Keepers: Soprano Size

katysax

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Many of us here have had severe UAS and gone through a lot of instruments. I kind of feel almost hungover - like I've been through too many ukes and now I want to get down to the ones I really want to play.

Now for me this boils down to I have bonded with some instruments and not so much others. And I like to play certain ones. They aren't always the best by any measure except how I feel about them. I'm sure everyone has their own list. My plan is to sell of the ones that are not keepers - even though some of them have a strong tug on me and will be hard to let go.

So Soprano size here is what I want to keep:

Koaloha Soprano - This is was the first ukulele I bought. I bought it in Hawaii in 1998. I swear I can hear the ocean inside it.

Kiwaya KS-7 - This is a laminated instrument with 17 frets. It has a bark like a really good vintage martin. I love the sound of this uke. I've had other Kiwayas, but for me this is the keeper.

Here is what I can't decide:

Kawika Pineapple - This is a gorgeous uke and probably the best all around soprano I have ever played. I just don't play soprano very much and someone else would really love this. But its also one of a kind and irreplaceable so the collector in me can't let go of it.

I don't have a lot of sopranos left. I think I have a laminated Islander at my sister's house in Reno. I'll probably keep that there. I have a Pono I want to sell. The rest have been sold or given away.
 
What Pono do you have that you would like to sell?
 
Hi Sherry,

Great time last Tues. I think you should keep the Kawika as you said, it's a collector's item...with that said, I'm not a collector. However, I would consider buying it cuz the inlay is close to my nickname. :p

Daniel
 
Collecting is too much work/responsibility for me these days, so I'd sell the Kawika. If you really can't decide whether or not it's worth having nice things around, I'll happily ship my one year old son to you for a few weeks -- whatever he can't climb he can throw.

Plus, since it really is a holy grail soprano, imagine how much fun it would be trying to one day find its equivalent (when you realize you never, ever, under any circumstances should have sold the Kawika!)
 
I would keep the kiwaya but if you decide to part with it I might be interested ;)
 
I'm down to just one soprano, my Kamaka HP-1. As I'm about to buy a pineapple super-soprano, the other day my friend asked me if I'd sell the HP-1. Without even thinking, I responded "NEVER!" - so yeah, it's a keeper :)

I'm fully of the mind that if you don't love it, pass it on to someone who does.
 
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One soprano is generally enough for me. There could be a few exceptions that might encourage me to pick up a second, but for the most part I'm happy with my Martin S1.

Then again, I am not in love with the soprano as much as some are.
 
But its also one of a kind and irreplaceable so the collector in me can't let go of it.

I've struggled with the one-of-a-kind thing before - last year, I sold a custom that I loved but just wasn't playing any more. I gave myself 6 months to decide whether or not to sell it; once I decided, it took a while to move (customs can be a tricky sell) but when it finally did, I had no regrets. But then I'm not much of a collector; to me, an item's worth is measured more by its use than anything else.
 
If you're not playing the Kawika, haven't played it much over the last year, and don't see yourself playing it over some of your new favorites (like your Howlett Vita), I would let it go. Easy for me to say but I know it's tough to do. So many ukes, not enough time.

My two soprano keepers:

Ukiyo Vita - that I didn't see on your list (along with your Harmony Vita unless you've given those away). This is my travel uke but it keeps creeping into my every day usage because I love it!

1920s Martin 2M - this one has character and mojo. I let a Timms Style O and a 2012 Martin 2K go in late 2013 because I knew I would eventually find a vintage Martin with the magic.
 
I still have the Harmony Vita and the Ukiyo. The Harmony Vita is something I am inclined to keep, not so much because I play it a lot but because I've got a real soft spot for the Vita style and the Harmony is the original. Mine is playable but in pretty rough shape; it really doesn't have a lot of monetary value but it does mean something to me.

The Ukiyo is one I am inclined to sell. The reason being that I don't play it much. I don't think I've found strings that I really like on it. It came with a set of wound strings but they were so old they were dead. I put some Martins on and it was OK. Then I experimented with Kala Pearls and I don't like them. At the moment I still have my Vita collection. I have a few other sopranos but I don't remember all of what I have. Most have been sold or given away.

