G-String Ukuleles

pulelehua

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It seems hard to find out about these. Been to the website. Found about 3 uploads on YT. Read 2 reviews, one mixed, one positive.

I think they're just beautiful, but of course, sometimes beauty is only skin deep.

Any users, players, etc? Any more info to be had?
 
My understanding is that they are one of the "top of the line" brands. I visited the factory last Summer. Saw some nice ukes. Have not taken time to sit down and play one. I don't think that you could go wrong buying one. Price is may be a little bit more on some models. Goood luck.
 
I have a Koa concert G sting and it is fabulous the finish and build quality are stunning, I went down to the Duke of Uke in London to buy a ukulele and after playing this one I spent more than I intended. The sound of the koa is bright and beautiful, the neck is slim and very playable. The only thing I hate about it is the Name. "Thats lovely darling what are you playing?" ....... "My G sting" . Buy one and you wont regret it.
 
Got to disagree with harpman. The intonation on mine was flat. Had to reset the saddle distance myself. Tone is good, but not as bright as I like it.. For the price, too many others you should check out. Read my prior posts for detailed info on my experience with my g-string... Look into a Kamaka.... e.lo...
 
I just came from a James Hill concert in a school today here in Toronto. He used 2 G-String tenors for his show. Now I have to admit if you can play like James Hill you could probably make a badly made cigar box with rubber bands sound good but I was genuinely impressed with quality of sound (plugged in only) he got out of those things. I had time for a brief chat with him and would have loved to try one out acoustically but he was rushing to get to a class in the school to do a workshop for some young kiddies.
 
I once saw James Hill play a badly made cigar box with rubber bands. Honestly, it sounded pretty bad.

Oh wait, that didn't happen.

Jason
 
G String has been around, not as long as Kamaka. As far as their instruments go, there were several threads and the biggest complaint was intonation. I do like the action, playability and feel of my 6 string and I can live with the intonation (not bad as some have reported) as I don't play too many 4th inversion chords. The build itself is quite solid and the volume is not as loud. It's great as an accompaniment to other instruments.

IMG_2993.jpg
 
I have to admit, the title of this thread made me do a double take.
 
I have played several on a recent trip to Hawaii and wasn't impressed. Sound was not great and it really made me skeptical of buying just on price. It was very nice to hold and look at but I just didn't see why the premium price with my Pono's and Ohana's sounded so much better(remember, sound is up to the earholder). So, just throwing in my opinion and it isn't necessarily the "truth" for everyone but I moved on pretty quickly to look at the Kamaka's and my favorite of all time,....the Kanilea.
 
I have a Koa concert G sting and it is fabulous the finish and build quality are stunning, I went down to the Duke of Uke in London to buy a ukulele and after playing this one I spent more than I intended. The sound of the koa is bright and beautiful, the neck is slim and very playable. The only thing I hate about it is the Name. "Thats lovely darling what are you playing?" ....... "My G sting" . Buy one and you wont regret it.

I got mine from Duke of Uke too. I played just about every uke in the shop and that one just stood out as the one for me. I think it's still my favourite uke and I have others from Kamaka, KoAloha and Pete Howlett. The intonation is absolutely fine on mine and that's something I'm usually very fussy about.

mouthy1 said:
I have played several on a recent trip to Hawaii and wasn't impressed. Sound was not great and it really made me skeptical of buying just on price. It was very nice to hold and look at but I just didn't see why the premium price with my Pono's and Ohana's sounded so much better(remember, sound is up to the earholder). So, just throwing in my opinion and it isn't necessarily the "truth" for everyone but I moved on pretty quickly to look at the Kamaka's and my favorite of all time,....the Kanilea..

Mine certainly sounds better to me than any Pono or Ohana I've played as do the others I mentioned above. As you say, sound is a matter of opinion. Kanilea - they are also very nice.
 
I had traded a no longer played Classical Guitar for a 2004 G-String Koa tenor. I figured that I'd at least play the G-String but was not expecting much since I didn't have very much money in the Classical guitar that I'd traded it for.
I own mostly high end custom ukes and am more concerned with sound and playabillity than looks. It almost pains me to say (since I payed so very little for it) that the G-String Koa tenor projects, intonates and has a broader more balanced tone than all but one of my more expensive ukes. It feels great and plays very easily with the radiused fretboard. I could do very well with this one as my only uke.
 
