Share you buying knowledge and experiences of your new ukes..on your fav LUTHIER

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mm stan

mm stan

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Share you buying knowledge and experiences of your new ukes..on your fav LUTHIERS

Yes I thought it would be a good idea for all the newbies and as well the oldies on purchasing new ukes....Let me start first..:eek:

1) Master Class
Chuckie Moore, Rick Turner, William King, Eric/ Devine ukes etc.

2)Custom Builders Class
Fredirico Vento, Lymana, Koa Works, Toni Maloon, Da Silva, Pohaku etc.

3)Budget Friendly Custom Luthiers Class
, Brad Dondaldson, Mike Perreira, Willie Wixom etc

4)Off the rack Premimum Factory Built Ukulele Class
All K-brands, Collings, Vintage Martins and Gibsons etc.

5)Budget friendly eastern factory ukes..
Mainland, Vineyard, Ohana, Mele, KPK, Kala etc.

6)USA made Budget friendly ukes.
Flukes, Fleas, Sailor ukes...

7)Up and Coming New Luthiers..
Please help me here....:)

8)Factory Beginners Low budget Ukes
KPK, Vineyard, MaKai, Oscar Schmidt, Kala etc.

9)Favorite ukulele venders.
HMS, Uke Republic, MIm's, Mainland Ukes etc..

10)Favorite Strings...
Southcoast, Martins, Aquila, Alohi, Living Waters, Worth Clears etc.

If you have your own list, Please post your list favorites..
Mahalo Plenty....we all can benefit from this including me....:)
 
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3) Budget Friendly Luthiers: http://www.sprucehouseukuleles.com -- Al makes a great ukulele! I think the SO model is one of those superb new classes of laminate instruments--solid top, but that great thin laminate on the sides. Best of all worlds. A really nice alternative to the Kiwaya KS1 and made in USA by a luthier in the great Pacific Northwest.

4) Off the Rack Premium: Kamaka pineapple--a classic (I own one.) And all the standard Kamakas I have played in the last few years have been simply world class. I also have a modern Martin 2M Soprano made in USA. Absolutely top notch--a Martin all the way. You can't go wrong with either of these brands.

8)Factory Beginners Low Budget Ukes: Ohana, Ohana and Ohana. And BTW, they aren't just beginner ukes. The SK38, SK 21 and even the basic SK35 are simply wonderful instruments. You could do no better on a budget than to look at Ohana first. Maybe not as sexy as other brands, but these instruments are winners!
Also, the two Kala ukes I have are winners: the ever popular Dolphin--simply the best under $50 uke in history. And My Kala KA-B laminate baritone is simply delightful. I bought it from Amazon--out of the box, and it was simply superb.

9)Favorite Ukulele Vendors: There are several good ones. But let me just say that I miss MGM on Ebay. There was simply no better Ambassador of Uke than Mike. I am so happy he is at HMS. I have yet to buy from them, but I'm sure I will, and knowing that MGM is there will make that easier for me.
For vintage ukes, I can highly endorse www.gryphonstrings.com

10)Favorite Strings...
Martin 600s on all my mahogany ukes. Southcoast on the Barrys; Aquilla on the Dolphin; Fremont Black Hards on my Kamaka. (See the STRING DATABASE link in my signature--and add your experiences!)
 
Pohaku. Peter Hurney at Pohaku.

I don;t think you have one of those yet, mmstan. lol It's so deftly built and intoned that it's scary!
 
pdxuke said:
3) Budget Friendly Luthiers: http://www.sprucehouseukuleles.com -- Al makes a great ukulele! I think the SO model is one of those superb new classes of laminate instruments--solid top, but that great thin laminate on the sides. Best of all worlds. A really nice alternative to the Kiwaya KS1 and made in USA by a luthier in the great Pacific Northwest.

4) Off the Rack Premium: Kamaka pineapple--a classic (I own one.) And all the standard Kamakas I have played in the last few years have been simply world class. I also have a modern Martin 2M Soprano made in USA. Absolutely top notch--a Martin all the way. You can't go wrong with either of these brands.

