new uke day

TheOnlyUkeThatMatters

TheOnlyUkeThatMatters

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 9, 2011
Messages
3,830
Reaction score
368
Location
Portland, OR
Easy for me to resist UAS in music shops (there are so many, how could I ever choose?) and online (there are SO MANY, same idea), but when I find a great deal locally on craigslist, resistance isn't easy---especially when my sweet wife does a little friendly enabling---"Remember honey, I didn't find you a nice birthday present this year."

So I met this lovely Kiwaya KS-0P and her former owner here in Portland this afternoon, the Kiwaya made a terrific first impression, came home with me, and we've been getting to know each other all evening. Here's a pic...

Photo 549.jpg

Here's how she sounds when gently strummed (strings are still stretching)...

 
Congratulations on your new (to you) ukulele! It looks and sounds great! Nice singing and playing, too.
 
Great find! Sounds sweet. Great performance too. Enjoy your new pineapple... she's a cutie!
 
Some things are meant to be, and this was one! Congratulations on your wonderful find!

Kathryn
 
Very nice find Ralf. There seems to be more than the average share of nice finds on the Portland craigslist! :)

Fantastic playing and singing, as usual. It started my day of right!

D
 
Hello Ralf,
--especially when my sweet wife does a little friendly enabling---"Remember honey, I didn't find you a nice birthday present this year."
Lucky guy you are, nice singing and strumming, nice pineapple, nice chair. Did you carve the back?? Looks good. Congratulations on all accounts.
1931jim
 
Love your new uke. I have always had a hankerin' for a kiwaya. Congratulations. Great performance. I love your selection of music.
 
Cool....congrats on a beautiful new ukulele! Also, congrats on such a wonderful wife....
 
I've got one of those as my travel/car/beach uke. Every time I play it I'm amazed at how good the tone is, and how LOUD it is, for such a little thing.

What kind of strings are you using? They sound great!
 
Thanks, everyone!

mm stan said:
Congrats on your new aquirement, nice singing and playing...Happy Strummings I am so jealolus, as I have not tried a Kiwaya yet..
Click to expand...

At some point, you must get your hands on a Kiwaya, Stan. This uke was clearly built and finished to be loved and played. Sounds terrific and feels amazing (everything is smooth and tight; it's incredibly light).

dkcrown said:
Very nice find Ralf. There seems to be more than the average share of nice finds on the Portland craigslist! :)
Click to expand...
It's true. Portland's got more than its share of musicians, so great used instruments are constantly available. It takes patience to find a really good deal, though. Like, say, a Moore Bettah or something. ;)

1931jim said:
Hello Ralf,
--especially when my sweet wife does a little friendly enabling---"Remember honey, I didn't find you a nice birthday present this year."
Lucky guy you are, nice singing and strumming, nice pineapple, nice chair. Did you carve the back?? Looks good. Congratulations on all accounts.
1931jim
Click to expand...

Thanks. No carving from me---woodworking is on the list of things I'd like to learn to do someday. The chair came from good, old Portland craigslist.

janeray1940 said:
I've got one of those as my travel/car/beach uke. Every time I play it I'm amazed at how good the tone is, and how LOUD it is, for such a little thing.

What kind of strings are you using? They sound great!
Click to expand...
I'm also amazed by the sound of this uke. Nice tone, nice volume, nice sustain. It really moves the air.

Those are GHS strings---they sound and feel great.
 
TheOnlyUkeThatMatters said:
Those are GHS strings---they sound and feel great.
Click to expand...

GHS strings, are you kidding me? My only experience with those was as the stock strings on my starter Ohana, and on that uke they were just awful. Proof that it really does depend on the uke, and the player, and not just the strings. Wow!
 
Aloha Miss M,
I got GHS on several ukes....and certain ones they are nice... good for playability and comfort too....they gotta match the uke though...
I have them on my white label Kamaka tenor I was playing last few days and it rocks...
 
such a lovely instrument Ralf, and your performance just magnifies it mate. Great buy brother. I think you would bring the best out of every instrument you play.
 
mm stan said:
Aloha Miss M,
I got GHS on several ukes....and certain ones they are nice... good for playability and comfort too....they gotta match the uke though...
I have them on my white label Kamaka tenor I was playing last few days and it rocks...
Click to expand...

Mahalo Stan, I think I'm going to have to start being more adventurous about strings!
 
janeray1940 said:
Mahalo Stan, I think I'm going to have to start being more adventurous about strings!
Click to expand...

good idea Jane, you can easily take em off again!!! I'm a bit like you too I admit, I found worths and have thought they were the holy grail, and been loathe to try anything different...but recently I've acquired a few kinds of different sets now, courtesy of Ralf, Ken, Dirk and others and am going through the process of testing them out. It's fun! :)
 
janeray1940 said:
it really does depend on the uke, and the player, and not just the strings.
Click to expand...
Definitely. I use a spreadsheet to keep track of how different strings sound on different ukes. (I have a little rating system. Heh.) So far all it's revealed to me is that there is no "best" string material or string brand for me. Certain ukes and certain strings just match well. Seems random, too. I've learned to trust my ears and my fingertips, and to get the most out of every string set I try.
 
mm stan said:
Aloha Miss M,
I got GHS on several ukes....and certain ones they are nice... good for playability and comfort too....they gotta match the uke though...
I have them on my white label Kamaka tenor I was playing last few days and it rocks...
Click to expand...

"Comfort" is the best word to describe GHS strings. Great feel. Mellow. I need to try them on my Kamaka standard sometime.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Kahai
  • Article
UU Podcast What to Bring to a Uke Festival | The Ukulele Underground Podcast #113
Replies
0
Views
25
Kahai
Kahai
JDP
Strings Living Water on my Kepasa concert uke
Replies
3
Views
107
casualmusic
C
W
Baritone Uke Sizes - HELP!
Replies
7
Views
219
Kei
Kei
Wildjoy
uke vs. low humidity
Replies
9
Views
245
Jerryc41
Jerryc41
Bobalonia
A uke I’ve never seen
Replies
3
Views
173
rhiggie
rhiggie
Top Bottom