Need a new ukulele..

UkuLeLesReggAe

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So i want a new ukulele - been on a few ukulele sites and on musicguy's ebay account but not sure exactly what i want.. so i thought my family could help me out :D

Things im looking for:
-Tenor size
-preferred if it wasn't a mahalo or lanikai (dont ask)
^ thats pretty much it haha
-not a flea or fluke ukulele... mum/dad said they will buy that.

I'm just kind of sick of playing the same thing to be honest... Its like a game - u love it for weeks or months then you want a new one right??

I want roughly... $300-$400 and maybe just a bit over 400... not 480 though hahaha, i won't be buying it satraight away.. it will be a while i just wanted some good suggestions because im still in debt.. over 2grand now, but soon..

not to fussed on a pickup either if it doesn't have a pickup then it doesn't.. if it does, well it does ^^

So yeah.. i.e roughly 300-400 tenor sized no flea/fluke and yeah!

thanks <3
 
So i want a new ukulele - been on a few ukulele sites and on musicguy's ebay account but not sure exactly what i want.. so i thought my family could help me out :D

Things im looking for:
-Tenor size
-preferred if it wasn't a mahalo or lanikai (dont ask)
^ thats pretty much it haha
-not a flea or fluke ukulele... mum/dad said they will buy that.

I'm just kind of sick of playing the same thing to be honest... Its like a game - u love it for weeks or months then you want a new one right??

I want roughly... $300-$400 and maybe just a bit over 400... not 480 though hahaha, i won't be buying it satraight away.. it will be a while i just wanted some good suggestions because im still in debt.. over 2grand now, but soon..

not to fussed on a pickup either if it doesn't have a pickup then it doesn't.. if it does, well it does ^^

So yeah.. i.e roughly 300-400 tenor sized no flea/fluke and yeah!

thanks <3

I dunno, ive had my LU21t for almost 3 years now and have no such feelings.

But I was thinking of upping around the same price range, and a lanikai or kala spruce would be my next choice IF it ever happens. Them ponos look pretty cherry too.
 
I dunno, ive had my LU21t for almost 3 years now and have no such feelings.

But I was thinking of upping around the same price range, and a lanikai or kala spruce would be my next choice IF it ever happens. Them ponos look pretty cherry too.

i was thinking a kala roughly because they range around my price range at the moment.. then next my price range will prob go to 700-800 not sure... But im sick of the same sound to be honest, i guess strings would make it sound different..

but mi want new ukulele ;) I would buy ur $30 if they sent to ozzie -.-
 
hmm good idea David... see the thing is, im not sure if its over priced etc.. maybe when i find some good ones ill post some links up and everybody can judge ^^

butteR?? mean like good? haha
 
butter as in good hahah


My friend eleo bought a pono for around 400 just recently. If you go to his youtube he has a video where he kinda shows it off for a bit.

Youtube.com/uogboy
 
http://cgi.ebay.com/PONO-TENOR-Soli...3268294QQihZ013QQcategoryZ16224QQcmdZViewItem

hmmm what u think?? :D

at the end its a pickup yeah?? i keep thinking its like a guitar strap..

Yeah that one has a pickup.

What about this one?
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-PONO-MAHOGA...ryZ16224QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
its cheaper and also has a Pickup

This one is REALLY nice looking.
http://cgi.ebay.com/PONO-Solid-MANG...ryZ16224QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
 

hmm the last one.. i don't really like that type.. i like ukuleles and guitars dark, even though my guitar is creme.. Aldrines is probably as light as i will go but that one doesn't look healthy IMO - im performing infront of my whole school eventually and i want a new ukulele to play with... i can only put away $50 a week at the most because i owe my dad a sh!t load so it will take like 10 weeks -.- but good things take time..

the first one is nice David.. i wonder what they sound like :(
 
I have broken it down to these 2 ukuleles

http://cgi.ebay.com/PONO-TENOR-Soli...ryZ16224QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
which sounds like
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=TKlIaKvrEmI

and this ukulele

http://cgi.ebay.com/PONO-TENOR-Soli...3268294QQihZ013QQcategoryZ16224QQcmdZViewItem

price doesn't bother me what so ever.. does the pickup make the ukulele not sound as good i think the 2 ukuleles are quite similar haha :p :p
like seriously, pickup like only difference hahaha - what u guys think??


