Eleuke vs. MiSi

TheVandal

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Should I buy an Eleuke/uke with pickup installed, or just get a MiSi installed on my kamoa koa tenor?
 
Well... I get the impression that an Eleuke is geared towards being a small electric guitar as opposed to the MISI which will amplify your 'ukulele more naturally. A solidbody will less prone to feedback and probably sound better "doctored" with effects. Amplifying with a piezo pickup (like the MISI) is still a far cry from perfect, but it has the more traditional sound (or as close as you can get from an amplified acoustic instrument). This is just my take from what I've heard on YT and elsewhere. I don't have an Eleuke so I don't really know, but I do have a piezo in my Kamaka (it sounds good, but it's still a long ways from ideal). So it comes down to what kind of sound you want.
 
Amplifying with a piezo pickup (like the MISI) is still a far cry from perfect, but it has the more traditional sound

Eleukes use piezo pickups.
The amplifying mechanism between the Eleuke and MiSi are very similar.

However, as the Eleuke is solid body, it can better handle higher-gain and effects.
So people tend to use those effects with Eleukes. But they are just as capable as sounding "acoustic".

In fact, they may be more versatile than the Mi-Si, since they have tone/volume controls.\


It really depends on what you want.
I like all my acoustic ukes to have pickups on them nevertheless. I mean why not?
It gives them so much more versatility. It's an acoustic when you want it to be, and can be plugged in when the need arises.

At the same time, I also love my solid body electrics. They provide a whole new range of sounds not acheivable on an acoustic.
 
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Its a good question that I have been thinking about myself lately. As Kissing mentioned, the eleuke also has tone and volume controls, since it has a small preamp inside. That means it can also give you a headphone jack and mp3 input if that is important to you. The other option I have considered is to just but a good microphone or two when I want to play amplified.
 
I lean myself toward miking acoustics and for an electric going solid body. I've yet to hear an undersaddle sound natural on a guitar or a ukulele with one exception: a Martin with a Fishman install. The best sound I came up with on a guitar BTW was a Rare Earth soundhole installed in a Martin 00-15.
 
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Should I buy an Eleuke/uke with pickup installed, or just get a MiSi installed on my kamoa koa tenor?

You should 100% buy an Eleuke!

Now that the decision has been made... the hard part... where to buy the Eleuke... hmmm... let me see... oh, I know:
www.mimsukes.com/eleuke

;)

Ok, I admit it, maybe my answer is a little biased... ;)
 
kissing: They ARE just as capable as sounding acoustic!!!
 
kissing: They ARE just as capable as sounding acoustic!!!

YES!!! i totally agree.

i have have an eleuke and have played it amped and it sounded almost the same as the oscar schmidt ou6 lce with mi-si pickup on the same amp. it's like what was said above: it depends on what you really want. i knew that my next uke would be able to play amped, but i chose the eleuke because it could sound like a regular acoustic when plugged and could handle all the extra fun stuff, but at the same time, could play with the headphones and mp3 plugin and be basically silent. from now on, tho, all the acoustic ukes i buy will have pickups. like kissing said, "why not?"
 
In fact, they may be more versatile than the Mi-Si, since they have tone/volume controls.
There will be several models out soon (announced at Summer NAMM) that will also have a chorus nob too.
 
There will be several models out soon (announced at Summer NAMM) that will also have a chorus nob too.

I am guessing that a "chorus knob" is not something that gives you a chorus behind you, like they have in the musicals when they start singing?
 
I am guessing that a "chorus knob" is not something that gives you a chorus behind you, like they have in the musicals when they start singing?

on the eleukeusa.com website, there's a video where a guy is trying out an acoustic eleuke that has that chorus knob. sounds pretty cool.
 
An Eleuke is a nice instrument, but it sounds like an amplified nylon-string guitar. Nothing wrong with that, but it's vastly different from how an acoustic uke sounds. You can't play the Eleuke unamplifed, except for practice. You can play the Kamoa anywhere.

My suggestion: own both.
 
There will be several models out soon (announced at Summer NAMM) that will also have a chorus nob too.
I am guessing that a "chorus knob" is not something that gives you a chorus behind you, like they have in the musicals when they start singing?
That would be rad, though I think the instrument would be much heavier... unless we could figure out some kind of hologram chorus singers... "you're our only hope!"
Is there much difference in tone bewteen the different sizes of Eleukes; say a concert or tenor?
There will be a slightly different tone, but the main difference is in the scale lengths of the necks. There is a noticeable difference in tone between the different models due to the amount of wood used (jazz vs pineapple, for example)
My suggestion: own both.
amen, brutha!
I second that! While the eleuke is a very versatile instrument, it was never intended to replace an acoustic. Kinda like the Electric and Acoustic Guitars have their different strengths and don't replace one another, but one or the other gets pulled out for different songs. I personally think its the most cost effective way to avoid the pitfalls of amplification.
 
When in doubt, buy another uke. ;) For the same price as a MiSi plus installation you can get an entry-level Eleuke. Then you'll have two completely different beasts.

How is the Kamoa, by the way?
 
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