Note: This instrument has been discontinued. We offer the B-Rex 5-string (15.5 inch body length) and will soon be offering a new 4-string (both a 15 inch and 15 1/2 inch body size) to replace the Attuned Baritone.

The Baritone of the Attuned Special Series by Don Rickert Musical Instruments is designed for the full-size cello (tuned one octave lower than a viola) range. Instruments of this type are sometimes "chin cellos". The Baritone is a violin length octave viola--substantially shorter than the typical "chin cello". 

The Baritone Model is a beautiful cornerless design approximating some of the dimensions of a standard violin or fiddle; however, it has higher ribs. It utilizes several crucial resonance-enhancing technologies, which make such a small octave violin (aka baritone violin) sound like a much larger instrument. You really won’t believe your ears when you hear the tremendous projection volume and rich, warm timbre of this instrument.

Body length: 14”
Scale length: 13”
Ribs: 40mm
Strings: SuperSensitive Sensicore short-scale octave viola (chin cello) string set

Tuning: C2 G2 D3 A3; exactly the same as a full-size ‘cello...often called a “chin-cello”.

Unique Feature:

 

This instrument can also be strung and tuned like an an octave violin (G2 D3 A3 E4) for a tone that is richer in low-frequency harmonic overtones than our Tenor Violin, which is not the preference of all players. Stringing the Baritone with a higher-tension metal-core string (i.e. Thomastik-Infeld Octavgeige strings) reduces the overtones and increases the volume. We are happy to discuss this option.

Critical Sound-Enhancing Technologies

• 40mm wide ribs increase internal air volume substantially
• Bass bar specifically designed to optimize the sonority and timbre of this instrument
• Internal resonance-enhancing structural innovations (trade secret), resulting in radical increase of top plate vibration
• Tuned bass port optimized for this instrument

See More details about the entire Attuned Special Series Violins, which includes some more detail about the sound-enhancing technologies employed ...

The Baritone is fit with Wittner Fine-Tune internally-geared pegs and a Dov Schmidt Harp compensated tailpiece. Fine tuners on the tailpiece are unnecessary owing to the tuning accuracy of the Wittner pegs.

Note: In order to achieve its full-potential, the Baritone MUST be played with a high-quality VIOLA bow!