Post your soprano! (new headstock pride inside)

Plainsong

Plainsong

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 6, 2008
Messages
3,765
Reaction score
16
Location
Helsinki, Finland via Charleston, SC
I prefer concert scale, but MGM had a deal that made me take a walk on the wild side, and I picked up a Koaloha standard soprano. Part of my problem is that I'd sold the pikkake model soprano I had as my first uke, and during my visitations with it at local uke meetings, I found I wasn't over it.

The standard model is more to my liking. The neck is more rounded and comfortable to play, and that right there is a huge plus. The gloss finish is gorgeous, but it's not too heavy, which is nice. And of course the tuners. Much nice than the cotton-filled monstrosities on my first Koaloha.

I THINK the strings are Worth clears. Perhaps MGM can clarify that.

So I was going to start another "Got a new uke!" thread, but then I thought this might be a nice time to start another soprano pride thread instead. We've talked about our sopranos, and now it's time to post some pics!

Here's mine, to get this party started. I was just marveling earlier this evening with how much fun I was getting from 12 frets.

dscn0723.png


dscn0722.png


Fresh from the Koaloha bakery!

dscn0716.png


And some headstock pride!

dscn0713.png


Now I've shown you mine, you show me yours.
 
Mine's just a Johnson.
I'm sure you could find it if you typed it in at google.
 
Johnson owner here too,a uk120. It was the better sounding one of the 2 the store had. I had no idea there were so many high end uke's out there when I got mine.

I've been going to a folk music store here in Denver drooling over some of the nicer ones,It sucks that the big music stores have 100's of geetars and 1 or 2 ukuleles if I am lucky.
I am a little woried about getting a nice solid wood one as we have very LOW humidity here, I guess I could just turn this Johnson in to my camping/rafting uke.
Now its just choosing between a concert and tenor or do I get a new soprano, the other half has drawn the line saying I can't have one of each!!!
 
Last edited:
Those are brand new Koaloha Brand 100% flourocarbon strings. Many are starting to come out with new lines. There is a new brown flourocarbon line coming out in a week....Keep you posted
 
So being 100% flourocarbon, I could call them Worthish. They don't exactly have me saying "Ewww! Stock strings!" - I think I'll stick with these for the life of the strings. :) I know Risa has their own brand also, but in association with Worth.
 
I am in the process of sanding and repainting my uke. I dont know if im even gonna paint it. im sanding everything off that was there before though. the "binding" was black paint. it just didnt look nice. so im taking all of that off and im probubly just going to put a nice stain and gloss on it. I think in the right amount it will help the uke. im getting new tuners for it because the other ones are just falling off. and i might replace the saddle and the nut too. not sure. any tips would be nice.

im using this uke cuz it barely plays any more. the tuners wont hold strings at all. there was a huge grease stain on the back.(i got it like that) and I want to be a luthier when i grow up so i think just getting the feal of a uke right now would be a good idea.



EDIT: why the pictures didnt work..i have no idea.

someone help me get picks up.


lol thanks.



view.php


view.php


view.php
 
I should have said "Hobbit, I'm looking in your direction" - in my thread title!

That blue Ohaha is great! I've got an aqua tenor (Kala) but that Ohana looks nicer with the rosette around the soundhole and all. I do wish I had a decent case for the Koaloha though. That one with the Ohana looks nice. Every site I found with a nice case either doesn't ship international, or closed for the summer. Ukes.com only except international money order, which went defunct in this country about 40 years ago.

But anyhoo, where is the Hobbit? He's got some killer sopranos!
 
Great sopranos guys. That Ohana is a handsome instrument, and I love KoAlohas.

nikolo727 said:
EDIT: why the pictures didnt work..i have no idea.

someone help me get picks up.


lol thanks.
Click to expand...

You have to copy the text in the "IMG Code for Forums & Message Boards" text box, not the address bar text.

