Makai ukes?

mthurman52

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anybody know anything about these ukues? MGM has them and I really like the solid spruce/rosewood but know nothing about them. Also, these have friction tuners...never had friction tuners. I am not worried about getting them in tune as much as them staying in tune. The makai uke i am looking at has Gotoh tuners...these any good? Thanks, Mason!

I am also looking at an Ohana solid zebra wood concert uke. I cant find any good reviews on them. Dont know how the zebrawood compares to more popular woods and how the playability is on them
 
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I sell Makais and they are great ukes! Basically what is cool is you can get an all solid uke for a VERY affordable price. My favorite personally is the Cedar/Rosewood all solid. It is not glossy and is quite simple looking, but the sound is HUGE. I covet keeping a cedar rosewood soprano. But I have not "earned my next uke" yet. The tuners take getting used to. You love them or hate them it seems. I like them a lot. And they are very "classic" looking. But as long as you tighten the screws every now and then, it isnt so bad! They sound out of the cedar/rosewood sopranos is HUGE for such a little intrument. The concert as well. They also use a lot of pretty back/sides woods. I like Makais a lot and find them comprable to Ohanas in a lot of ways. As with any instrument, make sure you get it from a dealer who quality checks their product, sets up, etc.
 
Makai makes a great uke for the money! Like Mim said they are one of the best buys out there. They are made in the same factory as at least some Ohana's and Mainland's. I got one of the solid spruce top tenors from MGM a year or so ago and it's one of my favorites. Mine doesn't have friction tuners but I have several ukes that do and they work just fine, but take a little getting used to. I'd say Go For It!
 
I just bought one of their low-end pineapples. Laminated mahogany with friction tuners, new for under $50 including shipping. Quite happy with it for the money. Switched out the GHS strings for Nylguts and dressed up the nut slots a bit. Nice tone and good intonation. The friction tuners function well but have a small diameter post which makes fine tuning a bit of a challenge so I'm planning on swapping them out for some Grovers, but for under $50, I don't think you can do much better.
 
Lots of nice ones with sound samples and first class set up at Hawaiimusicsupply
 
Makai told me soon most of the concerts that have been friction tuners will have geared on the models this summer.
We have had great response from customers who buy them. The willow wood sopranos look really cool and are available in satin soon to switch back to gloss we were told.
 
Makai told me soon most of the concerts that have been friction tuners will have geared on the models this summer.
We have had great response from customers who buy them. The willow wood sopranos look really cool and are available in satin soon to switch back to gloss we were told.

Can't beat UkeRepublic as a uke dealer !
 
Played a Makai- I think it was solid cedar top and laminate willow sides, concert. Played it all day and then left it with the dealer...still have dreams about it. Great uke that should live here (like I need another).
 
Played a Makai- I think it was solid cedar top and laminate willow sides, concert. Played it all day and then left it with the dealer...still have dreams about it. Great uke that should live here (like I need another).
There's one of those, and one of the cedar top with flame mahogany in tthe guitar shop up the street from me, and I had to stop going in there! I was afraid I couldn't decide which and I'd end up taking them both home!!
 
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