3 Koa Tenors: Moore Bettah, Pegasus, Kanile'a

Doc_J

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Just wanted to share how different 3 koa tenors can sound, depending on the builder and strings. Each sounds terrific but different.

I've included in the sound sample:
at 0:00 Moore Bettah, with South Coast HML-RW + Fremont Soloist low G
at 1:50 Kanile'a Super Tenor, satin finish with Oasis brights low G.
at 3:35 Pegasus, with PHD reentrant


The mic was a Blue Yeti with cardioid pattern, correcting 3 dB at 2,000Hz for a flat response.

https://app.box.com/s/kzmkmh3buv9h3iiyrd7y

I think the Moore Bettah and Kanile'a sound best in linear C tuning, while the Pegasus shines with reentrant strings in C tuning. All have thin fast necks and low action. The Kanile'a has the widest fretboard and the widest body (being a super tenor). The wider body add some additional resonance and overtones, compared to a standard Kanile'a tenor. The Pegasus and Moore Bettah have deeper bodies to accomplish nice resonance and overtones. While all the bodies are koa, the fretboards are ebony, milo, and rosewood, for the Moore Bettah, Pegasus, and Kanile'a, respectively. Each has a different bracing design. Fan bracing, X-bracing, and TRU bracing.

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Wow Hodge, they all sound great but if I had to choose one I think it would be the Kanelea.

But for looks? My God...the Pegasus is beyond beautiful!

(Now I must go and change my underwear)
 
Thanks so much for all these great comparisons, they are very helpful!
 
Another great one, Hodge. Any thoughts on playability comparison?
 
Another great one, Hodge. Any thoughts on playability comparison?

Playability is best for me on the Moore Bettah, perfectly designed, executed and set up. The Pegasus was almost too low at the nut. The Kanilea is last of the three in terms of playability, and took some time to get the action lowered enough at the nut and saddle to feel and sound good. However, all three are easy players.
 
They all sounded great.

I had a little bit of difficulty trying to compare when I just had ONE screen open because the similar parts are separated by so much time. So I opened it up in another screen I would start one section on the second uke, and the other screen on either the first or third. I was able to hear each section side by side to make a comparison with only a few seconds delay.

My conclusion is any one of them will do. :)
 
OMG, Hodge, I gasped when I saw this thread. I thought you were selling three ukes at one time!

I'm really attracted to that Pegasus uke.
 
OMG, Hodge, I gasped when I saw this thread. I thought you were selling three ukes at one time!

I'm really attracted to that Pegasus uke.

Thanks Ginny. My Moore Bettah is lifetime instrument for certain, and most probably the Pegasus, too.
 
Thank you for another great comparison.

All three ukes sounded wonderful, but in different ways, as you noted.

I was impressed with how well the Kanelia super tenor compared in the sound sample to the other very (beautiful) very high end customs.

Was there a lot of searching involved to find the string sets that best suited each ukulele that you recorded with ?
 
I was impressed with how well the Kanile'a super tenor compared in the sound sample to the other very (beautiful) very high end customs.

Me too! I own 2 Kanile'a Ukuleles and am very happy with both of them.

I've never played either the MB nor the Pegasis ukes. Sure are pretty to look at.
 
Was there a lot of searching involved to find the string sets that best suited each ukulele that you recorded with ?

Chuck did all the work figuring out about strings on the Moore Bettah. I had some help from a friend in selecting the PHD strings for reentrant tuning on the Pegasus, a big improvement on the Hilo strings that came with it. For the Kanilea, I just used my goto strings, Oasis, replacing the Aquila it had. It might sound even better with South Coast HML-RW, or Fremont Black lines.
 
Another great review, you are always making excellent contributions and I really enjoy them, thank you. I am a recently converted Low G guy but the Pegusus really is one of the nicest re-entrant ukes I have heard. The PHD strings really sound great, time for me to buy some more. Might try them on my Koaloha Opio concert.

The MB is everything and more, amazing note seperation and very musical. I also love the Kanilea, seems your go to string set is a winner. How do you find the tension of the Oasis strings. Some think it is high, I have only tried them for a short period but they sound great
 
Another great review, you are always making excellent contributions and I really enjoy them, thank you. I am a recently converted Low G guy but the Pegusus really is one of the nicest re-entrant ukes I have heard. The PHD strings really sound great, time for me to buy some more. Might try them on my Koaloha Opio concert.

The MB is everything and more, amazing note seperation and very musical. I also love the Kanilea, seems your go to string set is a winner. How do you find the tension of the Oasis strings. Some think it is high, I have only tried them for a short period but they sound great

The SouthCoast HML-RW are higher tension than the Oasis strings. I really don't notice high tension on the Oasis strings when playing if the set up is low at the nut. Had to work on the set up of the Kanilea to feel/sound good even with original Aquila strings. The NuBone nut with premolded slots seemed not to be modified as received, and the strings were too high at the first fret (.050+). I usually like about half that (.025-.030).
 
Hodge, I find your comparison of different Redwood, Spruce, and Koa tops very instructive, and now I wonder if you notice certain characteristics that appear to be inherent to those woods rather than to the specific makers? Like they say that Spruce has a tendency to be bright and so on...?
 
Hodge, I find your comparison of different Redwood, Spruce, and Koa tops very instructive, and now I wonder if you notice certain characteristics that appear to be inherent to those woods rather than to the specific makers? Like they say that Spruce has a tendency to be bright and so on...?

I believe that the design, builder, and strings can do much to make an ukulele sound a particular way. Body size,shape, sound board thickness, stiffness, bracing, etc. varies quite a bit on these 3. To my ears on my ukes, spruce has a nice clarity and crispness, but can have some warm and rich, too. Redwood add a bit more warmth and overtones for me. Koa sounds in between these two with more of a percussive element. Your ears may hear something different. :)

In a blind test I most probably would not be able to figure out the wood on a uke being played.
 
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