NUD - Pono RTSH Spruce Top

sam13

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Hey All,

I have been selfish. Yup.

Kept this beauty to myself for a few weeks ... but I have to share my love of Pono and its Pro Classic series. I can't get enough of it.

I have a NUD: Inga (a take off of Engelmann Spruce Top) is a RTSH Spruce top. The quality, the finishes and to tone are exceptional.

So good that even as a 2nd ... and I can't really find out what might make a 2nd ... it is now my favourite instrument on tone alone. I was a total cedar convert but have been fully convinced that for me Spruce is the way to go.

It is warm, and yet there is a brightness to it that has so many overtones to it that I can't put it down! And I have an Cedar/Ebony Macassar with SC low G, which is a sweet deal on its own. It is that special tonally.

It has a tremendous chocolate brown Redwood and the contrast with the Spruce top is sweet.

My Cedar/Rosewood PhD high g strings in case I want to be heard at the uke jam.

I have it strung with medium tension low wound G South Coast and will be looking to get another set but with a wound 3rd and 4th.

I would also like to mention Kilin Reese who was superb to work with in this purchase. When he was at Pono for some repair work, he looked through a bunch of boxes in a new shipment and found this exceptional deal.

Did I say I love the tone?

I completely trust him and would recommend him whether to work a trade, repair or new purchase. He has worked with Pono for years and now is on his own (KR String Instrument Repair in Hawaii).

This uke continues to bring me pleasure. It will be a keeper.
 

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Hey Buddie finally got around to doing a proper NUD for Inga. She deserves it :drool:

Sam13 and I live near each other, are uke buddies and co-obsessives with anything ukulele. He was a died in the wool cedar guy. With his fabulous cedar ebony Pono that love was well founded. I kept at him about spruce being very nice if built properly and now that he has this one he is a believer.

Nice pictures pal, almost looks as good as it sounds cause this particular one is special. One of those that when you hear it you just want it.
 
Hey Buddie finally got around to doing a proper NUD for Inga. She deserves it :drool:

Sam13 and I live near each other, are uke buddies and co-obsessives with anything ukulele. He was a died in the wool cedar guy. With his fabulous cedar ebony Pono that love was well founded. I kept at him about spruce being very nice if built properly and now that he has this one he is a believer.

Nice pictures pal, almost looks as good as it sounds cause this particular one is special. One of those that when you hear it you just want it.

Ha!

It is true. You have been after me about the Spruce ... and I must admit you were right ... I prefer it now over cedar :rolleyes:... wondering if Dirk has a set of strings other than the HML - RW ... anyone? Looking to brighten it up a bit.
 
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Yeah, but does it have a radiused fretboard? :p :D :nana:


LOL. Jim you must read my comments about radius fret boards ... all current Pono Pro Classics have them ... and others can say what they want, but it works for me!:agree:
 
Very nice, Simon! I'd love to hear a comparison between the RTSH and the ETSH. I wonder how those different tonewoods affect sound.
 
:drool: Sounds as good as it looks, eh? Wow, I wonder what the Bible says about coveting thy neighbor's ukes?
 
Congrats! Very nice looking uke. Glad you've found the tone you love.
 
:drool: Sounds as good as it looks, eh? Wow, I wonder what the Bible says about coveting thy neighbor's ukes?

It does mention "thou shalt not covet". I think it is more like uke envy..........well maybe a little coveting, just a little. Ok if he wanted to sell I would buy it and I don't like slotted headstocks.

You caught me out Phil :p
 
Would love to hear both of them.

Any sound samples anywhere of them?

I have a Tenor with a Cedar top that the same builder is building me another Tenor with a Spruce top.

Congrats on a pretty Uke.

Trey
 
I ordered an ETSH from HMS last week! The anticipation is killing me, but I bet it'll be as lovely as people say. Congrats on the spruce. It looks gorgeous and I bet the tone is incredible.
 
Wow, shiny and pretty! Congrats!
 
It's pretty it is. My UAS has been in full remission since I got my two Pono's. Nothing else is getting played but my Gretsch hog. I have to find homes for about five or six ukes now.
 
Very nice, Simon! I'd love to hear a comparison between the RTSH and the ETSH. I wonder how those different tonewoods affect sound.

I would be happy to play something ... need to string them up with SC strings ... which will be coming soon.
 
That is funny ... you can get one too Phil ... I was playing my RTSH with Cedar as it is re entrant strung with PhD's ... and the love isn't there to the same level. I need to get some re entrant MU 3W on there and I thing the Cedar with be fab.
 
Congrats! Very nice looking uke. Glad you've found the tone you love.

Thanks Hammond ... you are right ... "found the tone you love" ... it is a fun journey ... now I need a Baritone Big Brother to Inga ... with SC ... I am sure it would be wonderful.
 
Would love to hear both of them.

Any sound samples anywhere of them?

I have a Tenor with a Cedar top that the same builder is building me another Tenor with a Spruce top.

Congrats on a pretty Uke.

Trey

Hi Trey,

They are on the HMS site for sure and Corey does a fabulous job ... I will look to see if I can maybe do a recording with my new iPhone 6 when I get it ... as a newbie ... I chose to get the most value I could for the money ... and it is hard to argue against a Pro Classic Pono Tenor ...

What builder are you working with? I am in line for a LFdM Sinker Redwood top and Malaysian Blackwood back and sides ... April 2015.
 
I ordered an ETSH from HMS last week! The anticipation is killing me, but I bet it'll be as lovely as people say. Congrats on the spruce. It looks gorgeous and I bet the tone is incredible.

Matty ... you are going to LOVE THE ETSH ... I own one and it is awesome ... perhaps a little less bright than the RTSH Spruce ... but an amazing uke the ETSH is ... my friend DownUpDave who posted earlier bought an ETSH recently and just can't stop playing it.

I bought this one ... it still hits me every time I play it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FikKhJ2glww
 
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