Pono ATDC Solid acacia tenor - review

bazmaz

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Suspect it would be nice - it's bright so the low G will mellow it a little, but it wont go overly mellow
 
Excellent review. Everything you say about that instrument is exactly the same as my experience with Ponos.
 
Yes, this one really pleased me as all other Ponos I have played have been top notch. No reason that this one wouldnt be but you worry something will come along and spoil the magic.

Thankfully it didn't!
 
Nice review.... Thanks for posting. I agree totally on comments on tone, complexity and chime. My reference point is the Pono AT which is further down the line but all solid Acacia wood with Matt finish. I can only imagine how nice the ATDC is with gloss finish. I also really like the look of their cutaway. Never played one bot know I will love it. Frets on all the Pono's I have played have been Perfect.
 
I have read that the non gloss models of the same woods can sound a little mellower, but I suspect it's marginal. I own both gloss and non gloss Ponos in various sizes and love them all.
 
A Pono ATD was my first nice uke and I've got no regrets! Very nice ukes! Thanks for the review!
 
I sometimes think that despite owning things like Kanile'a and Ko'aloha that Pono instruments is really all I actually need - never let me down
 
That is the nicest looking Pono I've ever seen. I sure learn a lot reading your reviews Barry!
 
I'm looking at the Pono ATD, but I notice the wood on the one you reviewed is a totally different look. The wood is more figured and lighter. Since the only difference is the cutaway, why do the woods look so different on Hawaii Music?
 
I think it's simply because they vary quite a bit. I've seen pictures of other ones of these that also differ.
 
The instruments for stock photos are generally chosen for maximum eye-candy. They are often not representative.

I have three Pono acacia-bodied ukes. Only one has the dark streaks normally seen on acacia ukes or in the HMS photos, and these streaks aren't particularly dramatic. The other two Ponos are distinctive in being almost entirely honey-blonde, with no dark streaks at all. All the grain, though, appears to be fairly straight, which may be what Pono is more concerned about, as straight-grained woods tend to be tonally superior.
 
Thanks for the comprehensive review. This is one of the best in terms of wood beauty that I've seen including the beautiful Pono that I own. Just my opinion but your comment that binding is bling might warrant reconsideration. For me, a good solid binding is most important for protection of the beautiful wood. If you keep and play the instrument long enough, you WILL drop or ding it somewhere on the upper or lower bout. The binding is your first defense in an " awe shucks" moment. Enjoy your beautiful instrument.
 
The images on HMS are usually for exactly the instrument you'll be buying. It should say so in the description somewhere, though. In general, Ubulele's right, a lot of storefronts use photos of particularly great looking instruments or downright photoshop them (the vast majority of modern product photos pretty much everywhere are enhanced). I want to stress that HMS does NOT alter the images (the same goes for their sound examples: it's the real thing). It's very common in other areas, like in food catalogues for example.
 
The images on HMS are usually for exactly the instrument you'll be buying. It should say so in the description somewhere, though. In general, Ubulele's right, a lot of storefronts use photos of particularly great looking instruments or downright photoshop them (the vast majority of modern product photos pretty much everywhere are enhanced). I want to stress that HMS does NOT alter the images (the same goes for their sound examples: it's the real thing). It's very common in other areas, like in food catalogues for example.

It depends on the model: for most factory-built ukes, the HMS photos are usually stock photos, not photos of the exact instrument you'll be getting (though they do take the photos themselves). In fact, the photos may show different features from what current models have. And the spec details often have small errors (incomplete editing after copy/paste or perhaps just not updated with all changes). None of the Ponos I bought from HMS, not even the Pro Classics, were the same instruments pictured in the listings or played in the videos. Only the Kanile'a I bought was the exact instrument pictured. There is no attempt to mislead, but they do use common listings rather than creating a separate listing for each uke, until you get to a certain level of uniqueness. This is standard practice for most vendors, though HMS (and Uke Republic) do not use the manufacturers' stock photos, which might have been doctored.

Perhaps you're thinking of Mim's Ukes: her eBay listings show the exact uke you're buying; only in the case of the very cheapest ukes does she not take individual photos.
 
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