Lanikai 8 String - Wish Me Luck!

What do you do when you have UAS, but really don't need another uke?
... Create a need!

I'm really happy with my 2 main Ukes: Mainland Concert Mahogany & Kala Acacia Tenor...
and worried if I were to get another Concert or Tenor, they might be slightly different but not different enough to blow $$$ on.

A bit of UAS-induce-net-cruising, and I got the idea to get an 8 string Tenor. All of them were far more than I wanted to pay on a gamble, until I ran across Lanikai's 8 string ukes. They come in Solid top Spruce, and something that looks like Mahogany. I decided to get Spruce to further differentiate it from the sound of my existing ukes.

Unfortunately, none of the "Usual Suspects" sellers with good reputations sell it, so I turned to eBay...
I found one new, for a very reasonable $189 including case and shipping, and already has Aquilas...
While not "cheap", I do think quite a good price for this less common instrument
...so last night I pulled the trigger. Wish me luck that I get a playable uke!

In the past I had ukes that were too similar in sound, so one always sat unplayed.
I think ithe Lanikai will fit in well to my low-to-mid priced collection:
- Kala laminate novelty Pineapple Soprano
- Mainland Concert Mahogany
- Recording King Concert Resonator - Low G
- Kala Acacia Tenor - Low G

congrats! I have the 6 string version and love it. It's a whole different world as far as sound goes.

leftovermagic84 said:

congrats! I have the 6 string version and love it. It's a whole different world as far as sound goes.

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Where did you get yours? Did you have to make a lot of adjustments on it?

Can't say what yours may sound like but I have a MELE 8 string. I found that the biggest inprovement was to change strings to Worth BT. If I rember right I got mine from MGM, but you can also get them from Elderly.

Paul December said:

Where did you get yours? Did you have to make a lot of adjustments on it?

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I actually got mine through Amazon of all places. It was far and away cheaper there than anywhere else. As far as adjustments, it actually came in great shape. It shipped with GHS strings that had to go. I threw on Worth clears which just make it sing. The action isn't super low, but it's still within my range of comfort. I tightened the tuners just a bit too, but they're open tuners so that took all of 30 seconds. Other than that, and the strap button I put on all my ukes, it came ready to play.

I got the Lanikai 8 string a few weeks back,myself.Beautiful instrument,didn't need any tweaking
played well right 'out of the box'.Came with aquilas already on (which I like) only change being I
removed the wound 'low G' string and replaced it with a plain nylgut one.Added a strap button as
on all my ukes and voila! Superb sounding instrument,very responsive and ringing,with a mellower
side if needed! No regrets at all here!