New here, help me decide

scooterguitar · Feb 28, 2009

New here, help me decide: high-end or midline?

Hello everyone,
I've been a professional guitarist for 20 years, just decided to leanr the Uke after picking up a super cheap one earlier this week. I always lean towards high quality guitars, solid tops, etc, but on occasion I know there are those "rare" laminates that have a specialness to them.
I think I'm going with a concert.
I've read and read on here about different brands. There are no places even fairly close to try various models out, so I'll be mail order, likely that place on the bay.

I'd like to keep it around $150 for this first one, but am now thinking maybe up to $300. Thing is, I'm hooked on the tradiitonal uke look of dark wood/koa and such.
Any suggestions?

jellybean · Feb 28, 2009

how about a Lanikai Flame MAple Concert

I received a flame maple Lanakai as a gift in December. It has a solid spruce top and flame maple laminate back and sides. Ebony fretboard and brand new Aquila strings.

I have another uke and am selling it. I think it will make a great intro. instrument. It has a bright sound and looks great..with abalone inlay around the sound hole.

Here's the Lanakai Link http://www.lanikaiukes.com/ukuleles.html#fms

I'll sell it with its case for $250.

ichadwick · Feb 28, 2009

Lots of good options in that price range: Kala, Ohana, Lanikai, Mainland, Fluke and Flea... and a few others I have a few reviews of ukes in that range on my website.

A suggestion: look to a solid top uke rather than a laminate. For the few extra dollars you will get a lot more out of the uke and won't want to upgrade as soon as with a laminate.

scooterguitar · Feb 28, 2009

Thanks. I am looking at
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-HONU-SOLID-...16224QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262

Just not sure if I want to take the plunge for a midpriced one, or go the $150 range, see if it sticks then go with a really nice instrument. I tend to do alittle, then forget about it, but I'm intrugued. I'm not worried about learning, sure guitar skills will make it much easier.
ANyone feel free to let me know if you have a used one for sale. Again, I prefer darker woods. COncert or tenor, of if you have a killer soprano, shoot me details.
Thanks man.

haole · Feb 28, 2009

The Honu is really classy-looking, and solid koa construction is definitely a plus! If you're not ready to take the plunge and spend close to $400 on your first uke, check out Mainland or Ohana; they make affordable solid-wood ukes and the mahogany ones have a classic look.

geoffsuke · Feb 28, 2009

personally, i would go with ohana. simply because they make solid wood, good looking, good sounding ukes for a really decent price. they've had one of the cheapest fully solid koa wood ukes i've found about.
(and i really like mine

)

scooterguitar · Mar 1, 2009

Thanks.
Looking forward to more research and hearing more.
I'm now stuck on...go with mainland or kala, or just take the plunge and snag a Koaloha or Kanilea? MY plan...Concert now, then save for a great Tenor.
Argh, decisions!

GX9901 · Mar 1, 2009

I'm of the opinion that you should get the best instrument you can afford. However, starting with a more affordable, but good, instrument is probably a good idea too, because you would appreciate the higher end KoAloha or Kanile'a even more when you do end up getting one.

For example, a KoAloha concert is so good that it gives high priced custom built ukes a run for their money. But you wouldn't really know that unless you've played both the lower end laminated Kalas and nice custom ukes.

I guess I'm recommending that you get a KoAloha/Kanile'a level uke, but how you get there (immediately or work your way up) is up to you.

scooterguitar · Mar 1, 2009

Now that' that's the feedback I'm looking for!

