8-string Pono alternatives

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blodzoom

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I got a chance to play with an 8-string Mahogany Pono the other day and really liked it but it was my first time even holding an 8-stringer.

I'm not sure that I'm looking to buy one but I'm curious about what the options are. It seems that there are a few cheap ones out there, and then there are K brands with just the Pono in the middle. Are there any mid-ranged 8-stringers that anyone recommends?

EDIT: Is there a reason that Mahogany seems to be the primary wood for 8-stringers, or is that just Koolau/Pono?
 
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Lanikai O-8, if you can find one. It's still my go-to uke. I have not completely warmed up to it's replacement, the SOT-8. Both have solid spruce tops, with laminated back & sides.

Someone will probably also recommend the Ohana TK-70-8, which also has a solid spruce top, but also has solid mahogany back & sides. I have not played one, so I can't comment.

Someone will probably also recommend the dirt-cheap Oscar Schmidt OU-28T, which is all-laminate mahogany. I have not played one, so I can't comment.

- FiL
 
Got the Oscar Schmidt OU28T quite a while ago. Still have it and have chnged the tunings on it several times just for the fun of it. For the person who is not sure if 8-string is for them, it makes trying it out a relatively inexpensive experiment. The sound is almost like a harpsichord when strummed rythmically and quite enjoyable. The only downer is the cheesy "Aloha" imprinted on the headstock - covered mine with a flag sticker.
 
No offense to Pono, but I had a Pono 8 string and did not play it that often. I played an Oscar Schmidt and found a great deal on one from, of all places, Best Buy. I think it was less than $100 new. For what I use it for, the Schmidt was pretty much equivalent, so I sold the Pono.
 
I might be shallow, but I really care what the ukes that I own look like. I'm still pretty new to this, maybe I'll stop caring after I own a few more (I suck at not buying things) but that schmidt just doesn't do it for me. I do like the slotted headstock on the Lanikai and it's not bad looking, but then I see This Beauty

I probably should just walk away for a couple days.
 
anthonyg said:
In the mid range you can also consider Mele ukuleles. http://meleukulele.com

I have an 8 string Koa tenor from Mele. Its a sweet sounding instrument.

Anthony
Click to expand...

This is the kind of thing I was hoping to find. I've never really looked at Mele ukes. That Koa 8-string is $900 though, that's getting up there pretty far. I wish there was somewhere that I could try them out.
 
blodzoom said:
This is the kind of thing I was hoping to find. I've never really looked at Mele ukes. That Koa 8-string is $900 though, that's getting up there pretty far. I wish there was somewhere that I could try them out.
Click to expand...

The solid mahogany model is only $650. Thats mid range. Your always going to pay extra for Hawaiian Koa.

Anthony
 
At less than $300 bucks, properly set up from Mims or Uke republic, the Ohana TK 70-8 is, in my opinion, the biggest bang for the buck in an 8 string. It's strikingly full, loud, and chimey for that kind of money and compares favorably with some costing twice as much. I helped Mike at Uke Republic "demo" one recently and based on sound alone, a group of ukers were "all over it" at the Tampa Bay Uke Getaway last November. The guy that had it in his hands didn't leave go of it and ended up buying it. Substantially better sounding than it's less expensive counterparts. Not the "prettiest" 8 string tenor out there, but oh that tone.
 
FiL said:
Lanikai O-8, if you can find one. It's still my go-to uke. I have not completely warmed up to it's replacement, the SOT-8. Both have solid spruce tops, with laminated back & sides.

Someone will probably also recommend the Ohana TK-70-8, which also has a solid spruce top, but also has solid mahogany back & sides. I have not played one, so I can't comment.

Someone will probably also recommend the dirt-cheap Oscar Schmidt OU-28T, which is all-laminate mahogany. I have not played one, so I can't comment.

- FiL
Click to expand...
I've got an 0-8 I bought here and I'll sell it for what I paid, I don't really need 2! $160
 
Mele makes decent ukes and I do own two Mele 8's and they sound awesome. I have a solid Mango and a Koa top Mahoghany.

My husband has one of their imported Hula 8's and it sounds great, but made in China gets the pricepoint way down. He has spruce top but I have tested the all mahoghany and it is bell like. He also owns two Mele tenor 6's

Mahoghany is a good wood choice, smack dab in ukulele range, but frankly the tone changes with wood (which is why we have so many). Itʻs a stable wood and is great for beginners.

I just bought my grandson a Kala tenor 8 and it has no problem getting the sound right, bought the KA-8e, but the KA-ASAC was a notch better sounding.

Be sure to get a case when you buy, the headstocks donʻt fit in an awful lot of tenor cases and sometimes are a chore to find fit.
 
I bought a "well loved" Lanikai LU8E for £60 including hard case, and after a bit of work turned it from this

UU1.jpg

into this

UU2.jpg

And after putting a set of Living Water strings on it.

UU11.jpgUU10.jpg

The original had it's bridge pulled off and so was repaired with a nice piece of solid spruce.

So, just go looking for a really tatty one and have a go at a refurb.

Good fun and it looks OK now, and sounds fantastic.
 
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blodzoom said:
Good point. Why do nicer things always have to cost more?
Click to expand...

Actually, I learned recently that the wood is endangered. They're only allowed to use koa that's either fallen to the ground or deadwood. It's especially complicated because cows like to eat the saplings.

A bit more costly, but we have to preserve the wood of kings.
 
Nice work, Steve in Kent. I'm too lazy and busy to pull off something like that, i don't even have enough time to play the ukes that I have. but it would be pretty rewarding if you ended up with something that you enjoy playing. I just ordered the Pono MTD8 from HMS. I couldn't resist the pretty.


Now I've bought 4 ukes in less than a year. I should probably get better at playing.
 
blodzoom said:
Nice work, Steve in Kent. I'm too lazy and busy to pull off something like that, i don't even have enough time to play the ukes that I have. but it would be pretty rewarding if you ended up with something that you enjoy playing. I just ordered the Pono MTD8 from HMS. I couldn't resist the pretty.


Now I've bought 4 ukes in less than a year. I should probably get better at playing.
Click to expand...

Now I'm jealous, that'd be a nice big brother to my Pono MCD
 
KA-ASAC-T8 Kala Acacia Tenor 8-String Ukulele Is a nice sounding instrument, I tried it and liked it, did not need for self though.
 
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My first uke was the Kala KA-8. Laminate mahogany. I couldn't handle the reaches for bar chords, but for the chords I could play it sounded really sweet. (Subsequently learned I have to play sopranos or concerts.) I would have kept it if I could have played it, but I sold it and the current owner is very happy with it. It's very affordable, so I'd check it out from Mim or UkeRepublic.
 
hendulele said:
My first uke was the Kala KA-8. Laminate mahogany. I couldn't handle the reaches for bar chords, but for the chords I could play it sounded really sweet. (Subsequently learned I have to play sopranos or concerts.) I would have kept it if I could have played it, but I sold it and the current owner is very happy with it. It's very affordable, so I'd check it out from Mim or UkeRepublic.
Click to expand...

That KA-ASAC-T8 Kala Acacia Tenor 8-String does look nice, I do like slotted headstocks.

The mahogany Pono looks gorgeous in real life though.

My next ukulele will probably be the Kanile'a K1 concert, over twice the price of my Pono MCD, but after trying lots of ukuleles I had to go that high to hear a difference.

Says a lot about Pono's I suppose.

And I am getting more and more jealous about the Pono MTD8 :)
 
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