New uke??

Well ladies and gentlemen, summer is almost here. I get off school in about a month, and that is the time that I can get a summer job. Summer job means money, and money equals no price range for ukulele.(well...something under 700 bones).

Now to business.

I have already looked at the thread that talks about the difference in woods, and I think im going to go with either a cedar or mahogany wood. I really want it to be solid for either of them because that makes a really nice sound. Im also going to go with a Tenor sized uke. Here is my question(s) though: I really need a wood that sounds warm, kinda low, and full, much like Jake's uke, or Aldrine's Kamaka uke.

In other words something that sounds like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVA3_v4lhSw
or this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BN1DgGqgA_(do note that this is a soprano, but I love the full sound and look of it.)

This also sounds really nice even though it is a koa ukulele(I love koa)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JdYq95iwhI

STRINGS:

Ok I have heard a lot of good things about d'addario strings. I have aquila strings right now on my koa Lanikai uke, but they sound kinda high and annoying.

Does anyone know of any strings that would go well with the type of ukulele that im looking for.

I hear Worth strings are nice to, but I just dont know!

Sorry about this long post but I really want to be sure in what im buying if its gonna cost me like 700 bucks.

thanks guys.

I was about to say that if you're looking for a warmer/rich sounding uke, you might want to consider a Pono Koa tenor with Worth strings, that'll keep you well under the $700 mark (unless you opt for the Deluxe Koa)...and then I watched your sample vids, and hey...theres me playing my Pono koa tenor! haha

I don't have any experience with spruce or cedar (but I've been really really itching to pick up a a spruce/cedar pono for a while)...but if you're looking for a "Jake"-like sound, his ukes are all koa...and I'm pretty sure all of Aldrine's vids I've seen are koa too

"Kamaka-grade" ukes are a little difficult to find for under $700...you might look into a Kanilea Sound Monster (I think those are still less than 700), I haven't had a chance to try one yet, but I've heard good things.

As far as production model spruce or cedar tops...I don't know of too many different brands, there's always the Lanikai's and Kala's but if you're looking for something more expensive there are the Pono's. The only other company that I can think of would be Kanilea...for everybody else, I think you'd be looking at a custom-job which would pretty likely go over your $700-mark

$700 gets you a custom MP. An extra $50 and you get figured wood.

http://mpukuleles.com/wst_page4.php

seeso said:

$700 gets you a custom MP. An extra $50 and you get figured wood.

http://mpukuleles.com/wst_page4.php

Click to expand...

Nice ukes, good prices too!

Keonikapila said:

I was about to say that if you're looking for a warmer/rich sounding uke, you might want to consider a Pono Koa tenor with Worth strings, that'll keep you well under the $700 mark (unless you opt for the Deluxe Koa)...and then I watched your sample vids, and hey...theres me playing my Pono koa tenor! haha

I don't have any experience with spruce or cedar (but I've been really really itching to pick up a a spruce/cedar pono for a while)...but if you're looking for a "Jake"-like sound, his ukes are all koa...and I'm pretty sure all of Aldrine's vids I've seen are koa too

"Kamaka-grade" ukes are a little difficult to find for under $700...you might look into a Kanilea Sound Monster (I think those are still less than 700), I haven't had a chance to try one yet, but I've heard good things.

As far as production model spruce or cedar tops...I don't know of too many different brands, there's always the Lanikai's and Kala's but if you're looking for something more expensive there are the Pono's. The only other company that I can think of would be Kanilea...for everybody else, I think you'd be looking at a custom-job which would pretty likely go over your $700-mark

Click to expand...

I do not want a koa. I want a different ukulele with a nice warm sound. And yes I think I will go custom. And I dont want a ukulele with different woods in it dude i just want a fully body(insert wood-type here). I would love it to be a solid piece too because it makes the sound nicer.

sesso.

how do i ask the guy exactly what i want.

IM SO CONFUSED!

ok after much hair pulling and yelling at my computer screen to hurry up and load the page that i want it to go on...i came to this descision.

I want a SOLID mohogany, slothead, ukulele with a black head and a black fretboard. and worth strings. with the gloss very heavily put on.( i like that look...lol)

there.

who is the person that i can talk to about this.


that ukulele that i just described would sound like i wanted it to right???

http://cgi.ebay.com/PONO-TENOR-Soli...ryZ16224QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

in other words this is perfect except i really want a slot head on it.^

nikolo727 said:

I do not want a koa. I want a different ukulele with a nice warm sound. And yes I think I will go custom. And I dont want a ukulele with different woods in it dude i just want a fully body(insert wood-type here). I would love it to be a solid piece too because it makes the sound nicer.

sesso.

how do i ask the guy exactly what i want.

IM SO CONFUSED!

Click to expand...

Forgive us, but we're also confused. You say you want a sound like Jake and Aldrine's Kamaka ukuleles, but then you say you don't want Koa. Jake and Aldrine's Kamakas are both made of solid Koa.

If that's the sound you're going for, then you want to get a Koa ukulele. Unfortunately, I don't know of any builder/luthier that has a solid Koa tenor available for $700 or under.

The MP Ukulele site I linked you to has Black Acacia available, though. That's the same family as Koa. You just call him up and tell him what you're going for. His number is on the site.

Oh, by the way, I don't know if you know this, but you can't get an ukulele that has everything made out of Cedar. It's too soft to be used as anything but a soundboard/top.

im sorry im going a million miles an hour.

arg.

i just posted a few comments above your last post seeso so thats what im looking for.

with my last post i put a link up. that ukulele is pretty much what im looking for except that i want a slothead put on it and more gloss put on it.

but thats just me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3SxA1D6Odk

this ukulele is even more of what i want.

the gloss is put on heavier but all i would need done is to make it a slothead.

Call up MP. See what he can do for you.

By the way, our fellow member drubin just got a custom uke from MP. Here's the thread with pictures of it:

http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2022

thank you so much guys. i think i will call up mp.

now i can (kind of ) relax.

lol

Ask him if the Black Acacia wood will have the sound you're going for.