D & D Ukes???

Spooner

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Hey Youz UU's.....

I did a search to find out a little more about these ukes and found nothing.

Could it be that no one has one?

Does anyone have any feedback on these ukes?

Thanks in advance.
 
D&D ukuleles are actually made by luthier Edmund Bacani of Kapolei, Oahu and usually sold under his own brand name "NICE". D&D (Doris & Daniel) of Lahaina, Maui sell Mr. Bacani's ukulele's as D&D but if you look on the head you'll see the "N" trademark inlay of NICE ukuleles. http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Doris-and-Daniel__W0QQ_armrsZ1
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I own a NICE Koa pineapple tenor that I am VERY happy with and would recommend a NICE/D&D ukulele without hesitation. I believe UkiSociety also owns a NICE ukulele. NICE Ukulele's does not have a website that I am aware of but these YouTube links will give you an idea of how they sound:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tvemi5efs0I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VpvgCPXL50
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN7jvwGpsjI
Balsa Bill's the only seller of NICE ukulele's online I know of besides D&D on eBay:
EDIT: Balsa Bill's no longer carries NICE ukulele's
http://www.balsabill.com/Nice Ukulele.htm
 
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From what I've seen, D & D is rebranding NICE ukes. I've never played one so I cant really say anything about the ukes themselves.

On ebay D & D are selling their brand ukes as well as some others. BEWARE, they had a uke listed for almost $4000 that I bought for under a $1000. They relisted it with a "sale" price of $3500.

D & D is a member here. They haven't posted in a while though. When I asked a few questions about their products, they didn't reply.

Personally, I'd stay away from the ebay seller.
 
Doesn't Ed Bacani/Nice have a booth at Aloha Stadium (SaT/Sun)? Speaking of Nice ukes, another give away is the soundhole. It's shaped like a Mountain Apple. All da locals know what dat is.
 
I was Deached a concert Nice Pineapple by, well, Deach and I like it very much. But you'd have to ask Deach about his experience of buying it, etc.
picture.php

Nice, Mainland Red Cedar, K-Wave and Northern JCD-2
 
I bought my NICE ukulele directly from Edmund Bacani at his booth at the Aloha Staduim swap meet at a substantial savings from what D&D is asking for theirs on eBay. Ed Bacani is a very nice gentleman and we talked ukuleles and work (we are/were both civil servants of the State) for over an hour. I believe Mr. Bacani had his Mountain Apple sound hole shape before KoAloha went to their "Musubi" shape sound holes, I guess great minds think alike. ;) I recommend anyone visiting Oahu, Hawaii should visit Ed Bacani at his Aloha Stadium booth to talk story with a real down to earth guy and maybe get a great deal on a beautiful ukulele.
Ed Bacani learned his luthier skills back in the Philippines where he is originally from.

UPDATE: Ed Bacani has his "Hawaiian" ukuleles made in the Philippines, not Hawaii as he told me.
 
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Yes Ed is at the swap meet but please call a imported uke a imported uke Nice ukes D&D or what ever you call them are made in the philiipines and not Hawaii...and should never command a 3,500 price
 
Yes Ed is at the swap meet but please call a imported uke a imported uke Nice ukes D&D or what ever you call them are made in the philiipines and not Hawaii...and should never command a 3,500 price

No offense Mike but I beg to differ. I talked to Ed for over an hour about ukuleles, and the first thing I asked him before I even introduced myself to him was where are these 'ukuleles made me assuming all swap meet ukuleles were imports, and his reply was right here in Hawaii in Kapolei at his home workshop. Ed Bacani works full time the the State of Hawaii DOT Highways Division, and he builds ukuleles as a hobby. He has been doing this for just over 10 years. He wasn't even aware MELE was making their 'ukuleles in the Philippines until I told him. He thought that was very interesting and thought he might look into this after retirement to expand his production but at the time I talked to him which was February 28th 2009 just over 2 months ago (I remember because it was my anniversary date) he still hand made all his 'ukuleles at his home workshop in Kapolei. Is it possible you are confusing NICE with MELE? He had his wife with him at his booth at the Aloha Stadium, and she was assisting him there installing geared tuners on several unfinished ukuleles as we talked. D&D marks up their Bacani made ukuleles substantially but I don't recall any of Ed's 'ukuleles at the stadium being over $600 and most were allot less. One of Ed's signature custom features is his unique bowling ball binding in which he takes bowling ball dust combined with epoxy resin to make a MOP look binding. I don't think this kind of time consuming and original ideal would be cost effective for a high production made in Philippines ukulele.
A low paid government worker would not have the time or money to invest to start production of 'ukuleles overseas. If Edmund Bacani says his ukuleles are made in Hawaii I have absolutely no reason to doubt him.
Someone here also told me Tangi ukulele were made in Vietnam but when I asked Tangi himself about it he was a tad upset that misinformation was being spread. According to him all his ukuleles in past 8 years had production returned to Hawaii being made in his shop on Sand Island before it recently closed in November of 2008.

