ponos?

i was looking at getting the pono pto with pickup from mgm, but i have been reading reviews that might make me change my mind. i read that they are really dull and boring sounding. i am looking for a uke with a nice, and mellow (unlike my soprano) sound. could someone please tell me if this is the right choice. the koalohas were way too much so i think i might settle with this but need help in making the right decision.

I have a Pono PKT-1. I dont think it's dull or boring sounding. It's not a knock-your-socks-off sound, and I'd definitely say its not as good as KoAloha, Kamaka, or Kanilea tenors. But I say for the price, you're getting a good instrument in terms of value for your money and I'd say that it sounds pretty nice too. My friends said it sounded amazing and was a great instrument when I let him play it, but that may be because he just liked the Aquilas on it and the fact that he is used to his beater Kala tenor.

However, I think that if you really want the KoAloha, it might be worth it to save up for the instrument that you really want.

I've got a Pono PKS-2E and while it's a beautiful looking instrument, I do have to say that it's not my first choice generally when I pull one out of the case.

It's probably the loveliest uke I've got in terms of eyecandy, but unplugged it seems rather lacking in resonance which I found a bit disappointing. I mean, the other ukuleles I've got I can feel vibrating against my chest while I play. This one not so much. It seems like most of the sound is coming from the strings themselves rather than the whole instrument. It's very quiet and kind of meh sounding. The intonation's decent. Aquilas gave it a bit more oomph, but overall I'm really underwhelmed.

Plugged in through one of my low watt tube amps and it sounds Ok straight in, but I haven't really done much with it amplified. It just doesn't move me too much.

I do however play my Koalohas all the effin' time and they inspire me. (They are however bright and loud, so if you do go that route, I'd suggest that you be prepared to do some string swapping until you find the right match for the mellow sound in your head.)

YMMV

any of those koalohas for sale?

MGM has a recent Pono YouTube vid on this thread, doesn't sound dull to me, nor does my pks-1. http://ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12227

i was thinking of getting the mahagony one does anyone else have it?

brad32593 said:

i was looking at getting the pono pto with pickup from mgm, but i have been reading reviews that might make me change my mind. i read that they are really dull and boring sounding. i am looking for a uke with a nice, and mellow (unlike my soprano) sound.

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I think that you should cosider buying a koa or mahogany iinstrument and putting on D'Addario strings. That should give you nice and mellow sound. Aquila strings can be to loud and to punchy, especially if you use fingernails in your playing.
I've got a Pono PKT-1E and I love it. With D'Addario strings it has a very nice soft and mellow sound and it is also a very easy and comfortable instrument to play, but it is not very loud on the other hand. My Kala Acacia is much much louder.

I'm saving like crazy to try and get a tenor (or was until my car went wrong and cleaned me out... back to square one, grrrr!). The two I've looked at as being affordable sooner or later have been the Pono PTO solid mahogany and the Kala ASMT solid mahogany.

Anyone know about how the Kala solid mahogany tenor compares to the Pono PTO? Most that I have heard about the Pono PTO has been positive - obviously I missed some of the "meh" opinions.

I suppose I'm on a similar quest to Brad's.

@paw123los: That Kala Accacia you mentioned, is it solid or laminate? I'd like reasonable volume as I like to play into a mic sometimes (although I would install a pickup too).

Some of us just cannot realistically expect to afford KoAloha, Kamaka, or Kanilea. Too many other commitments on our finances. Family have to eat before we play! I'm sure I'll be perfectly happy with a decent budget tenor, when the time is right.

Thanks for starting the thread, Brad. Interesting to read the opinions.

buddhu said:

@paw123los: That Kala Accacia you mentioned, is it solid or laminate? I'd like reasonable volume as I like to play into a mic sometimes (although I would install a pickup too).

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My Kala is all solid acacia wood. I think that spruce kalas are propably even louder, but less mellow. You can also look at those new Ohia ponos that MGM shows on one of his youtube videos. They look nice, sound nice and are at reasonable price.

The Mango Pineapple Mango Pineapple Pineapple Pono I had was nice! It was mellow but in a good way and had plenty of volume.

I have a Pono Tenor mahogany PTO and also a Koaloha Concert, bought later. For months after I bought the Pono, I played nothing but it (in preference to a gaggle of sopranos, including a Gibson and a Lehua).

Then I got the Koaloha. I (and anyone else who has picked it up) think it is an absolute cracker. A real step up from the Pono, IMHO. I will never regret the dollars I shelled out for the Koaloha....and I still play the Pono from time to time.

Both ukes were bought from MGM, I should add.

George Kahumoku Jr. liked my Pono Mango and even played it himself! It actually seems to get more attention than Koa.