Epic Collection Downsizing: Kamaka, KoAloha, Kanilea, Pono, Fender, PRS Oahu Only

experimentjon

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Epic Collection Downsizing: Kamaka, KoAloha, Kanilea, Pono, Fender, PRS

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Photobucket Album

Hi UU. I love the ukulele, and love music. And despite this sale, I will still have quite a bit of gear...more than I should...all of my paychecks and some have gone into my instrument collection. But a downsizing and recapitalization is long overdue, especially since I am saving for the next generation of the Kindle DX, the next iPad, and a pair of Bose Quiet Comfort 15 headphones (my other hobby is reading...and if you have a pair of Bose QC15, I'd be willing to work out a trade.) And really, I feel guilty and think that these instruments should find a home where they get played...seriously, some of this gear has not been touched in over a year.

I want to limit this sale to Oahu, since I'm very busy with school and work (even over winter break) and don't want to have to deal with shipping--especially for the guitars. (However, let me know how much shipping costs, let me know where to find a box, and if you're willing to pay for the shipping, and cover the paypal fees, we can work something out.)

I thought I'd offer these up to UU first, if there's anyone on Oahu interested in these before I throw them up on Craigslist later this week. IDK how many of them I have pictures of already...need to take some, but I'll put them up as I find them. (Turns out I have fewer pictures of these than I thought...guess it's picture taking time tomorrow.)


SOLD!!! Kanilea K1 Baritone Ukulele ($750>$700)

I’m selling my beautiful Kanilea K-1 Baritone Ukulele as part of my collection downsizing efforts. The instrument is beautiful, nice bookmatched solid Hawaiian koa wood with a hint of figure, and Kanilea’s UV Gloss finish—which is the most stunning production ukulele finishes on the market…yes, better than Kamaka. I can’t find any chips, dings, or scratches on the ukulele. The only flaw I can find on it is on the abalone inlay on the 3rd fret, where it just isn’t 100% perfect with the way it was inlaid. I don’t think the inlay will fall out, but I mention it for full disclosure. I also made a slight pressure mark on the first fret, between the B and E strings. It’s only noticeable at a certain angle under light. And that is one of the reasons for the discount.

The sound is also the best Baritone ukulele sound I have ever heard, especially set up with the very balanced, all-nylon Worth Clear strings (best strings for Baritones, in my opinion). Action is nice, smooth, and low all the way down the fretboard, and the instrument is set up with excellent intonation. I will include an extra set of Worth baritone strings free. And of course, the instrument comes in a protective zipper-closure hard case.

The retail price for the ukulele is $1130. The string upgrade, extra set, and setup is valued at $50, and the hard case is another $50. My price is just $750 for this excellent condition ukulele. It will make an excellent gift for the ukulele player in your life…even if that’s you, yourself!


SOLD!!! Kamaka Concert Ukulele Curly Koa White Label ($550)

This Kamaka concert is probably the hardest one to part with in my collection downsizing, because it truly is one of my favorites, and has been since ever since I bought it. But I have two Kamaka concerts, and one has to go. This is a white label, conceived on Aug 30, 1997 and has been lovingly played until today. But aside from the natural aging and opening-up of the wood (which gives it an amazingly resonant tone), the ukulele also has advantages over the Kamakas that you can find on the shelves today—the instrument is 100% koa, even the fretboard. They don’t make them like this anymore. The neck has a nice flame pattern in it on the top part facing the player, something that I haven’t seen in any of my other two-dozen ukuleles. And the back is a stunning piece of AAAA grade koa. Meanwhile, the top is a dark piece with some interesting figure in it too. But overall, aesthetically, it is a beautiful instrument.

More important than the way it looks is the sound. I have it strung with Worth Clear strings, and it just sings. Admittedly, it sounds better than my other Kamaka concert from the 2000’s. And because of the great sound, it has been played. So yes, there are some light scratches in the finish—but nothing that affects the sound. A new Kamaka concert, with plain, non-curly wood has an MSRP of $870 today, and they do NOT make them like this anymore. You can have this one for just $550 and enjoy it, then pass it on to your kids. These Kamaka ukuleles are great heirloom items that hold their value like crazy. I’m letting it go for a good price for a quick sale, and will even include a vintage case with it.


