4stringsinner
Well-known member
Got the email saying it was shipped out on Friday and had to wait all weekend for it to be delivered to my shop. Luckily I had my Kala and Luna to play while I waited. The good people at HMS did an awesome job on picking this one out for me. I can find no fault, no issues, not a single thing I could say is not perfect about it. I had no special instructions other than packing it up nice. Which they did in spades. I did not contact them other than just ordering during their Memorial Day sale online. It was setup by Elijah and he did as good a job as I have ever seen. I am a very, very happy customer. I had to stop playing to eat dinner and gush about how good HMS did.
So much different than my Kala KA-TG. Not that I have any complaints about my Kala. I really love it for being a laminate body. But the Pono is just plain beautiful. I really like the grain pattern and am so glad I went for the AT instead of the MT. Its tone is brighter and a bit more alive compared to my Kala which is a hog laminate. Also the Pono has Ko'olau Golds and the Kala has Aquila Nylguts. It took me 2 years to eventually change the strings on my Luna so we will see how long the Pono and Kala go before I do a string change. Right now I'm very happy with the golds. Oh, and it is strung high G. The neck and frets are perfect. Barre chords are easier and I like the neck shape and feel. Intonation is perfect all down the neck. Like I said, Elijah O. set it up and it is a joy for my old crippled mechanic's hands to play.
I'll get some pictures up a bit later. Right now I got to go and play the little gem. Its not the Mya Moe, Kamaka, or the Moore Bettah uke I dream I can someday own. But till that day comes. I will be very happy with the Pono AT. And who knows? After it settles and opens up a bit I may stop dreaming of finding the "one". Might have already found it.
Just another bit of fanboy gushing over the folks at HMS. I've bought maybe 75 stringed instruments from various music instrument suppliers over the years both online and in store. And only my Kala KA-TG and the Pono At that both came from HMS have not had some kind of issue or need to be what in my mind is perfection. And I have owned a few "custom shop" guitars that were not as well setup. And were returned.
So much different than my Kala KA-TG. Not that I have any complaints about my Kala. I really love it for being a laminate body. But the Pono is just plain beautiful. I really like the grain pattern and am so glad I went for the AT instead of the MT. Its tone is brighter and a bit more alive compared to my Kala which is a hog laminate. Also the Pono has Ko'olau Golds and the Kala has Aquila Nylguts. It took me 2 years to eventually change the strings on my Luna so we will see how long the Pono and Kala go before I do a string change. Right now I'm very happy with the golds. Oh, and it is strung high G. The neck and frets are perfect. Barre chords are easier and I like the neck shape and feel. Intonation is perfect all down the neck. Like I said, Elijah O. set it up and it is a joy for my old crippled mechanic's hands to play.
I'll get some pictures up a bit later. Right now I got to go and play the little gem. Its not the Mya Moe, Kamaka, or the Moore Bettah uke I dream I can someday own. But till that day comes. I will be very happy with the Pono AT. And who knows? After it settles and opens up a bit I may stop dreaming of finding the "one". Might have already found it.
Just another bit of fanboy gushing over the folks at HMS. I've bought maybe 75 stringed instruments from various music instrument suppliers over the years both online and in store. And only my Kala KA-TG and the Pono At that both came from HMS have not had some kind of issue or need to be what in my mind is perfection. And I have owned a few "custom shop" guitars that were not as well setup. And were returned.
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