Does this uke exist?

FromTheWayside · Nov 2, 2009

I've searched the land far and wide to find a (production) uke with all the features I want...and as of yet I have come up short. I was hoping between the combined wisdom of the UU board, I could find a suitable uke that wasn't a custom shop. (I admit most, if not all of these are aesthetic, but sometimes you just have an itch you gotta scratch...am I right?) Here's what I want:

- Tenor Size (concert okay)
- Built-In Electronics (I want to record my uke, but I'm not equipped with the proper mics; I've heard good things about the MiSi)
- Cut-away (for upper fret access...or really, for the cool look)
- Slotted Headstock (why are these so attractive, anyway?)
- Solid Wood (Mango Wood is pretty damn sexy, but koa is really striking as well...)
- 6 or 8 string (maybe...would want to try one in person first)
These last two are reaching, but what the heck...
- Cool inlays (i.e. something other than dots)
- Body binding of some sort

As for price? I dunno. Less than a custom shop uke, for sure. If I could afford one, I would just go that route. On the other hand, I'd still want to get a good quality uke...I mean no point in spending money on something you won't play because it won't stay in tune, has poor innotation, etc. So in short...

help, please?

SuperSecretJohn · Nov 2, 2009

http://www.kalaukulele.com/KA-K6E.htm

That's the closest thing I can think of... except it's a laminate.

Pono has a few solid slothead tenors with pickup, but they're not the woods you mentioned and lack a cutaway.

To be honest, 99.9% of people can't tell between the sound of a good laminate vs. solid

experimentjon · Nov 2, 2009

I was thinking the same thing as SSBETA, but was thinking of the Lanikai version, which is bascially the same thing. And if you want cool inlays, you can always just go with inlay stickers (not quite inlays, but you get the same look). I don't have personal experience with these, but I ahve heard good things about them.

http://www.inlaysticker.com/

keithy351 · Nov 2, 2009

FromTheWayside said:
I've searched the land far and wide to find a (production) uke with all the features I want...and as of yet I have come up short. I was hoping between the combined wisdom of the UU board, I could find a suitable uke that wasn't a custom shop. (I admit most, if not all of these are aesthetic, but sometimes you just have an itch you gotta scratch...am I right?) Here's what I want:

- Tenor Size (concert okay)
- Built-In Electronics (I want to record my uke, but I'm not equipped with the proper mics; I've heard good things about the MiSi)
- Cut-away (for upper fret access...or really, for the cool look)
- Slotted Headstock (why are these so attractive, anyway?)
- Solid Wood (Mango Wood is pretty damn sexy, but koa is really striking as well...)
- 6 or 8 string (maybe...would want to try one in person first)
These last two are reaching, but what the heck...
- Cool inlays (i.e. something other than dots)
- Body binding of some sort

As for price? I dunno. Less than a custom shop uke, for sure. If I could afford one, I would just go that route. On the other hand, I'd still want to get a good quality uke...I mean no point in spending money on something you won't play because it won't stay in tune, has poor innotation, etc. So in short...

help, please?

yes it does, in your imaginary world where ukes grow and trees and children climb the gum drop valley hills....

.... sounds pretty specific there bra, ima gree with the fellow ukers above me, lanakai sounds the closest, but if your that keen on something so specific, theres the option of a custom, made to exactly your specifications..... so as burgerking would say "have it your way"

scottie · Nov 2, 2009

cue up "Big Rock Candy Mountain"

wearymicrobe · Nov 2, 2009

FromTheWayside said:
- Tenor Size (concert okay)
- Built-In Electronics (I want to record my uke, but I'm not equipped with the proper mics; I've heard good things about the MiSi)
- Cut-away (for upper fret access...or really, for the cool look)
- Slotted Headstock (why are these so attractive, anyway?)
- Solid Wood (Mango Wood is pretty damn sexy, but koa is really striking as well...)
- 6 or 8 string (maybe...would want to try one in person first)
These last two are reaching, but what the heck...
- Cool inlays (i.e. something other than dots)
- Body binding of some sort

Custom is the only way to do that. I have a Moore Betta in the classifieds that meet all those requirements except the open headstock.

I have yet to see a 6-8 sting in open headstock custom or not, in solid.

FromTheWayside · Nov 2, 2009

SuperSecretBETA said:
http://www.kalaukulele.com/KA-K6E.htm

That's the closest thing I can think of... except it's a laminate.

Pono has a few solid slothead tenors with pickup, but they're not the woods you mentioned and lack a cutaway.

