Mad Hatter
Member
- Joined
- Dec 22, 2012
- Messages
- 15
- Reaction score
- 0
Edit....I added pictures...they should be on the second page once the mod approves..
Hi fellow players!
It's new uke day for me! My new KoAoloha Tenor arrived a week ago! I've been late with my review as I wanted to really give the ukulele a fair and unbiased test. if I found any issues at all I wanted to see how KoAloha's customer service responded. KoAloha never had a chance to respond to my problems as there were absolutely none.
When it arrived the finish was still a bit tacky. Wow! It was a 4+ week wait for it to arrive straight from KoAloha. I had a pickup installed too so I can record with it using a direct line in instead of the mic.
The ukulele is GORGEOUS! It's a work of art. I have never seen another KoAloha to compare this to, but the back of mine has a good amount of figure and it dances in the light. The sides also have some figure and the top has a slight amount of figure. This was a pleasant surprise since I had read that the person in charge of selecting the woods is not too keen on figured wood and actually prefers a plain straight grain. I knew this when I decided on the KoAloha and chose this path. I'm pleasantly surprised by the tasteful figuring of the wood. The finish too is perfect.
The way the KoAloha is built is so amazing. I was a little concerned that the fretboard edges are sharp. Not the frets themselves, those are perfect. The ends cannot be felt at all and are dressed amazingly. Intonation is dead-on. What I noticed about the hard edge of the fretboard is it's not a big deal since a ukulele is'nt really played like a guitar. My old tele's fretboard is worn and the edges are naturally rolled. It feels like a hug to play. But the style for playing the ukulele is totally different than a guitar. You don't really wrap your hand around it and put your palm against the back of the neck. Rather your thumb rides the neck's spine as you finger chords and runs differently. As such the fretboard edge is perfectly suited for this instrument.
I purchased this ukulele through Cymbalism music. I did a LOT of research before deciding where to purchase the ukulele. I know HMS has a huge loyal following on this website. And you can't generate that sort of loyalty just by having good prices, I'm sure HMS is great. But my experience with Scott Hutton over at Cymbalism floored me. I had a conversation with him via email on New Year's Eve and managed to purchase this ukulele somewhere between 2012 and 2013 on New Year's Eve over the course of a few hours of back and forth questions.
I can't give Scott and Cymbalism Music high enough praise. I have bought at least 25 high end guitars in my days. Some were 5 figures (I'm married with child now...so these days it's a humble tele as my only guitar). I have dealt with my share of dealers. Scott is not one of the best, he was indeed the best. Every question I ever had, he answered promptly. When it comes to guitars I know my way. I have built, repaired, restored, set up, and played more guitars than I have time to list. However, a ukulele really isn't a "small guitar" when it comes down to it. Physically it looks identical, and to the extent it has strings and is a fretted instrument it is similar. But the tone and sound of a ukulele is a bit different. Many of the characteristics of an arguably "traditional" ukulele differ from guitars. And the methods used by various makers are different enough to set them apart considerably from their fellow builders.
In short, as any parent would say of their own child, my KoAloha is the best KoAloha built. I am a happy jonny-come-lately to the ukulele world. My quest for the ultimate ukulele in form, function, and aesthetics ended happily with the KoAloha tenor. Thanks to all of you forum members. So many of you don't realize how often someone gains wisdom from your posts...even old ones. I arrived at the decision of a KoAloha based almost entirely off the months I spent scouring this forum.
And if you ever want a KoAloha I can't think of a better place to purchase one than Cymbalism music. I wish all my dealings in the world of music were as positive. Ask for Scott, he'll take better care of you than your own mother.
Hi fellow players!
It's new uke day for me! My new KoAoloha Tenor arrived a week ago! I've been late with my review as I wanted to really give the ukulele a fair and unbiased test. if I found any issues at all I wanted to see how KoAloha's customer service responded. KoAloha never had a chance to respond to my problems as there were absolutely none.
When it arrived the finish was still a bit tacky. Wow! It was a 4+ week wait for it to arrive straight from KoAloha. I had a pickup installed too so I can record with it using a direct line in instead of the mic.
The ukulele is GORGEOUS! It's a work of art. I have never seen another KoAloha to compare this to, but the back of mine has a good amount of figure and it dances in the light. The sides also have some figure and the top has a slight amount of figure. This was a pleasant surprise since I had read that the person in charge of selecting the woods is not too keen on figured wood and actually prefers a plain straight grain. I knew this when I decided on the KoAloha and chose this path. I'm pleasantly surprised by the tasteful figuring of the wood. The finish too is perfect.
The way the KoAloha is built is so amazing. I was a little concerned that the fretboard edges are sharp. Not the frets themselves, those are perfect. The ends cannot be felt at all and are dressed amazingly. Intonation is dead-on. What I noticed about the hard edge of the fretboard is it's not a big deal since a ukulele is'nt really played like a guitar. My old tele's fretboard is worn and the edges are naturally rolled. It feels like a hug to play. But the style for playing the ukulele is totally different than a guitar. You don't really wrap your hand around it and put your palm against the back of the neck. Rather your thumb rides the neck's spine as you finger chords and runs differently. As such the fretboard edge is perfectly suited for this instrument.
I purchased this ukulele through Cymbalism music. I did a LOT of research before deciding where to purchase the ukulele. I know HMS has a huge loyal following on this website. And you can't generate that sort of loyalty just by having good prices, I'm sure HMS is great. But my experience with Scott Hutton over at Cymbalism floored me. I had a conversation with him via email on New Year's Eve and managed to purchase this ukulele somewhere between 2012 and 2013 on New Year's Eve over the course of a few hours of back and forth questions.
I can't give Scott and Cymbalism Music high enough praise. I have bought at least 25 high end guitars in my days. Some were 5 figures (I'm married with child now...so these days it's a humble tele as my only guitar). I have dealt with my share of dealers. Scott is not one of the best, he was indeed the best. Every question I ever had, he answered promptly. When it comes to guitars I know my way. I have built, repaired, restored, set up, and played more guitars than I have time to list. However, a ukulele really isn't a "small guitar" when it comes down to it. Physically it looks identical, and to the extent it has strings and is a fretted instrument it is similar. But the tone and sound of a ukulele is a bit different. Many of the characteristics of an arguably "traditional" ukulele differ from guitars. And the methods used by various makers are different enough to set them apart considerably from their fellow builders.
In short, as any parent would say of their own child, my KoAloha is the best KoAloha built. I am a happy jonny-come-lately to the ukulele world. My quest for the ultimate ukulele in form, function, and aesthetics ended happily with the KoAloha tenor. Thanks to all of you forum members. So many of you don't realize how often someone gains wisdom from your posts...even old ones. I arrived at the decision of a KoAloha based almost entirely off the months I spent scouring this forum.
And if you ever want a KoAloha I can't think of a better place to purchase one than Cymbalism music. I wish all my dealings in the world of music were as positive. Ask for Scott, he'll take better care of you than your own mother.
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