Appreciate all of the tips I've taken from the forum. First day ukulele shopping at the local shop, first time for a ukulele in the hand.
Collings UC1K was only so-so in output & resonance. Very surprised as I own a couple of Bill's guitars and they both shout & sing.
Collings UC2K much better volume but resonance was still not huge. I liked the playability of this one, though.
Ko'Aloha concert just screamed. Huge dynamics and nice resonance. Really liked the sound, less so the all-one-color look. Biggest sound in the store.
Kamaka -- 1960s soprano with great balance, almost as much volume as the concert Ko'aloha. Fit/finish was not as professional looking, but sound was great.
Martin -- old O style with a number of repairs, mahogany. Great sound, good balance. Not sure I like mahogany versus koa. Blends the sound a bit -- not as plucky as koas. So-so action. Still a more familiar uke strum sound than I thought I'd hear from this wood.
So an interesting first outing. Quite disappointed in the UC1K Collings and a little disappointed in the UC2K. Ko'Aloha concert definitely has my attention, as do the Kamaka sopranos. They had a Ko'Aloha Sceptre & Kamaka Pineapple that I'll try next time. Not sure I like gloss finish over matte for ukes.
I'm leaning soprano/koa because it seems to hold what I think is the "traditional" ukulele sound. The salesman I worked with owns 28 ukes ... I'll certainly be buying more than one.
Collings UC1K was only so-so in output & resonance. Very surprised as I own a couple of Bill's guitars and they both shout & sing.
Collings UC2K much better volume but resonance was still not huge. I liked the playability of this one, though.
Ko'Aloha concert just screamed. Huge dynamics and nice resonance. Really liked the sound, less so the all-one-color look. Biggest sound in the store.
Kamaka -- 1960s soprano with great balance, almost as much volume as the concert Ko'aloha. Fit/finish was not as professional looking, but sound was great.
Martin -- old O style with a number of repairs, mahogany. Great sound, good balance. Not sure I like mahogany versus koa. Blends the sound a bit -- not as plucky as koas. So-so action. Still a more familiar uke strum sound than I thought I'd hear from this wood.
So an interesting first outing. Quite disappointed in the UC1K Collings and a little disappointed in the UC2K. Ko'Aloha concert definitely has my attention, as do the Kamaka sopranos. They had a Ko'Aloha Sceptre & Kamaka Pineapple that I'll try next time. Not sure I like gloss finish over matte for ukes.
I'm leaning soprano/koa because it seems to hold what I think is the "traditional" ukulele sound. The salesman I worked with owns 28 ukes ... I'll certainly be buying more than one.
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