I am interested to buy a tahitian ukulele made by Mr. Kaota Puna in New Zealand. Does anyone know how to contact him? The website www.kanua.com does not appear to work. Any help would be appreciated. Mahalo.
Tahitian ukulele
- Thread starter KAMEALOHA
- Start date
Kanaka916
Well-known member
There was an individual; member name Asonu who builds Tahitian Ukes. Unfortunately he hasn't posted in some time. Here are some previous threads . . .
http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?31472-Tahitian-Ukeleles
http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?31470-Tahitian-Ukeleles
http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?31472-Tahitian-Ukeleles
http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?31470-Tahitian-Ukeleles
Big D
New member
Depending where you live you can go to any Tahitian Festival and at least one of the vendors will be selling them. The festivals are called Tahitian "Fete" or "Heiva". Pretty common in California and Hawaii. Sometimes Utah and Florida. Be prepared to spend at least $300.
bazonkers
Active member
Are they played the same as a normal uke or are they tuned differently with more strings etc?
Ambient Doughnut
Well-known member
I would avoid that website - I got a security alert off it!
whetu
Well-known member
I used the wayback machine and found a version of that website circa 2008. Try kaota at slingshot dot co dot nz
Alternatively, there are other places in NZ that will do a Tahitian uke (we also call them Cook Islands Ukuleles here, they're exactly the same as far as I can tell), the two I can think of off the top of my head are:
http://www.finda.co.nz/business/listing/3swx/toadstool-statement-gates/
http://www.tribaldesignz.info/tribaldesignz/gallery/Ukurere.aspx
/edit: There are also plenty of links here:
http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?26377-Cook-Islands-Ukulele
breadcrumbs for ya, good luck!
Last edited:
Big D
New member
They are 8 strings 99% of the time. GCEA is still standard but the C and E strings are an octave higher. They dont use uke strings. They use fishing line. The sound hole is in the back. They cut a hole all the way through where the sound hole usually is and then cover the whole with a thin resonant piece of wood. The bridge goes over that thin piece of wood. Which is why a lot people call them Tahitian banjos. The strumming is unlike anything you've ever heard.
Soxett
Active member
I'm sorry I don't know who Kaota Puna is, but he sounds more Cook Islander to me. Anyway, I have contacts for someone who makes Cook Islands 8 stringed ukes that sound and look exactly like the Tahitian ones, but may be cheaper. If interested you can email me on dawsons@oyster.net.ck.
Soxett
Active member
My husband makes Cook Islands 8 stringed ukes but we are based in Rarotonga. However, we have family in NZ whom we have shipped some ukes over due to the extensive orders from NZ. So if you are still interested, email me on dawsons@oyster.net.ck and anyone else for that matter!
Quote: Early bird get's da worm!!! ;o)
Quote: Early bird get's da worm!!! ;o)
Kanaka916
Well-known member
Here's Ardijah doing E Ipo, listen to the solo - just simply amazing and great music on top of that . . . BTW, I posted this vid in a similar thread.
IamRobbyah
Well-known member
Awesome vid!!! -- Except for when he said "raise the roof" -__-
Hi There, My partner is friends with Kaota and said that he doesn't make the ukes anymore. He has a couple at his house but not sure if they are for sale. He used to take them to Otara market but doesn't do it anymore we can ask him if he is interested in selling one of the ones he has and let you know if you are still keen. you can email me at bpera21@hotmail.com.
Cheers
bpera
Tahitian ukelele
hi UUers
here in the Polynesia we call the instrument Ukelele, so you'll find it as tahitian ukelele.
here in easter island lots of people are prefering the ukeleles made by Victor (ASONU), cause he does a really good job with the neck. i have had several ukeleles from other parts of the polynesia, tahiti, bora bora, n other islands, and they all fail in the intonation in the higher part of the neck.
it's common to use open strings along with fretted stringd in space 10-12th, so there's when the intonation problems really show.
ASONU's ukeleles are amongst the best i've tried (tried lots of ukeleles) and the price is unbeatable.
if anyone is interested, i can personally call him and ask if he has ukeleles for sale. we know each other, been jammin and surfing together here in Rapa Nui.
i own 2 ASONU ukeleles, a concert and a tenor size.
here's a brief intro i'm writing for a rapa nui song called "he rongo" played in one of ASONU's ukelele
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28O2MOfk7ss
hi UUers
here in the Polynesia we call the instrument Ukelele, so you'll find it as tahitian ukelele.
here in easter island lots of people are prefering the ukeleles made by Victor (ASONU), cause he does a really good job with the neck. i have had several ukeleles from other parts of the polynesia, tahiti, bora bora, n other islands, and they all fail in the intonation in the higher part of the neck.
it's common to use open strings along with fretted stringd in space 10-12th, so there's when the intonation problems really show.
ASONU's ukeleles are amongst the best i've tried (tried lots of ukeleles) and the price is unbeatable.
if anyone is interested, i can personally call him and ask if he has ukeleles for sale. we know each other, been jammin and surfing together here in Rapa Nui.
i own 2 ASONU ukeleles, a concert and a tenor size.
here's a brief intro i'm writing for a rapa nui song called "he rongo" played in one of ASONU's ukelele
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28O2MOfk7ss