Nice to know that Duke of Uke carries them sometimes. Living in Southeast England, my ability to play a wide variety of ukuleles is pretty limited. I have yet to see or hear a Kamaka, Kanilea or KoAloha in real life. Not sure I'd want to risk that kind of dosh on mail ordering something which MIGHT be great. The big Ks seem to be more consistent. I had always wanted a really traditional looking uke until I saw those G-Strings.

Insert punchline of your choice: for example, "Yep, you're not the first man to be led astray by an attractive g-string."
 
I had traded a no longer played Classical Guitar for a 2004 G-String Koa tenor. I figured that I'd at least play the G-String but was not expecting much since I didn't have very much money in the Classical guitar that I'd traded it for.
I own mostly high end custom ukes and am more concerned with sound and playabillity than looks. It almost pains me to say (since I payed so very little for it) that the G-String Koa tenor projects, intonates and has a broader more balanced tone than all but one of my more expensive ukes. It feels great and plays very easily with the radiused fretboard. I could do very well with this one as my only uke.

I thought the G-strings were expensive? Only from what I read but they are supposed to be regarded as part of the (unofficially as they do not start with a K) K brands.

It's a shame to hear a few people have problems with intonation on them, I've had a couple of main sellers say to me that unfortunately on Ukulele's intonation is still not great even on top end brands. I have trouble with this (I'm not talking about G-string or any brand as I don't play hundreds a year to see what the trend is, just as a general note...) but as far as I'm concerned alongside tone, intonation is one of the most important factors too a muscian, so any brand that were pretty inconsistant with intonation I would have to rate pretty lowly.
 
I have played several on a recent trip to Hawaii and wasn't impressed. Sound was not great and it really made me skeptical of buying just on price. It was very nice to hold and look at but I just didn't see why the premium price with my Pono's and Ohana's sounded so much better(remember, sound is up to the earholder). So, just throwing in my opinion and it isn't necessarily the "truth" for everyone but I moved on pretty quickly to look at the Kamaka's and my favorite of all time,....the Kanilea.

I played many as well during my visit to Oahu. I was not impressed. They were beautiful but that was it.
 
I also played a number of them at different shops on the islands. I also was not as impressed as I thought I would be. They sounded kind of flat with low volume. One of the shops really tried to push one on me - a koa tenor marked down several hundred dollars. I believe it was marked down from around $1k to $599. One shop worker told me he did not like the sound of any of the "stock" models, but did like the sound of some of the custom models. After shopping a bit I quickly decided to look at other brands. The Kamakas and the KoAlohas always seemed to have the best sound (and most consistent) to my ears.
 
This is one of those moments where I think that the most popular ukuleles are the most popular ukuleles for a reason. Listening to YT clips, KoAlohas and Kamakas seem to sound VERY different from each other. KoAlohas sound very trebly and bright on the clips I've seen. Kamakas warm. Yet, I've READ that KoAlohas are more bassy than Kamakas.

So, I am confused. Which is not new for me.

(This is probably going to start a super-OT fest, but it was the same when I bought my "good" electric guitar. I only looked at Strats, Teles and LPs. Everything else at the time (early 90s), to my ear, just sounded like a not-Strat, a not-Tele or a not-Les Paul.)

From reading, I like KoAlohas, but from listening to clips, I like Kamakas.

(Much like in the early 90s, I went out, ready to buy my Strat, and played a Les Paul which to me felt different than all the other Les Pauls - and was the last electric guitar I ever bought.)

Sadly, I could go into town and play Strats and Les Pauls in at least 4 different stores. But the best ukulele I can play is a Kala. Which is a better situation than it was a year ago!

Oh dear. I'm not a UAS type - I've played guitar for 20 years, and own 2 guitars, the other being a Martin). Aside from possibly a Flea/Fluke for endurance and robustness, I really want to buy one more ukulele. Concert-sized. Must have 15 frets. Intonation must be just about perfect.

(Saying all this, I won't have the money for this purchase for ages, so this is all hypothetical window shopping - thanks for the company on my stroll! ;) )
 
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