8)Factory Beginners Low Budget Ukes: Ohana, Ohana and Ohana. And BTW, they aren't just beginner ukes. The SK38, SK 21 and even the basic SK35 are simply wonderful instruments. You could do no better on a budget than to look at Ohana first. Maybe not as sexy as other brands, but these instruments are winners!
Also, the two Kala ukes I have are winners: the ever popular Dolphin--simply the best under $50 uke in history. And My Kala KA-B laminate baritone is simply delightful. I bought it from Amazon--out of the box, and it was simply superb.

9)Favorite Ukulele Vendors: There are several good ones. But let me just say that I miss MGM on Ebay. There was simply no better Ambassador of Uke than Mike. I am so happy he is at HMS. I have yet to buy from them, but I'm sure I will, and knowing that MGM is there will make that easier for me.
For vintage ukes, I can highly endorse www.gryphonstrings.com

10)Favorite Strings...
Martin 600s on all my mahogany ukes. Southcoast on the Barrys; Aquilla on the Dolphin; Fremont Black Hards on my Kamaka. (See the STRING DATABASE link in my signature--and add your experiences!)
Click to expand...

Had a chance to get a spruce house..I've heard about them...good things...
 
mm stan said:
Yes I thought it would be a good idea for all the newbies and as well the oldies on purchasing new ukes....Let me start first..:eek:

1) Master Class
Chuckie Moore, Rick Turner, William King, Eric/ Devine ukes etc.

2)Custom Builders Class
Fredirico Vento, Lymana, Koa Works, Toni Maloon, Da Silva, Pohaku etc.

3)Budget Friendly Custom Luthiers Class
Duwayne Hellman, Brad Dondaldson, Mike Perreira, Willie Wixom etc

4)Off the rack Premimum Factory Built Ukulele Class
All K-brands, Collings, Vintage Martins and Gibsons etc.

5)Budget friendly eastern factory ukes..
Mainland, Vineyard, Ohana, Mele, KPK, Kala etc.

6)USA made Budget friendly ukes.
Flukes, Fleas, Sailor ukes...

7)Up and Coming New Luthiers..
Please help me here....:)

8)Factory Beginners Low budget Ukes
KPK, Vineyard, MaKai, Oscar Schmidt, Kala etc.

9)Favorite ukulele venders.
HMS, Uke Republic, MIm's, Mainland Ukes etc..

10)Favorite Strings...
Southcoast, Martins, Aquila, Alohi, Living Waters, Worth Clears etc.

If you have your own list, Please post your list favorites..
Mahalo Plenty....we all can benefit from this including me....:)[/QUOTE

Your list leaves a lot to be desired and your knowledge of some luthiers is dated and limited. Please remove my name. My name is spelled Duane, not Duwayne. Thanks.
Click to expand...
 
BlackBearUkes said:
mm stan said:
Yes I thought it would be a good idea for all the newbies and as well the oldies on purchasing new ukes....Let me start first..:eek:

1) Master Class
Chuckie Moore, Rick Turner, William King, Eric/ Devine ukes etc.

2)Custom Builders Class
Fredirico Vento, Lymana, Koa Works, Toni Maloon, Da Silva, Pohaku etc.

3)Budget Friendly Custom Luthiers Class
Duwayne Hellman, Brad Dondaldson, Mike Perreira, Willie Wixom etc

4)Off the rack Premimum Factory Built Ukulele Class
All K-brands, Collings, Vintage Martins and Gibsons etc.

5)Budget friendly eastern factory ukes..
Mainland, Vineyard, Ohana, Mele, KPK, Kala etc.

6)USA made Budget friendly ukes.
Flukes, Fleas, Sailor ukes...

7)Up and Coming New Luthiers..
Please help me here....:)

8)Factory Beginners Low budget Ukes
KPK, Vineyard, MaKai, Oscar Schmidt, Kala etc.

