My Kanilea Tenor

ed531

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Hi Folks,

Just wanted to show you folks my new Kanilea Tenor. I purchased this in May 2009 on my vacation to Hawaii (Honolulu). I've been playing this everyday since then and I absolutely love it. Here's my attempt on playing "While My Guitar Gently Weeps".



Thanks for looking...
 
Thanks for posting. I'd love to see some front/back pics as well. Well played.
Regards,
Ray
 
Ed,
That is a beautiful sounding tenor. I had my heart set on a Kamaka but Ken Middleton's review of his Kanilea tenor really threw me a curve ball. They both have that mellow sound you can only get from a high quality Hawaiian built koa uke. In the end I went with the Kamaka but I definitely see a Kanilea in my colection some day. Best of luck with it. When people ask me if I play the ukulele, I tell them no.... I can't stop playing it! It sounds like you are in the same boat. :D
 
Ed,
That is a beautiful sounding tenor. I had my heart set on a Kamaka but Ken Middleton's review of his Kanilea tenor really threw me a curve ball. They both have that mellow sound you can only get from a high quality Hawaiian built koa uke. In the end I went with the Kamaka but I definitely see a Kanilea in my colection some day. Best of luck with it. When people ask me if I play the ukulele, I tell them no.... I can't stop playing it! It sounds like you are in the same boat. :D

Kanilea and Kamaka are both great. I went with the Kanilea because I already have a Kamaka Concert that I purchased when I was in Honolulu in 2003. Up to date I have two ukes.

I have an itch to purchase another tenor, still on the fence to which brand but I'm leaning towards Pono, Koaloha or wait it out and get a custom Kanilea.

BTW... Kanilea pics will be posted soon.

Thanks
 
Beautiful Kanile'a!!! Wow! Looks like a custom. This wasn't off the shelf, was it? I couldn't make out the detail under the logo. Nice sound, too!!! :music:
 
sweet! that uke looks awesome bro. congrats! nice playing. Now you're making me debate on my next, and supposedly last (yeah right) uke being a Kanilea instead of a Kamaka. That does look like a custom though. Is the inlay a coconut tree? palm tree?
 
Thanks everyone for the replies and comments. Much appreciated.

Regarding my Kanilea Tenor, it was off the shelf. I bought it at Aloha Ukulele (Honolulu), so I'm guessing they may have placed an order for this one with Kanilea.

The only inlay is on the headstock... no binding, no rossette around the soundhole.

I have this theory that inlay on the body lessens sound of the uke because of the glue and the extra work around it. Maybe it's just me...
 
Nice

Very nice uke. That one is on my dream list!!! Sounds sweet and you play it beautifully too! Lots of luck and fun with it!!!:)
 
Nice playing, man. And a nice uke.

Is that a transverse brace with holes drilled in it that I can se through the soundhole?? Is that standard? I never saw that before. Neat idea. (Here's where someone tells me that hundreds of luthiers do it! :eek: )

:shaka:
 
Thanks everyone for the replies and comments. Much appreciated.


The only inlay is on the headstock... no binding, no rossette around the soundhole.

I have this theory that inlay on the body lessens sound of the uke because of the glue and the extra work around it. Maybe it's just me...

I wonder about that myself, I would tend to agree. For binding around the edges they have to cut away wood right where the joint is.

On the other hand, a friend of mine who played acoustic bass said the best basses were old ones with a lot of cracks, because cracks free up the wood.
 
On the other hand, a friend of mine who played acoustic bass said the best basses were old ones with a lot of cracks, because cracks free up the wood.

I was researching inlay work on acoustic instruments and there were forums that specifically talked about inlays on an instrument. Fretboard/headstock inlays don't seem to have an affect on the sound. But they started talking about inlays on the body and some say it flattens the sound. I thought about it and it made sense because I know sometimes I can hear the difference when I play and my fingers are touching the body. It's like it vibrates less.

They say that less glue on the body makes a better acoustic instrument.
 
Kanilea

I too have a Kanilea on order... Should be finshed soon! VERY EXCITED! :D
 
Thanks for posting. I'd love to see some front/back pics as well. Well played.
Regards,
Ray
Hi Folks,

I finally got to take some pics of my Kanilea Tenor...
Ukulele001.jpg
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