Solid bodied recommendations

igorthebarbarian

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Hola guys, I am in the process of moving from a 3 bedroom stand-alone house down to a 2-bedroom apartment. So I'll be sharing walls and need to probably weed out the herd a bit too. And probably no more banjo ukes :( or I'll have to mute them heavily. That said, does anyone have any recommendations on a solid bodied uke? I need it be quiet obviously (I realize that sort of goes against everything in principal). I've had a early Eleuke which was good but maybe something nicer than that.

Maybe a Fluke SB? Also there's not a lot of Baritones unless you go up to the Pono's which might be too much / out of my price range (they're about $700 at HMS). Any personal recommendations that you have or have played?

Thanks!
 
I got a Pono solidbody baritone last month and it's fantastic. If that's what you want, save you pennies because it's worth all of them. It's not super quiet. In fact, it can be kind of loud, but don't play it hard and you can probably get away with it.
 
Thanks Phil. I do like and trust MIM. I didn't realize she was selling Pono's now. I guess - if like Hippie Guy says - you're going to do it and spend the big money, I should get the baritone that I'd probably want. But there's a part of me that doesn't think a good enough player to warrant spending that much money on a uke!
 
I love my Pono TE Mango Deluxe from HMS.

There are a lot of lovers of the Godin Multiuke too. In fact, there's a modified Koa Godin on sale at the Marketplace right now.
 
. But there's a part of me that doesn't think a good enough player to warrant spending that much money on a uke!
Thats crazy talk. :) Cost has more to do with desire than skill.

If you're open to a great steel string option, look into the Konablaster from Blue Star Guitar. The stock baritone is under $350 but has a longer scale than I like so I got a custom 19" bari still under $400
 
There are a lot of lovers of the Godin Multiuke too. In fact, there's a modified Koa Godin on sale at the Marketplace right now.

I was just playing it, sounds and plays great! Best off all worlds: great acoustic tone, great amplified acoustic tone, and access to a ton of sounds with 13-pin output!

Just waiting for the right new owner...
 
Will give you my recommendations based on both those I have played and own. I find that at the cheaper end, the pickups really let down the ultra cheap ones and as such I would rule out the Eleukes myself too - never played a nice one. Of the others

1. Risa Uke Solid - great value - looks that some people hate - but very playable - great pickup and perfect backup / practice uke
2. Godin Multiuke - not really a true solid body (chambered) but very quiet for practice - SUPERB instrument - and one of the nicest necks I have played on a uke
3. Custom - I had a solid body made for me in the UK by Tinguitar - it is JUST SUBLIME - I put that out there for interest only - but a custom build gives you all the options you could wish for.

Best tip for solid bodies - all about the pickup. They are built to make little noise unplugged and therefore they need to do ONE THING well - and that is play good plugged in. Never will understand the drive to cheap nasty versions - they do that horribly.
 
Risa Uke'Ellie. More conventional than the Risa Uke Solid (aka Risa Stick) but the same high quality manufacture and pickup.

Best tip for solid bodies - all about the pickup. They are built to make little noise unplugged and therefore they need to do ONE THING well - and that is play good plugged in. Never will understand the drive to cheap nasty versions - they do that horribly.

Totally agree.
 
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I had forgot about the Konablaster as an option --- and reasonable at that too. I know you and Iamesper are/were big fans - and he did some wonderful ambient stuff with his. Do you have it DBGE and is it just normal electric guitar strings on it? And is it fairly quiet unplugged with whatever strings it uses? I don't want to move in and get complaints right away! Don't want to be that guy!

Also, I didn't realize there were so many options, which is nice - thank you all. I think I'd go baritone since I kind of like the deeper tone.

I guess I know where some of my tax refund is going this year!

Thats crazy talk. :) Cost has more to do with desire than skill.

If you're open to a great steel string option, look into the Konablaster from Blue Star Guitar. The stock baritone is under $350 but has a longer scale than I like so I got a custom 19" bari still under $400
 
I'll make a few comments on the instruments mentioned...


