wickedwahine11
Well-known member
So I admit it, after being solely on the Kanile'a and Kamaka sides, I finally succumbed to the allure of the KoAloha Pineapple Sunday. I spent this past weekend driving to almost a dozen different stores (and looking online) to find the elusive delicious koa goodness. I decided that I really wanted to get a pineapple ukulele, and KoAloha's appealed to me the most...although the Kamaka traditional pineapple is a second choice (and for a lot less money). But I thought since I already have a Kamaka, it would be better to add a KoAloha to the family.
Finally, I was able to locate one at the store where I take ukulele lessons. The great news is that I was able to get it for 20% off. The less good news is that it isn't "perfect." Now before anyone takes offense, let me be clear that there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with this instrument. It is beautiful and it sounds like angels singing. But it isn't the "perfect" Pineapple Sunday for me.
I fell in love with the original design, the one with the bowtie bridge and the deep grooves in the pineapple "top." As one store proprietor told me, she will never order them again because she doesn't like the style of etched laser grooves in the top or the new bridge. I should point out that I am the type of person that is highly easily influenced by little thoughts like that. As I took home the new proof of UAS, all I could hear was her voice in my head telling me it isn't the one I wanted.
Let me state the couple of things that I'm not entirely in love with:
1) There is a two tone nature to the wood grain on the top. A wide swatch of orange is on the top left portion of the ukulele. Before anyone gets mad at me, yes, I know koa grains very a great deal, and in fact, I have seen many ukuleles, by all manufacturers that were less even than this one. I just know it would probably bug me because I do worry about stuff like that. My Kanile'a also lacks symmetry and it still occasionally bugs me.
2) The bridge isn't the bowtie style. There is nothing functionally or design oriented wrong about this one, I just really liked the bowtie one.
3) The etched grooves are not as deep (or to me anyway) as aesthetically pleasing as the old style.
4) This will cause me to stretch my budget a little more than I like right now, but I didn't think I would get another opportunity to get one of these on sale, as they are both impossible to find and never discounted. Case in point, to complete the purchase, I have to borrow some money from my spouse (who will hold the Pineapple hostage until my debt is paid).
To illustrate my points, allow me to post a couple of quick photos I took of mine, and one photo of the one I consider to be my ideal (GX9901's). His is the dream one I was searching for, in terms of color, bridge styling and face grooves.
This is GX9901's perfect Pineapple:
This is the one I bought today:
The good news is that the store where I bought it will let me return it up to 10 days later -- so I plan on thinking about it over the weekend and then keeping it, or taking it back on Tuesday.
Again, I admit I am impossible to please, and I stress again this is a perfect instrument (just maybe not for me). Believe me, I know what a work of art this ukulele is. I'm just worried that because I like the other bridge, and a lighter color, I will consider myself "settling" for this Pineapple Sunday, only to find MGM or someone else selling one down the road that I like better, at which point I won't be able to return this one. I could return this one and buy it again later if need be (if it is still available) but I would probably not be able to get the discount.
So moral of the story: would you keep an otherwise wonderful, perfect instrument even if it is not "perfect" for you because you saved a lot of money on it? Or would you return it, and maybe pay more later to find the right one for you? Or throw in the towel completely and get a Kamaka pineapple? Of course George (GX9901) if you are willing to give me yours, all my problems would be solved.
Finally, I was able to locate one at the store where I take ukulele lessons. The great news is that I was able to get it for 20% off. The less good news is that it isn't "perfect." Now before anyone takes offense, let me be clear that there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with this instrument. It is beautiful and it sounds like angels singing. But it isn't the "perfect" Pineapple Sunday for me.
I fell in love with the original design, the one with the bowtie bridge and the deep grooves in the pineapple "top." As one store proprietor told me, she will never order them again because she doesn't like the style of etched laser grooves in the top or the new bridge. I should point out that I am the type of person that is highly easily influenced by little thoughts like that. As I took home the new proof of UAS, all I could hear was her voice in my head telling me it isn't the one I wanted.
Let me state the couple of things that I'm not entirely in love with:
1) There is a two tone nature to the wood grain on the top. A wide swatch of orange is on the top left portion of the ukulele. Before anyone gets mad at me, yes, I know koa grains very a great deal, and in fact, I have seen many ukuleles, by all manufacturers that were less even than this one. I just know it would probably bug me because I do worry about stuff like that. My Kanile'a also lacks symmetry and it still occasionally bugs me.
2) The bridge isn't the bowtie style. There is nothing functionally or design oriented wrong about this one, I just really liked the bowtie one.
3) The etched grooves are not as deep (or to me anyway) as aesthetically pleasing as the old style.
4) This will cause me to stretch my budget a little more than I like right now, but I didn't think I would get another opportunity to get one of these on sale, as they are both impossible to find and never discounted. Case in point, to complete the purchase, I have to borrow some money from my spouse (who will hold the Pineapple hostage until my debt is paid).
To illustrate my points, allow me to post a couple of quick photos I took of mine, and one photo of the one I consider to be my ideal (GX9901's). His is the dream one I was searching for, in terms of color, bridge styling and face grooves.
This is GX9901's perfect Pineapple:
This is the one I bought today:
The good news is that the store where I bought it will let me return it up to 10 days later -- so I plan on thinking about it over the weekend and then keeping it, or taking it back on Tuesday.
Again, I admit I am impossible to please, and I stress again this is a perfect instrument (just maybe not for me). Believe me, I know what a work of art this ukulele is. I'm just worried that because I like the other bridge, and a lighter color, I will consider myself "settling" for this Pineapple Sunday, only to find MGM or someone else selling one down the road that I like better, at which point I won't be able to return this one. I could return this one and buy it again later if need be (if it is still available) but I would probably not be able to get the discount.
So moral of the story: would you keep an otherwise wonderful, perfect instrument even if it is not "perfect" for you because you saved a lot of money on it? Or would you return it, and maybe pay more later to find the right one for you? Or throw in the towel completely and get a Kamaka pineapple? Of course George (GX9901) if you are willing to give me yours, all my problems would be solved.