Back in May this year, I got in touch with Phil Doleman and asked if I could do a interview with him for the Noah Ukuleles blog. Phil very kindly obliged and provided really in-depth answers to all of my questions – if you missed it first time, you can read it here.
Phil is without doubt one of the most-respected and talented performers, not to mention a fantastic ukulele teacher, so it was an absolute pleasure to put questions to him. While doing so, I also asked if he’d be interested in joining the small but growing list of Noah Ukuleles endorsees, and was delighted when he agreed!
After asking Phil what kind of uke he would like, he came up with the design features for the new Noah Baritone. It has an understated sunburst finish (in satin), similar to the Noah Classic Sunburst Tenor, standard headstock and pin bridge. The woods which Phil decided on were Mahogany for the back and sides, paired with a Spruce top. We finished building these very recently and on the very same day Phil took delivery of his new uke, he quickly recorded this lovely video:
As mentioned earlier, in addition to performing, Phil teaches ukulele and his YouTube channel is an absolute gold mine for short lessons and advice on how to improve your playing. He has done a series of ‘Two Minute Tips for Ukulele’ videos which I highly recommend taking a look at.
Here’s what Phil had to say about his new baritone and becoming a Noah Ukuleles endorsee:
“I was delighted when I was asked to join the Noah family, as I’ve spoken to Matt and admired their instruments at many festivals over years, and the timing was perfect as I’d recently become more and more interested in the baritone uke. The first thing that struck me when it arrived (apart from the classy sunburst finish) was how light and well-balanced it is. On larger ukes I really like a pin bridge, so it was great to be able to have one of those. The neck and fingerboard are really smooth and comfortable, and the perfectly dressed frets are nice and small with a low profile. The fingerboard being bound in matching wood, so you don’t see the binding, but you also don’t see (or feel) the fret ends is a nice touch, showing the thought that has gone into the build. Of course it sounds great, the low D has plenty of ‘oomph’ without being overpowering, the intonation is spot on all over the neck, and unlike some baritones I’ve played, it isn’t trying to be a guitar, happily retaining the ‘plunkiness’ you’d associate with more traditional vintage instruments”.
For anyone new to the baritone ukulele or anyone thinking of starting out on one, here’s a great video from Phil entitled ‘Making Sense of the Baritone Ukulele’.
So, a big welcome to Phil – he joins Matt Hicks, Danielle Laura, Simon Fernand, Tricity Vogue and the duo In Sync – and keep posted for news of more fantastic ukulele players joining that list soon 🙂
If you are interested in the new Noah Baritone, I do have a small number of these in stock. They are not yet available to order through my website shop, but please send an email to: [email protected]