Going Fingerstyle & Classical; which would You Buy?

Katz-in-Boots

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After playing for a couple of years I am wanting to take my playing to the next level by focussing more on learning to do more picking and would love to try classical pieces.

I just can't decide which concert ukulele to buy. I've got some money right now (retirement pay) so am in the market for something so nice it'll cure UAS.

I thought I'd decided on a Kanile'a K4, then got distracted by I'iwis at HMS. The radius fretboard appeals & I'm a sucker for all that bling. They've also now got some nice new Kanile'as in and there's something nice about the sound of the Asturias. Looking for something warm, mellow yet clear & ringing. I plan to string low G.

So, if it were you (and assume you like bling), which would you buy?
(do not go out and buy ANY of these instruments until I decide) :D
 
> I plan to string low G.

If so, you might want to get a tenor? Any reason you're looking for a concert?

My two ukuleles are both tenors, one high G and the other low G.

Cheers
Chief
 
chiefnoda;1637552 Any reason you're looking for a concert?[/QUOTE said:
yes, I have hand/arm/neck problems. Although I started on a tenor, I quickly found it a stretch. One reason I'm considering straying from Kanile'a is for a narrower fretboard, to make life easier stretching to frets and also for barre chords. I've read here that a radiussed fretboard might help me there too.

Thanks for the link Camsuke, I'll check it out for sure.

Tangimango, I wouldn't know who to ask apart from the lovely folk at Kanile'a.
 
If you want a low G concert you need to check out the Kamaka Ohta-San. It's more of a tenor/concert hybrid.
 
I agree with Katysax that the Ohta-san would be a good one to check out. I'd also suggest checking out the Blackbird Clara. It sounds excellent, has great playability and is a bargain when you factor in the price. It may not have the bling you want, but you can always ask them to do some custom stuff.

Do not buy the I'iwi you saw at HMS unless you buy the non-premium one. Only because I keep dreaming of pulling the trigger on the Premium one. ;-)
 
Good luck with that UAS "cure"....:stop:
 
Check out a Gary Gill at Mim's. Wonderful ukes by a very talented builder. Very similar to an Ohta San but they *are* tenors. But very playable tenors.

Mim is at NAMM right now so her "store" is down for the moment.
 
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I play classical guitar... and what I would suggest is

A tenor with Low G. Either Koa or Cedar wood. Radiused fretboard and peghed tunners.

I love my MyaMoe, but any of the brands that meet the criteria and your budget may be to your liking.

I also like
 
After playing for a couple of years I am wanting to take my playing to the next level by focussing more on learning to do more picking and would love to try classical pieces.

I just can't decide which concert ukulele to buy. I've got some money right now (retirement pay) so am in the market for something so nice it'll cure UAS.

I thought I'd decided on a Kanile'a K4, then got distracted by I'iwis at HMS. The radius fretboard appeals & I'm a sucker for all that bling. They've also now got some nice new Kanile'as in and there's something nice about the sound of the Asturias. Looking for something warm, mellow yet clear & ringing. I plan to string low G.

So, if it were you (and assume you like bling), which would you buy?
(do not go out and buy ANY of these instruments until I decide) :D

I just purchased a Kanile'a Concert. I play only classical and finger picking. The reason I bought a concert is because I thought it is easier on my small hand. I am starting to go back and forward to my old Tenor size Kala because the fret board is really too tight for this kind of playing. My suggestion from this experience is that go for Tenor. Low G or High G made no different, it all depend on the song arrangement. If you like the rich guitar sound then do a low G.
 
I play classical guitar... and what I would suggest is

A tenor with Low G. Either Koa or Cedar wood. Radiused fretboard and peghed tunners.

I love my MyaMoe, but any of the brands that meet the criteria and your budget may be to your liking.

I also like

Oh no .....it's like one of the Whodunnit letters .....where's the strangulated "argle" and the stain of ink as the victim slumps to the floor Note unfinished.....


Hmmm ...I would say ,Mr Hacker....In the Study .....with a Banjo-Lele.......

or Olarte could just have hit "post" instead of "save"...more likely ,but less fun !!
 
Funny, I was going to say I also like the Godin Multiuke, the way it plays\feels but that's an aquired taste as it is meant primarily for amplified\electric playing.
 
Phew....he aint bin dun in ....what a relief....:D
 
If you want a low G concert you need to check out the Kamaka Ohta-San. It's more of a tenor/concert hybrid.

I was going to say that! :shaka:
 
I agree with Katysax that the Ohta-san would be a good one to check out. I'd also suggest checking out the Blackbird Clara. It sounds excellent, has great playability and is a bargain when you factor in the price. It may not have the bling you want, but you can always ask them to do some custom stuff.

Not a lot of bling but definitely check out the Kamaka Ohta-san.

Nthing that Ohta-San - I have one, play a lot of classical, and love it. I've been impressed with the sound and volume of of the Clara as well, if you can get past the looks of the thing - I'm not a fan of bling myself but the Clara is almost *too* utilitarian-looking, even for me!

As for low G on a concert - it's personal choice, but in my experience, it works. A tenor is not necessary - and the Ohta-San was designed intentionally for low G - but a good low G string is. I've found non-wound fluorocarbon low G strings to sound just awful on low G concerts, but a wound string (either a guitar D string, or a Fremont Soloist uke string) can sound wonderful.
 
Check out a Gary Gill at Mim's. Wonderful ukes by a very talented builder. Very similar to an Ohta San but they *are* tenors. But very playable tenors.

I would second this recommendation on the Gary Gill tenors. I have several Gary Gill ukes and the necks are slim and smooth for a tenor, and very comfortable to play. The intonation is impeccable all the way up the neck. Mine came setup with a fairly low action and the resulting low fretting pressure makes them a pleasure for fingerstyle. I have smaller hands and thought concert was my maximum size for comfortable playing until I got a Gary Gill. Out of my entire ukulele collection my two Gary Gill Tenors are #1 and #2 when I think about which ukuleles I could play the longest without my fretting hand getting tired.
 
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