six string tenors.... thoughts, recommendations?

Doc_J

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I have not given too much thought to six string tenors until soupking put the idea in my head about a couple weeks ago (thanks Matt :) ). Soupking likes his Kamaka 6 string, a lot. I want to see what other people's experiences are with 6-stings. Kamaka's 6-string sounds nice, so do the Myamoe's. Kamaka developed six string from what I read on their web page.
I know that that there's a few other makers who have 6-strings (Kanile'a for one).

I've read the laminated wood models from the mass volume manufacturers aren't the best sounding.

Does anybody have experience on playing these or particular preferences?
 
I played a six string first model Koa Pono and it was the best I heard and played..it blew away my two kamakas...guess that was one of the better ones...
but they are really rare these days....
 
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The 6-string is kind of a niche instrument, but I think it's worth getting a good one! The imports generally haven't impressed me, even if their 4-string models are nice.

I have a Maui Music 6-string that I absolutely love. The K-brands are always a good choice, as is Mya-Moe. I don't think you'd be disappointed with any of those!
 
Here's my 6 string from GString . . .

IMG_2983.jpg
 
I had a six string Kamaka for a while.

I found there wasn't much difficulty in fretting chords, but it did change the way I thought about picking.

I'm also not really a fan of tenors (ducking!), so it ultimately wasn't a keeper. But it certainly added a sound unlike any of my other ukes.

I think Pono makes one, in which case picking up a blem would be a low-cost trial.
 
I have one of the Pono blemished/seconds 6-strings that show up on eBay now and again. I don't play it often but I think it's a great instrument, especially for what I paid. The sound is fuller than a 4-string but not as "cluttered" as an 8-string can sound sometimes. I use my Pono 6-string almost exclusively for strumming. I liked the idea of a 6-string so much that I'm currently waiting for a Mya-Moe 6-string mahogany baritone.
 
I don't play my Kamaka Lili'u that often, but when I reach for it to strum certain songs, I'm glad I have it. I love to strum along to George Harrison when he plays his Lili'u on "Devil and the Deep Blue Sea". I've tried to do some picking, but the combination of two coursed and single strings sounded weird to me.

 
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I have a Kamaka Liliu that I really like. It has a nice full sound. Great for strumming.
 
I had this one:
http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/f...335-FS-6-String-Koa-Lanikai&highlight=lanikai
Really a good instrument. IMO it actually sounded better than all the solid-wood Lanikais and Kalas (louder too). The laminated top was a hint thinner than my Kiwaya!
Very pretty too, with good fit-n-finish.
I feel the same way about my Lanikai LU8. It had a popped bridge so I got it really cheap. It has a very thin laminate top, and sounds and plays amazingly well. It's actually one of my favorites, and I have some premium ukes. It has some bridge tilt, and a little dishing between the bridge and sound hole. but if I'm in a large group and want to be heard, it's the one I pick
 
My opinion of 6 and 8 string tenors is that their real strength is for strumming. They give a bigger, chorus sound. Now I'm not a fan of picking with a standard 6/8 string because when I pick with my thumb I want to hit the lower pitched string first, not the higher pitched string which is how they are setup. With my 8 string tenors I just remove the octave string on the third leaving the instrument with 7 strings but I cant see that doing anything for a 6 string.

Some stage soon I'm going to get a custom nut cut for my 8 strings with the octave strings lower than the bass strings so I will then string them with the full compliment of 8 strings. My two bobs worth.

Anthony
 
I have a Kamaka 6 string tenor strung as a Lil'u ...C and A doubled strings were an octave apart ...recently I removed the low A string but kept the low C. I also have a Mele 6 string concert.
Both are great for a fuller sounding strum...I don't fingerpicking well but the 6 string isn't a problem for me....

Any thoughts from others on getting a 6 string and later switching it to a 4 string If desired? .....the distance between strings doesn't look too significant.

Terry
 
Here's my 6 string from GString . . .

IMG_2983.jpg
Very cool. GString makes awesome sounding ukes. I would definitely go for GString -6 string

I have one of the Pono blemished/seconds 6-strings that show up on eBay now and again. I don't play it often but I think it's a great instrument, especially for what I paid. The sound is fuller than a 4-string but not as "cluttered" as an 8-string can sound sometimes. I use my Pono 6-string almost exclusively for strumming. I liked the idea of a 6-string so much that I'm currently waiting for a Mya-Moe 6-string mahogany baritone.

Good idea on the Pono's. BTW that MM Baritone should be outstanding!

