LutzSpearo
Well-known member
The wife and I decided that this year's vacation will be to Hawaii. We are planning on going to Oahu, where I lived for a few years, and also to Kauai. We are super stoked! And an extra special aspect for me.. I want to leave with a Kanilea ukulele.
I haven't decided on a concert or tenor yet, but I love the sound and looks of a Kanilea, so that is decided. I do have a couple questions though, maybe some of you can give me some input. I'm budgeting around $1500 (plus or minus, probably plus lol) for this thing, so I intend for it to last as long as ukes last (a lifetime if properly taken care of?) I also intend for this to be my baby, my main uke, if not one and only uke, for a long long time. I'm not a collector, I like to get one quality item that I love, and keep it.
1. How does a gloss finish hold up over time? I think their gloss finish is awesome and really makes the koa pop, but I would imagine it might show strum marks or get worn/dull areas over time, I don't know.
2. How do things like bindings, inlays etc. hold up over time? I would think the simpler the uke, the less likely things will go wrong with it down the road, but I don't know. Can these things wiggle loose or pop out of place?
3. Should I buy directly from Kanilea or go through someone like HMS? I would hope Kanilea does a fine set-up since these ukes are pricey. I do know HMS does a great job with great service. Would there likely be a cost savings buying it direct?
The other questions I have so far are things I need to determine for myself (any options or barebones). I want to keep it simple, but with some sick koa, curly with contrasting light and dark shades. Maybe a simple binding and MOP rosette... kind of like this one
http://www.theukulelesite.com/kanilea-k-pac-premium-koa-concert-package.html
This one I linked may be too fancy for me though, I like the thinner rosette I've seen on some others, if any. Anyway I still need to decide how much to trick it, likely less than more. I just know I want the koa to be phenomenal, like I said.
Anyway, I got ideas spinning, any and all advice is welcome! Is there anything else important I should consider? Thanks!!
I haven't decided on a concert or tenor yet, but I love the sound and looks of a Kanilea, so that is decided. I do have a couple questions though, maybe some of you can give me some input. I'm budgeting around $1500 (plus or minus, probably plus lol) for this thing, so I intend for it to last as long as ukes last (a lifetime if properly taken care of?) I also intend for this to be my baby, my main uke, if not one and only uke, for a long long time. I'm not a collector, I like to get one quality item that I love, and keep it.
1. How does a gloss finish hold up over time? I think their gloss finish is awesome and really makes the koa pop, but I would imagine it might show strum marks or get worn/dull areas over time, I don't know.
2. How do things like bindings, inlays etc. hold up over time? I would think the simpler the uke, the less likely things will go wrong with it down the road, but I don't know. Can these things wiggle loose or pop out of place?
3. Should I buy directly from Kanilea or go through someone like HMS? I would hope Kanilea does a fine set-up since these ukes are pricey. I do know HMS does a great job with great service. Would there likely be a cost savings buying it direct?
The other questions I have so far are things I need to determine for myself (any options or barebones). I want to keep it simple, but with some sick koa, curly with contrasting light and dark shades. Maybe a simple binding and MOP rosette... kind of like this one
http://www.theukulelesite.com/kanilea-k-pac-premium-koa-concert-package.html
This one I linked may be too fancy for me though, I like the thinner rosette I've seen on some others, if any. Anyway I still need to decide how much to trick it, likely less than more. I just know I want the koa to be phenomenal, like I said.
Anyway, I got ideas spinning, any and all advice is welcome! Is there anything else important I should consider? Thanks!!