Gotta Mya Moe Resonator? What do you like about it?

Just wondering about all you ukers who own Mya Moe Resonators...what tonewood do you have and why did you pick it?

How about bindings? Traditional or Master Grade?

Do the brighter tonewoods sound more "banjo-like"?


Please tell me your story...

Can't wait to read them

thanks,
Teena

bumpity, bump, bump

I don't have a MM resonator. When I ordered my first MM at the Wine Country Ukulele Festival in September 2011, I told Char that resonators reminded me of Anthony Hopkins in The Silence of the Lambs. She may have thought I was dissing her resonators, but I only meant that the cone looks to me like the uke us wearing a metal mask across its mouth.

I don't want to hijack this thread, but there hadn't been a response yet and I was wondering more generally what people like about resonators as opposed to non-resonator ukuleles. Any thoughts?

mds725 said:

I don't have a MM resonator. When I ordered my first MM at the Wine Country Ukulele Festival in September 2011, I told Char that resonators reminded me of Anthony Hopkins in The Silence of the Lambs. She may have thought I was dissing her resonators, but I only meant that the cone looks to me like the uke us wearing a metal mask across its mouth.

I don't want to hijack this thread, but there hadn't been a response yet and I was wondering more generally what people like about resonators as opposed to non-resonator ukuleles. Any thoughts?

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:agree:

That's exactly what I've always thought. I can't bear to look at them.

Okay, now all the resonator fans can answer the OP's original, real questions.

I got a concert mya-moe resonator in myrtle, mostly because I didn't have any ukes in myrtle. I went for a standard grain, since the cone covers most of the front, and a dramatic grain would only be seen on the back. Since the grain was simple, I went for a fancier rope binding. I like the look of the cone. It reminds me more of a hub cap than anything else. The cone is going to give you that banjo-like tone, while the wood will warm it up a bit (compared to all metal resonators). I love the neck binding and the side fret markers. The neck feels great and I love the gloss finish.
So that's my story. Here are the rest of the details:
http://www.myamoeukuleles.com/uketracker.php?trackingNumber=389&submit=Track

–Lori

Ah, Resonators....I had to get one as my father is a huge blues harmonica player (you'll see him in some of my videos). I ended up getting a Mya-Moe #378 because I really wanted something that could scream blues when playing it, however I have found it is great in some rock songs, folk and other genres. My wood is all master grade but I didn't pick it. I acquired it from the original owner who was a bass player, thought he was going to get into uke and ordered it then decided he didn't want to play uke. I was so lucky to score it. When I called Char to talk to her about it she said they almost kept it because the wood was very hard for her to get. The sound is fantastic and the K&K biscuit pickup is a great match for this as I can plug into an amp and it plays great. No preamp in this, just the pickup but it drives my amps great.

If I pluck it hard and play fingerstyle, I can get it to sound like a banjo (I like banjo's about as much as constipation) so I don't try to play and get that sound. However, throw in an alternate tuning, or tune down the A to a G and you have an INCREDIBLE slide uke for blues and it's a sound you just don't get in a non-reso uke. If you are playing a song that has steel string guitars, it can fit in nicely as a uke player.

As long as you control your volume strumming (I find many people just strum at one volume. FULL) and play in line with the other instruments volume, or solo increasing and decreasing as needed, it's great. Definitely not for everybody's taste.

Here is a video I made in which I thought the resonator sound would be great. I don't think it sounds like a banjo, or I hope it doesn't!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DE4tjZhXCd4
Here are some photos of it:



Curly Western Red Maple top, back & sides
Bloodwood body binding with Abalone purfling on top
High gloss polyester finish
Radiused Ebony fretboard with Bloodwood binding & Abalone markers
Mahogany neck
Geared machine head tuners with amber buttons
Leopardwood & Maple Signature Headplate

Just another style, a different sound.

Thank you, Lori and Jay...I appreciate your imput. Nice video, Jay. It is so cool to know that you can change the tuning and have a slide uke!

You other guys...Silence of the Lambs...ok, then...I have never heard that one before!!! I am so sorry you feel that way.
Remind me not to watch that movie...I don't watch scary movies, anyway
Just the idea of that movie sends shivers up and down my spine.

I have a Mya Moe resonator. #549. A couple of years back, I chatted with Eugene here about them and decided I didn't want to wait so I bought a Maple National Resophonic. It was a beautiful uke, but it was laminated and concert sized and I wanted a woodier tone and a tenor. So I sold the National and ended up with the Mya Moe. It's exactly what I wanted in a reso. You can play it sweetly and you can play it loudly. It all depends on how you attack the strings. The wood does seem to open up and balance out the resonator as time goes on.

You can't go wrong if you are considering it.

Very cool, didgeridoo2, that is great to know, thanks

I would try and test out another resophonic ukulele before committing to a reso MM; it drives up the cost significantly and it really has a particular sound.

