UAS - looking for the cure

paw123los

paw123los

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Hi guys

I need to buy another ukulele. I just need.
I think I'm not going to buy this mahalo ultd2 soprano, but now
I'm thinking about a koaloha concert size.
What can you say about a concert size ukulele ? Is there a big diffrence between tenor and concert ? I have two tenors and I feel good with the size but the ukuleleshop.co.uk doesnt have a tenor koaloha.
For all you concert players - do you feel comfortable with the concert neck ? Is there a problem with the fingerpicking pieces ? Is the scale long enough and the neck comfortable to play solo pieces like f.ex. "gently weeps" ?
 
Just recieved email from ukuleleshop.
The concert koaloha is not avaiable till march - so I think I will search for something else.
 
I've got a Koaloha concert. I like it very much. Depending on what else you find, I wouldn't hesitate to say it might be worth the wait. You have to know by now that your UAS is going to compel you to get it anyway no matter what you buy in the meantime....

I haven't played any tenor, but I have no problem playing fingerstyle on a concert. Tone wise and depending on the maker and the strings there's going to be some difference in the sound, but that kind of goes without saying. It's a smaller soundboard and box.

But I don't think you'd have much trouble playing anything on a concert. The scale itself is only a couple inches shorter than a tenor. If anything it ought to be a bit easier if there are long fret reaches you have to make.

Pretty much switching from any size to the next up or down shouldn't be a big deal at all and I would expect making the leap from tenor to soprano would only take a short time to make the adjustment. The mechanics of playing are the same, everything is just closer or further than you're currently used to. You watch the fretboard a bit more initially and then cease to think about it after a while.
 
Thank you for the reply.
This koaloha concert is tempting me a lot. I will try to find some other shop which sells them .. or just wait till march :( for the next ukuleleshop delivery.

BTW Does your koaloha have pickup installed ? They told me in the ukuleleshop they will not install it for me and it is impossible to make a special order for this ukulele with pickup. It is quite importand for me - I play sometimes with a jazz band and I need amplification - microphones are no good because we walk around the stage. My Lanikai CK-TEQ have a nice shadow pickup and it does the job well, but I think it would be nice to play also the new ukulele with the band.
 
No pickup in my Koaloha.
I'm kind of old school as far as my ukes go and I've yet to venture into playing in public with them. (Since I'm more or less a sit down kind of player I expect I'll end up with a combo of a live mic and a piezo running through my low watt Supro to flesh it out when the time comes.)

You could do a search on here about pickups though. There are plenty of options available. Any competent guitar tech could install one for you if need be.
 
paw123los said:
They told me in the ukuleleshop they will not install it for me and it is impossible to make a special order for this ukulele with pickup.
Click to expand...

It's not impossible. A dealer can order with a pickup installed (they use a Baggs pickup I believe) from the factory. I have one on order and the ETA is about 3 months. It'll probably be here by the end of Jan. You can also have a pickup installed professionally (will probably void the lifetime warranty) or use an external pickup.
 
Ukeguy520 is correct, you can order one with a pickup installed. I saw some Fishman Matrix Infinity at the shop, but I'm not sure if Paul is going to start installing those. There are more than a few that have gone out with LRBaggs Element, courtesy of MGM and his rush "I need a pickup installed right away" demands.
 
Koaloha's website lists

The Ukulele Shop
24B Church Rd.
London SE19 2 ET
United Kingdom
00-44-208-771-927

as an authorized European dealer and an installed pickup as a custom option. It seems kind of pricey, but I'd also assume that you'd be covered as far as the warranty goes if they do it.
 
this is kind of fun..

I'm looking for a ukulele, and settled on the koaloha concert from ukuleleshop.co.uk. Then i too was told that it would not arrive again before march, and i can not wait that long since i have 2 uke shows in the meantime.

I also feel most comfortable with the tenor size and was concerned whether i could play my jake shimabukuro stuff on the concert size :) what a coincidence!

Just today i ordered the acoustic-electric tenor from risa (finish issue knocked 125$ off the price) but i will probably sell that once i get near a high-end tenor ukulele.

If you really want that Koaloha now - go to musique83.com
It's a french website where they sell the Koalohas - i almost bought one earlier today! But i'm waiting for the perfect tenor now.. one day it will come to europe..

just thought it was fun we were in the exact same situation!
 
the only cure for UAS would be kill yourself... seriously there is no cure maybee car audio rc cars ya no other hobbies! an endless MONEY PIT! but seriously PLEASE dont kill yourself! haha :cool:
 
I'm beginning to think the only cure for UAS is to own one of every uke worth owning. MGM might be able to tell us if this works.
 
Moller said:
this is kind of fun..
Just today i ordered the acoustic-electric tenor from risa (finish issue knocked 125$ off the price) but i will probably sell that once i get near a high-end tenor ukulele.

just thought it was fun we were in the exact same situation!
Click to expand...

It is more fun than you think :). Today morning I send email to risa asking about the ukulele you have bought :rofl: I think there is no sense now in waiting for the reply :)
 
MGM said:
I know where you can get one shipped to you in a few days LOL
Click to expand...

But there are some additional cost when buying in USA and sending to Europe. A friend of mine bougth a notebook on ebay and the additional costs (I don't know, taxes etc I'm not good in that) was about half the price of the notebook.
 
UkEdman90 said:
the only cure for UAS would be kill yourself... seriously there is no cure maybee car audio rc cars ya no other hobbies! an endless MONEY PIT! but seriously PLEASE dont kill yourself! haha :cool:
Click to expand...

Hmmm ... I also play the guitar and own 6 of them. I like old motorcycles, have only one but saving money for another one. I love mountain bikes, always thinking how to upgrade my bike....

That is not the cure for UAS :D ... it is still present :)
 
paw123los said:
But there are some additional cost when buying in USA and sending to Europe. A friend of mine bougth a notebook on ebay and the additional costs (I don't know, taxes etc I'm not good in that) was about half the price of the notebook.
Click to expand...

Yeah, you'll have to pay the customs tax. There are ways to get a lower rate. Google would be your friend there.

Seems like MGM is your best bet tho :)
 
I think its great because its a nice little bridge between tenors and sopranos. you can use canadian tuning with them.(ADFsharpB) or you can use regular tuning,(GCEA). With the canadian tuning, it makes the uke sound less mellow than a tenor, but more so than a soprano. If you use the regular tuning, it makes it sound (almost) like a soprano.

You will have to get used to the so called,"crampness" of getting a smaller uke size, but all that means is that you will have to give up another hour every day practicing! which to be honest, is the best idea, I have had yet. :D
 
I, not unlike MGM, ship items to Europe. Of course, he does way more than I do. For those across the pond, if you haven't caught the hint, call MGM - he'll hook you up right away with KoAloha (and others if in need). Just so happens his pickup installer has LRBaggs in stock and is ready to go there as well, too.

-Aaron
 
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