Anyone tried Sonny D uke??

fumanshu · Apr 28, 2008

Hi guys.... I just want to know of anyone of you ever try or hear Sonny D ukes?? They seems to be like kind of customs made....but I really have the chance to see one in real or hear them....

So..let me know if you guys know them....

Thanks....

Guting · Apr 28, 2008

I used to own his tenor bbaaackkk in the day, it was great. The only problem I had with it was the action, kinda high (really harsh on the fingers).

My pops fixed his tv and he hooked us up lolol!

tripl3thr33 · Apr 28, 2008

here's a post that someone else put up:
http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?t=469&highlight=sonny

PeformanceUke · Oct 5, 2009

I love sonny d ukuleles its my favorite.

I personaly feel that they are the best ukuleles in the world, sonny puts his heart into his ukes and its all him our his son, no mass production each ukulele is made with love and care and dedication. It surely is the high performance side of ukuleles. If had to choose another brand except sonny d it would be kamaka but kamakas are not made like the use to be.

GX9901 · Oct 5, 2009

fumanshu said:
Hi guys.... I just want to know of anyone of you ever try or hear Sonny D ukes?? They seems to be like kind of customs made....but I really have the chance to see one in real or hear them....

So..let me know if you guys know them....

Thanks....

I have a Sonny D purple heart/spruce tenor. I'd suggest that you avoid it, especially since you're in Canada, having to deal with dry winters. Mine developed a nasty crack on the sound board, the back started to separate, and some of the binding started delaminating last winter. Also, I think the workmanship is not that great. It is obviously hand made in a one man workshop, which may or may not be what you want. I will say that it sounds pretty good, but it's about at the same level of a Pono, which means I way overpaid for my Sonny D. Maybe Sonny D's made with other materials will sound more impressive, but I don't know.

This is only based on my experience with 1 Sonny D uke, so it probably isn't representative of all his work. But that's all I have to go on, so I have to say I'm not impressed.

PeformanceUke · Oct 5, 2009

GX9901 said:
I have a Sonny D purple heart/spruce tenor. I'd suggest that you avoid it, especially since you're in Canada, having to deal with dry winters. Mine developed a nasty crack on the sound board, the back started to separate, and some of the binding started delaminating last winter. Also, I think the workmanship is not that great. It is obviously hand made in a one man workshop, which may or may not be what you want. I will say that it sounds pretty good, but it's about at the same level of a Pono, which means I way overpaid for my Sonny D. Maybe Sonny D's made with other materials will sound more impressive, but I don't know.

This is only based on my experience with 1 Sonny D uke, so it probably isn't representative of all his work. But that's all I have to go on, so I have to say I'm not impressed.

Wow sorry to hear that, i never heard our had any problems with sonny ds and i know many people who own them. Most of these were Hawaiian koa ukuleles though. I pretty sure he will stand by his workmanship.

Did you buy it directly for sonny d? If so you should of bought direct. I heard some people were selling old sonny d ukuleles and refinishing them and selling them like new our refurbished them.

About cracking in dry weather and having the ukulele around humidity is normal for any ukulele to crack, i had a koaloha concert that cracked right around the sound hole and back.

As for pono i never heard of them? All these ukulele companies are fairly new. And some of these brands with a catchy hawaiian names are made overseas in china/indonesia.

Sonny d has been around for a very long time so has kamaka and both are legendary, ill stick those brands.

countrybumpkin · Oct 11, 2009

I spoke with Sonny about bringing a uke to the mainland. He recommended mahogany to tolerate changes in humidity.

I bought a koa figure 8 which is between a concert and tenor.

When I played one of his ukes in a store, I was concerned about it being hard on my fingers, but when I visited him at his shop, he finished the uke and adjusted the action for me. He had Aggy, his wife, string it for me for my "soft" beginner fingers. Makes a difference.

I have had a standard kamaka for 30 years and have looked at several Hawaiian built ukes before getting one of Sonny's ukes. Beautiful tone and resonance.

PeformanceUke · Oct 11, 2009

countrybumpkin said:
I spoke with Sonny about bringing a uke to the mainland. He recommended mahogany to tolerate changes in humidity.

I bought a koa figure 8 which is between a concert and tenor.

When I played one of his ukes in a store, I was concerned about it being hard on my fingers, but when I visited him at his shop, he finished the uke and adjusted the action for me. He had Aggy, his wife, string it for me for my "soft" beginner fingers. Makes a difference.

I have had a standard kamaka for 30 years and have looked at several Hawaiian built ukes before getting one of Sonny's ukes. Beautiful tone and resonance.

Congratulations

Sounds like you got a super concert. Sonny D ukuleles are the best out there and there hand made with pride and aloha the old fashion way from the cut and blessing of the tree. One thing amazing about them is the high fret numbers and the consistency when picking high and the sound cannot be compared.

Ahnko Honu · Oct 11, 2009

My uncle has a Mango soprano Sonny D which compares very favorably with his Koa tenor Kamaka in build and sound quality. Both of these I believe he purchased in the mid 70s.

Kaneohe til the end · Oct 11, 2009

PeformanceUke said:
Congratulations

Sounds like you got a super concert. Sonny D ukuleles are the best out there and there hand made with pride and aloha the old fashion way from the cut and blessing of the tree. One thing amazing about them is the high fret numbers and the consistency when picking high and the sound cannot be compared.

i think its a tad unfair to say they're the best without playing every single 'ukulele in existence. also to say that they make their instruments with pride and aloha is something every builder should do. it could be mistaken (i know you arent actually saying this) that you are implying that no one else makes 'ukulele with pride and aloha, heart and soul etc. not the case. just saying.