9)Favorite ukulele venders.
HMS, Uke Republic, MIm's, Mainland Ukes etc..

10)Favorite Strings...
Southcoast, Martins, Aquila, Alohi, Living Waters, Worth Clears etc.

If you have your own list, Please post your list favorites..
Mahalo Plenty....we all can benefit from this including me....:)[/QUOTE

Your list leaves a lot to be desired and your knowledge of some luthiers is dated and limited. Please remove my name. My name is spelled Duane, not Duwayne. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Aloha Mr Hellman, um Duane....
After giving some thought and the initial shock of your attack and response to me pubically, I thought it was a darn right rude of you, you could have easily PM'd me with your concerns....I may have spelled your name wrong and put you in my budget customs, but I meant that in a very good way...to me your ukes are budget friendly high grade ukes....for that I appoligize....but
that does not give him the right to attack me pubically.. I am truely dismayed by his response...if I am wrong about this PM me...after all this is
just my opinion and preferences....I have always reguarded you highly before in stature and wanted a uke from you before....this may change things now and how I perceive you...
Click to expand...
 
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I think that the goal of this thread (which, in my opinion, is an attempt to educate UU members about the wide spectrum of options for buying an ukulele ort having one built) is noble, but I think the attempt to classify luthiers may be problematic, simply because a luthier may not see himself/herself or his/her target market the way others might. I think the goal is noble, but I also think that people don't like to be defined by others.

I'd much prefer to see a thread in which luthiers themselves are invited to say what they do, what their design and building goals are, and what sort of ukulele player they contemplate satisfying. Just a thought.
 
mds725 said:
I think that the goal of this thread (which, in my opinion, is an attempt to educate UU members about the wide spectrum of options for buying an ukulele ort having one built) is noble, but I think the attempt to classify luthiers may be problematic, simply because a luthier may not see himself/herself or his/her target market the way others might. I think the goal is noble, but I also think that people don't like to be defined by others.

I'd much prefer to see a thread in which luthiers themselves are invited to say what they do, what their design and building goals are, and what sort of ukulele player they contemplate satisfying. Just a thought.
Click to expand...
Aloha Mark,
You are probally right, however it does not give him the right to attack me personally pubically...this is what I am so disappointed of....if he had concerns, he would address it to me
in a personal message....
 
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mm stan said:
Aloha Mark,
You are probally right, however it does not give him the right to attack me personally pubically...this is what I am so pissed off by....if he had concerns, he would address it to me
in a personal message....
Click to expand...

That was unfortunate. I sent you a PM.
 
I'm not quite to sure about the distinction here between the "master class" and "custom builders" one. DaSilva falls under master class to me, especially with his custom work. Maybe you should expound a little more on what makes what.
 
Xcalith said:
I'm not quite to sure about the distinction here between the "master class" and "custom builders" one. DaSilva falls under master class to me, especially with his custom work. Maybe you should expound a little more on what makes what.
Click to expand...

That's why I'd prefer a thread in which luthiers themselves could say what they do. Since there's no agreed-upon precise way to measure who would fit into what classification, and to my knowledge no consensus on whether the proposed classifications are even appropriate, I'd prefer if luthiers, for lack of a better term, "self-defined."

Consumer posts in this thread would, I suppose, offer a *subjective* look at how luthiers are viewed in the marketplace, but I'm not sure what the value of that is in the absence of some common understanding of how these classifications would be made.
 
Stan, unfortunately, despite your honest intentions for us to share our experiences and thus help each other, your first post reads as a list of best to worst and the hierarchical categorization of companies and luthiers in the way you have so differentiated them is likely to create offence, antagonism and bad blood. A great many builders are flexible in their terms of operation and could well fit into a number of those categories. Then there is the associated issue of people left out or forgotten etc etc To pit builders against each other in this way is problematic to say the least. Going to close the thread on that basis. I understand your good intent mate, but there is perhaps a better way we can share such information. Please PM me if you would like to discuss it further.
 
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