Who plays a resonator..& why?
- Thread starter Tailgate
- Start date
I recently picked up a Kala concert resonator, mainly for blues. I also like the one Gretsch just came out with, but wonder if it cuts strings like the Kala did before than added a conventional "bridge."?
Susie A
Well-known member
Me! I too have a Kala, got it from Mike @UkeRepublic. Perfect setup. What type music? Bluegrassy music. Also found it nice for childrens songs. I got the lighter color one and am wondering if I could stain it blue.
I think the resonator is good for bluegrass/ banjo type songs, and the blues, maybe some jazz standards. It is good for providing increased volume when playing with other instruments. They look really cool too.
–Lori
–Lori
fernandogardinali
Well-known member
I play a Republic Guitars resonator uke. I use it as an alternative to wooden ukuleles to get more volume when I play acoustically with my band to compete with the Smith & Young lap steel guitar and with the 1928 National tenor guitar my bandmates play.
janeray1940
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I'm starting to seriously consider one of these National resos, mainly for the volume more than any particular style of music. I like that they are still small (concert neck on soprano body, if what I've been told is correct) but can keep up sound-wise with the tenor and concert ukes that most of the folks I play with have.
CaleKnight
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These look really neat! I've been playing around with some other folks, and my uke doesn't compete very well with the volume being put out by their two guitars and a banjo.
anthonyg
Well-known member
Resonators are old fashioned instruments intended to be LOUD in an age before amplification. I have a Rally banjo ukulele resonator and that instrument is REALLY loud. Mind you not every resonator instrument you see around these days really is that loud.
Kala Concert resonator in point. It looks seriously COOL but when I played it I was disappointed. First up it wasn't really that loud at all. I've played well designed regular timber ukulele's that were louder. Even a Kala thin body travel ukulele is louder than the Kala resonator ukulele. Seriously. The sound of the Kala resonator was very strong in the midrange and very rock n roll but I cant say that its impressed me.
Anthony
Kala Concert resonator in point. It looks seriously COOL but when I played it I was disappointed. First up it wasn't really that loud at all. I've played well designed regular timber ukulele's that were louder. Even a Kala thin body travel ukulele is louder than the Kala resonator ukulele. Seriously. The sound of the Kala resonator was very strong in the midrange and very rock n roll but I cant say that its impressed me.
Anthony
On the original Kala reso, the knotted string ends slipped into slots cut into the cover plate....some tended to cut strings....so Kala now uses a regular bridge behind the cover plate to attach strings
I have a Regal resonator uke. The metal body one. It looks cool, is not affected by lack of humidity, it's loud and sounds different. I upgraded mine with Worth clear strings, a lock luthier fixed the intonation and installed a pickup.
I jones for a Mya-Moe tenor on occasion but right now I'm happy with my Regal.
I jones for a Mya-Moe tenor on occasion but right now I'm happy with my Regal.
M
Manalishi
Guest
I recently built myself a CBU style reso uke
and have barely played any of my others
since! I play old standards,a lot of rock
and a bit of blues and the reso does what
I need it to do perfectly.
and have barely played any of my others
since! I play old standards,a lot of rock
and a bit of blues and the reso does what
I need it to do perfectly.
I've been thinking about a resonator for the Blues.
I was thinking of a Kala resonator until this:
http://www.ukulelecosmos.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=28914
(A liitle way down into the thread.)
I then started to think of the Asbury resonator, but reviews of that are also very varied.
So I'm saving for a National.
h
I was thinking of a Kala resonator until this:
http://www.ukulelecosmos.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=28914
(A liitle way down into the thread.)
I then started to think of the Asbury resonator, but reviews of that are also very varied.
So I'm saving for a National.
h
Kayak Jim
Well-known member
I don't play a resonator but recently picked up a Mainland longneck cedar top. I'm normally not a big fan of the Aquilas stock on so many ukes but that baby really barks! Close enough to banjo like sound and volume for me and a nice alternative to my solid mahogany concert.