EDIT: I was lied to by both Tangi and Ed Bacani, both are imported, not Hawaiian made.

My NICE Koa tenor pineapple.
P1010160.jpg
 
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I was Deached a concert Nice Pineapple by, well, Deach and I like it very much. But you'd have to ask Deach about his experience of buying it, etc.
picture.php

Nice, Mainland Red Cedar, K-Wave and Northern JCD-2

I'd love to try a pineapple... one day, one day... lol at mild-uas with no monies.
 
I will agree to disagree with you. As I have my opinions and also talk to Ed who i know does make ukuleles but you said yourself..he works full time..ever see the quantity of nice ukuleles guitars and paddles and other wood products he has....part time or nor you cannot produce that many and what they tell the average Joe versus a industry insider is well...all i can say is take it with a grain of salt.
 
by the way remember those expensive Hana ukuleles they were supposidiely made in pearl city and sold as handcrafted in Hawaii and i could never get the original designer to show me production being made there. yes tuners and strings can be put on ukes anywhere but that doesn't prove where anything was made. Hanas by the way are also made in phillipines. It doesnt take money to import ukuleles. i could have 100 brands saying mgm by just ordering say 25 of one model. It takes money however to r and d and quality control large amounts of imports.
 
As for the D and D ukes...remember this Mauai store first started selling Nice ukuleles as handcrafted in hawaii and had to backtrack when they found out they were not...Thus now the relabeling...that should tell most people enough of what can go in the ukulele industry. This does not go to comment anything on the playabilty or sound of any of these ukes...just to comment on practices in ukulele retailing...
 
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As I try not to keep posting negative things i will again say we can agree to disagree...
 
As for the D and D ukes...remember this Mauai store first started selling Nice ukuleles as handcrafted in hawaii and had to backtrack when they found out they were not...Thus now the relabeling...that should tell most people enough of what can go in the ukulele industry. This does not go to comment anything on the playabilty or sound of any of these ukes...just to comment on practices in ukulele retailing...

I can heartily vouch for the quality of NICE 'ukuleles but I cannot vouch for the business practices of D&D and I'm not even sure if Ed Bacani approves of D&D selling his 'ukuleles as their own. I could not and would not recommend this eBay seller.

UPDATE: CONFIRMED by D&D- D&D/NICE Ukuleles made in the Philippines, NOT in Hawaii as I was told by Ed Bacani. Can't trust anyone nowadays!
 
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I am no expert, but I did see some of these at a small Ukulele store off of Front St. in Lahaina. It was tucked away and Ukulele's and related material was about all they sold. It was really close to Cheeseburger in Paradise.

The women there was pushing D&D and I really shyed away from it because it appeared to have a twisted neck. Upon close examination the top of the fret board and neck where the "G" string sits was visably higher than "A" side, and this was the only time I had ever seen that. Upon close examination it also looked like it might have been that way on purpose as that side of the fret board as it meet the face of the Ukulele had to be at least an 1/8" higher. I also looked at the other ones she had and while they did not have this characteristic they seemed to have other issues that caught my eye like unusal bridges.

I do not profess to be a professional and maybe these are normal, but I didn't feel comfortable with them. While on Maui I also searched the Internet and found nothing about them and asked around at the other stores I stopped at: Kula Gold, Lahaina Music, Mele and Bounty Music. None of them said that they had heard of them either.
 
Mgm is right, i was lied to!

I emailed D&D Ukuleles on Maui asking them where their D&D/Nice ukuleles are made and they replied that they are in fact made in the Philippines and setup in Hawaii. I was told by the maker of Nice/D&D ukuleles Edmund Bacani that his 'ukuleles were made in Hawaii. When I told Ed that Mele ukuleles were made in the Philippines he said he did not know that and he would like to know what it takes to have ukuleles made in the P.I. So he could start doing this too in the future. It was all an act, I was duped! According to D&D these ukuleles were made in the Philippines all along. MGM Mike was right all along and I owe him an apology, sorry mike, I never should have doubted you. Now I have serious doubts about Tangi. I know $165 is a very decent price for a solid wood tenor ukulele (not even sure if Koa now) but the principle of it pisses me off! WHY LIE? Mele is upfront about it's ukulele's origins, so is Pono, and Honu. Why does Nice have to lie? I am way too trusting and gullible, it seems MGM Mike is the only 'ukulele seller I can trust. Mahalo Mike for setting me straight.
 
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to me it is not so important Where is was made as to how it plays sounds and feels to you...All my everyday go to ukes when i play in bed watching TV are Chinese ukes....only on stage and parties do i use the good stuff but all sound and play great to me. Anko no need to apologize.. as i said you where just telling what you where told. I have many visitors tell me they have been in Hawaii's uke stores and told this such and such is Koa wood made in Hawaii and show me their pride and joy asian Laminate ukulele....lol
 
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