I'm now a fan of radius fretboard

DownUpDave

DownUpDave

UU VIP
UU VIP
Joined
Mar 15, 2014
Messages
6,672
Reaction score
1,266
Location
Pickering, ON, Canada
I received my Pono ET-PC a couple of days ago and this is the first uke with a radius fretboard. I haven't done a NUD on it yet but I will, really nice instrument. I own a few tenors that have had pro level set ups done on them. I also own two Koaloha concerts that were set up by HMS and which I considered as easy to play as falling off a truck. That is until this Pono showed up.

The most noticable difference is in barr chords, it truly requires less effort and strain on my part to have all strings ring out clear. A couple disclaimer points are in order regarding that statement. I have only been playing about 6 months, though did play some guitar. I have a condition in my left hand fingers that prevents them from straightening completely so clean barr chords were always a lot of effort. The E string would rarely get pushed down all way because of this anatomical issue. But now it all sounds so sweet.

Here is a little something special I had HMS install on this tenor.....................UPTs



20141011_055454.jpg20141011_055326.jpg
 
Last edited:
Congratulations Dave! That's cool it came with the Gotoh UPTs!

More pics please! :)
 
Yes, brother Dave, on the UPTs. So much classier than geared. I'm with Hodge, we need pics, especially since I don't know what ETPC stands for.:rolleyes:
 
coolkayaker1 said:
Yes, brother Dave, on the UPTs. So much classier than geared. I'm with Hodge, we need pics, especially since I don't know what ETPC stands for.:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

ET-PC is the Pono Pro classic cedar and macassar ebony. I had Andrew retro fit it with the UPT as it comes standard with the sealed geared tuners.

Can someome PLEASE tell me how to get my pictures right side up, makes me crazy
 
DownUpDave said:
ET-PC is the Pono Pro classic cedar and macassar ebony. I had Andrew retro fit it with the UPT as it comes standard with the sealed geared tuners.

Can someome PLEASE tell me how to get my pictures right side up, makes me crazy
Click to expand...

Here is my procedure for posting pics. It's nothing special.
For my pictures I use a digital camera about 5 years old and has an 8 megapixel res with a nice 10x optical zoom. Most of the jpg pictures come out at about four megabytes. I usually correct for poor lighting and crop the picture with a free Microsoft OS picture viewer/editor software. Sometimes I'll change the resolution to half if it is a big picture, using a different photo editor. I upload the edited pics to my Photobucket.com library, and Click on my pictures in photobucket, one at a time. Then I'll right click and copy the image URL and paste that URL into requested URL box of "insert picture" on UU postings. That's it.
 
DownUpDave said:
ET-PC is the Pono Pro classic cedar and macassar ebony. I had Andrew retro fit it with the UPT as it comes standard with the sealed geared tuners.

Can someome PLEASE tell me how to get my pictures right side up, makes me crazy
Click to expand...

Can't help but be a little proud of my friend, Dave ... and a little responsible.

He has been playing my ETSH5 and I have been saying how much easier it is with barre chords and radius necks ... much less effort ... and he finally found a Uke worthy of his cash.

Andrew at HMS has done a really nice job on the Gotoh UPT's ... with the solid head stock, it looks really nice.
 
Jim Hanks said:
Turn your camera upside down when taking them. :p
Click to expand...


Um ... okay, that is easy ... I haven't figured it out yet, but will follow Hodge's instructions and get some pics up too of a NUD from Pono as well ... cheers. All.
 
nongdam said:
did they plug the holes for the screw in the back?
Click to expand...

Yes they did fill the holes. They had a bit of a nightmare (their words) because the original tuners dug into the wood in the back and left depressions. They drop filled the areas as best as possible. I was fine with it as you don't notice it unless you are staring at the back of the headstock. I am not sure they want to do this again but you can ask. Andrew had offered to order one without tuners installed and put on the UTP fresh and new. That would have required waiting.......................nope :eek:
 
Radius can feel very different when you first get it. All things being equal barre chords will be easier. However, the easiest uke to make barre chords on that I own is my Moore Bettah, and that is not radius. Radius also makes it easier for your pinky to pull the 1st string off the fretboard when playing.

