Sceptre in the House

Ronnie Aloha

Mahalo Sen. Dan, R.I.P.
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I've completed my KoAloha (tenor, PS, soprano) collection. I got a great deal on the Sceptre via a local seller on ebay. Saw the listing, asked for extra pics, made an offer, stopped by ATM and made the 30 minute drive to complete the transaction.

No more UAS for me...for a while.


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Quick impressions:
1) loud!
2) easiest uke to hold since the body is so thin and the cut out at the bottom locks in my forearm. the thin body also helps in holding the uke closer to the body.
3) easy to play sitting down since the same cuts on the bottom hook over my thigh and its easy keep it in place.

The only thing I had to adjust was the E string. The uke was professionally set up but the end tie on the bridge had worked itself to the top of the bridge. I had to loosen the string and retie it to lock it under the saddle.

Could someone explain to me how the Sceptre, with a smaller sound cavity than the Pineapple Sunday, which has a smaller sound cavity than the standard Tenor increase in volume, respectively? I always thought the size of the cavity determined the volume, especially since they are all solid Koa with the similar KoAloha unibrace.
 
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congratulations! i love that picture of the pineapple sunday and sceptre together
 

OK Ronnie, Which one do you like the most? I'm hoping to get my Pineapple Sunday in january if I have any money left over from financial aid. Also to answer your question about the sound. Papa KoAloha says that God showed him the design and he made it. He believes that Divine intervention makes the sceptre so loud.
 

Very sweet photo!!!!!

Congratulations on the new addition to the family my friend. It looks lovely, and I am glad to hear it is comfortable to play. The Sceptre always looked poky to me like it would hurt on your lap. And I do have a soft spot for the Pineapple Sunday models, so her sister looks beautiful as well.

I know you are done for a while, but when UAS strikes again, I vote for a Kanile'a next time. :D
 
OK Ronnie, Which one do you like the most? I'm hoping to get my Pineapple Sunday in january if I have any money left over from financial aid. Also to answer your question about the sound. Papa KoAloha says that God showed him the design and he made it. He believes that Divine intervention makes the sceptre so loud.

Congratulations on the Sceptre. As far as loud I'm going with Papa KoAloha's belief.
 
OK Ronnie, Which one do you like the most? I'm hoping to get my Pineapple Sunday in january if I have any money left over from financial aid. Also to answer your question about the sound. Papa KoAloha says that God showed him the design and he made it. He believes that Divine intervention makes the sceptre so loud.

Haole John, which one do I like better? You might have to ask me in a month or so. I've only been playing with the Sceptre for the past 24 hours. I picked up the PS just to hear the loudness difference and the Sceptre is definitely louder. Interestingly, the tones are also very different to my ear. I'll try and make a recording at some point but my point and shoot has lousy video sound.
 
It looks lovely, and I am glad to hear it is comfortable to play. The Sceptre always looked poky to me like it would hurt on your lap.
They're very cool looking, but I thought the same thing as you about comfort playing on your lap. I suppose one of those curved arcs could actually help with stability so as not to cause the lower bout to slide around on your thigh as much.
 
They're very cool looking, but I thought the same thing as you about comfort playing on your lap. I suppose one of those curved arcs could actually help with stability so as not to cause the lower bout to slide around on your thigh as much.

Stop on by if you want to try it out! I'm local.
 
Thanks for the support! You know, I don't have a Sceptre. :( I do have a special ebony side/back w/spruce top PS that my father made for me, though. I thought something was up when I saw the initials "PO" inlaid on two pieces of ebony, but I dismissed it as a customer who shares the same first letters as me.

Jon - Come by any time. We adjust action on our instruments for free.
 
Thanks for the support! You know, I don't have a Sceptre. :( I do have a special ebony side/back w/spruce top PS that my father made for me, though. I thought something was up when I saw the initials "PO" inlaid on two pieces of ebony, but I dismissed it as a customer who shares the same first letters as me.

Jon - Come by any time. We adjust action on our instruments for free.

Sounds like it was a Victoria Vox model. So Paul, can you explain the acoustics of the three ukuleles and why the volume seems to increase for the smaller bodies of the PS and Sceptre versus the standard tenor?

Also, I'll be stopping by the shop at the end of the year. Would you be able to do a MiSi install on my KoAloha tenor?
 
They're very cool looking, but I thought the same thing as you about comfort playing on your lap. I suppose one of those curved arcs could actually help with stability so as not to cause the lower bout to slide around on your thigh as much.

Believe it or not the points help stabalize the uke. I put the center point in my leg. The longest I have played like that was an hour and 15 minutes. No blood or bruises.
 
Thanks for the support! You know, I don't have a Sceptre. :( I do have a special ebony side/back w/spruce top PS that my father made for me, though. I thought something was up when I saw the initials "PO" inlaid on two pieces of ebony, but I dismissed it as a customer who shares the same first letters as me.

Jon - Come by any time. We adjust action on our instruments for free.

SWEEEET. I'll be there next mon afternoon and I guess I'll bring at least my SuperConcert, which Aldrine agrees has slightly high action. Maybe SuperSoprano too, I'll check the action when I get home after the UH/Wisconsin game.

I'm excited since I think Alan will have one of my dream ukes ready for pickup. Hehe.
 
ok come on are you kidding me, i hope you rot on your chair with your ukes, lol i am so dam jealous that is just beyond a frigin cool picture of both ukes together. hello UAS i want a pinapple sunday and a sceptre
 
ok come on are you kidding me, i hope you rot on your chair with your ukes, lol i am so dam jealous that is just beyond a frigin cool picture of both ukes together. hello UAS i want a pinapple sunday and a sceptre

Hahaha! Did you mean to think that out loud? :D
 
Quite a pair you have there Ronnie Aloha. I have played both PS and a Sceptre (Concert) before and I was way more impressed with the Sceptre. Don't get me wrong the PS is an outstanding instrument but if I could only have one it would be a Sceptre. Time to start saving.
 
SWEEEET. I'll be there next mon afternoon and I guess I'll bring at least my SuperConcert, which Aldrine agrees has slightly high action. Maybe SuperSoprano too, I'll check the action when I get home after the UH/Wisconsin game.

I'm excited since I think Alan will have one of my dream ukes ready for pickup. Hehe.
Uh Dream Uke? I'm waiting! Hopefully UH takes out Wisconsin and gets to their bowl game. That would make it an awesome week for you!
 
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