Whats with koaloha's musubi soundhole??

dallas2ny

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Hi yall,
I'm surprised to find very little on the topic after googling and searching this forum. Is there a real benefit to the musubi soundhole design? Looks pretty though.

Thanks,
d2ny
 
I think it's mostly a trademark thing that sets them apart from other makers and helps make their instruments instantly identifiable. (The crown headstock too). I don't think it really impacts sound so much, but it does look nice.

They started out with regular round ones (I've got a couple of those) tried ovals for a few months (custom maker Peter Liebermann uses ovals too.) and finally settled on the musubi shape if I remember my history correctly.
 
I agree, i don't think there's much benefit to the shape of their soundhole, but I think it does look pretty cool, especially if you don't have a rosette on your uke.
 
I've got 2 KoAlohas, and a few other ukuleles. I personally can't tell the sonic difference between sound hole designs, especially on such a small instrument. However, the only real way to compare would be 2 KoAlohas, one with a circular hole and the other with the musubi. But there's alot more that goes into those ukes than just the sound hole. I love my KoAlohas, and I think the musubi looks cool. Play what you like. :)
 
I prefer the oval shape they used for few months. The musubi shape reminds me of a mandolin pick. I did a google search for musubi and can't see the relationship with a Hawaiian snack food to a sound hole shape. Not bashing KoAlohas, got four, want more.:)

Jude
 
The musubi soundhole will go well with his "Spam" Masterpiece Uke coming out in December!;)
 
The musubi sound hole is a conspiracy between KoAloha and all the lunch wagons in Honolulu knowing that every time a local saw this sound hole he would get da munchies for a musubi. Pretty soon all da musubi eaters wanting a new 'ukulele would naturally buy a KoAloha. Win win situation for all parties involved including da consumers.
 
The musubi sound hole is a conspiracy between KoAloha and all the lunch wagons in Honolulu knowing that every time a local saw this sound hole he would get da munchies for a musubi. Pretty soon all da musubi eaters wanting a new 'ukulele would naturally buy a KoAloha. Win win situation for all parties involved including da consumers.
Oooh! Now I'm hungry, and I want a new uke too!
 
We started with a traditional circle, but moved on to an oval for a little bit, before settling on the musubi. We did notice a small acoustic difference, but the reason for the change was aesthetic. It makes doing a rosette the devil, but the bare hole is still unique and clearly a KoAloha.

My father did invent the one piece spam musubi maker, and we do frequent the close by lunch wagons, too...
 
I think it looks more like Onigiri than what I would think of as the quintessential Musubi... Spam Musubi.
My KoAloha is older and has the round hole so i am not reminded of formed rice items when gazing into its beauty...
If I squint, I think I can imagine donuts.
 
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