It ain't flash but....

Ron

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I know it's not a solid wood, hand crafted, inlaid beauty with double overhead twoggle nuts but I'm quite excited with my new purchase because it's electric and therefore a step on from my Kala KA-T and bog-standard Makala Pineapple Soprano and only $NZ250.00 with the case. Lanikai LU-21TE .
It'll do until I can get good enough to justify $NZ800.
 

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Congrats. I like mine. And I love that it's "electric". Mine's black though.
 
I like that case.
 
I know it's not a solid wood, hand crafted, inlaid beauty with double overhead twoggle nuts but I'm quite excited with my new purchase because it's electric and therefore a step on from my Kala KA-T and bog-standard Makala Pineapple Soprano and only $NZ250.00 with the case. Lanikai LU-21TE .
It'll do until I can get good enough to justify $NZ800.

What are you planning on getting with $NZ800? I'm guessing by the first statement that you're looking at visiting a luthier?

The USD exchange rate is pretty good at the moment, 8 hundy will get you something decent from the states :) Flukes, for example, were around $850 about a year and a half ago, but they're about $530 now, so you've potentially got a whole class of quite decent ukes now in your price range... definately support your local luthier though, but I'm just sayin - you've got options :)
 
... I like mine....

Gotta say that for all I am sure that a really flash solid wood model would change my life I really like my Kala. It does everything a ukulele should do for me - stays in tune, is easy to play, projects nicely and survives my mistreatment. I think the lanikai will do the same AND plug in to match Terry's archtop Kala.
 
Yay, neat and congrats! I need to look into getting some double overhead twoggle nuts for mine, though...

(Love your phraseology!)
 
What are you planning on getting with $NZ800? I'm guessing by the first statement that you're looking at visiting a luthier?

The USD exchange rate is pretty good at the moment, 8 hundy will get you something decent from the states :) Flukes, for example, were around $850 about a year and a half ago, but they're about $530 now, so you've potentially got a whole class of quite decent ukes now in your price range... definately support your local luthier though, but I'm just sayin - you've got options :)

Oh - I don't know really. It would require a trip to Wellington and Auckland to check out what we can get here. I would really like to be able to play a model before I spent that kind of money. I just think if I spend any more than I've just spent I'd be saving up and going for top of the line. Yup - spend too much time googling the Flukes etc.. You're right - I'd like to actually talk to a local luthier and try and get something really interesting. Like I say above - the kalas and Lanikais of this world will do me just fine for the time being. I'm ignoring the exchange rate because I'm not ready to spend that dough anyway and watching the dollar go up and down will only make me anxious and do something stoopid ;-)
Terry who's the other half of the UoH was saying the other night that his professional music career over 30 years has basically only just supported his guitar collection. I think I'll go the same way with the ukes. Earn some money playing...spend it on a new uke.
 
Excellent uke! I never think anyone has to appologize for any uke they buy or own...each one is a beautiful work of art that comes alive when played (was going to say "with", thought better of it!)
 
I love my LU-21T, and my friend has the LU-21BE, so assuming the electronics are the same in the baritone and tenor models, they're good. I haven't played anything better, but it's seriously fun to play and feels good. Mine benefits highly from a set of Aquila strings, I've used wound Cs, and normal ones and personally prefer the sound of a wound C, but it's up to you. I would recommend setting it up with some Aquilas if they don't come on it though.
 
I love my LU-21T, and my friend has the LU-21BE, so assuming the electronics are the same in the baritone and tenor models, they're good. I haven't played anything better, but it's seriously fun to play and feels good. Mine benefits highly from a set of Aquila strings, I've used wound Cs, and normal ones and personally prefer the sound of a wound C, but it's up to you. I would recommend setting it up with some Aquilas if they don't come on it though.

Yeah - got Aquilas (straightC) on my Kala. Love 'em. Will definitely be using them on this.
 
It's arrived. I really like it. The grain looks almost walnuty. Quite a different sound from the Kala. More...hmmm..."full", "mellow"? Not better - just different.
 

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nice uke, if your thinking custom check out captain ukulele, he is just down the road a bit, makes cool solid wood ukes out of native woods, a lot more affordable than you may think. that case is great.

Cliff
 
Thanks, Cliff, I will. Not for a while, though. I just got a speeding ticket that cost almpst as much as the Lanikai ;-(
Which, BTW, sounds great through a wee Jansen Vesta(?) amp. The Ukes of Hazard practiced last night fully electrified for the first time and I gotta say it sounded great. Just seems to suit our style and Terry's solos sound so much better.
 
I got mine last week and I love it. The only problem with mine is the finish wasn't that great and the higher frets had really sloppy glueing.
 
Gotta say that for all I am sure that a really flash solid wood model would change my life I really like my Kala. It does everything a ukulele should do for me - stays in tune, is easy to play, projects nicely and survives my mistreatment. I think the lanikai will do the same AND plug in to match Terry's archtop Kala.

Brother, let me tell you, I've got a bone-stock Kala Spruce top and a super-duper-flash double-twoggle-nut custom, and a uke is a uke is a uke is a uke. Some are better than others, but making sounds is what it all boils down to. Do I love playing my custom? hell yes. Do I love playing my Kala? Hell yes.
 
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