New Uke Day!

delray48209

delray48209

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Today I traveled to my local music store who is a Martin and Kamaka dealer. Played several ukes. Tried the Kamaka Tenor and Concert. Both very high quality and costing $1225 and $1025 respectively. They also had a used Boat Paddle Tenor which was awesome. I also played a pre 1930's Martin Tenor and a Pre 1950's Martin soprano. Nice, but not worth their asking price.

Went down the street to GC where they had a new Martin TK1 (solid Koa Tenor). Fell in love with it and brought it home with me. Out the door cost was $450 including Missouri sales tax.

I don't know what they are doing down in Mexico, but the instruments of late have been awesome. A week earlier I had bought the Martin S1. I have yet to play a Martin soprano that plays and sounds as good. For the value, it's really hard to beat the Martins.
 
Glad to hear that - I have a T1k on its way to me next week!

Congrats
 
Always interesting to read peoples' opinions of the ukes they actually play and compare in music shops! Thanks for sharing! And congrats on the new Martin - happy strummings!
 
Congrats on the Martin, can't wait for Barry's review., you should post one too.
 
delray48209 said:
Today I traveled to my local music store who is a Martin and Kamaka dealer. Played several ukes. Tried the Kamaka Tenor and Concert. Both very high quality and costing $1225 and $1025 respectively. They also had a used Boat Paddle Tenor which was awesome. I also played a pre 1930's Martin Tenor and a Pre 1950's Martin soprano. Nice, but not worth their asking price.

Went down the street to GC where they had a new Martin TK1 (solid Koa Tenor). Fell in love with it and brought it home with me. Out the door cost was $450 including Missouri sales tax.

I don't know what they are doing down in Mexico, but the instruments of late have been awesome. A week earlier I had bought the Martin S1. I have yet to play a Martin soprano that plays and sounds as good. For the value, it's really hard to beat the Martins.
Click to expand...

That's awesome! Just out of curiosity, what is your local music store? It sounds like you're talking about Fazio's, which is an amazing store and if they have the stock you're talking about I need to make a trip to St. Louis tomorrow (I live over in Columbia)!
 
bynapkinart said:
That's awesome! Just out of curiosity, what is your local music store? It sounds like you're talking about Fazio's, which is an amazing store and if they have the stock you're talking about I need to make a trip to St. Louis tomorrow (I live over in Columbia)!
Click to expand...

The store is called Music Folk and it's located in Webster Groves on Big Bend. Very interesting place that sells many stringed instruments. Folks there are really nice and helpful.
 
Oh cool, I'd heard of it before but I haven't been there. I'll have to check it out when I go to STL next.
 
I'm glad that you got a good Martin.

I played one at my local shop, and just wasn't turned on by it, but I've played the same model owned by each of two friends, and they are much better sounding and feeling instruments. I'm guessing a lot has to do with the strings - the one in the shop may not yet have stretched strings, or my friends may have changed the strings. Either way, the two in captivity are head and shoulders above the one that hasn't been domesticated yet.


One of the best sounding/feeling ukes I've ever played was a 1920s Martin, that had undergone extensive renovation.
 
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