Steel String Uke-Solid from RISA

This video popped up on YouTube today. It's a new steel string design from RISA.

I like the "Portuguese guitar" style tuners.

What do you think about this? I dig it.

Risa

I have bought a tenor version of the Risa uke , not steel string demoed here, the one used first. The A string keeps snapping. Any ideas how to avoid as it looks a bit like a design flaw. I was thinking of sticking metal strings into it but want to know if anyone knows if this is a design flaw or a way round it.

Thanks !

Interesting, but I see that you need another "box of tricks" or a pedal. I do think that with the tuners at the bottom they become vulnerable when putting the instrument down somewhere.

Can "distortion"- pedals not be used on instruments with passive pickups and nylon strings?

Does it have to be a magnetic pick up? It would also appear that more experimentation is done away from the traditional figure 8 soprano, which was also the case many years back with resos and banjos .

As people play more and more in groups, volume and versatility become more important to get variety...........imho

PS: where can you buy these distortion boxes / pedals suitable for uke??
It could be fun.

All guitar effects/distortion pedals/boxes will work perfectly well for an electric ukulele.
If it's a good product for electric guitar, it will be a good product for uke.

Can "distortion"- pedals not be used on instruments with passive pickups and nylon strings?

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They can be used, no problems.
It does not need to be a magnetic pickup, although a magnetic pickup has more sustain.

The Risa NYLON electrics have heaps of sustain though compared to other nylon string electrics.

The A string keeps snapping. Any ideas how to avoid as it looks a bit like a design flaw.

Click to expand...

I've had Risa ukes for years and never had a string snap on me. Perhaps email the people at Risa before jumping to such conclusions..




To be honest, this new prototype is just a cheaper and more portable steel string electric from Risa.
Steel string electric ukuleles are nothing new for Risa - their other steel string electric ukes have been out for years:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrTto-UimHg

I don't see it as a superior instrument to nylon string, but a "different" instrument - as a classical guitar differs from an electric guitar.
I really like the nylon string Risa electrics:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuqQWon71do

wow I would buy one, I love my risa les paul, so fun with all the effects