SOLD!!! KoAloha Concert Ukulele ($450)

I’m a huge KoAloha fan. After owning over a dozen instruments from the top ukulele-builders in Hawaii, including Kamaka, KoAloha, and G-String, I can say that KoAlohas are my favorite. But I am downsizing my collection, and am trying to find new homes for all of my non tenor-scale instruments. But why do I love KoAloha? It’s the sound. It’s not as traditional as Kamaka, but has amazing treble brightness, and astonishing projection. Also, their jumbo frets just make them super fun to play.

This concert was born in June 2003, and has been lovingly cared for ever since. This one is especially rare because the top is a single piece of non-bookmatched Hawaiian koa; the back is the same way. Even more impressively, the sides are a single long strip of koa…and there is no purfling, which gives it even better resonance. Today, with the shortage of Koa, almost all instruments are bookmatched because boards large enough to build the way that KoAloha prefers to build just aren’t available. So you really would be hard-pressed to find one like this today. I would say that the condition on this one is good. There is light wear on the fingerboard at the first fret, and is one tiny ding on the back. Overall, I’d rate it at about 95%.

The KoAloha concert has an MSRP of $780. And I will include a $40 foam hard case for free. Pay less than you would in a store, and get ukulele construction that’s hard to come by today. Take this entire package home with you for just $450!


SOLD!!! Epiphone Cabellero Acoustic Guitar Vintage USA Solid Mahogany ($200)

I’m selling this very rare Epiphone guitar simply because I do not play it any more. The guitar is vintage, and from the serial number (433723), it is from the 60’s or 70’s—I don’t quite remember, but I know you can find out with some digging on the internet. The guitar is constructed from all solid mahogany, with tortoise binding on the top, and was built in Kalamazoo Michigan.

Naturally, as a vintage guitar, it isn’t quite perfect. There is a lot of natural checking of the finish, and there is a bit of bellying on the top. There’s also your normal dings and scratches. But the tone is still all there. The instrument has a very traditional mahogany sound, with all the sparkle of a nicely aged and played-in guitar.

I’m letting this one go for $200, and am open to reasonable offers. Thanks for looking!


SOLD!!! Vintage Madiera A-30M by Guild with pickup AAA Flame Maple Back/Sides Japan Made
($200)

This is a RARE Madiera A-30M dreadnought steel string acoustic guitar from the 1970s. It was made by hand in Japan, and imported to the US by Guild. Back then, they cost about $200 new, and today, you’d be hard-pressed to find anything with this sound quality for under $1000. All of the reviews on Harmony Central rave about the sound quality of this guitar. And I’d agree, it does have some an awesome sound, especially strung with Elixrs, as it is now.

The spruce top helps give it a nice bright sound. However, the real showstopper on this guitar is the stunning AAA FLAME MAPLE back and sides. There is also a passive pickup installed. However, it takes a 3.5mm headphone jack rather than a standard 1/4 inch guitar cable (however, you’ll still need a preamp and cannot plug headphones directly into the pickup, since it is passive). Another feature is the adjustable bridge which seemed to be the trend back then (action can be adjusted up and down at the saddle by turning two screws). It also has plastic binding on the top, back, and fretboard. But it is just a BEAUTIFUL blonde guitar. Just take a look at the pictures.

The guitar has gentle wear on it as expected from a guitar of about 30 years old which has been played but loved. If you want to glam it up, you could use Meguiars ScratchX, Quik Detailer, and Caranuba Wax to remove the light scratches and shine the body. The stuff works great. I am keeping it vintage-looking and letting the buyer decide. The guitar also comes with a hard case, which is the same age as the guitar.

The only reason that I’m selling is because the guitar is not perfect—it does have some problems. First, the frets are a bit low for my liking, and I can’t figure out how to lower the action any more on the adjustable bridge. The finish also does not seem to be OEM. If you are willing to take it to one of the local shops and get it set up, or fix it up yourself, it’d be a great player. Like I said, you can’t get this type of quality in both guitar aesthetics and tone without spending over $1000 today. Take this rare and beautiful instrument home with you for just $200. This price includes a hard case.
 

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SOLD!! KoAloha SuperSoprano Ukulele ($350---Sold and will ship Mon Dec 20)

I’ve owned soprano ukuleles from KoAloha, Kamaka, and Kanilea. The KoAloha wins out above all of them in terms of being fun to play, and having the most bright and punchy tone. This is due to the construction of the ukulele with the unique Uni-brace, and the solid koa construction. The top is a single non-bookmatched piece, as well as the back, which is almost impossible to find nowadays with the rarity of koa. And the sides are a single piece that wraps all the way around. This leads to greater resonance, and beautiful sound. Also, the saddle is Ebony, which allows for a more natural sound.

