pics of new Ko'olau soprano
- Thread starter clayton56
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Aloha Clayton56,
Never heard of ulawood, where is it from????
So you're 54 years old according to your username???Hmm
Thanks for sharing, Have fun and "Keep strumming them strings"
MM Stan..
Never heard of ulawood, where is it from????
So you're 54 years old according to your username???Hmm
Thanks for sharing, Have fun and "Keep strumming them strings"
MM Stan..
GreatGazukes
Well-known member
Looks very nice. The body looks very elegant, is the bottom half of the chamber considerably larger than the top or is it the photograph?
H
Hippie Dribble
Guest
hi Clayton
very pretty uke. Thanks for putting up the pics...I know nothing of "ulawood" either,but your Ko'olau reminds me a lot of the LoPrinzis...
Must be exciting to see how it's gonna sound eh? The anticipation is a bit like a drug sometimes...
cheers, eugene
very pretty uke. Thanks for putting up the pics...I know nothing of "ulawood" either,but your Ko'olau reminds me a lot of the LoPrinzis...
Must be exciting to see how it's gonna sound eh? The anticipation is a bit like a drug sometimes...
cheers, eugene
v30
Well-known member
Very nice looking uke....enjoy!
molokinirum
Well-known member
Nice looking uke! Congrats! How does the ulawood sound? I have never heard of it before, is it the "new" wodd?
DAPuke
Well-known member
I received one in all ulawood last year (and posted sound samples for a while) and it's become my favorite wood. It's softer than mahogany and harder than spruce, and sounds like a cross between the two. It has a delicate, reedy sound, kind of dry. But it has extra resonance I don't hear in other woods.
I'm hoping the koa back and sides will bring out the resonance, we'll see.
I'm hoping the koa back and sides will bring out the resonance, we'll see.
BadLands Bart
Well-known member
Very nice uke, hope when you get it you can post some sound samples.
Miss Michele
Well-known member
Looks awesome! Enjoy!
Uncle Rod Higuchi
Well-known member
Beautiful Koa grain on the side.
Looks wonderful.
Congrats!
Keep uke'in', (yeah, like I really have to encourage you to do that!),
Looks wonderful.
Congrats!
Keep uke'in', (yeah, like I really have to encourage you to do that!),
I was very fortunate to win a solid, Ulawood, Ko'olau concert at the silent auction during the recent Ukulele festival in Honolulu. I've owned/played several, quality concerts, and nothing sounds better than the Ula. It would not surprise me if Noa at Ko'olau built a great sounding uke out of an orange crate, but I think you will hear more about Ulawood in the future. Happy strumming.
I understand that ulawood was used for cigar boxes in years past, could that be one reason cigar box ukes are so well regarded?
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------------------------------------------UPDATE------------------------------------------------
Uke arrived Friday in excellent condition, it even stayed in tune. I love Ko'olau's new case, black tolex with an arched top. Anyway, the combination I requested (ulawood top, koa back and sides) gives the best of both, and not the worst of either. The tone is still light and airy, but a little more centered and mellow. I get just a touch more legato than with the all ulawood, and a touch more dynamic range. It's quiet until you lean into it and then it can really bark. I think it's my best instrument as far as overall quality, the sound has a little more character than plain ulawood. But I still might pick the all ulawood for its added delicacy - I'm not sure yet.
One thing I've pretty much found, other top woods are not for me. Mahogany is too mellow and a little ugly on the high end, koa is too sharp and produces some nasty undertones, spruce or cedar I'm not as familiar with but haven't liked any I've heard. The ulawood seems like the perfect mix of characteristics. Of course, I am not playing live or doing much strumming, these are for melodic styles where the sound of plucked notes is what you hear, and what I want is a classical, almost Renaissance sound, as opposed to Hawaiian or pop. Mahogany or koa have more punch for those styles.
Ko'olau might be the best bang for the buck considering everything, even though you might not think so. The grade of koa I got is higher than the other K-brands I have. There's the shimmering "curly" waves throughout that you can't see in the pictures. You get a 17 fret fingerboard, only Kanilea does that right off the bat. And they come with a good case which, amazingly, no other K-brand does. So that saves you $140 right there. But of course the main thing is the sound and playability, it's a big step up, even on the cheaper models. Bravo!
Uke arrived Friday in excellent condition, it even stayed in tune. I love Ko'olau's new case, black tolex with an arched top. Anyway, the combination I requested (ulawood top, koa back and sides) gives the best of both, and not the worst of either. The tone is still light and airy, but a little more centered and mellow. I get just a touch more legato than with the all ulawood, and a touch more dynamic range. It's quiet until you lean into it and then it can really bark. I think it's my best instrument as far as overall quality, the sound has a little more character than plain ulawood. But I still might pick the all ulawood for its added delicacy - I'm not sure yet.
One thing I've pretty much found, other top woods are not for me. Mahogany is too mellow and a little ugly on the high end, koa is too sharp and produces some nasty undertones, spruce or cedar I'm not as familiar with but haven't liked any I've heard. The ulawood seems like the perfect mix of characteristics. Of course, I am not playing live or doing much strumming, these are for melodic styles where the sound of plucked notes is what you hear, and what I want is a classical, almost Renaissance sound, as opposed to Hawaiian or pop. Mahogany or koa have more punch for those styles.
Ko'olau might be the best bang for the buck considering everything, even though you might not think so. The grade of koa I got is higher than the other K-brands I have. There's the shimmering "curly" waves throughout that you can't see in the pictures. You get a 17 fret fingerboard, only Kanilea does that right off the bat. And they come with a good case which, amazingly, no other K-brand does. So that saves you $140 right there. But of course the main thing is the sound and playability, it's a big step up, even on the cheaper models. Bravo!
i received my ko'olau all koa soprano on monday. one thing that really impresses me about it is the fit and finish: it's perfect. pretty amazing for an S-1 model that lists for $699. i'm primarily a finger-style player too, and the ko'olau has great balance and sweetness, anywhere on the neck. i'm trying different strings; i have aquila strings on it at the moment. i may do an all ulawood uke if i get a tenor from them. they also say on their website that hawaiian ash and spruce is good in a tenor.
haolejohn
Well-known member
Stan, I think Ulawood is harvested in hawaii but has roots in newzealand or something like that. I know it is similar to cedar, I just don't remember where it comes from but most of the woods ko'olau uses are harvested on big island.
haolejohn
Well-known member
well. beat me to the punch.
