Should I save for a mya moe?

I've just been wondering if I should just save my money for a mya moe and wait for the next build or just buy like a kanilea or g string or something. I here lots of good thing about mya moes and I'm wondering if there that much better cause the mya moe I would want would be around 2100 and the kanilea I would want is around 1500 so I'm wondering if it's worth it to wait for a mya moe.


Kinda a different subject but do maple mya moes sound good

And how the the curly koa kanileas sound

Those are the two im looking at

Please help

PM mmstan. He has played/owned all of the above. He will give you wise and sage advice.

Check out the reviews section. Lots of good info there. I have a Kanile'a premium tenor and it sounds spectacular, incredibly clear and super long sustain.

I have a MM blue pond myrtle Tenor and really like it. I bought it pre-owned by 6 mos. so I didn't have a 7 month wait. The neck is unbelievable it is so smooth. I'm having a challenge getting used to the smaller body. It's a great choice. I like a little bigger body with a deeper more mellow tone and reach for my Griffin first. I may end up selling the MM eventually if I don't end up playing it more.

If you're considering a great custom, you may want to check out griffinukuleles.com. Brian is in the finishing stages of french polishing three tenors that are looking pretty good. I bought the Koa with the old growth {approx. 1600 yrs. old} cedar top with ebony binding. The photo of them are in his blog section.

There was a MM for sale in the Markerplace not too long ago. It was brand new, never used. http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?64123-FS-Mya-Moe-koa-tenor-classic

I don't feel you could go wrong with any of the brands you are thinking of. 7mos is a long time to wait, but it'll be custom made for you.

consitter said:

PM mmstan. He has played/owned all of the above. He will give you wise and sage advice.

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...but right now mm Stan is having Internet connection issues, so he may not be available until next weekend. Otherwise, yes, he is a great resource.

You're thinking about spending that much on instruments you don't know the sound of? Seriously?

Of course we're going to say they're great. You need to try one and then make the decision for yourself.

Great point Chris. All the more reason he should wait and talk to mm Stan.

consitter said:

Great point Chris. All the more reason he should wait and talk to mm Stan.

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For such a large purchase, I don't think it's enough to just have an account of one. I hope what I've said doesn't come over as negative, but really getting advice is not enough. With something like that, you should try it; musical instruments are decidedly subjective.

What kind of sound do you want from a(or any) custom uke ? You'll need to figure it out before next new uke.

I sent you a PM, BIGDB

As a long time guitar collector - both vintage and new - and now the owner of 2 ukes with a third having been sold, I can understand the "try it before buying it" sentiment. It makes perfect sense and for those who have access to a variety of the instruments they want to play, and I would avail myself of that opportunity without hesitation. However, for those of us who live in areas where the instruments we have an interest in are not to be found, that is not such a practical option. Let's say I want to try out a Mya-Moe walnut tenor cutaway or a Moore Bettah concert koa with cedar top, well, my chances of finding one of these to test drive in my neck of the woods is between slim and none, and none just left town, if you get my drift. Sure, ideally I'd like to simply cruise down to my neighborhood Mya-Moe or Moore Bettah outlet and try out 20 different varieties of each and then walk out with the one that flipped my switch, but that just isn't going to happen.

Second, the sound of new instruments varies from instrument to instrument, depending upon a lot of factors, not the least of which is that some identically made instruments just end up sounding better than others for no other reason than they just do . - go into a big music store and play 5 Martin tenor ukes - I guarantee some will sound better than the others and one will stand out above the rest. Meaning that if I am somehow fortunate enough to play Ukulele Bob's Mya-Moe mahogany concert and it sounds wonderful, there is absolutely no guarantee that the identical instrument I order from Mya-Moe will sound the same.