Yes, the pickup is the only difference between the 2 ukes. Pono adds the letter "E" for their models with a pickup. If you can swing it, you might as well get the PTE. Last year I bought a PTC (cedar) and ended up wanting a pickup so I bought a Dean Markley pickup (what Pono used last year for their "E" models) and installed it myself. It would have cost less if I bought the PTCE to begin with.

Here's another one to consider, a Hamano tenor:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Hard-to-get-Ham...16224QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262

It's a Martin tenor copy and Hamano has pretty good reputation. More pictures here.
 
Yes, the pickup is the only difference between the 2 ukes. Pono adds the letter "E" for their models with a pickup. If you can swing it, you might as well get the PTE. Last year I bought a PTC (cedar) and ended up wanting a pickup so I bought a Dean Markley pickup (what Pono used last year for their "E" models) and installed it myself. It would have cost less if I bought the PTCE to begin with.

Here's another one to consider, a Hamano tenor:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Hard-to-get-Ham...16224QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262

It's a Martin tenor copy and Hamano has pretty good reputation. More pictures here.

well assuming they are the same and the ONLY difference if the pickup, pickup it is ;)

So now my question is, whats a good amp ?? hahaha

*edit*
does the pickup affect the sound to the regular one??
 
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I've got a pick-up on my Kala and I guess you can't really say that the sound is better or worse since you can control the sound once it's plugged in (depending on the quality of you amp... which would eventually be another investment if you've never owned one before). A lot of people prefer the sound of an acoustic played with a mic. It's more of a matter of opinion. So, I guess this probably hasn't helped you too much (since all I've really said is "It's your personal choice" but you should also look down the road: if it's a matter of keeping costs down (for now), I say go with the non-electronic version and mic it if you're going to make personal recordings/videos. If you think you'll be performing on stage (and you like to move around the stage) go with the pick-up.
 
Yeah, go with the Pono, and since you mentioned performing with it, definately a pickup is a must! I think just a trusty little Roland Microcube will do you proud. It has some fun effects on (Which sound better if you ever play with audiophile-grade headphones) it, and I've had success using just the mic function of it, if you want just the pure ukulele without any amp styles added to it.
 
Thoughts on Pono

Hmm....I can't wait until Kanilea or Koaloha or Kamaka etc makes a competitive product vs. Koolau's Pono. Their early Pono models seemed more legitimate to me as far as workmanship and quality control. I bought one of their very first models and it is near perfect.

I feel like Pono is riding this wave of success and letting quality control get the best of them. I have owned 3 Ponos. 2 of them had issues....from cracks to jammed tuners to rattling pick ups to rosettes WAY off center...the sort of probs seen in made in China $25 ukes. If....and I stress "if" you get a good one, you will absolutely love it.

I know this sounds negative, but Pono is enjoying this ride competition free at the moment in my opinion. It is just a matter of time before the others figure it out and go against the Pono in bang-for-buck value....can't wait.

The best way to ensure that you get a "good" one is to play it in the store. I know that it will cost a bit more and not everyone has access to a good uke shop. If you can play it before purchase....do it.

By the way, one of my Ponos had to be returned and the other one had over $80 in repairs done to it. Now I have 2 that I really like a lot....just a lot of hassles that were somewhat time consuming on my part.
 
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I'd like to point out though, and can't stress this enough, that you'll avoid those pitfalls if you buy from MGM. He's not going to send you a crapped-out uke, and if he accidentlly did, you could send it back for a better one and not be totally up a creek. Just sayin' there.
 
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