New KoAloha Tuners

Do you like the new tuners used by KoAloha?

  • Yes...I love them!

    Votes: 16 29.6%

  • No....I hate them!

    Votes: 20 37.0%

  • Does not bother me one way or the other!

    Votes: 18 33.3%
  • Total voters
    54
Not too crazy about the look...too overpowering, at least to my eyes anyway.
 
Not for me, I prefer the amber frictions on mine
 
I have to agree with Chuck. They look almost identical to the sealed Grovers on my Sceptre.

I don't think they'd heavy, but then the Tenor Sceptre is more of a Super Concert, and the neck length allows the tuner weight to balance off of the body nicely.

I'd actually like it better if they used Peghed tuners....

-Kurt​
 
Yep,...weight would be an issue for me. They also "look" massive compared to my own personal tastes. I would much rather have the new Waverly ukulele tuners fitted and pay a little more, or fit them later myself and plug the offset screw hole.
 
MGM said:
The new tubers do not have any offset screws. That little extent ion for the screws is no longer there. Also has koala logo etched in the back plate which doesn't show in photos
Click to expand...

Then what keeps the tuner body from shifting when installed? Are there locating pins between the tuner and heastock? Epoxy maybe....?

Not having an offsetting screw hole to contend with is a plus,.....much easier to get my favorites installed. :D (Waverly)
 
I know weight is often mentioned but is it *really* and issue? I can't remember ever picking up a uke and thinking 'hmm - bit top heavy this one'. We're only talking about a few grams. For me it's would be a balance between looks and function. Geared are obviously easier to use but then good quality friction tuners (like the ones KoAloha use) are no problem at all.

I think...they look fine. Might be nicer if they were offered as an option.
 
We've only seen photos & there was a similar thread on KoAloha's lazer branded bridge. As a deeply invested KoAloha owner, I'm sure there are great reasons why they've chosen these & for me, its a non issue. They look a lot like the ones on my Pineapple Sunday.

If you don't like them when you buy one, swap them out for a set more your liking. The uke is still gonna play like a dream!

Just my $.02...
 
Gmoney said:
...If you don't like them when you buy one, swap them out for a set more your liking. The uke is still gonna play like a dream!Just my $.02...
Click to expand...
Is KoAloha offering the option of which tuners you get or are the new black ones the new standard?

I am quite sure that the KoAloha ukes will always play like a dream!!!!! :)
 
Coconut Willie said:
Is KoAloha offering the option of which tuners you get or are the new black ones the new standard?

I am quite sure that the KoAloha ukes will always play like a dream!!!!! :)
Click to expand...

I wouldn't hazard a guess, but I'd bet that MGM at Hawaii Music Supply can answer and/or swap them out for you if you purchase through their shop.


Mahalo!
 
Ambient Doughnut said:
I know weight is often mentioned but is it *really* and issue? I can't remember ever picking up a uke and thinking 'hmm - bit top heavy this one'. We're only talking about a few grams. For me it's would be a balance between looks and function.
Click to expand...

Yes, weight in every component of an instrument is an issue. If ignored, before you know it you are talking about a few ounces of additional weight, not a few grams. In comparing closed geared Grover tuners to open geared Grovers (which I prefer), the former are almost twice as heavy as the latter.
For example, a set of open geared Grovers is 76 grams. A set of closed geared Grovers is 136 grams, more than 2 ounces heavier. In my book that's a huge difference. On the other hand, a set of 743A Pegheds weighs only 25 grams. Weight always has to be considered with balance, but generally, from a builder's perspective, lighter is almost always better.
The guys at Ko'Aloha know what they are doing and they build a very good ukulele. I'm sure they've chosen the proper tuners for their ukes.
Joe, I don't know about these tuners but if they are similar to the Grovers (which I suspect them to be) they have four little tangs under the mounting base that keep them from rotating when the nut is tightened.
 
