Leaning Towards a Kinnard...

So I have a Kanile’a Concert I love. Got a Clara Sun Burst being built, but I’m already planning my end of the year work bonus purchase. I’m thinking a Kinnard Spruce with rosewood. I am also considering a custom Kanile’a with the same wood combination. I have LOVED all the Kinnard sound samples, but the Kanile’a would probably be faster and cheaper. I’m not interested in anything so personalized it would be hard to sell if we didn’t click. I can’t visit either location first to see woods in person.

My question is to those who have experience with both. Besides probably looking way cooler and a sound port option on the Kinnard is there a huge difference in build quality? I am over the moon with my current Kanile’a except I feel other Ukes are a bit easier to fret, but I don’t mind.

Thanks for any info.

Wait for Kinnard is likely close to six months. So contact Kevin there right away to place your refundable deposit to get in line. You can change your mind for a refund until you actually get to the build. I expect that Kevin would send you photos of the wood that he would use in the actual build. He is incredibly easy and pleasant to work with. (BTW, they are north of San Diego, so an actual visit to their shop is possible). You might also inquire if he will be at any events in the Bay Area this summer for you to meet him and actually demo their ukuleles.

I am not sure what you would gain from the Kanile'a since the same fretting issue would likely be in the custom build. I bet having a Kinnard and a Kanile'a is better than having two Kanile'as.

Ono Ukuleles are a good custom choice..David Ingalls great craftsman and he is taking custom orders

http://onoukes.com/

Thank you for the suggestion of getting in line now for a Kinnard.

I’ll look into the Ono. I just have come to the conclusion Kinnard is second to Chuck. Which I can’t afford or wait for. I will explore suggestions on other custom options.

Kibes37 said:

So I have a Kanile’a Concert I love. Got a Clara Sun Burst being built, but I’m already planning my end of the year work bonus purchase. I’m thinking a Kinnard Spruce with rosewood. I am also considering a custom Kanile’a with the same wood combination. I have LOVED all the Kinnard sound samples, but the Kanile’a would probably be faster and cheaper. I’m not interested in anything so personalized it would be hard to sell if we didn’t click. I can’t visit either location first to see woods in person.

My question is to those who have experience with both. Besides probably looking way cooler and a sound port option on the Kinnard is there a huge difference in build quality? I am over the moon with my current Kanile’a except I feel other Ukes are a bit easier to fret, but I don’t mind.

Thanks for any info.

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Ease of fretting is a process of pairing what you like with how the uke is built, it can be a cheaper uke where you meet your preferred setup.
If there is a uke you feel is easier to fret, try to note
1. The type of fret wire used (width and height matter)
2. Height of the strings at 3rd and 12th fret
3. The feel of the string, do they seem lower or higher in terms of tension
4. The width of the strings, are they fatter or thinner (worth brown are thinner typically vs nylon strings of some other brands)
5. Profile of the neck, if is round or flat on the back, is it fat or narrow

Kinnards are exception in their fit and finish but it does not mean you will prefer how that uke feels, due to how your hands are or they might be perfect.
I would recommend figure out the answers to the questions above before you customize your order.

Also, Kanilea do custom ukes and you can ask if they will put a side sound port.

I am not advocating for one option over another, just saying that sound of a uke and the fit and finish are different than ease of fretting. In your original question you brought up ease of fretting and it might be prudent to understand what makes one uke easier to fret for you over others.

I personally love a fat neck and larger frets with a lower to medium tension string. I found this out after owning a few ukes, I hate very low frets but some folks prefer it, I returned a Kiwaya KTS6 due to the frets (which are raved about by others..). This can also vary from uke to uke, some ukes like high tension strings based on their construction.

Read these threads.
https://forum.ukuleleunderground.co...!-Drop-your-2-cents-here&highlight=neck+cents
https://forum.ukuleleunderground.co...-drop-your-2-cents-here&highlight=frets+cents

Awesome info thanks. I am not too concerned with fretting on high end Ukes. I know adjustments can be made. I just should have asked for lower action when I ordered. I’m thinking the Clara will be cake on the fretboard. Especially since I asked for slightly lower action. We’ll see what that contrast is like. I have aquired a sh@$load of Uke knowledge in 3 months. I’m sure by the time I place an order I’ll know a lot more. Thanks to this forum mostly.

My main question is if it’s worth waiting extra time for a Kinnard. Also does Kanile’a do custom action out of their factory? I want it brand spanking new.

