Keepers: Concert Size

katysax

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So now I'm going to go into my Keepers that are Concert Sized. I'm curious what other people's are.

I like concert size because it is comfortable to hold. However, the notes are often dead after the 12th fret, and some chords are a bit cramped. The sound is generally not as big as tenor. Playing tenor all the time stresses my hands so I switch back and forth between concert and tenor.

Keepers:

Pete Howlett Vita Uke - This is one of the best ukes I have ever played. Ever. I love the sound and size. It's one of the only concerts where it will chime all the way down the neck.

Kamaka Ohta-San - This is the uke that fits right between tenor and concert. I love it for playing with low G. I wish I had another one this size to put a high G on. I'm thinking that maybe when Kamaka has their big 100th next year I'll get a second one and string it high G.

Mya Moe Concert - The sound is not as big as I'd like but it is balanced. The uke has great sustain and is all around really comfortable to play.

Cant Decide:

Koaloha Opio - I fell in love with the Koalana when it first came out but mine cracked. The Opio is a replacement that is even better, but now I just have too many ukes.

Kanilea Concert - This one is really really really hard. It's a beautiful deluxe and is wonderful to play. I used it for a long time as my low G concert but restrung it high G when I got the Ohta-San. I like that spacing is a little wider so it give me a little more room.

Ohana Vita Uke - I bought this to complete my Vita Uke collection. I got it used; it was very inexpensive and not worth a lot. I don't play it a lot but I like it, and it does complete the collection (which I'm not sure I want to keep).

Martin C1K - Boy this is great little uke. Sounds great, looks great, plays great. I don't like that the body joins at the 12th fret. I'll probably sell this one.

Definitely Sell or give away:

Brueko Concert - Very nice looking and unique. I'm just not as attached to it.

Islander Concert - Already going to a friend.

Other than that I think I've pretty much gotten rid of the concerts.
 
I have two TOM concert ukes. They are the only two concert ukuleles I have ever played. I will keep them both. One is laminated sapele, the other laminated koa. Fact is, they both sound incredibly good, and they cost around 60-70 USD each, including shipping from China to Norway.
 
My Bruko special mahogany concert is my keeper... in fact I have already or am currently getting rid of all my other instruments (apart from a tenor banjo I'm converting to dGBE). The Bruko is my 'cold, dead hands' ukulele!
 
Kamaka Ohta-San for low G, for sure. Until last week I would have said my Kamaka HF-2 for reentrant, but I've been test-driving a couple of super-sopranos (concert neck, soprano body) and one of those two might be in the running to become my main reentrant uke. I can't believe how late I am to the super-soprano party, but if the two I have on loan right now are representative of the lot, they're the perfect size/scale for me. Uh oh, UAS begins all over again!

If you do decide to put your Opio concert on the market, I'd be very interested in checking it out. I've never seen or heard one and if they're at all in the same league as Koaloha's koa ukes, I'm thinking I might have room for one... :)
 
I have so many nice concert size ukes, but my absolute keeper is a recent purchase I made from a guitar shop in Japan is my Kiwaya KTC-95 #01 (95'th anniversary model- all Koa). Perfect from head to toe!
 
I've never owned a true concert. I had a wonderful Pohaku Concert 10 (now owned by LakesideGlen) and a Kamaka Pineapple Long Neck Special (now living in Japan).

But my concert-size keeper is coming in December: a Pete Howlett Concert Vita in flamey Koa with a Spruce top.

Thanks to your inspiration Sherry!
 
I mostly play concert but have only one at the moment. It's a Collings UC3 Maple with Spruce Top with Cherry Sunburst finish. Don't think I will ever sell it. For one, I find it strikingly beautiful. Two, it has a wonderful tone. Three, it's got great playability. Four, it's quite unusual (the other UC3's in maple I've seen all have a tangerine sunburst finish).

While I'm trying to nudge my way up to 4-6 ukes, I don't think I'd ever want more than that. For me, I can't imaging regularly playing more than 3-4. And then maybe a couple of keepers for nostalgia in due time.

Just as my UC3M wasn't a keeper for @coolcow but found a lifelong, adoring owner in me, I'd rather see ukes being played and cherished by others than sitting idly, neglected, lonely, and abandoned in one of my closets. ;-)
 
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My Talsma 3K concert is the only custom I've ever had made, and is exactly what I wanted. I bought a Pohaku maple and koa Concert 10 to keep me company while I waited for the Talsma to be completed, and damned if I didn't fall in love with it. Tricky thing, this polyukery. I kept the Pohaku for a while after the Talsma arrived, but finally concluded it needed to belong with someone who'd give it more attention. While I miss it, it couldn't haven ended up in a more perfect place.
 
"polyukery" I love this term! Are you a nurse Rich M?
 
I mostly play sopranos now, but my concert keeper would be my Luna Dragonfly. Solid spruce top and laminate mahogany back and sides. Still strung with the original Aquila Nylgut, but some Living Waters are waiting in the wings for me to have time to change them out. I got it a year ago just beautifully set up by HMS. Great ringing tone.
 
I have a Covered Bridge red cedar/walnut and a KoAloha. Quite different from each other and both keepers.
 
Mine has got to be my Kamaka HF2D by a mile. I got it last year from HMS. It's such a joy to play and sounds just like Hawaii to me. Oh and the smell from the sound hole is intoxicating!!
 
I have only one concert, since I like more space on the fretboard for my fingers, and the Clara is a keeper for sure. It's a tone monster, plays great (although not higher up the neck) and can take weather abuse.
 
Kamaka Ohta-San. But haven't been able to part with my Kamaka Concert, Kanile'a Concert or KoAloha Concert even though they do not get much play since receiving the Ohta-San. Will see what Kamaka comes out with in 2016. May have to get another Ohta-San, an anniversary model.
 
Definitely my Talsma custom. The Clara is real attractive though, as a travel uke. That may be the next big purchase. I've also always been partial to the Pineapple Sunday, and now that that's available in concert scale... My bank account is weeping.

I just made a trade for a steel string electric Jupiter Creek concert. hasn't arrived yet, but we'll see.
 
Kamaka Ohta-San. But haven't been able to part with my Kamaka Concert, Kanile'a Concert or KoAloha Concert even though they do not get much play since receiving the Ohta-San. Will see what Kamaka comes out with in 2016. May have to get another Ohta-San, an anniversary model.

I'm with you on this one. I would really like to have another Ohta-San, and even though it is kind of heresy I would string one high G. I'm really excited to see what Kamaka is going to do for 2016. For me the size in the middle of a concert and a tenor is the perfect size.
 
Kamaka Ohta-San. But haven't been able to part with my Kamaka Concert, Kanile'a Concert or KoAloha Concert even though they do not get much play since receiving the Ohta-San. Will see what Kamaka comes out with in 2016. May have to get another Ohta-San, an anniversary model.

I'm with you on this one. I would really like to have another Ohta-San, and even though it is kind of heresy I would string one high G. I'm really excited to see what Kamaka is going to do for 2016. For me the size in the middle of a concert and a tenor is the perfect size.

I'm with you guys. I would take any commemorative uke except for bari.
 
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