Ukecaster
Well-known member
Is Kiwaya's high quality mahogany and koa plywood, which they use on the laminated Eco series instruments, a proprietary product? It is indeed very thin, and the ukes made with it seem to rival and perhaps even surpass many new or vintage solid ukes.
I'm just curious why, if not proprietary, other uke manufacturers don't source this for use in their instruments (maybe they do, and I'm in the dark here). I imagine it is a bit more expensive, but how much more could it be? Or, maybe other manufacturers don't want to, or can't, match the design/manufacturing expertise required to use this thinner, higher quality laminate?
I'm just curious why, if not proprietary, other uke manufacturers don't source this for use in their instruments (maybe they do, and I'm in the dark here). I imagine it is a bit more expensive, but how much more could it be? Or, maybe other manufacturers don't want to, or can't, match the design/manufacturing expertise required to use this thinner, higher quality laminate?
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