This is a soprano body with a slightly longer concert neck so you have more room to play on, but not so much that it’s difficult for smaller hands. The concert is actually my favorite scale-length, but I need to let this one go because it’s just sitting unplayed with all of the other things in my life going on. I’m sitting here playing it as I write this description, and it really does sound amazing, even on the original 8-year old factory strings.

This one was born in May of 2002, and has been gently played since, allowing it to mature to an even sweeter sound. There is some light wear on the edges of the body—light dings and scratches as can be expected on an ukulele like this. Nothing major, and nothing that affects the sound at all. The super soprano has an MSRP $680…that’s if you can find one; take this one home for just $350. I’ll also include a retro-style orange-fur-lined case with it.



SOLD!!! Pono PKT-1 Tenor Solid Koa Ukulele ($450)

Up for sale is my like-new Pono PKT-1 tenor ukulele. It simply does not get enough play time, and should find a new owner who will enjoy it. The ukulele is very well built, and of the best materials: solid koa top, back, and sides, with an ebony bridge and fingerboard. The neck appears to be mahogany. The tuners are also Gover open-back geared turners—same ones they use on Kanilea tenors. Speaking of Kanilea, this gloss finish on the Pono is one of the few gloss finishes that I have seen that can rival Kaniea’s beautiful UV cured finish. However, today, due to the shortage of koa, Ko’olau has discontinued the production of this ukulele, and it is rather hard to find, and is only available on the secondary market. The only problem that I can find on this ukulele is a small spot of rough finish from the factory near the neck that you can only see at certain angles and a pin sized pressure mark in the same area…that I just saw but can’t seem to find again. These cosmetic issues are just me being very picky.

The deep body gives it a nice sound, but I’ve also upgraded it with Aquila strings for added projection. Truly, this is one of the best tenors in terms of bang for the buck. To make it an even better deal, I will include a $40 hard case for free. Take the whole package home for $450 while it’s still available.

Applause UAE148 ($300)

This was my first acoustic-electric ukuleles, and still one of the greatest. Amplified, it sounds just as good as one of my $1000 solid koa ukuleles with a $200 Fishman Matrix pickup installation in it. That’s not an exaggeration. The tradeoff is that it is a bit quiet acoustically. However, to compensate, I’ve upgraded this with Aquila strings to add a bit of acoustic volume. After trying a lot of other string brands, nothing sounds better than Aquilas on this instrument. Speaking of acoustic sound, the famous Ovation round-back design is brought over from their guitars to give this one nice balanced tone, and added durability, while the epaulet soundholes help to reduce feedback from amplifiers.

If you haven’t tried the pickup on this, it is really great. The equalizer is unrivaled on most other production ukuleles. The active preamp, powered by a 9V battery offers controls for bass, mids, and trebles. (I like a bit less bass, and a bit more treble, with my mids flat.) They’ve also got controls for EQ status, pre-shape, and mid-shift. (All of which I don’t use, but are great options to have.) Finally, of course, there is a volume control. But the best part is that all of these controls are classily-mounted on the body in an easy-to-access place, instead of inside the soundhole. The pickup even sounds great with all the settings flat—better than a Fishman Matrix Infinity which costs over $200 installed. But that’s just my opinion.

I’ve also added a UH Warrior sticker to the body which matches nicely, and the headstock as well. And stickers which read “HAWAII” down the fretboard in the UH athletics font. And all of these stickers can be removed without damage to the instrument if you happen to be a Boise fan. =P Aside from these upgrades, the instrument is in excellent shape, just some very light scratches and fingerprint marks. Overall, I’d rate it at about 95% condition.

If you enjoy celebrity endorsements, the lead ukulele player of Kolohe Kai plays one just like this; and Aldrine Guerrero also gigged one of these in the old days. See one in action here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_RyzgD2_TE Yes, Aldrine keeps up with Jake Shimabukuro on one of these bad boys.

Buy this from me, and it will comes with a nice TKL gig bag, and I will throw in an awesome Levy’s cotton quick-attach strap for free. I’m letting her go for $300 with the upgraded strings and freebies.

Fender Stratocaster Upgraded USA Parts ($450)

This Stratocaster started as a 2001 MIM black Stratocaster with a maple neck and has been upgraded to be a smooth-playing awesome axe with University of Hawaii colors. It started with a new green tortoise pickguard (which admittedly was not the easiest installation b/c the pre-drilled holes did not quite align). But the combo simply looks stunning on the black guitar finish. The rear cover is also matching green. A small (removable) UH Warriors sticker on the headstock finishes the look. Yes, there are some light dings and scratches on the finish from being played…really nothing major, but that’s the reason for the discount.

