New Kamaka Tenor 4 strings change and experience..today.

Aloha All...
I just want to give you my honest opinion on my experience today on my friends brand new Kamaka and strings. He called me and said that he had a new Kamaka 4 string tenor and
it didn't sound right..so I told him to bring it over and I'll look at it...I know there are so many
past posts on this issue but I wanted to clarafly some things....
In the past I mentioned I received some free New Bushman tenor strings as an introdutory offer and I put them on my Kamaka white label tenor 4 string, and thought they didn,t sound
right on that ukulele, so I took them and stored them away...
Getting back to my friend, he brought over his new Kamaka with the factory Kamaka strings
with it and they looked brand new even the wound string...I strummed it and the intonation
was really so bad it when it was tuned it sounded awefull. I told him it could be and intonation
problem and may probally need the factory to do a set up on it... to their original specs....
He convinced me to just try and change the strings for him somehow, and so I did...I had the
new bushmans laying around that they were trial offered for free. I took off his factory Kamaka strings except for the wound 'C" string and strung the Bushman strings on, and tuned it..
I was quite amazed as what I heard and experienced next,,,It sounded better than great, and
all the previous issues were gone...tone, playability, and comfort were beyond than one could
expect....Previously, on older posts other members have said that they shred really quickly.
But what I experienced today with them, just let me say...I wouldn't mind if they shred quickly
if they sound is this great anytime...it's worth the trade-off definetly for sure...I admit that
it doesn't have bottom end because they're thin strings, but they do have a decent volume,
spot on tone, clarity and a nice brightness(not a harsh brighness and muddled as others) and rather sweet.
I am definetly going to order some tomorrow, as it shows how pleased that I am with Bushmans strings. Not endorsing anything, just saying my personal experience with them with
this set of strings changed my whole outlook on them. Even when they were going untuned from the breaking in period it still sounded good, My two cents, probally worth nothing...
If anyone tries them, let me know of your current or past experience with them...
Mahalo Plenty!!!Have fun and "Keep strumming them strings"MM Stan..
P.S. looking back now, I should have tried them again sooner...and I want to tell my friend ...
give um back me strings....but I'm not that way...he he

thanks for sharing Stan, and for the heads up re the bushman strings. It's weird that Kamaka's own strings sounded awful on their own instrument...you'd think they'd be pretty "in tune" with what strings do justice to the ukes they produce themselves... I had a similar experience recently with a Custom Beltona - it was sent to me strung with Black HiLos and sounded like a dog with a sore throat! I thought I'd blown my money but all it took was a change of strings and the uke started singing like a bird. Anyway, I might just order a set or two of bushman's and give them a run. Cheers mate, eugene.

mm stan - thanks for the review. What kind of strings do you normally have on your Kamakas? I thought you mentioned in one of your posts that you were kind of a traditionalist and used Kamaka strings.

Thanks for the good info, mm stan!

Aloha Mandarb,
Yup, all my Kamaka's current and past ones except one New model Kamaka soprano(Aquila's) have Kamaka strings. Yes I am a tradionalist with their strings, but may be rethinking
that after this experience....too stiff and thick....thinner strings I noticed, opens up the ukulele to more of it's true potential. (Maybe that's why Aquilla's work) As for those Bushmans
they're clear crisp sweet high individual tones outweight the deeper rich tones...(before My thoughts were rich and deep were the way to go)I am learning going another direction may have their
benefits too..as string choice has so much possibilties and Researh and development have and keeps improving them....next thought, I'm thinking about south coast strings, mainly because
of their research and development and their belief and knowledge on strings runs parallel to mine since I use alternate tunings. I have never before read material anywhere on tunings
on my personal learned beliefs and when I went to their sight I noticed that they essentially knew what I knew and I have always thinking about. Before I'd mentioned it to some and
it was way over their heads, they couldn't comprehend..Whaaaat?? I have not ordered strings on line and i'm hesitant of giving my credit card # out even to paypal..So I'm not sure on
how to get South Coast Ukuleles strings otherwise...I know their not sold locally....I hope it helps....Happy strumming!!! MM Stan..

A couple years ago I bought a Kamaka pineapple off of Craigslist and it came with old black strings which I assumed were Hilo but they could have been Kamaka. They were pretty stretched out and old so replaced with what I had which were a set of Aquilas. This was a BIG improvement very loud and clear. A few months ago I got a Mahalo Camp 'ukulele with solid spruce top. It sounded a tad lame so a borrowed the Aquilas from my Kamaka which really improved the Mahalo remarkably. I put a set of Worth medium Browns on my Kamaka and WOW did it sound wonderful, clear like the Aquilas but mellower, a marriage of string and 'ukulele made in heaven.
As far as ordering online I have been using Paypal for over 10 years and give it my seal of approval. I have even had Paypal reimburse me money from unscrupulous sales transaction on eBay. To me they have been very secure and easy to use. I prefer Paypal to giving my card info over the internet so now look for vendor that accept Paypal. I believe South Coast 'Ukuleles is one of them. Sign up with Paypal, I don't think you'll regret it but look out for fake easy to spot phishing email requesting Paypal account info which Paypal NEVER asks for.

Aloha Ahnko Honu,
Mahalo Plenty, for the 411 on da strings and da Pay Pal .....i just gotta get over giving the credit card# on line..I guess..
Just wanted to say comfort and playability greatly improved due to the thin strings.....MM Stan...

mm stan said:

Aloha Ahnko Honu,
Mahalo Plenty, for the 411 on da strings and da Pay Pal .....i just gotta get over giving the credit card# on line..I guess..
Just wanted to say comfort and playability greatly improved due to the thin strings.....MM Stan...

Click to expand...

mm stan, I use PayPal all the time....but I don't have it linked to my credit card. Instead, I have it linked to my checking account. Purchases I make with PP come straight out of the bank. Helps to keep me from spending money I don't have yet, too....

mailman said:

mm stan, I use PayPal all the time....but I don't have it linked to my credit card. Instead, I have it linked to my checking account. Purchases I make with PP come straight out of the bank. Helps to keep me from spending money I don't have yet, too....

Click to expand...

I know people have concerns about using credit cards and PayPal. I have been a credit card user for many, many, years and have found that the both Visa and Discover are very good about fraud protection. Whenever there has been a problem (which is rare), it has always been resolved to my satisfaction. It has never cost me any money, and PayPal has been very good with that area too. If you have a credit card, you have just as much risk compromising your info by handing the card to a waiter, as ordering online. PayPal minimizes the exposure of your account info, so it is probably safer than direct charges.
Just my 2 cents...
–Lori

Mahalo Mailman and Lori,
Thanks for helping me with my hesitation towards Pay Pal...and that makes sense Lori, about fraud anywhere these days...
Jus wanna be safe you know.. I gotta check into it...Stan...

mm stan,

Keep a close eye on your checking account. And keep an eye out for so called PayPal e-mails. I used to have my PayPal linked to my checking until my bank called to ask me about a $3000 purchase. I had made no such purchase. Thank goodness for a small town bank with personal service.

Fran

franulele said:

mm stan,

Keep a close eye on your checking account. And keep an eye out for so called PayPal e-mails. I used to have my PayPal linked to my checking until my bank called to ask me about a $3000 purchase. I had made no such purchase. Thank goodness for a small town bank with personal service.

Fran

Click to expand...

Mahalo's Fran,
for the advice...Whoa, $3000.00 I hope you got that cleared away and got your money reimbursed...get so worried about these things..Stan..