GODIN:
I don't think a Godin is appropriate for what you need.
They are great, amazing electric ukuleles. I owned one and I loved it. However they are not made to be silent unplugged. They have a significant acoustic sound volume and people will hear it through the walls. My family certainly noticed when I played it late at night!



RISA:

The Risa's....
Well I have owned nearly every Risa electric model:
-Soprano, Concert and Tenor Uku-solids
-Soprano and Tenor steel string electric (single coils)
-Soprano and Tenor steel string Les Paul style electric (humbuckers)

I absolutely loved their steel string models. However, they do tend to be quite an investment. Certainly worth it though!


The nylon-strung Uke-solids.. I have mixed feelings now.
Pros:
-Excellent sound quality from Shadow pickups
-Compact, sleek design
-Good, neat construction


Cons:
-I did not like how the strings are held at the top of the ukulele. Basically there are 4 pinsized holes at the top of the ukulele, through which you thread the strings into and tie a knot. Some of the wood gets worn away each time you change strings and often the knot in the string would get jammed in the hole. It is a torturous chore to get that stuck string out of the hole

-The wood they use to make the Uke-Solids is just about the softest, most fragile wood I've ever seen used on an ukulele.
While the instrument may appear rugged and durable, the wood itself is very prone to denting. Just the tiniest bump and it will get dents and dings.


As mentioned, the Uke-Ellie does "fix" some of the issues I've mentioned. However, I personally cannot stand friction tuners.
If the Uke-Ellie came with peghead tuners, then I would consider getting one.


I have not tried this particular electric ukulele myself, but it seems interesting:
http://www.amazon.com/Traveler-Guit...13535&sr=8-4&keywords=electric+travel+ukulele

They seem to have copied the concept of the Risa uke-stick and improved upon how the strings attach to the instrument.
Instead of having those pinholes that I complained about, they have the strings tie into loops. A far more durable and sensible idea, in my opinion.
They have the same electronics (Shadow) as the Risa, so they *should* sound similar.



ELEUKE

Ok, I owned 5 different Eleukes in the past. Some were the older models, some were new. Quality control has been hit and miss, although better results with the newer models.

However, I have yet to hear anything negative from someone who has had the new and improved Teton models.

I think the problem with the Eleukes was that the company used a crappy undersaddle piezo. Theoretically, I could swap the stock undersaddle element and replace it with something that I know will improve it greatly (an Artec undersaddle pickup). However, I don't currently have an Eleuke to try this on.



PONO:

In my opinion, if the Pono solid body is not out of your price range, it may be the best quality and value:
This one's currently $559 with case!
http://www.theukulelesite.com/shop-by/brand/pono/pono-te-tenor-electric-acacia.html
*barely being able to resist myself*
 
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on the ones that use steel strings - like the Eastwood tenor guitar and I assume the Konablaster bari - I assume you're using steel strings? And how loud are those unplugged? I'd probably get a headphone amp/ portable amp thingy.
And/or I'm guessing that the Pono bari solid-body just uses regular DGBE bari strings - usually DG wound and fluoro/nylagut for the BE.
 
on the ones that use steel strings - like the Eastwood tenor guitar and I assume the Konablaster bari - I assume you're using steel strings? And how loud are those unplugged? I'd probably get a headphone amp/ portable amp thingy.
And/or I'm guessing that the Pono bari solid-body just uses regular DGBE bari strings - usually DG wound and fluoro/nylagut for the BE.


Have you ever played a steel string electric guitar?
thats exactly how the Eastwood tenor guitar or any other steel string electric uke will sound.

Not loud, but you just hear the faint clang of strings.

And you would definitely use electric guitar steel strings - otherwise they wont work! The pickups are magnetic!

That being said, I've also owned the Eastwood tenor guitar and tuned it like baritone uke. It is an awesome instrument! I advise getting medium or heavy gauge electric guitar strings since it has a shorter scale than a guitar
 
I think I'm going to save up and/or hope for a big tax refund for a Pono solid bodied baritone from HMS. Tune it standard DGBE. Will update when I get the funds funded.
 
I think I'm going to save up and/or hope for a big tax refund for a Pono solid bodied baritone from HMS. Tune it standard DGBE. Will update when I get the funds funded.

Awesome choice! I am envious
 
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