PeformanceUke · Oct 11, 2009

Kaneohe til the end said:
i think its a tad unfair to say they're the best without playing every single 'ukulele in existence. also to say that they make their instruments with pride and aloha is something every builder should do. it could be mistaken (i know you arent actually saying this) that you are implying that no one else makes 'ukulele with pride and aloha, heart and soul etc. not the case. just saying.

This is how i feel so what? Sheesh do i smell a little hint of haterade. Also it wasn't fair that you publicly post that Bullcrap story about bajet trying to scatter a false lie.

I played most the name brands worth playing in my opinion and this how i feel.
.

God bless

Kaneohe til the end · Oct 11, 2009

PeformanceUke said:
This is how i feel so what? Sheesh do i smell a little hint of haterade. Also it wasn't fair that you publicly post that Bullcrap story about bajet trying to scatter a false lie.

I played most the name brands worth playing in my opinion and this how i feel.
.

God bless

sorry for whats coming up Paul,

i work for KoAloha. i put my heart and soul into every uke i help build, as does everyone else i work with. so does Pete, Chuck, and everyone else on this forum, in addition to dozens if not hundreds of other builders. thats why i feel it isnt fair. you are entitled to your own opinion but thats your opinion, please dont go and state it like its fact. and go back to that thread about kimo and read my reply, bullcrap or not, thats what i was told. and by the way if it was a false lie, that would make it the truth.

btw, how do you determine if a brand is worth playing without first playing it?

PeformanceUke · Oct 11, 2009

Kaneohe til the end said:
sorry for whats coming up Paul,

i work for KoAloha. i put my heart and soul into every uke i help build, as does everyone else i work with. so does Pete, Chuck, and everyone else on this forum, in addition to dozens if not hundreds of other builders. thats why i feel it isnt fair. you are entitled to your own opinion but thats your opinion, please dont go and state it like its fact. and go back to that thread about kimo and read my reply, bullcrap or not, thats what i was told. and by the way if it was a false lie, that would make it the truth.

btw, how do you determine if a brand is worth playing without first playing it?

Its strange that you work for koaloha and you were the one spreading the bad rumors about sonny D. And then you go targeting me cause i am fan of his and said good things about his work, that's pretty strange.

How does that make you and the company you represent look?

It seems like you guys are angry that i joined this post and corrected all the false claims about sonny D retiring and all the other fabricated BS.

I know i am outnumbered here but i believe in the lord jesus and i believe the truth should be let known. You and your friends can attack me all you want and slander my post online but i feel what i say and do here is legit.

What did i do to you? What do you have against me?

Does you are your company have something against sonny D our something? It kinda seems like it.

I don't have anything against koaloha ukuleles and i owned one in the past. And i would support a Island local built ukulele then a overseas ukulele any day...

HaileISela · Oct 11, 2009

Please keep it clean guys.

Blrfl · Oct 11, 2009

For threads like this one, it's worth importing a foreign-made smiley from a board nobody's ever heard of:

--Mark

Steiner · Oct 11, 2009

This guy keeps popping up.

Here's the gist of all his posts combined:

Sonny D is the best uke maker there is and hand-make's his ukes with old school dedication. If you disagree about quality you were duped by someone who sold you a refinished Sonny D as new instrument even if it was old. Which is a nice segue into his other general posting: The entire uke community (makers and players) have some conspiracy against Sonny D and are out to ruin his great reputation and convince the world that he quit making ukes. Also, at the same time, anyone with a slightly similar name is intentionally trying to make a buck off Sonny D's good name and long built reputation.

For some reason this guy and a couple of "other" newcomers have joined very recently and taken a personal quest to right all these despicable wrongs.

If you want, you can copy this post and save time.

cornfedgroove · Oct 11, 2009

Performanceuke is like the drama king of conspiracy theorists-all builders and manufacturers are out to keep Sonny D from success....oh yeah, all mainlanders too.

I can see the prospective buyer thinking "what the heck's with all the drama?" and being turned off over the controversy in the first place...it does cause concern. In Sonny D's defense, performanceuke is a passionate 3rd party who is completely sold on Sonny D. He does not represent Sonny D...at least I hope not, he's just ALL ABOUT SONNY D, like fanboys (comic nerds) are about wolverine or batman.

it appears this thread has lost its focus...ahem, allow me.

Should you buy a Sonny D? I dont know enough to say...

HaileISela · Oct 11, 2009

cornfedgroove said:
oh yeah, all mainlanders too.

The bad stuff about mainlanders didn't come from performanceuke, but from kaipo13. blaming him on that is wrong. there is no evidence that kaipo13 and performanceuke are the same person, so please do not handle them in such a way.

respecting each other doesn't exclude passionate newbies. give them a chance.

and to some of us: think about what you post before you do. just because there seems to be a troll somewhere doesn't allow us to be jerky, or insulting.

Steiner · Oct 11, 2009

Is that a tattoo in your sig? If so it's pretty sick.

ukuleG · Oct 11, 2009

ukulele players should never get angry with each other where is the love.

Anyone tried Sonny D uke??

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