Toucan Mango · Mar 1, 2009

I would at least go with a solid top, I did the $79.00 laminate & followed with a $400.00 Pono solid koa & that worked for me. I could have spent a lot more but I have a wife that would love to just go out & buy a thousand dollars worth of new clothes & two teenage sons that I'm sure could come up with tons of things to buy themselves. So I just dropped into a Pono happy medium

scooterguitar · Mar 1, 2009

All good info. I'm really on the fence here.
IS the Honu line inferior tonewise to the Koaloha or Kanilea's? The beauitul Honu concert fancy one they have on ebay is just an amazingly beautiful instrument with the Honu shaped bridge and inlys, awesome! But coming from a very tone-particular background with guitars, it certainly isn't in the looks alone.
I sorta feel like the cartoon guy with the devil and angel on each shoulder:>)

Scotus · Mar 1, 2009

jellybean said:
I received a flame maple Lanakai as a gift in December. It has a solid spruce top and flame maple laminate back and sides. Ebony fretboard and brand new Aquila strings.

You have the same one as I have. I love it!! It's a beautiful looking uke, even though it's not the dark wood you're looking for, stays in tune, and has a wonderful tone.

GX9901 · Mar 1, 2009

scooterguitar said:
All good info. I'm really on the fence here.
IS the Honu line inferior tonewise to the Koaloha or Kanilea's? The beauitul Honu concert fancy one they have on ebay is just an amazingly beautiful instrument with the Honu shaped bridge and inlys, awesome! But coming from a very tone-particular background with guitars, it certainly isn't in the looks alone.
I sorta feel like the cartoon guy with the devil and angel on each shoulder:>)

I have the fancy-pants Honu concert. It is supposedly a prototype that I purchased from MGM a year and a half ago. I would say that tone-wise, with the right strings (in my case Worth CD), it is in the conversation with the KoAlohas. It is definitely not as loud as a KoAloha, but it has great crystal clarity and long sustain.

I had posted a semi-review of it a while ago and here's a video with the Honu.

scooterguitar · Mar 1, 2009

GX, I actually read your reviews throuhg an internet search earlier today:>) Thanks.
If I don't go the less exspensive route, I think it is either the Honu as mentioned or the Kanilea K1.

PickNStrum · Mar 4, 2009

In the $300+ price range I would start looking at at:

http://meleukulele.com/shopexd.asp?id=306

or

or Ko'olau's new Makepono series that will be out next month. Lower price point than the previous pono series

http://www.koolauukulele.com/

Kekani · Mar 4, 2009

I agree with GX9901's direction. If you are used to quality guitars, then your expectations should be a quality `ukulele.

Here's where your probably at (most guitarists are): Because the `ukulele is smaller, the price that you spend should commensurate. There was another thread a while back in which the guitar of choice was a Taylor, yet the price for `ukulele was less than $300.

If you're serious, you should at least get into the midrange factory instruments, more along the lines of $600 - $1000, now, depending on size. Most guitarists will slide nicely into a Tenor (and a baritone, but I think that's another story, or not). Now you can put that next to your $2K+ guitar, and it should be in good company.

My $.02 - Aaron

scooterguitar · Mar 4, 2009

That's good advice Aaron, and what I did! Went with a Koaloha.

With guitars, I lean towards the handmade stuff opposed to production, but that's been my bread and butter through the years.

ichadwick · Mar 4, 2009

In general - the ukes under $100 are laminates and quality ranges from playable to mediocre. The ukes from $100-$300 are much better, many have solid tops, they are much more playable and sound a lot better. I'd recommend you start here first. If you really find you like it (you will, of course, but there's always someone who doesn't) then you can buy a better uke later and seel the old one (or collect it with the others you'll end up with).

Don't even think about a uke under $50 unless you're so strapped for cash you are willing to be abused by one.

New here, help me decide

scooterguitar

Well-known member

jellybean

Active member

ichadwick

Well-known member

scooterguitar

Well-known member

haole

Well-known member

geoffsuke

Well-known member

scooterguitar

Well-known member

GX9901

Well-known member

scooterguitar

Well-known member

Toucan Mango

Well-known member

scooterguitar

Well-known member

Scotus

Member

GX9901

Well-known member

scooterguitar

Well-known member

PickNStrum

Well-known member

Kekani

Well-known member

scooterguitar

Well-known member

ichadwick

Well-known member

Similar threads