I love my regular MM and wouldn't want to put a cone in it.

rasputinsghost said:

I would try and test out another resophonic ukulele before committing to a reso MM; it drives up the cost significantly and it really has a particular sound.

I love my regular MM and wouldn't want to put a cone in it.

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Huh? It's priced the same as a classic uke from MM and has about the same level of features - and have you checked out the price of other quality resos - national for instance? About the same as any other quality uke - no more, no less. What makes you think it drives up the cost? It's just a different kind of instrument with a different purpose.

I've got two mya moe's , both tenors. One is #524 which is a koa classic. The other is #647, an all sycamore redo. I picked the sycamore because Char suggested that the tone was about the same as cherry and I liked the unusual grain. The reason that the top is sycamore is that the top isn't that important on a reso. It's all about the quality of the cone and the construction of the uke itself.

The sound of the reso is fantastic for blues, bluegrass and jazz. It's really impressive when fingerpicked. If I want to play in a more "classical" or folky style, then I use my koa tenor.

The pickup I had installed works very well and was recommended by Gordon. After many trials I settled on a Fishman Loudbox Mini Amp to complement its sound.

I've got a koa KoAloha tenor and it is a joy to play. So, I've got that covered.
I had gotten a Lanikai banjolele concert, but it was to heavy for me. Previous back surgery. Sold it to a very nice lady in our Ukulele Club.

My friend has a Mya Moe Myrtle Reso and I thought it was just the right balance between a uke and a banjo. It seems to me if you get the brighter tonewoods, it sounds more banjo like and if you get the warmer woods it tones that aspect down a bit.
I was listening to the Mya Moe website sound clips for the Resonators and ukes and so far, I like Myrtle (right in the middle of the tonewoods) and Ebony (a bit brighter).

Jiva said:

Traditional or Master Grade?

thanks,
Teena

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teena, i think mm resos are only classic, not the lesser cost tradition.

There are nationals, which is the "gold standard" on eBay (one now that is mint fr $1200) that cost less than a MM reso. National seesm to be the brand to beat.

I have a Black & White Ebony reso and it is very bright.
It has a different voice than a banjo, but it as loud.
I use it for many things, but it is my go to uke when I am playing with my bluegrass pals.

coolkayaker1 said:

teena, i think mm resos are only classic, not the lesser cost tradition.

There are nationals, which is the "gold standard" on eBay (one now that is mint fr $1200) that cost less than a MM reso. National seesm to be the brand to beat.

Click to expand...

Mya-Moe buys its cones from National. MM says on its website: "After careful testing, we choose a National cone for it's clear tone, long sustain, and lively voice."

http://www.myamoeukuleles.com/model%20resonator.php

I've only played the uke for a short while, and have never played guitar, but I've craved a National Resonator for decades after hearing Son House's music. The National uke I covet will probably never be in my price range. Fortunately the MM resonators look and sound great, so I'm saving up to get one of them. And by that point I hope I will be worthy of such an instrument.

mds725 said:

Mya-Moe buys its cones from National. MM says on its website: "After careful testing, we choose a National cone for it's clear tone, long sustain, and lively voice."

http://www.myamoeukuleles.com/model%20resonator.php

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Agree, Mark. And Gordon says it on his video on resonators too. So, even Mya Moe goes to National. Lol. But, alas, a cone does not make a uke.

National is the brand in reso ukes. And guitars. Reading the who's who on Nationals website of those professional recording artists that play National guitars and ukes is truly mind boggling. Absolute blues, country and rock legends play National.

Some may like Mya moe over national. But, they are essentially the same price for wood models, so one should consider both brands it would seem.

I don't think National makes a tenor size resonator uke? Anyone know different? I've played their concert size and I wasn't impressed. But to be fair, I have yet to be impressed with a concert size uke anyway, not that some aren't very beautiful. I like the sound and feel of the larger bodies and longer scale of the tenor. The Mya Moe tenor has the larger tenor body, which means more wood to vibrate along with the cone. I've liked the video I've seen of them and I've been advised that to get a nice bell-like tone they respond best to a light touch unless you want a crashy banjo sound (and I suppose that could be fine sometimes, too).

Duk

coolkayaker1 said:

Agree, Mark. And Gordon says it on his video on resonators too. So, even Mya Moe goes to National. Lol. But, alas, a cone does not make a uke.

National is the brand in reso ukes. And guitars. Reading the who's who on Nationals website of those professional recording artists that play National guitars and ukes is truly mind boggling. Absolute blues, country and rock legends play National.

Some may like Mya moe over national. But, they are essentially the same price for wood models, so one should consider both brands it would seem.

Click to expand...

I've had a national reso and currently have a Mya Moe. The owner of National has a Mya Moe reso too. Both are beautiful, but the national was heavy and they don't make a tenor. I would choose my Mya Moe over the national 9 out of ten times with the one exception to play a triolian. But only for a while...