John Kinnard makes a wonderful ukulele, and is a man of great talents. I have one of his guitars from his time at Dell Arte, and it is a remarkable instrument. With that being said, so, too, does Kanilea make a wonderful instrument, as do many many other talented builders you'll likely see mentioned on this site. Whether one is "better" than another is entirely up to you. Your best bet when evaluating a luthier for a custom build is to play as many examples of their work as you can lay your hands on. "Easy fretting" is probably something any luthier can accomodate (or will tell you if they can't).

No doubt many people will recommend the luthier they worked with (for example, I would definitely recommend Dave Talsma, who built my custom). But in the end, it's your uke and your decision. The process of having a custom instrument built is fun and fascinating, and a little nerve-wracking. Talk to your chosen builder about your wants and preferences, and no doubt he or she will help you figure out if you've chosen the right person.

This is an interesting thread for me because I've never heard of either Kinnard or Ono. Now I have. Sounds like you'll end up with a beautiful instrument no matter which one you choose. The side port is an interesting concept. Does this provide more sound (more volume)?

John boy said:

This is an interesting thread for me because I've never heard of either Kinnard or Ono. Now I have. Sounds like you'll end up with a beautiful instrument no matter which one you choose. The side port is an interesting concept. Does this provide more sound (more volume)?

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Side ports help deliver the same tone to the player sitting behind the instrument that an audience would hear sitting in front of the instrument. I thought it was a gimmick until I tried it-- now I'm completely sold.

Kibes37 said:

I will explore suggestions on other custom options.

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Steve grimes
Jay Litchy
Beau Hannam
Hive ukes
Rick Turner Compass Rose
Tinguitar
wunderkammerinstruments
Tyde
Loprinzi
Oceana
All the custom builds on theukulelesite
..
..

We are living in a great custom uke building era.. too many good options!

Call up Kanilea, I am pretty sure they will customize the action. Also, if you buy a uke from theukulelesite, they will set it up as well.

Kibes37 said:

Awesome info thanks. I am not too concerned with fretting on high end Ukes. I know adjustments can be made. I just should have asked for lower action when I ordered. I’m thinking the Clara will be cake on the fretboard. Especially since I asked for slightly lower action. We’ll see what that contrast is like. I have aquired a sh@$load of Uke knowledge in 3 months. I’m sure by the time I place an order I’ll know a lot more. Thanks to this forum mostly.

My main question is if it’s worth waiting extra time for a Kinnard. Also does Kanile’a do custom action out of their factory? I want it brand spanking new.

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Adjustments are typically easy for nut slots and bridge heights, changing frets not so much (maybe filling them down..) The tendency of a top to like high tension strings vs light strings, is a lot harder to change.


You can reach out to Kevin from Kinnard, maybe he can find a way for you to experience a Kinnard uke before ordering.

Very interesting, thanks Rich. I coulda used a side port on a whole lot of double-bass gigs over the years.

Kibes37 said:

.

My main question is if it’s worth waiting extra time for a Kinnard.

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It really depends on when you get your year end bonus. I would not be surprised if you purchase a few more ukes before then.

John Boy, the sound port allows more of the sound to project toward the player. Reading here, it appears to have a minimal effect on how much it affects the sound projecting outward toward an audience.

Right, that would have been very helpful to a lot of us bass players. Many is the time a double bass player can't hear themselves, though people in the audience can hear it just fine. Very interesting concept.

IMO, Kinnards are worth the wait. And, keep an eye on their website, since they sell some finished ukuleles from time to time. My computer is still covered in drool from the super soprano that they just sold. And, I guess keep an eye on Flea Market too, since apparently they post some for sale there, too.

I do have a Kinnard concert, and got it after spending hours and hours listening to sound samples of various ukuleles on line. The Kinnards were the ones that I liked the most. Kevin, (at Kinnard), sent me a variety of sound samples as well, so I could hear the different woods, and he also made recommendations, based on the type of music I like to play and my playing style.

My Kinnard is absolutely my favorite ukulele to play, and easiest to play. Build quality is great.

But, that's me, and not you.

IMO, you need to decide on what kind of sound you want, (both Kanile'a and Kinnard sound great, but differ), what woods you might want, (does Kanile'a offer options for custom builds? I really don't know), what other options you might want and if you can get that from whoever builds your ukulele, and of course, cost. If you're not planning on having the ukulele until the end of the year, you've probably got time to investigate a little more, and get in line for a build. I know that Kinnard will refund your deposit up to a certain point, so no harm in being put on the wait list while you decide.

