Recommendation for tenor with pickup.

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nogard

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I am thinking of buying a tenor ukulele with pickup. My price range is about $400 (little more or little less is fine). I went online and looked at some of them, but it seems that there are not so many reviews of ukulele in that price range.
I have an eye on this Lanikai: http://www.theukulelesite.com/ukulelemarket/lanikai-all-solid-monkey-pod-tenor-w-active-fishman-pickup-preamp, but I am not sure about the quality. Would you recommend this one, or any one for that matter?
I know! I wish I could spend $600 or more, but my budget is tight. I already have a soprano Lanikai and my brother has a Riptide. If you were me, with $400 in your pocket, what tenor ukulele with pickup would you buy?
Thanks,
 
If you're buying new, I'll second the recommendation on Mainland. If used, Pono and Honu might slip into your price range.
 
I'd go with either a Kala archtop or a Riptide. I have two archtops and a friend has the Riptide. Very happy. I also have a Kanilea.
 
I will also second the Mainland that 23 skidoo suggested. I have that same exact uke and I love it. The Mi-Si pickup is awesome.

Dan
 
Speaking of which... does anyone have or know of a YouTube clip or something of a Mainland with a Mi-Si plugged in direct?

Not a Mainland miked acoustically. And not a Mainland with a Mi-Si run through an amp that's miked. But a direct, plugged-smack-into-the-dang-computer example of what it sounds like.

Just curious.

JJ
 
Ukulele JJ said:
Speaking of which... does anyone have or know of a YouTube clip or something of a Mainland with a Mi-Si plugged in direct?

Not a Mainland miked acoustically. And not a Mainland with a Mi-Si run through an amp that's miked. But a direct, plugged-smack-into-the-dang-computer example of what it sounds like.

Just curious.

JJ
Click to expand...

Yeah I second this request.
 
mcwhitlow said:
Yeah I second this request.
Click to expand...

Okay, I third this request.

Great to find this thread today, btw, looking for the same thing. Have heard such good things about the MiSi and really need a good pickup system.
 
KA-KTGE-CT this one is at HMS also and if i didn't have 2 tenors I would order it the sound bite is awsum and the uke is vvvnice solid cedar top and koa with no cut away! 439 so its a couple more dollars but has a top shelf hard case. there is a cutaway version also but its 499 and i like this one better lol. personal choice . course theres a great sailor right now for 350 in our sale section belongs to nuprin and its gorgeous.
 
poppy said:
KA-KTGE-CT this one is at HMS also and if i didn't have 2 tenors I would order it the sound bite is awsum and the uke is vvvnice solid cedar top and koa with no cut away! 439 so its a couple more dollars but has a top shelf hard case. there is a cutaway version also but its 499 and i like this one better lol. personal choice . course theres a great sailor right now for 350 in our sale section belongs to nuprin and its gorgeous.
Click to expand...

Oh, my! http://www.theukulelesite.com/ukulelemarket/kala-ka-ktge-c-ct-koa-glosscedar-top-tenor-cutaway-w-eq
Looks like the 439 version w/o cutaway has no pickup. This is beautiful! Thanks (I think) for the rec! Off to sell some stuff....
 
One word of caution. I have had a Kala Jazz archtop for a while now and love it to death however...when the plug-in doubles as the strap holder if you use a strap the constant back and forth motion of putting it over your head eventually loosens the connection. When I buy my next electric uke I will look for one that has a separate plug-in on the lower rear bout and a normal strap button. It seems no one makes a strap with a larger hole to go over the combo plugs so the strap is always too tight thus loosening the plug-in. As I have done with the last few guitars and now ukes I prefer to buy a NON-electric uke and have a pick-up installed the way I want it.
 
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Darn, can't decide now, I see the Archtop on a site, but I might go with the idea of a custom installed pickup on a uke of choice
 
hey.. i was in the same quest some weeks ago. i finally ordered the mainland tenor w/ pickup.
it should be arriving here within the next 7 days.

if you can wait to make the decision, i'll post a demo as soon as i get the uku in my hands
 
Interesting! I also, after all, decided on a Mainland (hog) tenor with pickup. I really love that ukulele. Have to sell a few things first, though. Will look forward to your demo.
 
patico said:
hey.. i was in the same quest some weeks ago. i finally ordered the mainland tenor w/ pickup.
it should be arriving here within the next 7 days.

if you can wait to make the decision, i'll post a demo as soon as i get the uku in my hands
Click to expand...

I'll wait! Thank you very much!

For everyone else, thanks a lot for your suggestion! I still have no idea which one I should get though. My brother got a Riptide, and because I can play his ukulele, I think I will try another brand. I went to Guitar Center, and a local music store, but they didn't have any ukulele that I like. The internet, on the other hand, provides countless models, but I can't test them. Argh...!!! So hard!

What do you think about the Lanikai I have an eye on? It looks so good, but I am not sure how it sounds.
 
Everyone go towards my page www.youtube.com/raecarter82 there are a few mainland tenor clips on my page live at gigs plugged directly into a di box going into a pa. For the record they are brilliant
 
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