bborzell
Well-known member
Actually, to Santa Monica. Should be there on Wednesday after leaving my place having left a very positive impression around here.
First things first; I will not buy one. But, the reason for that decision is simply the fact that my hands are too big to form chords beyond the 9th or tenth fret. And, that is true of virtually all concert scale ukes I have picked up.
But, for every other quality I consider important in a uke, the Clara hit the mark. Playability closer to the nut is very smooth. I even like the fact that the fretboard is fashioned from the same material (and color) as my kitchen countertops. The rounded back reminded me of the Ovation guitar I kept for several years before finally succumbing to the reality that I was tired of it rolling off my leg. The Clara is nowhere near as bad (probably because it has so little physical mass compared to the large body guitar), but I was sometimes aware of having to make "holding" adjstments while sitting without a strap.
Tone is different from my two solid wood tenors, but that is not a good or bad statement. The Clara sounds very much like the top is made from solid wood. Tone is balanced and the volume is considerable.
Fit and finish are top notch and the uke does not seem anywhere near as "vulnerable" as similarly priced solid instruments.
My thanks to MacNichol Guitars for sending this uke around the country for us to try.
First things first; I will not buy one. But, the reason for that decision is simply the fact that my hands are too big to form chords beyond the 9th or tenth fret. And, that is true of virtually all concert scale ukes I have picked up.
But, for every other quality I consider important in a uke, the Clara hit the mark. Playability closer to the nut is very smooth. I even like the fact that the fretboard is fashioned from the same material (and color) as my kitchen countertops. The rounded back reminded me of the Ovation guitar I kept for several years before finally succumbing to the reality that I was tired of it rolling off my leg. The Clara is nowhere near as bad (probably because it has so little physical mass compared to the large body guitar), but I was sometimes aware of having to make "holding" adjstments while sitting without a strap.
Tone is different from my two solid wood tenors, but that is not a good or bad statement. The Clara sounds very much like the top is made from solid wood. Tone is balanced and the volume is considerable.
Fit and finish are top notch and the uke does not seem anywhere near as "vulnerable" as similarly priced solid instruments.
My thanks to MacNichol Guitars for sending this uke around the country for us to try.