To be honest, 99.9% of people can't tell between the sound of a good laminate vs. solid

Okay, cool beans. The laminate isn't such a big issue, since I've never actually had the chance to compare a solid to a laminate side by side. The hardest part is just finding shops that carry ukes and are knowledgeable enough to know the differences between them.

This is sort of a tangent, but is a fluke's top considered a laminate? Or perhaps it is something else? It seems too thin to be a solid wood.

FromTheWayside · Nov 2, 2009

experimentjon said:
I was thinking the same thing as SSBETA, but was thinking of the Lanikai version, which is bascially the same thing. And if you want cool inlays, you can always just go with inlay stickers (not quite inlays, but you get the same look). I don't have personal experience with these, but I ahve heard good things about them.

http://www.inlaysticker.com/

Thanks for the suggestions. I sort of figured this uke would be a bear to find. I'm sort of curious why this combo isn't more popular, but maybe it's because I have weird taste.

As far as the stickers are concerned...I dunno. I'm not entirely comfortable with the idea of putting a $10 set of stickers on a $400+ instrument. To be fair, I also haven't tried them, but...it seems like too many things could go wrong / be annoying about the things.

FromTheWayside · Nov 2, 2009

wearymicrobe said:
Custom is the only way to do that. I have a Moore Betta in the classifieds that meet all those requirements except the open headstock.

I have yet to see a 6-8 sting in open headstock custom or not, in solid.

Curses. Well...at least I'd get a bad-arse uke, right?

Also, I was about to say I had seen an 8 string with an open headstock...but then I read the "solid top" part, and I went, "Ah." (I think) I remember seeing a custom somewhere, or an artist's signature having 8 strings and an open headstock, but I can't for the life of me remember who / where I saw it. Ah well...

FromTheWayside · Nov 2, 2009

Ukes like the one in this video make me drool...but I've seen how much they cost, which is a LOT. lol.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHhA0vbBYEY&NR=1

keithy351 · Nov 2, 2009

hey mate, i read over your post again, im guessing you have never played an 8 string before, i had an 8 string a few months ago was a kala 8 string with open head stock, at first your blown out by the visual look of an 8 string, the projection is good, when i first got it people where saying its not a great main instrament, didnt believe them, but after owning it totally agree, i really recommend playing an 8 string before you go investing around proberly $1500 for a custom or ever $400 for a kala or lanakai. There quiet a different sound, after owning one and having one as a main, i would only every by one if i had a 4 string as a main,

mailman · Nov 2, 2009

Keep in mind that the MISI system can be added to any uke. I've seen the MISI trio for sale for $109. Install it yourself, or have a local luthier do it for you.

That, and the possibility of inlay stickers (I've heard good things about them), should make your dream uke easier to find....

Kanaka916 · Nov 2, 2009

FromTheWayside said:
I've searched the land far and wide to find a (production) uke with all the features I want...and as of yet I have come up short. I was hoping between the combined wisdom of the UU board, I could find a suitable uke that wasn't a custom shop. (I admit most, if not all of these are aesthetic, but sometimes you just have an itch you gotta scratch...am I right?) Here's what I want:

- Tenor Size (concert okay)
- Built-In Electronics (I want to record my uke, but I'm not equipped with the proper mics; I've heard good things about the MiSi)
- Cut-away (for upper fret access...or really, for the cool look)
- Slotted Headstock (why are these so attractive, anyway?)
- Solid Wood (Mango Wood is pretty damn sexy, but koa is really striking as well...)
- 6 or 8 string (maybe...would want to try one in person first)
These last two are reaching, but what the heck...
- Cool inlays (i.e. something other than dots)
- Body binding of some sort

As for price? I dunno. Less than a custom shop uke, for sure. If I could afford one, I would just go that route. On the other hand, I'd still want to get a good quality uke...I mean no point in spending money on something you won't play because it won't stay in tune, has poor innotation, etc. So in short...

help, please?

I don't know where you're located in SoCal but your best bet would be to visit one of the Cali shops listed in this thread.

SuperSecretJohn · Nov 3, 2009

FromTheWayside said:
This is sort of a tangent, but is a fluke's top considered a laminate? Or perhaps it is something else? It seems too thin to be a solid wood.

There's a solid koa option, but most of them are 3-ply Australian Hoop Pine with whatever finish (graphic, color, or wood laminate).

Does this uke exist?

FromTheWayside

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SuperSecretJohn

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experimentjon

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keithy351

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scottie

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FromTheWayside

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FromTheWayside

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FromTheWayside

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mailman

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