What to get?

Hey guys i have one Ukulele its a lanikai curly koa tenor with pick up and for christmas i wanna get a new one but idk what to get. i want it to sound at least better than what i have now, my uke sound very good to me but i want something better.

plz help Price range $0 to $500 i know kamaka and koaloha and kenile'a are good but too expencive thank :anyone:

PandaLuver said:

Hey guys i have one Ukulele its a lanikai curly koa tenor with pick up and for christmas i wanna get a new one but idk what to get. i want it to sound at least better than what i have now, my uke sound very good to me but i want something better.

plz help Price range $0 to $500 i know kamaka and koaloha and kenile'a are good but too expencive thank :anyone:

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1. Mele
2. Mainland
3. Pono
4. Honu

I know many will recommend a kala or ohana or something like that but if you got $500 to spend go with one of these 4 companies. In that order

If you like Hawaiian ukes like Kamaka and KoAloha and Kanile'a but they're a little out of your price range, but you ARE willing to spend $500, get a Keli'i! Made in Hawai'i, solid koa, and really nice sound.

haole said:

If you like Hawaiian ukes like Kamaka and KoAloha and Kanile'a but they're a little out of your price range, but you ARE willing to spend $500, get a Keli'i! Made in Hawai'i, solid koa, and really nice sound.

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Very traditional sounding!

haolejohn have you played a Kelii?

iDavid said:

Very traditional sounding!

haolejohn have you played a Kelii?

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never. while traveling to Hawai'i this summer I ran into a guy at seattle airport who had one. He didn't seem to interested or excited about meeting anoither uker. Then while eating I ran into a UW student that played with me. I am very interested in the Keli'i ukes. Their price seems too good for a Hawaiian made instrument. I meet a few different makers at swap meet in hawaii and i was told they were hawaiian made ukes but then latr found out they weren't but I have read that Kelii is a full fledged Hawaiian uke.
jujst checked MGM's listing. Those look sweet but why such a low price? Everyone speaks highly of them that has one. Are they partially made in Hawai'i?

There are lots of veteran players here that would tell you to play everything you can and when you decide on a uke, buy that best that you can afford. There are so many great ukes available, now is a great time to be in the market.

Pippin said:

There are lots of veteran players here that would tell you to play everything you can and when you decide on a uke, buy that best that you can afford. There are so many great ukes available, now is a great time to be in the market.

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This is true. PandaLuver are you near a place that has ukuleles?

You have a Tenor, so another approach might be to buy a modest Soprano and Concert. This would let you decide if you like those sizes. If you decide you don't, you could probably sell them for nearly all that you paid for them. Just a thought.

It is fairly easy to make a recommendation on WTB for a beginner, but when you already have a uke, and want something better, only you know what "better" means. The only way to be sure of getting what you want is to try a few ukes in your price range. If that is not possible for you, then you will be taking a chance ordering something you have not tried.

Take two ukes of the same make and model - they can sound different, but which one is better depends upon you, and your preferences. You will get several different recommendations in reply to your query. They all reflect the preferences of other individuals.

Having said that, I must admit I've bought several ukes on line, having never heard them. Only one was less than I was expecting (a soprano that is a bit quiet), but I still have it, as it has a sweet sound, and is good for playing softly, late at night.

Happy shopping!

John Colter.

haolejohn said:

never. while traveling to Hawai'i this summer I ran into a guy at seattle airport who had one. He didn't seem to interested or excited about meeting anoither uker. Then while eating I ran into a UW student that played with me. I am very interested in the Keli'i ukes. Their price seems too good for a Hawaiian made instrument. I meet a few different makers at swap meet in hawaii and i was told they were hawaiian made ukes but then latr found out they weren't but I have read that Kelii is a full fledged Hawaiian uke.
jujst checked MGM's listing. Those look sweet but why such a low price? Everyone speaks highly of them that has one. Are they partially made in Hawai'i?

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As far as I know, Kelii is Hawaiian made by KC Moore. (Koa Pili Koko is his cheaper import line.) I've got one of his all koa sopranos and I have really come to love it. There are no bells and whistles and bindings or anything the least bit fancy about it, but it's made well and sounds really good to my ears. Bright and punchy.
My guess as the lower price point is the lack of bells and whistles and fancy finishes. The ones I've seen and the one I've got has rather plain (for koa) straight grain patterns, so no fancy swirly psychedelic AAA curlies. It's about as basic as you can get.
It's a player's instrument and a great value for the money and probably a bit undervalued. Check out GX9901's review on his Ukulele Ghetto.

Lanark said:

As far as I know, Kelii is Hawaiian made by KC Moore. (Koa Pili Koko is his cheaper import line.) I've got one of his all koa sopranos and I have really come to love it. There are no bells and whistles and bindings or anything the least bit fancy about it, but it's made well and sounds really good to my ears. Bright and punchy.
My guess as the lower price point is the lack of bells and whistles and fancy finishes. The ones I've seen and the one I've got has rather plain (for koa) straight grain patterns, so no fancy swirly psychedelic AAA curlies. It's about as basic as you can get.
It's a player's instrument and a great value for the money and probably a bit undervalued. Check out GX9901's review on his Ukulele Ghetto.

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Thanks lanark. That helped a lot. I have always heard good things about them I was just curious. I was hoping to try one while I was visiting hawaii and that just didn't happen.

haolejohn said:

Thanks lanark. That helped a lot. I have always heard good things about them I was just curious. I was hoping to try one while I was visiting hawaii and that just didn't happen.

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They're nice instruments and I probably play that soprano as much as any uke I've got. I'd consider another in a heartbeat.