So, what's a poor schmo to do? Well, we read reviews, talk to folks who have owned the instruments we're interested in, watch YouTube videos featuring those instruments, and then pull the trigger on what we "perceive" is the one that will serve our interests and hope that it meets our expectations. When they don't, you find them listed in the Marketplace. Not an ideal system for buying a custom uke I grant you, but the only real option many of us have. In the final analysis, if you buy quality at a fair market price, you will at least improve your chances dramatically of recouping most of your investment if the instrument doesn't live up to expectations.

chris667 said:

For such a large purchase, I don't think it's enough to just have an account of one. I hope what I've said doesn't come over as negative, but really getting advice is not enough. With something like that, you should try it; musical instruments are decidedly subjective.

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Know anyone in Derbyshire with a Mya Moe or a Kanilea? I don't. Know anyone in the UK with either? I don't.

My sister-in-law in California has a custom Kanilea super-tenor. So I could comment on one of those. It's really lovely. Very sweet sound. Big, but not boomy.

I bought a custom without ever being able to play one. It was a risk. I think sometimes you need to read, listen, then leap...

I just sent you a PM with some information for you check out.
Good luck!

BIGDB said:

I've just been wondering if I should just save my money for a mya moe and wait for the next build or just buy like a kanilea or g string or something. I here lots of good thing about mya moes and I'm wondering if there that much better cause the mya moe I would want would be around 2100 and the kanilea I would want is around 1500 so I'm wondering if it's worth it to wait for a mya moe.


Kinda a different subject but do maple mya moes sound good

And how the the curly koa kanileas sound

Those are the two im looking at

Please help

Click to expand...

I have a Kanile'a and a Mya-Moe. Both beautiful instruments. The neck of my concert Mya-Moe is probably the most comfortable to play (of all my ukes-and I have many) for some reason. Char and Gordon give you GREAT customer service. I play my Kanile'a quite a bit, and it is a joy to play and look at.

In general, maple wood would be a brighter sound (sparkly treble) than curly koa. Curly koa would probably have a stronger bottom end (stronger bass tones).

–Lori

Hey BIGDB,

I was in the same boat, saving for a Mya Moe, when I ran across some great bargains on the marketplace here. I am now the proud owner of a Kanile'a. I love it. My advice, save for the Mya Moe but keep your eyes and ears open to other possibilities.

Chris

pulelehua said:

Know anyone in Derbyshire with a Mya Moe or a Kanilea? I don't. Know anyone in the UK with either? I don't.

My sister-in-law in California has a custom Kanilea super-tenor. So I could comment on one of those. It's really lovely. Very sweet sound. Big, but not boomy.

I bought a custom without ever being able to play one. It was a risk. I think sometimes you need to read, listen, then leap...

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Well, it's your money. Personally, I'd feel pretty silly if I spent thousands on a uke I didn't like.

Your description of your sister-in-law's uke is yours. On hearing it, I would probably describe it differently. And we'd both be right.

I've owned all three "K"s and a Mya-Moe. I would save for the Mya-Moe. No question.

No, you should not save for a Mya Moe - you should use your credit card and get on the list immediately. In these tough economic times Citibank, Chase, and Bank of America are counting on you - how can you even consider letting them down?!

(And, should there be any doubt, that was tonge-firmly-in-cheek!)

John

chris667 said:

Well, it's your money. Personally, I'd feel pretty silly if I spent thousands on a uke I didn't like.

Your description of your sister-in-law's uke is yours. On hearing it, I would probably describe it differently. And we'd both be right.

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I suppose my point is: should you be limited by culture & geography? Should people in relatively ukulele-free zones not buy good/not-locally-available ukuleles?

I don't think you could go wrong with either. Are you patient? If not, go with Kanilea? My super tenor is my favorite, but I also have a Moe that's due in August. The majority of my instruments I have bought without playing them first because it was impossible to try them from my location, fortunately I haven't been disappointed with a purchase yet. Look up both brands on youtube and see what you'd prefer and read about them. It should give you an idea on what to expect. I know mya-moe's have a high resale value probably due to long wait-list. So, I'm sure you can sale it if you don't like it.