Where this is far better than a stock Stratocaster is in the performance parts. Most importantly, the stock pickups are upgraded to Van Zandt single coils and a Seymour Duncan JB humbucker. The sound is great for blues and rock. But what if you don’t like the HSS setup, and want all single-coils in your guitar? Well, a coil splitter is installed, in place of the second tone knob. Now, you can switch from HSS to SSS with the flick of a switch, making this an amazingly versatile guitar. Then, I’ve installed Schaller strap locks and a classy Levy’s black strap. Finally, locking tuners are installed for better intonation and super-fast tuning. Also, the tremolo is blocked so you can really rock.

A MIM Stratocaster costs $500 today. The upgrades are a total of $325 not including labor: pickguard ($30), pickups ($150) coil splitter ($30), strap locks ($20), Levys Strap ($35), Locking Tuners ($60). That’s a total of $825 in this guitar. I’ll let it go for $450. It plays and sounds like an American Strat at that price, and is great especially if you have some Warrior spirit. I will also include a free (but used) gig bag with that price. Thanks for looking!

continued...
 

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SOLD!!! Paul Reed Smith SE Soapbar Electric Guitar ($350)

I’m letting go of one of my favorite non-USA guitars. This PRS SE Soapbar is a hard-to-find discontinued model, and one of the finest overseas-produced guitars. From the PRS site, “The SE Soapbar is a solid mahogany, single-cutaway guitar with a 22-fret, wide-fat mahogany neck and two soapbar pickups. The mahogany construction and fat neck accentuate the midrange while the soapbar pickups give you bright sparkling highs.”

I love playing the thin, contoured Les Paul style body. It has the same feel as a Les Paul, but a lot more rugged, and with less weight. The tone is awesome as you can expect from anything with the PRS name, even made overseas. Honestly, the fit and finish on this guitar is the best that I’ve seen in a non-USA guitar. The neck is perfect, and has classy crescent-moon inlays.

The online price for this instrument was $650. I’m selling it for just $350 because of some cosmetic issues. There are very light scratches on the finish, which can probably be buffed out. But the more obvious aesthetic issue is the tarnish on the bridge and pickup screws. Strangely, the tuning keys still glisten like new. At the end of the day, none of this affects performance, but it just doesn’t quite look new up close. The guitar is still a joy to play, is very well-built, and sounds amazing. I will also include a PRS gig bag, which is extremely well padded, and solidly made too. As an extra bonus, I’ll also throw in a free suede strap with plastic straplocks. Take it all home for just $350, or best reasonable offer. Thanks!

Peavey Transtube Backstage Practice Amp ($50)

This Peavey Backstage was one of my first amplifiers, but I do not need it anymore, and haven’t played it in about a year. The amp sounds good and has a nice clean sound across a wide range, and has a built in distortion mode with Peavey’s TransTube technology. It’s a great practice amp for anyone, or a good first amp for a beginner. The condition is probably an 8/10. Just has one small tear on the black material on the rear top edge, and a tiny bit of tarnish on the dark chrome hardware—both of which in no way affects performance. The speaker is six inches, and is 10W. Amazon has it listed for $90. I’m looking to find mine a new home for $50. Thanks!

On Hold Nahenehe Soprano, Martin Style 1 Replica, Solid Wood ($70--On Hold)

This is a Style 0 Martin replica soprano ukulele, made in the Philippines and finished in Maui. The brand is very obscure, but the materials on the ukulele are great. The body appears to be solid mahogany with a lighter-colored top and bottom binding. The head plate is ebony, and the fretboard is rosewood. The problem is that the finish was a very thin coat, and it shows checking and wear, including scratches on the back. So it is not in perfect condition, and the price of $70 reflects that. Still, this is an awesome vintage-sounding ukulele with a really gutsy tone. It’s a joy to play, a great deal at $70, and it’s a great candidate if you want to refinish it to its former glory. I will also include a vintage-style hardcase with the instrument for free.

SOLD!!! Line6 JM4 Looper Pedal and Effects Unit ($250>$220)

I bought this looper to practice with, but just have been too busy to play with school and work. I’ve used it for about ten hours before putting it back in the box. The unit is still mint, includes the power supply and instruction book, and comes with all of the original packaging. Would be a great Christmas gift!

