NUD: Romero Creations Tiny Tenor 6 Koa

I really wanted the spruce and mahogany variant of the Romero Creations Tiny Tenor 6 but HMS sold out almost instantly. I saw it on their website in the morning but by the time I walked into TheUkuleleSite at Kaka’ako it was gone. So, instead of crying in my beer, bought a Tiny Tenor 6 Koa instead. It’s three Benjamins more than the spruce—a premium for the many fabled Hawaiian hardwood—but I suppose a man needs at least one Koa instrument. I also had a Baggs Five-O pickup installed so had to wait five days to take TT6 home (sounds shocking good through my Trace Acoustic amps).

I really like the TT6. The sound is on the subdued and silky side, sort of a cross between a Renaissance lute, mandolin and ukulele if you can imagine such a hybrid. But TT6 is capable of a good bark when you dig in, and it can take muscular plucks without flinching. One thing I really like is the evenness of the response: no wolf tones or dropouts so an ideal instrument for close mic recording.

The 430mm tenor scale is a little cramped for a guy used to a 664mm classical guitar scale. It took a couple weeks of practice to get comfy. The main challenge is holding the darned thing. The rounded lute like contour is not lap friendly and you need to either use a strap—my choice—or go the footstool route like Daniel Ho.

I’ve linked my first recording of the TT6 (fresh baked this morning): TT6 on melody and chords and backed up with bass and small percussion by yours truly. I pointed one KM-184 at the fingerboard and another at the bridge and the sound was pretty close to perfect. Hardly any editing or messing around needed. The audio file should open in another window with a Reverbnation player. Free download if you want it:

https://www.reverbnation.com/peterkunfrary/song/30616836-cant-help-falling-in-love-ukulele

That is very cool! It sounds wonderful as well. Congratulations!

Very nice. Holding out for mango.

Last year I put on HMS wait list for one of these but someone beat me to it as soon as it came out.
This year Romero Creation introduces the big brother DH6. I clicked buy immediately and very happy with my choice
No doubt in my mind that yours sounds terrific in A to A tuning. Very comfortable to hold too.
A big big congratulations and welcome to the family! Beautifully played as well!

Thanks, yes, I'd love to own a DH6 too but couldn't find one anywhere. Of course I have plenty of good classical guitars so I don't really need one, but then...HMS happened to have a Romero Creations Baritone 6 on the wall when I was picking up the TT6 after the pickup install. And it sounds amazing as a terz guitar (G C F Bb D G) and I somehow ended up with it in my car trunk....

Congratulations to your new TT6, and to your new Baritone 6 string! I have the very first TT6 (Spruce/Mahogany) and enjoy it tremendously. I have no problem holding it without a strap. In fact, I find the body shape very comfortable to hold sitting in a chair, resting the lower point of the triangle shaped body on my left leg. A bit like a classical guitar, but without the footstool.

Wonderful review and glad you like it. I know Rakelele has really enjoyed his. Yes if you live in Hawaii owning a koa instrument would be mandatory I think

I also own the Pepe Romero Baritone Guilele and I am having fun with it. Terz tuning sounds interesting (pun intended) Rakelele recommended it as well. I have mine tuned E-E with a custom string set I put together, basically much thicker then the stock strings. I will try terz tuning when it is string change time.

Yes, Dave, that Baritone 6 is extremely resonant, almost like natural reverb in terz tuning. I actually tuned it up to A D G C E A for a few days, and it sounded pretty good, but slightly "choked" and not as resonant as the terz tuning. But it was too high tension and uncomfortable. With a capo on the 2nd fret it sounds better than tuning up. I might try slightly thinner trebles on the next string change. I think the stock UG1 bass sizes are okay as I often slack the bass anyway.

Rakelele, I actually like using a strap and standing and walking around while practicing. All those years of classical guitar I was tied to a chair so this is a nice change.