The Kawika is really a unique uke. It looks gorgeous and sounds great. The only reason I don't play it a lot is that I don't play much soprano and when I do I usually reach for the Koaloha for its intensely Hawaiian sound or the Kiwaya for its Martin like bark. The Kawika has such a rich sound it can be used for fingerpicking but I just don't do much of that on Soprano.
 
Soprano keeper (and my only soprano) is a gold label Kamaka that I bought as a basket case and restored. It came in about 5 pieces, and the neck had been garishly ripped from the body. I can't believe I was able to save it, but now it looks and plays as well as any gold label I have seen. I'll put this one in my will.
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The Kawika has such a rich sound it can be used for fingerpicking but I just don't do much of that on Soprano.

I'm with you on this. I find it odd for me when a soprano reminds me of a mini tenor but love when a tenor sounds like a mini-guitar. go figure
 
My soprano keeper without a doubt would my Timms. I fall in love with it each time I play it.
 
My soprano keepers would be
my solid sapele KoAloha Opio - it just makes any song sound better. Chiming tone, clear ring - it has it all
my formica Martin OXK - this has been my workhorse this winter as I am afraid to take the other ukes out of their cases for very long. This one really shows up what having a good quality laminate can do for your ukulele arsenal
my solid mahogany Sears Silvertone - the tone is nowhere near as good as the first two, but there is something about that vintage sound that makes it a keeper
 
soprano keepers

I am going to write to Ukiyo to find out what strings he now puts on the Smeck Vita. Mine is #47...at least five years old and still sounds great with the original Guadalupe reentrant strings. I did ask Mark if it would meet with his approval to put PEGHEDS on it.

A Lehua soprano is strung with a low G and a low A. It is an attention getter. I have a Gianinni baritone with the low D and E so both voicings have that same sound.
 
I don't play soprano as much as my other ukes, but, oddly, I have more sopranos than I do any other sizes. I think that's because vintage ones are more plentiful, often more affordable than the larger sizes and just really cute. I've been thinking of selling a few of these, which has caused me no end of anguish. They're all so different from one another, and each has qualities that make it stand out from the others:
- Ukiyo Vita, koa & spruce. Beautiful modern reinterpretation of the classic, with a compensated saddle for great intonation.
- 1920s Martin 0 with original wood pegs. This uke weighs an astounding 9 ounces, and is the loudest soprano I've ever had.
- Weymann 116: Weymann copied Martin's design (with Martin's blessing). This looks like an early Style 2 from a distance. The sound is slightly warmer and less brash than the Martins.
- KoAloha T2: Soprano body with a tenor neck. Even though this isn't really a soprano, it sounds like one (and a great Hawaiian one at that). The longer string scale adds a sustain I just don't get with my other soprano ukes. And when I pick it up after playing my tenor, my fingers don't have to make any adjustment (although my ears do :) ).
 
It's got to be my Martin 3m. It's one of the new Martins. It is louder than any of my other ukes but offers lots of dynamics; you can play quiet and subtle or really dig in. I love it. I use it for pretty much all the lessons I teach.

At home my Kamaka concert is my fave but I have that tuned down to Bb which is a pain when playing with others. My little Martin is perfect for taking about. I love it to bits.
 
I really like having a soprano around and recently bought three, figuring I would flip out of 1 or 2 of them but then another uke I had planned to get arrived early, so I have all three listed for sale. I could imagine keeping all three were I unconstrained on how many ukes I can have, but alas, that is not in the cards at the moment. I guess the market will determine which one I keep, if any.

Martin Style 3 Cherry: My favorite Martin ever. More balanced in tone to my ears than their 'hogs (vintage or new). Timeless classic in its looks.

LoPrinzi 3K Longneck: Unbelievably beautifully finished, excellent tone and easy playability.

Ron Yasuda All Koa: Mind-blowingly light build, very rich tone. One of a kind. Neck is the thinnest I've ever played, almost too thin for my preference.
 
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