I have a Kamaka 6 string tenor strung as a Lil'u ...C and A doubled strings were an octave apart ...recently I removed the low A string but kept the low C. I also have a Mele 6 string concert.
Both are great for a fuller sounding strum...I don't fingerpicking well but the 6 string isn't a problem for me....

Any thoughts from others on getting a 6 string and later switching it to a 4 string If desired? .....the distance between strings doesn't look too significant.

Terry

I would just keep the 6-string a 6-string. I got plenty 4-string tenors.
 
Gillian, love the vid! I'm a Beatles freak and knowing George Harrison played and loved the Lili'u was the driving force behind my purchase. Doc, as the one who got you started thinking about this, I guess I should chime in. Haha. It really, really is a different animal, the six string. I'm not sure why I waited so long to buy one. I'm a major KoAloha fanboy, so I really overloaded on purchasing their instruments for a good while, and I think that's part of it. Anyway, I had a chance recently to play pretty much every Kamaka production model, and all I can say is that I was pleasantly surprised. I think that they're wonderful instruments. As far as tone goes, head-to-head, I'd give the edge to KoAloha, but that's just a subjective opinion and I'm sure the consensus, if measured among uke enthusiasts, would be split down the middle. However, Kamakas are every bit as "good" as KoAlohas, they're just different. I love the two Kamakas I presently own; both purchased very recently.

The Lili'u I bought had a bit of a buzzing type issue initially. I spoke with Dana about it and he gave me some good advice which I appreciated; I was thinking about returning it but he suggested keeping it for the uniqueness factor. I agreed and did so, and I'm glad I did. Some have commented on the "fullness" of the six string sound already, and I agree- but it's not that it's necessarily louder than other ukes I own, as the KoAlohas are all pretty much louder- there *is* a fullness to the sound that cannot be duplicated with a four string. Like Gillian, I agree that I don't see myself playing it all too much compared to my other ukes *because* it's so different, but that could very well change- especially now that I just changed the strings on it three times today with various sets and have finally resolved the buzzing issue with a new set of Kamaka strings; which I think I prefer after sampling the Worth CTs and Aquilas.

So yeah, it's different. I really hardly ever fingerpick, but I still think it's strange playing a six string. But again, it's different and that's what I like about it. Plus, having a Kamaka Lili'u, from the inventors of the instrument, makes it that much more special. Here's a video from Corey at HMS, which I'm sure many of us have already seen. He tears it up both fingerpicking and strumming... good stuff:
 
When I built a hammer dulcimer some years back, I used a piece of laminate for the soundboard. This was because I didn't have access to any better wood and it was an experiment anyway. (It ain't pretty, but it still plays nearly 30 year on).

Anyway, shortly after making it, I met up with a real luthier who made Hammer Dulcimers and he remarked that I had made a wise decision, because he reckoned that good quality hard woods produced too many overtones on the instrument. So, perhaps this is an issue with Ukes with more than 4 strings. Perhaps that is why some people have expressed a preference for laminates. Just my 2 Euro cents.
 
Interesting that several folks have had some good experiences with laminated 6-string ukes.

Every video I have heard with a Lanikai LU6-string, just didn't sound any where near as good as a Kamaka, but then I haven't seen Corey play a LU6 either. And I know the Kamaka is 5+ times as much.

That HF-36 Kamaka really sounds good. I hear Kanile'a makes a good 6-string too. CanuckUkeMaui also mentioned the Mele 6-string. Those sound pretty good. Haolejohn usually has something good to say Mele ukes too.
 
Interesting that several folks have had some good experiences with laminated 6-string ukes.

Every video I have heard with a Lanikai LU6-string, just didn't sound any where near as good as a Kamaka, but then I haven't seen Corey play a LU6 either. And I know the Kamaka is 5+ times as much.

That HF-36 Kamaka really sounds good. I hear Kanile'a makes a good 6-string too. CanuckUkeMaui also mentioned the Mele 6-string. Those sound pretty good. Haolejohn usually has something good to say Mele ukes too.
I love my 6 stringer. I've owned three. When we came to Alaska my current 6 string uke came with me. I left all my koa ukes at home (not that I didn't want to bring them, I just didn't want to expose them to the extreme weather).

I read the good reviews on those Lanikai 6 stringers but I have never played a decent cheap 6 stringer (and I've played a lot of them, but this was a few years ago) the 8 string Lanikais sound very well on the other hand.

Doc, seeing the ukes you have, I would say get you either a Pono or a Mele. THese two makers make a very decent ukulele in a very nice price range. Not to high, and not to low. IF you like the sound...go big.
 
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