I personally wouldn't care if KoAloha put giant lumbering pink tuners with unicorn symbols etched into them on their ukes because at the end of the day they sound incredible. I've spent an absolute ridiculous amount of money on ukuleles the past two years, and the only thing I'm totally certain about is that I love everything about KoAloha. I will probably only buy KoAloha ukes in the future.

I've had the opportunity to play some customs, and an assorment of factory instruments over the course of this uking journey. With the exception of my Compass Rose, a single, meaty strum on the KoAlohas blew away full songs on the others I've had my hands on. I certainly do not have limitless funds to dispense on any more instruments, but having said that, I foresee more purchases in the future.

I've come to the realization that, for me, living where I live with pretty much no access to try out different ukes, it's just not worth the money anymore to either buy a factory instrument sight unseen, or even commission a custom, based on the mere fact that I just don't know what I'm gonna get in terms of quality/sound/playability. But I know what I'm gonna get with KoAloha: a instrument that sounds awesome, made by a fantastic group of people, with excellent customer service, and an insane lifetime warranty that no other manufacturer could even fathom matching.

So, anyway, that's what I've come to learn. I just don't see what all the fuss is about when KoAloha makes these minor changes. "The tuners are black! This is an outrage!" I suspect the people who complain about these changes never would have purchased a KoAloha anyway, and maybe haven't even ever tried one. But what the hell do I know? I know this much: if you've personally strummed a KoAloha and didn't think it sounded amazing, then I don't understand you at all. I wish I started out buying KoAlohas from the start. I would've saved myself A LOT of trouble and A LOT of money. Just my two cents...
 
I could not agree more...

Having amassed a collection of 8 ukes, yes my Koaloha soprano T2 that I was fortunate enough to get indeed surpasses all other ukes. And that's a soprano body, not a tenor.

This is the one uke that I hold in the same light regarding sound and quality as my much loved classical guitar.

While I have not played Kamakas and many other brands, I no longer need to search. Even my Mya Moe has to stand on the side of my Koaloha!

So if they are changing tuners it must be for a very good reason, cause they certainly know what they are doing!

soupking said:
I personally wouldn't care if KoAloha put giant lumbering pink tuners with unicorn symbols etched into them on their ukes because at the end of the day they sound incredible. I've spent an absolute ridiculous amount of money on ukuleles the past two years, and the only thing I'm totally certain about is that I love everything about KoAloha. I will probably only buy KoAloha ukes in the future.

I've had the opportunity to play some customs, and an assorment of factory instruments over the course of this uking journey. With the exception of my Compass Rose, a single, meaty strum on the KoAlohas blew away full songs on the others I've had my hands on. I certainly do not have limitless funds to dispense on any more instruments, but having said that, I foresee more purchases in the future.

I've come to the realization that, for me, living where I live with pretty much no access to try out different ukes, it's just not worth the money anymore to either buy a factory instrument sight unseen, or even commission a custom, based on the mere fact that I just don't know what I'm gonna get in terms of quality/sound/playability. But I know what I'm gonna get with KoAloha: a instrument that sounds awesome, made by a fantastic group of people, with excellent customer service, and an insane lifetime warranty that no other manufacturer could even fathom matching.

So, anyway, that's what I've come to learn. I just don't see what all the fuss is about when KoAloha makes these minor changes. "The tuners are black! This is an outrage!" I suspect the people who complain about these changes never would have purchased a KoAloha anyway, and maybe haven't even ever tried one. But what the hell do I know? I know this much: if you've personally strummed a KoAloha and didn't think it sounded amazing, then I don't understand you at all. I wish I started out buying KoAlohas from the start. I would've saved myself A LOT of trouble and A LOT of money. Just my two cents...
Click to expand...
 
Nobody is knocking Koaloha. To my knowledge they are highly respected in the ukulele community. Koaloha is frequently tweeking there models, when the bridge with laser engraving came out there was a similar thread of whether people liked it or not. To me the black tuners stick out like sore thumbs. Will this affect if I buy another Koaloha, probably not but I typically don't like Tenor scale. But I have wanted a Imaikalani for a while.
 
I am not knocking Koaloha, but I do not like the tuners.
 
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