Pono PTS needs more volume

parker coleman

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A well made instrument, but made thick and factory safe, and therefore has no volume.....
 
A well made instrument, but made thick and factory safe, and therefore has no volume.....

To state the obvious, install a pickup and get an amp. Are you wanting more volume for you while you play? If so....check with a luthier on this, but you might be able to install a sound hole on top of the uke facing you. This would give you more volume while you play. What kind of strings are on your uke now? That might be an option but I'm not sure if that will help in your volume problem. Aloha, Dino
 
A well made instrument, but made thick and factory safe, and therefore has no volume.....

Might be wrong place for this. I'd try the uke talk or the tech/building section. Lots of expertise there.
 
Interesting... I usually hear that mine is the loudest in the room, and it's mango (considered to be a quiet tone-wood).

What strings do you use?
 
Interesting... I usually hear that mine is the loudest in the room, and it's mango (considered to be a quiet tone-wood).

What strings do you use?

What strings do you use Grumpy? Your uke does sound nice in your vids. I think I may have given up on my pono too soon but I did get a nice koaloha super soprano for it.
 
The Ohai Pono soprano I recently played was beautifully made but sounded very muted especially compared to the Koa KoAloha right next to it I played side by side. The Pono top looked to be at least 25% thicker.
 
The Ohai Pono soprano I recently played was beautifully made but sounded very muted especially compared to the Koa KoAloha right next to it I played side by side. The Pono top looked to be at least 25% thicker.

The Ohai's are notoriously thick and quiet.
 
What strings do you use Grumpy? Your uke does sound nice in your vids. I think I may have given up on my pono too soon but I did get a nice koaloha super soprano for it.

Aquilla with a Fremont low G
 
I had a PTS-E (which I never played plugged in) - I thought it had a lovely sound with the Ko'olau gold strings - I only got rid of it when I decided tenor just isn't my size. I never had an issue with it being too quiet...
 
No, you did good. I had to butcher my Pono to get the right sound. Sanded the top down (right thru thr rosette), sanded the back and sides down...had to renifish the whole thing. The wood is still thick, but it does sound much better. I am sure their Ko'aloha's are much better, but their seems to be a uniform concensus against Pono's.
 
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I have talked to them and they agree that the instrument is made thick...less fragile....less volume
 
Pick ups are for performances.... beautifully made instruments are for self enjoyment...to state the obvious...
 
The older Pono were made in Indonesia but from I gather from MGM the new production (starting 2010?) is being made in China with improvements in both sound and build quality.
 
No, you did good. I had to butcher my Pono to get the right sound. Sanded the top down (right thru thr rosette), sanded the back and sides down...had to renifish the whole thing. The wood is still thick, but it does sound much better. I am sure their Ko'aloha's are much better, but their seems to be a uniform concensus against Pono's.

I have many problems with Pono's quality - but volume isn't one of them. The Ohai's are thick and quiet, but the mango, and mahogany's are comparable to any other midrange model on the market.

When you play a truly well made instument, you will hear the difference...
I have.

Again - my Pono is often the loudest uke in the room. Like I said, I don't like the Pono quality overall. The wood is shoddy, the fret dressing is amateur, and the pick-up needed to be ripped out and replaced. I won't buy another Pono, but not for any lack of volume.

Hopefully they improve the quality with the factory change.
 
Russ buss I doubt you have played pono ohais from two sources as they were only made in Jakarta. John has changed factories due to quality concerns and his new models are much lighter built. Unless someone bought the few that were for sale a few months ago by me noone has any of the new models yet and they will not arrive until late march at the earliest. Ohai's are no longer made and the new mohoganys are the best to my ear...a few new models were snatched at NAMM so a few exist but all in all none of any ponos now are from new factory until end of March
 
My suggestion is to play in front of a glass door where the sound will bounce cleanly back at you.
Also have someone else play the uke and you just listen.
I have a uke that I just can't hear, but everyone tells me it is loud and clear.
The uke does such a great job of projecting, I just don't hear it.
 
Russ buss I doubt you have played pono ohais from two sources as they were only made in Jakarta. John has changed factories due to quality concerns and his new models are much lighter built. Unless someone bought the few that were for sale a few months ago by me noone has any of the new models yet and they will not arrive until late march at the earliest. Ohai's are no longer made and the new mohoganys are the best to my ear...a few new models were snatched at NAMM so a few exist but all in all none of any ponos now are from new factory until end of March

i didn't mean to imply they were from different factories. what i meant was i played one purchased from the internet, and one from a music store in washington. they were both thick. anyhow, i'm not surprised they were discontinued. the mahogany models definitely sound better.
 
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