When I first got a uke with a radius fretboard I loved it and for a while was a convert. The longer I played it and went back and forth, the more I saw that it had plusses and minuses. I'm now pretty neutral on radius fretboards.
 
20141011_123949.jpg20141011_123528.jpg20141011_123306.jpg20141011_122848.jpg

Here are some pictures

Jim........you are a genius. I do everything with my tablet so as you suggested I took the pictures with it turned upside down.......brilliant, thanks
 
Last edited:
DownUpDave said:
Yes they did fill the holes. They had a bit of a nightmare (their words) because the original tuners dug into the wood in the back and left depressions. They drop filled the areas as best as possible. I was fine with it as you don't notice it unless you are staring at the back of the headstock. I am not sure they want to do this again but you can ask. Andrew had offered to order one without tuners installed and put on the UTP fresh and new. That would have required waiting.......................nope :eek:
Click to expand...


I was there when Andrew installed the UTPL tuners...me and Corey went to visit Rollo Schurenbrand that day and I asked Andrew to join us...but he said he had promised that he would send out that Pono that day...

it took him quite awhile to install... filling the holes and sanding then polishing the back of the headstock etc.......I saw the end results and was surprised how nice it was.....he did say he could of ordered it with the UTP from Java or I guess without the tuners installed...but you wanted it now....:)

pretty good service I think......:)
 
hawaii 50 said:
I was there when Andrew installed the UTPL tuners...me and Corey went to visit Rollo Schurenbrand that day and I asked Andrew to join us...but he said he had promised that he would send out that Pono that day...

it took him quite awhile to install... filling the holes and sanding then polishing the back of the headstock etc.......I saw the end results and was surprised how nice it was.....he did say he could of ordered it with the UTP from Java or I guess without the tuners installed...but you wanted it now....:)

pretty good service I think......:)
Click to expand...

I am gonna order one from Java like that. A Baritone.

Thanks for sharing.
 
UPTs are my favorite tuners. As much as I like slotted head stocks, I'm open to non just to get the UPTs
 
hawaii 50 said:
I was there when Andrew installed the UTPL tuners...me and Corey went to visit Rollo Schurenbrand that day and I asked Andrew to join us...but he said he had promised that he would send out that Pono that day...

it took him quite awhile to install... filling the holes and sanding then polishing the back of the headstock etc.......I saw the end results and was surprised how nice it was.....he did say he could of ordered it with the UTP from Java or I guess without the tuners installed...but you wanted it now....:)

pretty good service I think......:)
Click to expand...

Pretty GREAT service I think

Andrew could have ordered one but it would not have been available till Christmas as the model is a limited run.

Even though I live in the Toronto area and we have some big music stores that do carry all the K brands and other high end ukes I will continue to buy from HMS. I costs me much more because of the difference in the dollar and shipping but it is worth it. Great service is worth it plain and simple as that.
 
Very nice looking uke...I love modifying things, too, to make them suit me better if needed. I can't wait to try a uke with a raduised fretboard now!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

M
Should the fan brace peak under the saddle area?
Replies
4
Views
229
Orra
O
M
How wide do you make the fan braces?
Replies
7
Views
493
EDW
EDW
B
New to uke--Fan of George Formby, George Harrison and more
2
Replies
27
Views
1K
bazmaz
bazmaz
D
Update : Pono to offer both styles of bracing, both fan and lattice in 2023 (Re-posted from Pono Website)
Replies
4
Views
363
DJ Mango
D
Arik
Comparing X-bracing with Fan-bracing
Replies
16
Views
1K
anthonyg
anthonyg
Top Bottom