The JM4 is a really great unit for practicing, or for the solo musician who needs an onstage unit to play with. The JM4 is not only a looper pedal, but also features twelve of Line6’s famous amp models, seven effects, and an integrated tuner. On top of that, there are over 200 artist presets and 150 song presets so you can get that tone from your favorite musicians with minimal fuss and setup: just plug in and play. Plus, the unit has over 100 pre-recorded studio jam tracks by real artists so that you can practice your improvisation skills. Finally, you can even use the unit for recording, with 24 minutes of internal recording time, and an SD expansion slot.

Find more information on the Line 6 website. http://line6.com/jm4looper/

This is truly an excellent unit, and I wish I had time to play, but I think it could find a better home with someone who would play it. The MSRP is $460, and the Amazon price is $330. My price is just $250, for this like-new unit in package! Thanks for looking!
 

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Hi Everyone,

I'll probably have pictures posted here later this afternoon (Hawaii time). And unless you have a good reason to PM, please just post your comments and questions here. I prefer it a lot more to PMs where I need to empty the box and clear out room. I've had good interest on shipping them, and again, if you're willing to cover shipping and paypal fee, we can work out a deal. If anyone has tips or comments on shipping ukuleles, please chime in and let me know. These will be shipping from 96814. Soonest anything ships out will probably be next Sat, since this week is finals week. The ads will probably show up on Craigslist on Wed or Thurs.

And if anyone by chance is a knife collector, I am interested in a large Chris Reeve Sebenza, and a Strider SnG. Or if you are a watch collector, I am interested in a Hamilton Khaki Automatic with display-back.

BTW, if I am shipping, I would prefer to ship to the USA only. And let me know if a humidifier is necessary when shipping...I've never done this before. Really, local sales are preferred, but I guess if a deal is secured online first, I'll honor that.

Oh yes, and after cleaning up a lot of these ukes, they actually look a lot better than my writeups described. Especially the KoAloha Superconcert and Kamaka Concert. A lot of the finish flaws were indeed very light, and came right out. The Applause is also virtually flawless other than some minor surface swirlys--the piano black finish is still super glossy.
 

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So, I got tired of uploading them four at a time and attaching them to posts. So...

You can view all pictures of the items for sale at my PHOTOBUCKET ALBUM.


Thanks for looking guys.

Also, the Nahenahe soprano is on hold. Everything else is still up for sale. Shipping can be done starting Monday Dec, 20. And local showings as early as Sat Dec 18. If you're local and interested in anything, PM me your phone number, and we can talk. Everyone else, please just post responses to this thread.

Edit: Yes, I took pictures of flashlights in the middle. On the off chance that you're a flashaholic in hiding, the Fenix LD10 R4, Nitecore D10 R2 SP, and Leatherman Serac S1, with 2 glowsticks, and 2 Ultimate Lithium Primaries will be up for sale on CandlePowerForums for $100 package deal, shipped. You guys have first crack before I post it there...just in case.
 

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KoAloha SuperSoprano is Sold pending funds to a California buyer.

Nahenehe Soprano is on hold for a local buyer.

Rest are still for sale, and will hit Craigslist on Wed. Open to reasonable offers from local buyers on most items.
 
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BTTT

For whatever reason, my postings for the KoAloha Concert and Pono are not showing up on Craigslist. Until I figure out how to repost them, they'll still be here!
 
KoAloha Concert sold to another UU member on the mainland and will ship on Wed...perhaps Tues if I can find a box.

For everyone else on Oahu, everything else is posted on Craigslist now.
 
Kamaka Concert sold locally to a visiting businessman and all around awesome guy.

Kanilea Baritone and the Looper pedal are on their way to Iowa. And will be shipped the Monday after Christmas.

I'm suprised the Pono PKT1 hasn't sold yet. That's a very good instrument.

Same thing with the Fender Strat. I'm still looking for a local buyer for that one. I think the Strat is a great deal.

But overall, my downsizing is going very well. Lots more room in my bedroom now! :)

Sadly, a lot of the guitars/ukuleles that I am keeping still are stuck in their cases going unplayed...even over winter break. It really is quite sad. Too much gear, and too little time.
 
Well, if you have any 6 or 8 strings that are just collecting dust, let me know. I might be interested in the right deal.
 
Sorry Mike, nothing that fits that description. Well, to be honest, I do have a Kamaka 8 string that is collecting dust, but I'm going to hold on to that one, just b/c it's my only 8 string. I've actually been looking to acquire a KoAloha 6 string. I played one of theirs and it sounded awesome.
 
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