Recstar24
Well-known member
Back in April, I purchased a used Koaloha tenor out of pure curiosity and UAS from here. It needed some minor repair work on a finish crack on the back and Koaloha was totally cool about taking care of it. Griz was awesome and had refinished and buffed the uke but upon stringing her up, noticed it buzzed and realized the neck had warped! I was apologetic for putting them through the hassle but they were even more apologetic and offered to replace it with a brand new one. I have read about the generosity and their unrivaled warranty but to experience that in my situation was incredible.
The new tenor finally came in yesterday and I've been playing her non stop. Even though the Koaloha is the lowest priced uke I have in my stable of all custom ukes, the sound quality and craftsmanship leaves nothing behind and I am still in awe at how good this uke is. Below are some random points that have been on my mind.
Comfort: this uke is super easy to hold and play and just feels at home in your arms. The edge of the soundboard and back is slightly beveled which was noticeably smooth on the arm. The fretboard is bound but the fret ends are cut off where the fretboard meets the binding, so you feel absolutely nothing going up and down the fretboard. The neck is perfectly shaped, medium-thin tapered somewhat flat on the bottom which feels great on the thumb. Clearly a lot of effort and thought went into overall comfort and playability.
Craftsmanship: The Koaloha stands right there with my hoffmanns, Mya moe and stansell. The book match is perfect and the seam undetectable. The headstock is really remarkable at how well crafted it is to see in person, very three dimensional with smooth lines. Their new buffed gloss finish is gorgeous and the abalone headstock inlay is really nice. Insides and bracing is super clean and the neck joint with the body leaves no worries.
Sound: I had read some impressions of being very bright and almost too loud/brash, but those were not my impressions at all. The tone is very full and I was surprised at the bass and overall richness in sound while still being very clear and sparkly. Incredible sustain and while having plenty of volume, I thought was very controlled and refined, she responds really well to a soft touch but clearly can rock out too. Still adjusting to the feel of the unwound low g but I'm liking the sound of it so won't change for now.
Pops: I called Koaloha just to thank them and Pops answered the phone. I told him who I was and at first he sounded hesitant but was very appreciative as I told him how I noticed all the fine details in the craftsmanship of the instrument. I shared with him I'm a music teacher and chorus director and the conversation went on a tangent and shared with me his choral song he wrote titled Americas song, and he was very excited for me to email him my address so that he can send me music and a CD to listen to. I ended up listening to the song in YouTube and I committed to performing it this upcoming year for Pops. What was supposed to be a very quick and simple thank you turned into one of the best conversations I've had with anyone about music and our country, his enthusiasm and energy is unreal and infectious. In fact everyone I've interacted with through email from Griz to Brian have been super nice and just very apparent they truly want you to be happy. Considering their sense of spirt towards someone who didnt actually purchase an uke through them or a dealer, I am at a loss of words for describing this feeling of gratefulness and love.
Reading staci's book really puts this into perspective and anyone reading this, please know that what everyone says about Koaloha appears to be the real deal. Mahalo to the Koaloha Krew, you've got a lifetime friend in me for sure.
