Drooling tips - concert scale

Well, I probably shouldnt make this post yet, as I am not going to buy a new uke for at least a few months, only drool over nice ukes online. But since I am courious, and you all like to share your knowledge, I will make it anyway.

So, last year I bougth my Makala MK-C, first uke, loved it.
A few month ago I bougth a tenor fluke, love it, the intonation and volume is great.

But now, when I pick up my Makala MK, the clearer tone and better intonation of the fluke has spoiled me - it is not the same ! For some fast strumming the tenor fluke is a bit loud and boomy, so I sometimes feel the need to pick up my concert.

Conclusion: At some point I will probably get a better quality concert or long neck soprano for songs with fast strumming. And I might as well get some inspiration well ahead

I know that I am looking for:
- Great intonation out of the box/with setup from european vendor
- A slender neck, not chunky like the fluke
- geared tuners
- pricerange like $200 up to about $400.
- wooden block for strapbutton
- at least the top should be solid

So when I go window shopping online, which brands should I look for?
As far as the neck goes, I understand that Pono and Gretch have chunky necks while Kala and Martin have slender ones. And since the local ukulele pusher has a nice showroom with the two latter brands, they have a head start.

Now before I spend all my time looking at online alternatives that look fantastic, not knowing if they deliver what I am looking for, please enligthen me about brands that you think will suit me

Solid wood top Kala.

(Probably spruce.)

Just my thoughts.

I'd look at Ohanas at the southern ukulele store. Ohanas have the slender profile you're looking for and sus does setups on all their ukes.

Not sure if the two brands you favor will be a real upgrade from your Fluke. Maybe look at KoAloha's Opio line? They're all solid wood, just as good as some of the finest Hawaiian instruments, and close to your upper price limit:

http://www.southernukulelestore.co....oncert-Ukulele-All-Solid-Sapele-Free-pod-case

By the way: I've measured the necks on all of my ukes, and Pono is only slightly above average. Very similar to Ko'olau, KoAloha Opio Tenor, LFdM, Beau Hannam, John Kinnard, and Hoffmann AKA Boat Paddle. Kanilea is thinner, but wider, making for a similar circumference.

Good luck with your search, let us know what you'll end up with!

If you would be buying now, Omega has some deals.

http://www.omegamusic.co.uk/collections/concert-ukulele

Edit: I think you might like this one http://www.omegamusic.co.uk/products/kala-ka-acp-ctg-solid-cedar-concert-ukulele I have the bari version, which has great tone.

cml said:

I'd look at Ohanas at the southern ukulele store. Ohanas have the slender profile you're looking for and sus does setups on all their ukes.

Click to expand...

I will keep those in mind then. I browsed their site the other day, many beatiful Ohanas, I just didn't know about their neck profile.

Rakelele said:

Not sure if the two brands you favor will be a real upgrade from your Fluke. Maybe look at KoAloha's Opio line? They're all solid wood, just as good as some of the finest Hawaiian instruments, and close to your upper price limit:

http://www.southernukulelestore.co....oncert-Ukulele-All-Solid-Sapele-Free-pod-case

By the way: I've measured the necks on all of my ukes, and Pono is only slightly above average. Very similar to Ko'olau, KoAloha Opio Tenor, LFdM, Beau Hannam, John Kinnard, and Hoffmann AKA Boat Paddle. Kanilea is thinner, but wider, making for a similar circumference.

Good luck with your search, let us know what you'll end up with!

Click to expand...

Well, it s not my Koa Fluke I am looking to upgrade, it is a wonderfull tenor uke, and the sustain and volume is great for the slower strumming and fingerpicking. It is my Makala MK concert I am looking to upgrade, for different kinds of playing.

That KoAloha is a beaut, though it seems to have friction tuners.
Thanks for the neck measurements, good overview!

Earlier this year, my wife an I went shopping for a concert uke in Hawaii, with a budget of up to $500. We ended up getting a Mele Mango Concert. We loved the sweet sound over all the others we tried, and we picked the mango wood because it sounded so different to my acacia tenor. Unlike the Opio, it has geared tuners. Their mahogany models would be within your budget. From memory, they sounded good, and they had a much warmer, rounder sound than the mango wood, which is very bright.

FWIW, the Opio was our second choice in terms of sound. We also have a Luna Tattoo Pineapple, which was our first uke, and is fine, but nowhere near the same league.

I should also mention the downside of the Mele, which is that the finish can be a bit messy. They are handmade and they look it. They just don't have the clean finish of a mass-produced model like a Pono, or the attention to detail of something that has been lovingly crafted by an expert luthier.

http://meleukulele.com/product-category/mele-ukuleles/concert/

If you want a sound sample, have a look on the SOTU playlists.

Mele are great ukes for the money, I have two and the finish is very nice on both. Mainland is another to consider, and one of the best values (in my opinion) in solid wood ukes.

The KoAloha friction tuners are really good, I have them on my Opio concert. I plan to sell it at some point (it's pretty much new, just a few months old, but I seem to focusing more on the smaller and especially biggest sizes now), but yes, friction tuners.