Benefit of KoAloha Long Neck vs. Standard Neck on Pineapple Soprano

I'm just posting up a storm here today! I must be procrastinating...

Anyway, the title says it all: if I were to whip out my credit card and purchase a KoAloha pineapple, what is the benefit of the concert neck vs. the soprano neck (besides the obvious: more frets)?

A little about me: I have small hands and fingers, so width of the neck affects my playing. I'm no James or Jake, so right now my chord-playing doesn't go far up the fretboard. Still, I plan on being a ukulele player for a long time....

Appreciate any thoughts!

I just bought the concert (which is the neck I think they use). I think the frets are a tiny bit bigger.

While we are asking ko'aloha questions, how much of a difference is there between a longneck soprano and a concert?

I like the pineapple shape but the tenor size so I'm interested in thoughts about this as well.

HMS has a video demoing Koaloha soprano, super soprano, and concert ukes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8df_EHGYyrk&feature=youtube_gdata_player

In addition to having a little more room between frets (unless your hands are very small you will probably appreciate this if you start playing up the fretboard beyond open chords) I think the longneck has slightly more volume and a little different tone. I think it was Jane who first pointed out that the longer strings have more mass and this affects volume, sustain, and to a lesser extent, tone.

So, the concert neck should have very slightly better response at the lower end of the range and probably a little more volume - all else being equal.

John

I agree with John and Jane. I have a new (one week old) KoAloha soprano with tenor neck and it has more sustain and is louder than the KoAloha soprano standard that I once owned. I can't speak to the concert, per say, as I have never owned that size. Bottom line: longer strings, more sustain. More sustain, better sound...to me.

http://www.theukulelesite.com/koaloha-soprano-tenor-neck-new-model.html

http://www.theukulelesite.com/koaloha-soprano-longneck-koa-w-hard-case.html


I got a tenor necked model (first link above) because I already own tenors and am familiar with that fret spacing. I wanted a soprano sound, though, hence the soprano body. I think it's a swell combination. Plus, and this is a minor point but one to consider, the price of the soprano with tenor neck is $60 more than the concert neck soprano, but at HMS, the tenor includes an Oahu hard shell case (value $90)...with the long neck you pay $30 extra for the Oahu case upgrade. So its an equal deal (roughly), if one wants either style neck to begin with, so price is not a big factor (at HMS).

The tenor fretboard is dark mahogany (not light colored like the concert), it has the new small black geared tuners, the flat fretboard end (not scalloped), and (key to me) the new KoAloha tie-bridge (rather than the knotted bridge--I dislike knotted bridges very much for the damage that can be done from the knot). So, those features alone sold me on tenor over concert neck soprano, before even talking about sustain, loudness and extra frets.

I thought the only downside would be head heavy, and it does balance out at the 8th fret (most tenors cannot balance on the fretboard at all--they are all body heavy), but it doesn;t seem to affect play or holding as much as I thought. It seems to balance well, and I am surprised by this. I generally use a strap, though, for all my ukuleles.

In the end, it's a personal call, certainly. And you mention Jake, who is small and has strong and fast hands like a bird of prey, but he plays a tenor...so it can be done, even for the best. Good if you can try a tenor anything versus a concert anything before buying to know how each would suit you, personally.

MGM used to describe the effect of the longer necks, and subsequent longer strings, as having more drive on the soundboard. That should result in more vollume.

Frankiefirefox, I'm not certain anyone answered your question. Anyone know a difference, including soundwise, from a concert versus a soprano concert? Smaller body, so I'd guess less sound with the latter, eh?

(P.S. FFF, I'm delighted that you are enjoying the KoAloha concert. Maybe learning Pearl Jam tunes, eh. )

Thanks for all the advice! While it sounds like the long neck pineapple is worth the extra cost for the sound, I will need to weigh that against the fact that I have trouble with more of my chords on my husband's Luna concert than I do on my Ohana soprano. The last thing I want to do is pay $700 for a beautiful uke that I can't play!

Since the long neck doesn't seem to be on stock anywhere reputable, I have some time to practice on the concert uke and make a more informed decision....

Again - thanks!