Islander Solid Concert - MSC-4, Pono AC All Solid Acacia

Hi all
Has anybody got both of these or tried both. If you had to pick one which would it be?

I really like the solid Islanders. They aren't all that pretty looking, very basic. But they play really well. Beware they have a 1.5 inch nut which you may or may not like.

Pono ALL THE WAY.

I have both an islander (soprano) and Pono (tenor), which means no actual experience with concert size, but here's my 2 cents:

- The neck profiles are very different. Pono is narrower and deeper, islander wider and shallower. Both are quite comfortable, but I love the feel of the islander neck - YMMV.

- On my Pono, it took a while for me to get the strings right - I don't know what the concerts are like, but my tenor comes alive with higher tension strings. I'd do a little research to see if that is a sound you like.

- the islanders that I've tried have sounded decent to me - the main impression I've come away with is that I really like how they feel.

I'll add that I have owned both the Pono and the Islander concert but only the laminated Islander. I did not like the Pono concert - the neck was too thick and the uke was overbuilt. The sound was dead. However, the friend I sold it too loves it - so to each their own. That's why for me if those were my only two choices it would be the Islander.

As you can see this is really a personal preference thing. There is no clear objective answer.

Pueo said:

Based on my experience, the Pono.
I have not tried both of these exact models, but the Ponos I have played (especially the one I own) are very high quality and play well and sound great. The Islanders I have played are nice enough, but I have not seen one that I thought was all that special. There is a local musician that we see regularly who recently got an Islander ukulele and has used it at a couple of gigs. I am not really a fan of the sound - It's hard to explain, it's just - plain I guess is how I would describe it.

I really like Joe Souza and Kanilea products, and I really want to like the Islanders, but I have just not been wowed by any of them yet. I find them to be similar to other import brands like Kala and Ohana. The Ponos I find to be typically better than those.

That is just my opinion, the best advice it to try them for yourself.

Click to expand...

I feel the same way. The Ponos compare very well towards the higher end, whereas the Islanders are pretty similar to other brands manufactured in China (not that this is a bad thing). Strings may be a factor, and you might want to change them on either one, if you don't like the particular sound. The Pono Concert I had sounded really good with Worth strings.

katysax said:

I'll add that I have owned both the Pono and the Islander concert but only the laminated Islander. I did not like the Pono concert - the neck was too thick and the uke was overbuilt. The sound was dead. However, the friend I sold it too loves it - so to each their own. That's why for me if those were my only two choices it would be the Islander.

As you can see this is really a personal preference thing. There is no clear objective answer.

Click to expand...

Thanks very much everybody for your input. I did not know about the necks. I do prefer a shallower neck I have a Bruko Concert and that is thick. I just wished I lived near a store that held them both it is very frustrating.