Keepers: Tenor Size

katysax

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There are so many incredibly good Tenor ukes, I have sold some that were just great but that I just found to be too many. My sense is that a lot of the folks who have a lot of ukes have a lot of tenors more than anything. Just a guess.

Keepers:

Moore Bettah - This one is never going to be sold. I keep it strung low G, but I don't take it out of the house.

Ko'olau - Spruce/Mahogany. This is the older Ko'olau that I own. It is a model 200. This is my favorite high G tenor. It has a pickup and strap button and I do take it out.

Pono RTSH5 - Cedar Rosewood. I have this strung low G. It has a pickup and is what I consider my workhorse in low G. It's one I feel is replaceable but a good solid player.

Pono pro Classic - Cedar Mahogany. This one looks and feels a lot like the Ko'olau that I love. It is strung high G and has a pickup.

Ones I can't decide:

Ko'olau Custom CS - Cedar/Rosewood. This is a beautiful uke that is near perfection. The size and the neck are not as comfortable as the other Ko'olau that I have and I don't think it is as resonant.

Mya Moe - Bearclaw Spruce/Curly Koa. This is a uke that I ordered from Mya Moe with no particular uke in mind and then my time came up in the build schedule. I really didn't even want another one at the time it came up but I had ordered one. I sold a Traditional Tenor Mya Moe that I liked a lot because this one was coming. I do like this uke a lot and it is beautiful. I don't see it as quite as disposable/replaceable as the Ponos which is why they are on the keeper list and this one is not.

Collings UT2 SB - Ah Collings I could write a book on my love/hate feelings about Collings. For a long time Collings was my "grail" uke. This is my third Collings I sold the other two. This is the loudest, brightest, most open Collings I have ever played. I like the sound and the playability. I hate the 13 fret join at the neck. I don't like the looks of the sunburst. Some people who have played my ukes think this is the best of all my ukes. I'm mostly inclined to keep it because it is the best Collings I've owned. If I sell I'll probably start going round and round about Collings again and end up buying another one and then want to sell it.

Martin IZ Tenor - For some reason I really like this uke and play it a lot but I don't think it is the best at anything.

Definitely selling

Martin T1K - This is actually plays and sounds a lot like the IZ tenor. It's really nice and was intended as a bash about uke till I got my Ponos.

Koaloha - Really nice sounding and looking uke. I don't like the plainness of it. I don't like the headstock.

I think I have a few cheapies around too, I'll probably eventually give those away.

OK I have way too many ukes. No wonder it actually feels oppressive. Every one that I've listed as a keeper is a uke that I really don't want to sell. I think there are at least 15 ukes that I play regularly.

For a long time I played almost exclusively concert and got rid of all but two tenors. Now I am preferring tenor but can't give up the concerts, in part because my hands really do need periodic breaks from the tenor.
 
This one has been easier than I thought. I have actually three tenors right now and, based on their usage and versaility, it cones down to:

KEEPERS -
1) Oscar Schmidt OU28 8-string which I just A/Ed a few days ago. The 8-string sound is very unique and I find myself drawn to it.

2) Lanikai SMP-TCA A/E which I got in a trade a while ago. It's a go-anywhere, play-anything buddy. Have found that A/Es are (for me, anyway) more convenient and thus get more playing time.

NON-KEEPER -
Pono ATSHC-PCC Pro Classic that has the best pure sound of the three, but just seems destined to be "odd uke out." If I were a studio musician, or gigged on a regular basis, this instrument would be top dog. As a fun-time amateur, I just get out the Pono for those rare times I want to mellow in its great sound. Unfortunately, the number of those times is not often enough to keep this uke busy.
 
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Keeper: Moore Bettah. No other uke I have ever played was as comfortable to play, or sounded as good. In addition, I have about 50% hearing loss in my right ear so the side soundport is a really nice addition for me. This uke is mine forever and I have a monogamous uke relationship. The only exception to that for me right now would be if I ever got a second Moore Bettah so one could be strung high g and one low g.

Non-Keeper:
KoAloha: I really love it, and if I didn't have the MB I would never let it go, but to be truthful I haven't touched it since I got the MB. It is my second favorite in my collection, particularly because it is one of the last two crown bridge ukes they ever made. It sounds lovely and plays great. I just love another more.
Kanilea: It is beautiful to look at, and sounds nice as well, but see above: I have not played it.
Kamaka: I love the history of Kamaka, and was the first uke I bonded with, but again, I have not played it.

I can't imagine I will play any of my other ukes ever again, and at this point, I just keep them for backup in case something happens to my Moore Bettah, and for collection purposes. But they are wall art now. That is not a slam on them, they are great ukes, but I prefer the playability and sound of the MB. I imagine if I did ever get another MB I would probably sell these three and just keep the two MB ukes. Barring that though, I keep these three as backups and for collection purposes. I just don't ever play them.
 
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I can't be monogamous to the Moore Bettah because I really need at least one uke strung high G and one strung low G. I guess I'm just not a one uke kind of person.
 
These are my current keepers in Tenor size:

Moore Bettah koa
Pegasus koa, reentrant
Wolverton cedar/pau ferro
Compass Rose flamed cherry
LFdM Sinker redwood/Zericote,
Makapili POC/Claro, reentrant
Ko'olau Deluxe spruce/RW
Kinnard SB Mahogany
Lichty Sinker redwood/pau ferro,
vanPelt Sinker redwood/koa
Monkey Wrench Long scale steel string tenor

Ones I'm not sure about:
Lightnin Reso tenor
Kanile'a Mango tenor
Boat Paddle D-Style tenor


Every one sounds different and great in its own way.
 