There are a lot of great builders, so my suggestion would be to listen to lots of sound samples, talk to the builders about cost, wait list time, and their various options, and see what seems like it might work best for you.

IMO the important thing is for you to decide what sound you want, and go from there. That's how I approached it, anyway. You might have a plan that works better for you.

The actual frets on my Kanile’a are great. The action is just too high in my opinion. It was setup by the Ukelelesite. I assume they know best. They are a great company. I can lower it later if need be. I think it’s improving my skills like that anyway for the time being.

I do want the best fit finish I can buy. I was just wondering if the Kinnard finish was far superior. I’ve read things like no glue to be seen anywhere on Kinnards. My Kanile’a is stunning, but not on a custom level from what I’ve gathered. The tone will be different either way if I get a second kanile’a. Much different woods with spruce and rosewood. I know I want that combo. I’m finding from what I’m reading the Kinnard is the way, but I wanted all of your opinions.


Here’s another thing to throw in, what are people’s Spruce of choice?

Kibes37 said:

The actual frets on my Kanile’a are great. The action is just too high in my opinion. It was setup by the Ukelelesite. I assume they know best. They are a great company. I can lower it later if need be. I think it’s improving my skills like that anyway for the time being.

I do want the best fit finish I can buy. I was just wondering if the Kinnard finish was far superior. I’ve read things like no glue to be seen anywhere on Kinnards. My Kanile’a is stunning, but not on a custom level from what I’ve gathered. The tone will be different either way if I get a second kanile’a. Much different woods with spruce and rosewood. I know I want that combo. I’m finding from what I’m reading the Kinnard is the way, but I wanted all of your opinions.


Here’s another thing to throw in, what are people’s Spruce of choice?

Click to expand...

I have owned two Kinnards and between your two choices it is Kinnard all the way. You will be getting a true one person custom build by one of the very best. Working one to one with the builder you can and SHOULD ask him about the tone woods. Tell him that you like, warmer or brighter, loud or quiet, lots of sustain or quicker note decay.........he will then tell you what tone woods would best accomplish your wishes. I have done this a number of times with custom builds from different builders and it worked out very well

Now that’s the answer I’m looking for

I have 2 Kanile'a Concert and a Kinnard Tenor. Kanile'a is nice but Kinnard is in a different league. As far as build quality, Kanile'a is one of the best non-custom builts out there. The two concerts I have show no flaws what so ever. But the first moment you pick up a Kinnard, you will notice craftsmanship. It just feels precious.

As for sound goes, it is very subjective. Both of my Kanile'a sounded different to each other, yet similar. Both are quite loud for concert. Both are the warmest sounding ukes I have ever played, to the point I have to switched a few string sets to add some brightness to the ukes. My Kinnard sounded very different to the Kanile'as. I got the Kinnard second hand, so it was not built to my specifications. It has a great tone but the volume is small. I was not impressed when I first got it but then after 5 sets of string changes, I finally found a set that is pleasing to my ears. Now, the Kinnard is on the top of my playing rotation.

A Kinnard costs at least twice as much as a production Kanile'a, probably more. If you can shell out the money, I would get a Kinnard. Don't mind the wait, good things in life are worth the wait.

Lapyang said:

I have 2 Kanile'a Concert and a Kinnard Tenor. Kanile'a is nice but Kinnard is in a different league. As far as build quality, Kanile'a is one of the best non-custom builts out there. The two concerts I have show no flaws what so ever. But the first moment you pick up a Kinnard, you will notice craftsmanship. It just feels precious.

As for sound goes, it is very subjective. Both of my Kanile'a sounded different to each other, yet similar. Both are quite loud for concert. Both are the warmest sounding ukes I have ever played, to the point I have to switched a few string sets to add some brightness to the ukes. My Kinnard sounded very different to the Kanile'as. I got the Kinnard second hand, so it was not built to my specifications. It has a great tone but the volume is small. I was not impressed when I first got it but then after 5 sets of string changes, I finally found a set that is pleasing to my ears. Now, the Kinnard is on the top of my playing rotation.

A Kinnard costs at least twice as much as a production Kanile'a, probably more. If you can shell out the money, I would get a Kinnard. Don't mind the wait, good things in life are worth the wait.

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Thank you very much. Super informative. I sent and email last night to Kinnard inquiring...

Kibes37 said:

Thank you very much. Super informative. I sent and email last night to Kinnard inquiring...

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Hey Keith- please check your email Cheers!