But your pictures are so big, I resized them. They were 1600x1200 and like 800kb each. I took them down to 600x450 and about 25kb each.

rsg7bs.jpg


5ujkug.jpg


v687dw.jpg
 
MGM set me up with a very nice KoAloha concert scale soprano (KSM-02)almost couple years ago. Replaced the buzzing Schallers with a set of PegHeds and the stock nylon strings with Worth Brn Lights. Otherwise it's a 14 fret to the body darker streaked clone of your std KoAloha. When the humidity climbs up over the upper 50s this sweet little uke really sings bright and clear.

The new tuners with the etched logo on the buttons add a nice subtle bling to the instrument. Unlike the clunky, not the best functioning Schallers. Nice to know that the Okami family listens to our whining.
 
I'm positive that the buzzing E string on my former pikkake standard (it didn't buzz when I had it), is because the tuner needs its diaper changed. I just can't get the guy who has it to actually do it. I gave him the link to the youtube tutorial, but what can ya do? Ah well..

MGM just said that these weren't nylon, and they don't sound it. I wouldn't be able to tell them from Worths, but I'll confirm that at the next string change. They do indeed listen to our whining. :D
 
Replying to myself here to let everyone know that Koolau is selling their awesome cases under the Oahu brand directly on their site. The price includes US shipping, but they'll do international if you shoot them an email. I know there's a difficulty finding nice cases, and this is one, so I wanted to give a head's up!
 
Koa Pili Koko Soprano

Here's my only soprano in my collection.

Koa Pili Koko from MGM with the Tweed Gig Bag :cool:
picture.php

-
picture.php

-
picture.php
 
Plainsong said:
We're missing the pic. :( - But I've got that gig bag with my Kala aqua tenor, and it looks cool.
Click to expand...

Your Kala aqua tenor, you say? How is it? I am thinking about buying that same setup from MGM. :)

Plainsong said:
I should have said "Hobbit, I'm looking in your direction" - in my thread title!

That blue Ohaha is great! I've got an aqua tenor (Kala) but that Ohana looks nicer with the rosette around the soundhole and all. I do wish I had a decent case for the Koaloha though. That one with the Ohana looks nice. Every site I found with a nice case either doesn't ship international, or closed for the summer. Ukes.com only except international money order, which went defunct in this country about 40 years ago.

But anyhoo, where is the Hobbit? He's got some killer sopranos!
Click to expand...

All three are just like mine, but two are different colors. I think Elderly ships international.
http://www.elderly.com/accessories/items/UCS21-RD.htm
http://www.elderly.com/accessories/items/UCS21-BK.htm
http://www.elderly.com/accessories/items/UCS21-BL.htm

It's a awesome case btw. Elderly has 'em for Concert too, I think I might get one.
 
Last edited:
I think the Koaloha style is very nice, and with the small soprano size, it's almost too good to be true. Just lovely! The koa grain they use is fantastic, in my opinion much more stylish than extravagant curly stuff.

My only soprano is an old Famous (Kiwaya) FU-150 that was about 100 bucks in the 1990s, but I got it for free and it has a nice sound (it's in my contest video). Unfortunately the wood is deep red bubinga and its finish is one ugly piece of work. Any suggestions as to a nice paint scheme are welcome :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

AnnaUK
New Uke Day - Kamaka Soprano *sound clip in post #25*
2 3
Replies
42
Views
5K
DAPuke
DAPuke
toddir58
Sold Sold......Rare Lyon & Healy triangle "Shrine" uke c1925...see my other post of L&H tiple
Replies
2
Views
309
Eggs_n_Ham
Eggs_n_Ham
K
Post the song that motivated you for playing!
Replies
9
Views
379
Quad57
Q
Gress
Post your random pictures
23 24 25
Replies
489
Views
9K
Gress
Gress
Voran
Post crazy colored ukuleles here.
2
Replies
36
Views
1K
Quad57
Q
Top Bottom