PoiDog
Well-known member
Aloha -
I just received the Tall Grass concert bamboo uke from their recent "scratch & dent" blowout. Before I even go into the real part of this review, let me just say that if this was a rejected uke, their approved for sale models must be just incredible, because what I received is almost immaculate. Not only that, but I got one of their TG-CS models, with the personal soundhole, which was an unexpected but very pleasant surprise.
Okay, so let's get into this:
"The Build"
Right out of the box this uke looked really nice. The light, blonde color body with the subtle grain is just breathtaking. In fact, everything about the look is really awesome. The rosewood neck, bridge, and binding really sets off the bamboo, and the white border around the binding is a nice touch. The finish is almost like a matte gloss. It's more than the satin finish on so many koa ukes, but it's not all polished like a mirror either. Plus, it has a very nice texture to go with the pretty look.
The ukulele came pre-string with re-entrant Aquilas (seems almost everyone does that now), and the tuners are closed, with a black-matte finish, and just look fantastic.
What surprises me somewhat is the weight of it. Not only did I just assume that bamboo would be light, but I also assumed that a concert would be lighter than a tenor. Yet this seems to be heavier and more dense than aNueNue solid koa tenor. But even the weight is really nice, because the balance is superb.
The old sniff test brought only the scent of wood and a faint whiff of something almost citrusy. If that's the glue, then it's the best smelling glue I've ever had the pleasure of whiffing. I suspect, however, it's more likely something along the lines of the bamboo.
Another nice touch is the fretmarkers along the side of the neck.
Going back to the whole "scratch and dent" thing, I've been looking incredibly closely, and the only things I can see that may even remotely qualify are:
That's it. Those are the only flaws. There are no scratches, cracks in the finish, mismatches in the seams, or blemishes in the bamboo of the body or the mahogany of the neck. Nothing. None. Zip. Zilch. Nada.
"The Play"
Here's where the rubber hits the road. You know, small things like sound, volume, sustain, projection, intonation, action, etc.
Well, even here it is very good.
I've got a couple of sound files for illustration, but don't know how to upload them. So I guess you just have to take my word for the sound for now.
Beyond the technical bits, this 'ukulele feels nice to play. Very easy and comfortable. I recall reading another UUer who got one stating that he found the action a little high. I can't say the same thing. For me, the action is in that nice comfy zone, with just enough resistance.
All in all, the Tall Grass is just a really nice, happy, and pretty little thing. I doubt very much it will replace my tenor, so I think that this little guy may be headed off to a nephew as an xmas gift in a couple of months. But, in the mean time, I'll enjoy it's company.
Lastly, I feel almost like a thief for getting this for only $50, and even more so knowing that Josh & Kim from Tall Grass are closing shop. It's really a shame they weren't able to make a go of it, because they offered a really lovely, well-built, and delightful instrument for the price of a laminate.
I just received the Tall Grass concert bamboo uke from their recent "scratch & dent" blowout. Before I even go into the real part of this review, let me just say that if this was a rejected uke, their approved for sale models must be just incredible, because what I received is almost immaculate. Not only that, but I got one of their TG-CS models, with the personal soundhole, which was an unexpected but very pleasant surprise.
Okay, so let's get into this:
"The Build"
Right out of the box this uke looked really nice. The light, blonde color body with the subtle grain is just breathtaking. In fact, everything about the look is really awesome. The rosewood neck, bridge, and binding really sets off the bamboo, and the white border around the binding is a nice touch. The finish is almost like a matte gloss. It's more than the satin finish on so many koa ukes, but it's not all polished like a mirror either. Plus, it has a very nice texture to go with the pretty look.
The ukulele came pre-string with re-entrant Aquilas (seems almost everyone does that now), and the tuners are closed, with a black-matte finish, and just look fantastic.
What surprises me somewhat is the weight of it. Not only did I just assume that bamboo would be light, but I also assumed that a concert would be lighter than a tenor. Yet this seems to be heavier and more dense than aNueNue solid koa tenor. But even the weight is really nice, because the balance is superb.
The old sniff test brought only the scent of wood and a faint whiff of something almost citrusy. If that's the glue, then it's the best smelling glue I've ever had the pleasure of whiffing. I suspect, however, it's more likely something along the lines of the bamboo.
Another nice touch is the fretmarkers along the side of the neck.
Going back to the whole "scratch and dent" thing, I've been looking incredibly closely, and the only things I can see that may even remotely qualify are:
- A very slight glue error along the base of where the fretboard meets the soundboard
- An almost imperceptible discoloration on the board at the G-string edge of the 10th fret
- A spot of brassing on the A-string side of the 12th fret
- And last, the name on the headstock is a bit crooked and off-center
That's it. Those are the only flaws. There are no scratches, cracks in the finish, mismatches in the seams, or blemishes in the bamboo of the body or the mahogany of the neck. Nothing. None. Zip. Zilch. Nada.
"The Play"
Here's where the rubber hits the road. You know, small things like sound, volume, sustain, projection, intonation, action, etc.
Well, even here it is very good.
- Volume: Not super loud, but loud enough. I can't check for dB level, but on the whole I'd say this is good enough to be heard, but not so booming as to overpower.
- Sustain: Surprising, actually. Plucking the strings one by one provides a very sweet and long ring ... with the tailing end fading in a very nice and easy manner, instead of just sort of thudding dead. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but certainly not quite this.
- Intonation: Impressive. All four strings maintained tune to the 12th fret.
- Sound: Ahhh, yes. As mentioned above, this came prestrung with Aquilas, and like one expects, these are bright. Blindingly so. And too much for my taste. Compared to the fluouros on my aNueNue, the sound comes off as very tinny and sort of bleatingly flat. There isn't a lot of depth to the notes that come off. I suspect this is more to do with the strings than the uke, but I don't have a different set of strings, so I can't test that. Still, I have to think that perhaps some Alohis may help warm up the sound.
I've got a couple of sound files for illustration, but don't know how to upload them. So I guess you just have to take my word for the sound for now.
Beyond the technical bits, this 'ukulele feels nice to play. Very easy and comfortable. I recall reading another UUer who got one stating that he found the action a little high. I can't say the same thing. For me, the action is in that nice comfy zone, with just enough resistance.
All in all, the Tall Grass is just a really nice, happy, and pretty little thing. I doubt very much it will replace my tenor, so I think that this little guy may be headed off to a nephew as an xmas gift in a couple of months. But, in the mean time, I'll enjoy it's company.
Lastly, I feel almost like a thief for getting this for only $50, and even more so knowing that Josh & Kim from Tall Grass are closing shop. It's really a shame they weren't able to make a go of it, because they offered a really lovely, well-built, and delightful instrument for the price of a laminate.
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