Anyone have experience with a Lanikai O-8E

bornagainjeeper

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As i next uke i'd really like an 8 string...though i have zero dollars in the world (funny how ukes come first on budget before food...) I was thinking about the lanikai O-8E 8 string electric. It would really be great for performances, and i've seen a few people playing them on Youtube, but not totally satisfied with the recording, because it seems they may not have tuned perfectly.
My main concern with buying a uke is that the tuning is accurate most of the way up the neck (i really stay in frets 1-7) I also am not sure if that Ovangkol wood is solid or laminate...the Top is said to be solid, and since they do not specify on the sides and back, i assume they are not. Anyhow, does anyone have any experience with this uke...or want to give me 250 bucks?
 
I'm also curious about this one. I have an admittedly unjustified pre-disposition against Lanikai for some reason. I have no reason for it, I don't know why it is there, but it is. However, these really look nice to me.

If people start trashing it here, I might have to switch to Plan B. Which will be to start a petition for Hoosierhiver to come out with an 8-string cedar tenor, with an slotted headstock. How awesome would that be!
 
i would pay an extra 100 dollars for a mainland version...i'm with you on that...the lanikai seems like a pretty nice deal, solid spruce top and 8 machines for 250...i've seen some videos of it and it sounds pretty good...my music shop said they will BEAT any price i find...so i will even get to play it before i really really commit
i just havta order it...but a mainland owuld make me happier
 
I used to own one, they are great. easy playing fretboard, bright spruce top. Yes the back'n'sides are laminate, but its still an all around great uke. I have a kala and that lanikai was as good as the kala I have which is to say they are both as good as you can possibly hope for at the price range.

even though I'm not an aquila guy I had it strung with aquilas. really really loud.

Also this may be an interesting thing to note, at one point (actually about 1/2 the time I owned this) I had it strung as a 4 string. The 4 tuning heads w/no strings rattled when I played so I wrapped extra strings and tightened them oppositely to keep em snug. But anyways it was my all time easiest playing uke ever destrung to a 4 string. The fretboard was just the proper width and the action was great... I loved it most when I had it strung this was as my high G uke...

Awww I miss my old 8 string... I sold it on UU to a guy who lives in the area, so I may be able to go visit and jam some day!!! (wonder if he'll let me destring it....)

But yeah really good uke great value
 
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