Which tenor would you buy?

Which one would you buy?

  • Lanikai Solid Mahogany LSM-T

    Votes: 6 26.1%
  • Ohana Solid Mahogany TK-35

    Votes: 17 73.9%

  • Total voters
    23

Tootle

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I'm looking into getting my second uke. I've decided on these two tenors and just wanted to get some opinions from people about which one they would buy if given these choices.

I appreciate your votes. Thank you.

Lanikai Solid Mahogany LSM-T
lanikailsmt2.jpg

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=220260470993&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=012

or

Ohana Solid Mahogany TK-35G
9e44_1.JPG

http://cgi.ebay.com/Ohana-TENOR-sol...ryZ16224QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I don't live in an area where I can test these out. I would love feedback from anyone that has one of these or something similar. Thank you very much :D
 
Ohana. Just because I've never owned one.

The Lani's I've owned were ok. Nothing to get excited about.

I'd go with deach on that one, but because I have owned one :)
I have the TK-35's little sister, the SK-35 (soprano). It's got a nice tone. Ken Middleton has done a great review of the TK-35 on YouTube.

I've never tried Lanikai though, so can't comment on that one.
 
I have the Ohana. It fits a nice niche of having a mahogany uke. The fit and finish are pretty good, with only a couple of very small flaws. Nothing to really worry about. If you go with MGM, he will set it up for you which is important as these Asian imports are often lacking in the playability area.

The tone is really pretty nice. More mellow than Koa with a little more bottom end. Mine is strung with Aquila High G Nylguts. I think they are worth the price.

I have no experience with the Lanakai.
 
Those ohana look exactly like bushman tenors! Right down to the headstock and bindings! :eek:
 
I have the TK-35G and I love it. I too have it strung with high G Aquila nylguts, which are a bit too bright for my tastes but not brittle or thin... the mahogany body is very, very warm and rich in tone, which sucks a bit of the bite out of the nylguts, but all of the resonance and projection associated with these strings remains firmly intact.

The friction tuners on mine are of excellent quality and I've had no problems keeping the uke in tune. I can practice for hours and hours without the strings flattening significantly enough to become a problem.

Regarding playability... the action was ridiculously high when this ukulele came out of the factory box. It was perfectly playable, but unnecessarily challenging. I had the shop lower the action and the instrument performs beautifully. Ken Middleton also mentioned his TK-35G's action was too high as well, so it's probably something to expect with the Ohana's. It's an easy fix, though.

Now that the action is no longer an issue, I've found this uke incredibly relaxing and comfortable to play. The frets are easy to manipulate, no string buzz of any kind, harmonics are found right where they ought to be, intonation is pretty solid up and down the fretboard. The neck feels good in the hands.

It also smells nice.

So I voted for the Ohana. My impression of Lanikai's is that they are totally competent, adequate instruments, but nothing special. I've never played one. But this Ohana is a quality piece - pretty looking and pretty sounding.

-Tom
 
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I picked the Ohana as I have an Ohana CK-35g Solid Mahogany and am very happy with it.

I have that one too (it's the concert, not the tenor, btw), and it is beautiful. Very warm and mellow without sounding boomy, and with Aquila Nylguts you get an excellent balance of crispness with that mellowness and those nice, sweet, round highs that are so zealously sought after. It came with kind of lousy action (I played a few of the same, and the one I picked had the best action, though still a little high), which I have yet to adjust, but after that, it should be very nice (well-polished frets/fingerboard). I have not played the Lanikai, but judging by their cheaper ukes (I have an LU-21) they are functional, playable, but nothing special tone-wise. The Ohana, on the other hand, is. Jump on that one!
 
I have 2 Ohanas: a TK35G (that is the one with the gloss finish) and a CK50G (cedar top and rosewood back and sides).

My tenor has geared tuners and is very light and easy to play. Put a set of Worth strings on it and it is hard to beat at any price. Great case and a very sweet tone.

If mahogany (koa has a very different sound) is what you want, go for the Ohana every time.

KEN
 
i've never tried an ohana and i own a lanikai concert. i really like the lanikai, i would like to try a ohana, but i would have to listen to one first and atleast play it first.:music:
 
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