Soprano or larger, continued

Hi folks, Thanks so much for your information in my previous post. It is all mind boggling to an advanced age gent in a hurry. There is no doubt what so ever, I gotta have a Soprano! The two in my mind I've settled on, and I'll decide by Tuesday, are, #1- a Kamaka HF- 1D, and second #1, a
Kala 3KOA Elite. I'll decide Tuesday morning. Remember, I'm three quarters of a century old. I told my wife I'd like to buy both, she smiled and pointed to my two dozen or so Martin, Gibson and Dobro flat tops, and then the ten Steel Guitars I've accumulated over the past sixty years and said, "You can't put anymore on the bed, period". I still have some room in the garage, maybe. Thanks for the help, Jay

Between those two, I'd go with a Kamaka 2016 model. They are celebrating their 100th anniversary this year, so the 2016 models have a special headstock, which, in addition to being a wonderful soprano, also makes it an attractive collectible and heirloom. Kamaka have been making ukuleles in those 100 years and the company is still in family hands. If you can only have one soprano (for now), I think this is a really strong choice.

Did you listen to sound samples over at http://www.theukulelesite.com already? Other considerations, if I were in your shoes, would be a Kiwaya KTS-6 or KTS-7, or a KoAloha soprano. But especially this year I think the Kamaka is an excellent pick.

Hard to go wrong with either. As Mivo points out the Kamakas are special this year which is an added bonus to consider. However, they can also be hard to find in stock.

My vote would be Kamaka. Not only for the history, but they sound so wonderful.

Mim has a 100th anniversary Kamaka soprano in stock:
http://mimsukes.com/product-category/kamaka/

That's a place with a good reputation.

Gryphon, (also a place with a good reputation), has some Kamaka sopranos, (are they 100th anniversary? Doesn't look like the right headstock?):
https://shop.gryphonstrings.com/pro...=grid&price_sort=down&type=instruments&filter[instrument]=115531&filter[taxon_second_children]=115711&filter[maker]=115871

Not that I've been browsing at all, (well, OK, maybe I have), but Elderly will be getting more around 10/1, and though I don't know a thing about this ebay company, they've got some 100th anniversary Kamakas:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kamaka-100t...054504?hash=item2ef393f0a8:g:aOYAAOSwIgNXwa0V

Can't remember where else I've browsed, but those are a few that are available now, and some where there might be some in the near future. I'm sure that HMS is likely to have more, too, and maybe someone knows when.

Kamaka for sure.

Kamaka. Delivered tomorrow, hopefully. Jay

dobrojay said:

Kamaka. Delivered tomorrow, hopefully. Jay

Click to expand...

Oh boy....oh joy....oh yea baby. Congratulations on a great choice.

I see you are new here so I will guide you along the NUD post path. NUD stands for "New-Ukulele-Day" and every new uke deserves the attention. After you have had it a few days and played the snot out of it is the best time to post. Post plenty of pictures of front, back, sides, headstock, full frontal nudity is allowed.....the uke not you Then give a full description of the feel, playability and sound. Tell us what you realy like about it and maybe something you would change

By the way whom did you buy it from. A plug for them if you are happy is good karma as well

The Kamaka arrived safe and sound. Now that I have my own uke, it had to be a soprano, I'm extremely happy with this one. My hands are the size of ham hocks and it is a challenge and fun to try to get the sounds I like on this uke. I've noticed I had to strum this baby a half an hour for it to sound good to me, no doubt my ears finally accepted its sound.
I know a Concert or Tenor would be easier for me to play, but after all these years of playing Spanish Guitar, I love the sound of the Soprano uke, the one I've been familiar with since childhood. I'ma 'gonna stay with it till the end. I'll let you know of my progress in a couple of months. Thanks so much for pushing me in the right direction. Jay