bridge pins with MOP dots
Corian saddle and nut
38mm nut width
Honduras mahogany neck
Ebano fretboard
Ebony bridge with mahogany stripe
Mother of Pearl fretboard markers
Grover open geared tuners
Worth CT strings, with Fremont squeakless low G (currently tuned GCEA)
Open pore, satin spray finish
TGI ABS case included
Serial no: WB5
Small blem under finish
