Hey Steve,
I am in the rare mood of checking UU. My email is a always a mess of messages so I stopped linking comments from here like I used to. My apologies for any I missed. Anyway as far as your loaded question…
I haven't seen any production level factory (from anywhere) nail the curvature and set of a neck like my brother Noa does. Only the absolute best master builders pull this off…. always. The rest we consistently adjust (often with a fret dress)… with Pono 90% fine tuning can happen with the truss rod.
In our setup process I am so glad to have the truss rod that Ponos have. And yet I never feel it necessary on a Ko'olau. Plus, a Pono truss rod can cure a remote possible problem that warranty covers on a Ko'olau years later. And even still, it's a piece of cake (and inexpensive if not under warranty) on a bolt on neck like Ko'olau to do a neck reset even though I never (ever) see that needed even after 20+ years of selling them. One day Pono's will have that but to date they are dovetail much like Martin. I say that without fully knowing what Martin are doing at this point. I know much of their production moved to mortise and tenon when I was still doing warranty repair on them…But every production I only wish for a truss rod to fine tune curvature. More often than not….
Anyways, anytime you get something from us we are here for you with any issues for many years. That is part of what we offer and enjoy giving as a service we specialize in. And even if you didn't get it from us, if it has to do with my family and what they make, contact me and I will help as best I can anytime.
Congrats Steve. Ko'olau (especially those made within the past few years) are a level of instrument many are not aware of. Enjoy!
I see, Andrew. Wow, that is a wonderful and thorough explanation. I understand your point about production ukuleles needing the tweak. And now I know also about the difference in the necks between Pono and KoOlau. I have to say, your brother Noa's skills at setting the intonation and neck are exemplary. My pal, also a Steve, was a professional piano tuner and restorer for many years. He did his super thorough check on the KoOlau T100 and it passed his sensitive ear, up and down the fretboard, glowingly! That's hard to do--he's so particular and knowledgable.
What I have noticed, Andrew and Ice and Pere, is that an instrument with impeccable intonation, action ideally set, has a playability and sound that is difficult to describe--it just sounds and feels "right". Not that I can tell when intonation is two-cents off on one of my lesser ukuleles by ear when I try to find it, yet when everything is intoned perfectly, the brain just says: "Yep. That is ideal." Something perceptible about the way it harmonizes between notes or sustains or something. Hard for an amateur to put a finger on it.
The only ukulele that I ever owned that was in the ballpark of this KoOlau is the Asturias supersoprano, which I still have and played last night! One of the ukes that I bought from your store, Andrew. It truly is a work of perfection, little known Asturias brand from Japan. A songbird.
Thanks again, Andrew. Appreciate your wisdom. I agree, these KoOLaus are the best of the "K's". There--I said it!
(PS I hope you got some voice-recognition software for all those emails you get. Either Dragon Naturally Speaking, or simple Siri on recent iPads works amazingly well. I send all my emails on it now, and even post on UU with Siri on my iPad now. Try it out on yours, brother Andrew.)