What's the Most Traditional Sounding Ukulele?
- Thread starter VixDee
- Start date
haole
Well-known member
Kamaka or Keli'i.
Ahnko Honu
Well-known member
To ME the Kamaka Soprano as far as Hawaiian music is concerned since that's what I grew up hearing.
Kanaka916
Well-known member
I would have to agree with Ahnko. Growing up in the 50th, that's what you hear and identify with.
pdxuke
Well-known member
For we who grew up on the Mainland, it may be the Martin mahogany sound.
wickedwahine11
Well-known member
I would argue the Kamaka. After all, they have been "the name" in ukuleles for almost 100 years now. But I second MGM's notion. For the uninformed tourists and those who don't play the ukulele, or grow up around it, those ABC store ones are probably the most traditional. 
SweetWaterBlue
Well-known member
My experiences are kind of different from most mainlanders, I guess. I have been to Hawaii 4 or 5 times, but only once was I on vacation and not working. I didn't have a lot of time to shop and I wasn't uke-aware then. The only ukuleles I remember seeing were the ones being played by the guys at the hotel patio and the ones at the Hawaiian Cultural center on Oahu.
Many people my parents age probably think Arthur Godfrey and his mahogany baritone is the traditional Hawaiian sound. Older folks from the UK, probably think its whatever George Formby or Roy Smeck played. That is what got in the movies. For many people the tradional Hawaiian sound is not the ukulele at all, but the slide guitar.
Many people my parents age probably think Arthur Godfrey and his mahogany baritone is the traditional Hawaiian sound. Older folks from the UK, probably think its whatever George Formby or Roy Smeck played. That is what got in the movies. For many people the tradional Hawaiian sound is not the ukulele at all, but the slide guitar.
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pulelehua
Well-known member
Mike Da Silva in Berkeley makes a reproduction of one of the first ever ukuleles. John King plays it in one of his YT vids. One of the Bach pieces, methinks.
Bradford
Well-known member
I am just finishing an all koa soprano that I modelled after a 1920 Jonah Kumalae uke. It is not an exact copy, but very similar; extremely light, Peghed tuners and french polished finish. I'll let you know how close it sounds to the original when I get it done.
Brad
Brad
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