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I have a few tenors, but I wouldn't say I'm a fan of them:

Keepers:
Soprano - Martin and Kamaka

Concert - Pono MCD-E, KPK Acacia Cutaway, and Mele mahogany 6 string.

Tenor - Mele solid Koa

Everything will eventually be up for grabs as I want to reduce quantity for quality.
 
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Here are my tenor keepers:

Boat Paddle (now Hoffmann) ML-Tenor - Beeswing Mahogany, tuned low-G
Luis Feu de Mesquita - Yellow Alaskan Cedar over Quilted Maple, tuned low-G
Mike Pereira custom - Redwood over Walnut - the Hound Dog! Tuned re-entrant Bb
 
My new Martin 2K tenor is a keeper. I would never deprive myself of it.

Petey
 
I have mainly tenors.

Keepers -
Collings UT2 - I still think this one is magical. Every time I take it out, which is not that often, it takes me to new places. This will probably be my reentrant tenor forever.
Lanikai Koa 6-string cutaway - I started with a Lanikai 6-string, and it is still my most played uke, sitting by my desk all the time
Lanikai mahogony 6-string - My first uke, and one that now has an autograph from Jake and a cartoon from Frank Orral. It's going nowhere.
Risa Tenor stick - I do love to play this one with a slide, and it is really handy to play when I don't want to be heard. Also great to travel with
Pacific travel tenor - Cheap uke, but I can take it anywhere. And I do like the sound.

Not sure about -
Chinese steel string (bought with the group) - It is a particular type of uke, and many days I think I don't want to play it any more. And then I get the urge to rock out and it's back in the rotation.
Kanile'a Super Tenor - I never really took to this really nice uke, although it is my go-to low G. If I ever get a better uke, it will probably replace this one. And sometimes it is exactly the right uke for the job.
Oscar Schmidt 8 string - Well, you gotta have an 8 string, but I would not be opposed to upgrading this or getting an 8 string with a pickup, if I ever felt flush.

Probably don't need -
Chinese solid body electric - It was fun for a while, and is still nice to look at, but between the Risa and the steel string, it hasn't been played in a while. Thinking about packaging it with an amp modeler I don't use any more for sale.
 
NON-KEEPER -
Pono ATSHC-PCC Pro Classic that has the best pure sound of the three, but just seems destined to be "odd uke out." If I were a studio musician, or gigged on a regular basis, this instrument would be top dog. As a fun-time amateur, I just get out the Pono for those rare times I want to mellow in its great sound. Unfortunately, the number of those times is not often enough to keep this uke busy.

As a gigging musician, my Pono ATSHC-PCC Pro Classic IS my player for gigs. As you say, great mellow sound, great for blending with my wife's Kala U-bass
 
I love these responses. It is really interesting to see what people like. I'm not surprised that in some cases one persons least favorite is another's most favorite.
 
Once I got my Collings UC3 (concert), I rotated through my tenors as I strongly prefer the concert size. I wished I had never sold the Covered Bridge Claro Walnut Western Red Cedar that I had. It was probably too guitar like for many but I loved it. I recently bought a Collings UT2 Doghair that will arrive this week from HMS. I've always loved the look of these and the sound sample on this one really grabbed me.

But if I hadn't just jumped on the above, I would be pining to try your second string Ko'olau. Since you have one you love much more, I think you should let this one be the holy grail for somebody else.
 
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Odd duck here.... I'll never sell my Tiki Fluke. Why? It can hang on the wall despite temperature and humidity changes, it looks good, and the action is perfect. I can grab it any time to work out a song, throw it in a suitcase, and abuse it and it still plays well and sounds good. I know they are inexpensive and easy to replace, but why would I go to the trouble of doing that? I've been through several nice solid Koa tenors looking for "the one," but the Fluke stays. Hell, maybe it is "the one."
 
After a recent episode of expansion/contraction, I don't see selling off any of the Ukes on the list below.
The BP is strung low g and the MM high g. I'm thinking about experimenting with the many possible stringing iterations on the MM 6 string tenor. The DaSilva Martin Style 3 is just so beautiful how can I ever sell that?
 
I don't think I'm that adventurous so I don't pull the trigger easily and not interested on too many new builders unless they really stand out. I think one of these bright builders is Beau Hannam. You'll be hearing more about him if you haven't yet.
 
I don't think I'm that adventurous so I don't pull the trigger easily and not interested on too many new builders unless they really stand out. I think one of these bright builders is Beau Hannam. You'll be hearing more about him if you haven't yet.


Wow Daniel...so you have Beau up there with your Moore Bettah and Lfdm? is the tone as good as those?....if so that is great, you put him on the map.....:)

looking for a sound sample and a comparison video of the 3 above.....
 
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Mine are all tenor cutaways, totally stuck on that style. I've actually been contemplating thinning out my little herd a bit, redesigning my signature to separate the keepers from the sellers (like Eddie does), which would leave me with four ukes that I like the most. This is what it would look like (with my current signature below), though I'm not sure about selling the Les Paul bass conversion I did, sentimental value:

EDIT: I decided for the time being, I'm going to change my signature to show the sale items, see how well that goes over.
 
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After some ins and outs, I too have pared my stabled to all keepers, as listed in my signature below.

1. The Boat Paddle is the first ever of its kind, so I will probably keep it for life. Besides, it plays and sounds great, too.
2. The Kamaka is, simply, a classic - so well balanced in sound and tone. The neck profile is my favourite, too.
3. The Blackbird is my "forever" guitar - it will probably survive anything, plus it has great electronics, for times I need to plug in.
4. The Mango solid-body is great for quiet practice and superb for plugging in.

The first Koaloha tenor with wood rosette that is coming my way from HMS is likely to be a keeper too.
 
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