Ooh, just ordered my first koa (Lanikai LK-1s)

NatalieS

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UAS has hit me BIG time! And I'm super psyched because I just ordered a solid koa uke at a fantastic price. I knew I could never afford a Kanile'a but this is just about as good-- a Lanikai made by the Kanile'a folks anyway.

It's a Lanikai LK-1s, listed on ebay as a factory second for having a minor blemish. However, I talked to the seller and he can't find the flaw anywhere so that's fine with me! I'm assuming it's probably a small flaw somewhere in the gloss finish or maybe the woodgrain didn't line up properly. Whatever it is, I never thought I could afford a solid koa uke, woohoo!

Here she is: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=220269319013&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=012
 
congrats and good luck! my cordoba is a koa, and i absolutely love the tone. :) make sure you let us hear it after you get it in the mail!

:D
 
I thought Lanikai was owned by Hohner?


It is, but Joe and the folks at Kanile'a made the solid koa (LK line) for Lanikai. And if I understand it right, the Lanikai people were trained by Kanile'a initially and just branched off to start their own line.

There's a thread somewhere around here about the whole thing, I'll try to find it...
 
Congrats. You're going to enjoy it. I've got the LK-1C. (I probably started the thread you're referring to.) I love it. Really lush tone. Great action and superb quality all around.

lanikailk1c06adt9.jpg


They're great instruments and almost identical to the Kanile'a K-1's except that they hadn't come up with the Tru Bracing quite yet when they were building them for Lanikai, so the majority of the LK series don't have that.

Hohner had wanted a solid koa, made in Hawaii uke as part of they're original Lanikai line and contracted Kanile'a to make them. Kanile'a did it for a while until they decided to really start concentrating on their own Kanile'a brand. I'm not sure how long or how many they actually made for Lanikai, it's certainly not a whole lot, but they are still out there.

Otherwise, same build, same quality. Different name on the headstock. (You can also usually get them for a couple hundred less than a "new" Kanile'a.) It's a great way to upgrade to the next level of instrument at a pretty bargain price for what you actually get.
 
Hey Natalie, post some pics when you get it so we can salivate over it . . .
 
Thanks for posting info and a pic about the LK line, Lanark! Yep, you're right, it was your thread I was referring to. :)

I'll be sure to get pictures up. I just can't wait to try it out!! :D
 
Lanikai was not trained by Joe and then branched off to make their solids elsewhere The solids were first made by their usual chinese factory and then Horner approached Kanilea for a made in Hawaii Ukulele with their name. As Kanilea is now so popular on their own they stopped making the ukes for Horner as they are backordered just in their own models. Lanikai then approached another Indonesian factory who made some solid mahoagny and spruce and cedartops for them ... i single run and that stopped after the factory was called on for design copying from Pono designed by John Kitakis. By the way regardless of bracing style your Lanikai Kanilea is a sweet score...
 
Lanikai was not trained by Joe and then branched off to make their solids elsewhere The solids were first made by their usual chinese factory and then Horner approached Kanilea for a made in Hawaii Ukulele with their name. As Kanilea is now so popular on their own they stopped making the ukes for Horner as they are backordered just in their own models. Lanikai then approached another Indonesian factory who made some solid mahoagny and spruce and cedartops for them ... i single run and that stopped after the factory was called on for design copying from Pono designed by John Kitakis. By the way regardless of bracing style your Lanikai Kanilea is a sweet score...

Okay, thanks for the info. Yeah I was under the impression that the Lanikai brand was started by people who were trained at Kanile'a, but then their solid line was not actually made by them (Lanikai). Ah well!
 
Congratulations on the new uke Natalie! It looks really pretty! When is it due to arrive? And has your Fluke arrived yet? :)


The Lanikai is supposed to arrive tomorrow. :D And I actually ordered a blueberry Flea but that's supposed to come today! I'm itching to pick up a Flea again since I already passed my mango one on to my mom and she's 500 miles away.
 
The Lanikai is supposed to arrive tomorrow. :D And I actually ordered a blueberry Flea but that's supposed to come today! I'm itching to pick up a Flea again since I already passed my mango one on to my mom and she's 500 miles away.

Wow! Two at once! Have fun with them!! You're going to have a fantastic weekend :D
 
Wow! Two at once! Have fun with them!! You're going to have a fantastic weekend :D

Yeah the Flea got here last night and I already LOVE it! It's much different from my old one though, because it goes out of tune about every minute. I'm not too worried about it yet because I've got some Worth strings coming in from MGM to replace the stock Hilo strings. Still, it feels like a different instrument but still very comfortable.

I'll try to put some pictures up-- it's definitely a blueberry. :)
 
Yeah the Flea got here last night and I already LOVE it! It's much different from my old one though, because it goes out of tune about every minute. I'm not too worried about it yet because I've got some Worth strings coming in from MGM to replace the stock Hilo strings. Still, it feels like a different instrument but still very comfortable.

I'll try to put some pictures up-- it's definitely a blueberry. :)

Cool! Looking forward to the pics. My blueberry fluke went out of tune a lot for the first week or so too, but now that the strings have stretched, it hardly ever goes out of tune. Yours will probably get like that just as your Worth strings arrive! Have fun with it! :)
 
Okay, now that both my new ukes are here I have pics!!

I am soooo happy with my Lanikai. It is absolutely gorgeous, so much so that when I took it out of the box I squealed "Oh I LOVE it!" out loud. :eek: It's so small and comfortable to play especially because I'm a smaller girl with tiny hands. The sound on it is out of this world--I think I've found my uke soulmate! :)

Now, the seller mentioned the low price on this uke was due to a factory flaw, and I think I've found it but it's really nothing to speak of. On the soundboard near the fretboard there is a pinpoint-sized white scuff but hey, for a uke that was $500 lower than MSRP I am thrilled!!!

Okay, now the pics as promised (lots of glare, sorry about that):
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The grain is to die for!
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My favorite part, the abalone inlay dots are such a brilliant blue:
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And here's the LK-1s next to my new blueberry Flea which I'm so happy with as well:
IMG_0547.jpg
 
Nice uke! congrats! Thats interesting that Lanikai is using the Peg-style tailpiece/bridge like Kanilea.
 
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