Ukes with the "It Factor"

I have played a couple of Kawika ukes that have almost made my cry from the beauty of the sound and the magical feel of the experience. They have a special something I'll call the "it factor". There is an essence to them that I like better than any just about any production uke - Kamaka, Kanilea, KoAloha, Martin - that I've ever played.

Other ukes that in my experience had something really really special were an early Martin style 3 soprano, and a couple of Collings concert ukes.

I've had a chance to play a couple of custom DaSilva's, a couple of Black Bears,a Len Young, a Les Rietfors, a custom Kanilea. Every one of those was a fine ukulele, but to me the ones I played were just very fine ukuleles and lacking the "it factor".

Which ukes in your experience have the "it factor"? Vintage martins? Compass Rose? Collings? May Moe? Covered Bridge? I'm not just talking about a fine ukulele with good intonation, and great build. I'm talking about a special depth of tone and feel that is on the highest level. Any lesser known current generation of builders making something really special?

You cannot choose an it factor uke by a builders name alone....since there are so many variables in the building process....probally 1-2 outta ten ukes a top builder will make
will have that it factor....that is why I say choose wisely...try before you buy.....some times it is as simple as the cheap strings they put on...one can never tell....even
the builder does not know how it will sound until he/shs slaps on the strings....

Stan - of course you are right but it's still fun to speculate.

Great thread. When it comes down to it, I can't really say anything bad about any of the ukuleles I've ever played; provided they've been playable and well-built (enough). And as we all know, so many of the factors based on what we each like in a uke come down to personal preference. I have ukes that are top dollar and bottom dollar. That said, the most unique ones I have, tone-wise, would have to be the Maui Musics; I have a tenor and a soprano. I described them in another thread tonight as "sounding alive." They're just so snappy, punchy, and full of character; exactly how an ukulele ought to sound, in my opinion. I love 'em. Here's a sound sample of MGM playing one- one of my MGM favorites; granted, it's MGM, and he can make any uke sing, but I can detect a difference with the Mauis...

A Martin 2M from the 50's I had for a short time...it really had it!

Hey Katy, if the crieria is depth of sound and feel then it's Collings for me without a doubt. If it's brightness and punch, then it's Mya-Moe. I've played a few different brand ukes and these are the two I'd have in my collection were money not an object. Although, there's a couple of builders in Oregon and one guy in Reno doing some good stuff I here...

My friend Steve Boisen has a LoPrinzi that I think has the It factor...of course, I've never played it, only seen and heard it...it's lovely!

If there is any kind of thing known as the "it factor", it is mostly the player, not the uke. Some people play so gently that they hardly bend the strings and others beat the living crap out of the thing. So one persons "it" is an others "yuck". Its way too subjective, everyone wants something different. And then of course, some people love the label more than the sound. It would be very interesting if there were no labels or brands, just ukes.

BlackBearUkes said:

It would be very interesting if there were no labels or brands, just ukes.

Click to expand...

Good points Duane. I think there was a blind sound sample/poll taken recently. All it proved was that brand names meant nothing when it came to the individual's discrimination between sounds and that tone is so highly subjective as to be a moot point in many ways. The other obvious thing to say I guess is that a good player can make a cheap uke sound like a million bucks, while a poor player can make a high quality instrument sound very average.