Gold Tone BUT Baritone-Scale Banjo Ukulele with Case

If you’ve ever wanted the jangly, percussive voice of a banjo married to the familiar feel of a baritone ukulele, the Gold Tone BUT is exactly what you’ve been looking for. Tuned DGBE — the same as the top four strings of a guitar — the BUT is a genuine revelation for guitarists stepping into the ukulele world for the first time, and an equally compelling choice for seasoned uke players who want more depth and projection from a banjo-style instrument. The 19-inch baritone scale length gives your left hand plenty of room to breathe, chord voicings feel intuitive, and the longer string length produces a fuller, more resonant low end than soprano or concert banjo ukes can manage. Gold Tone builds the entire banjo-uke choir — soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone — around the same proven 8-inch maple-rimmed pot assembly, so you’re getting the same quality construction here that defines the whole line.

The rimwork is 8-inch multi-ply maple, fitted with an 8-inch Remo MC Smooth head that gives you a clean, articulate attack with just enough warmth to keep things musical rather than harsh. The maple neck wears a bound rosewood fingerboard with 20 frets and mini-dot inlays, and Gold Tone fitted it with a two-way adjustable truss rod — a thoughtful touch at this price that means the neck can be dialed in precisely for any playing style or seasonal humidity change. The flat maple-back resonator projects the sound forward the way you’d expect from a resonator banjo, the chrome hardware is tidy and durable, and the open-gear guitar-style tuners hold pitch reliably without the slipping you sometimes encounter on cheaper friction pegs. The ZeroGlide nut at 1-3/8 inches keeps the action clean at the first few frets right out of the box. Vintage Brown satin finish completes the look — understated and classy. A hard shell case is included, so you’re protected from day one.

Each instrument receives a professional setup at Gold Tone’s factory in Titusville, Florida before it ships to you. That means the BUT that arrives at your door plays the way a well-set-up instrument should — smooth, in tune, and ready to pick. It’s the difference between an instrument you have to fight and one that invites you to keep playing.

Why Buy From Banjo Warehouse

Banjo Warehouse is an authorized Gold Tone dealer, which means every BUT we sell is covered by Gold Tone’s full manufacturer warranty and backed by our own customer support in Yellow Springs, Ohio. I’m Geoff Hohwald — I’ve spent more than 45 years in the banjo and fretted-instrument world, co-owned Watch & Learn in Atlanta since the 1980s, wrote Banjo Primer (the top-rated beginner banjo method), and co-designed the Gold Tone OB-Standard, so when I say the Gold Tone BUT is a well-built instrument for the money, that opinion comes from a lot of years handling a lot of banjos. We carry the BUT because it genuinely delivers. Financing is available through PayPal Pay in 4, Afterpay, and 3, 6, 12, or 24-month plans — no late fees, so you can get playing now and spread the cost out comfortably.

Gold Tone BUT Specifications

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Gold Tone BUT a good choice for a guitarist who has never played ukulele before?

It’s honestly one of the best entry points imaginable. Because the BUT is tuned DGBE — exactly the same as the top four strings of a standard guitar — every chord shape you already know transfers directly to the BUT with no relearning required. Add the 19-inch baritone scale length, which feels more familiar to guitar hands than a soprano or concert uke scale, and the transition is remarkably natural. The banjo tone just makes the whole thing more fun.

How does the baritone BUT differ from Gold Tone’s soprano, concert, and tenor banjo ukes?

All four models share the same 8-inch maple-rimmed pot assembly — same rim, same head size, same general construction quality. The difference is purely in neck scale length and tuning. The BUT’s 19-inch baritone scale is the longest of the four, producing the deepest, fullest tone in the lineup and the DGBE guitar tuning rather than the standard GCEA tuning of the shorter-scale models. If you want more low-end resonance and a guitar-friendly chord vocabulary, the BUT is the one to choose.

Does the BUT come with a case?

Yes — Gold Tone includes a hard shell case with every BUT, and it ships from Banjo Warehouse as part of the package. No need to budget separately for a case to protect your investment.

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