Pono Tenors vs. other Tenor Ukes

DBLtexas

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This is my first post, and I'm sure this has been bantered about to death (but I found no specific threads). I am a jazz guitarist that has caught the uke fever. I have a Cordoba 20TM electric and I know I can do better (intonation and tone). I am intrigued by the Ponos from all that I read (and I'm assuming they are an upgrade to my Cordoba). My question is this, how does a Pono MT compare tonewise and setup (mainly intonation) with everything else under a grand? Finish and bling are non-factors, I'm talking strictly player stuff. So, I'm trying to figure out if there are other makers ukes that I should seriously consider, or if stepping up the Pono ladder is worth the extra expenditure. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Although I live in the DFW area, with plenty of music stores, there are no Ponos to play. Best wishes from Texas.
 
I love my Pono. Is it important that your ukulele be made in Hawaii? Pono is the import brand from Ko`Olau, and I think they are great, but the ukuleles are not made in Hawaii. I think it would be a great choice for you. I am sure you are aware that everyone likes different things, so it is really difficult to make a blanket recommendation, but I guarantee you will like it much more than your Cordoba. There may be other ukuleles you like too though! Perhaps talk with Mim at www.mimsukes.com

Welcome to the forum!
 
I think a Pono is in the right (Koolau) family. You can get a fine tenor Pono uke. The ones I have played (and I have a basic concert model Pono) are all good players. I find them well made, really good intonation and easy playing (be sure where you buy from does a quality setup)
You might want to consider looking for a Koolau model: more money, but even a basic model would give you a step up in quality, if you wish. I also have a Koolau concert that I share with my wife and I would definitely say it is even better in fit/finish than the Pono, though it is also just a basic, flat finish uke that is a few years old we bought used. But there is no denying they are from the same family. : )
Incidentally, Paul Hemmings plays a Koolau ukulele and I think his jazz work is terrific. Maybe even write to him about his Koolau experience? http://www.uketet.com/index.htm
 
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I love my Pono. Is it important that your ukulele be made in Hawaii? Pono is the import brand from Ko`Olau, and I think they are great, but the ukuleles are not made in Hawaii. I think it would be a great choice for you. I am sure you are aware that everyone likes different things, so it is really difficult to make a blanket recommendation, but I guarantee you will like it much more than your Cordoba. There may be other ukuleles you like too though! Perhaps talk with Mim at www.mimsukes.com

Welcome to the forum!
Thanks for your thoughts. From what I've been reading, the Ponos seem to be very good in the under 1k price range, but I'm not reading anything to suggest that I should ponder other ukes. How do you suppose a Pono MT compares (tone wise and setup) to their Pro Classic? Is the PC really a better instrument?
 
Are the Ponos not setup well from the factory ?
I think a Pono is in the right (Koolau) family. You can get a fine tenor Pono uke. The ones I have played (and I have a basic concert model Pono) are all good players. I find them well made, really good intonation and easy playing (be sure where you buy from does a quality setup)
You might want to consider looking for a Koolau model: more money, but even a basic model would give you a step up in quality, if you wish. I also have a Koolau concert that I share with my wife and I would definitely say it is even better in fit/finish than the Pono, though it is also just a basic, flat finish uke that is a few years old we bought used. But there is no denying they are from the same family. : )
Incidentally, Paul Hemmings plays a Koolau ukulele and I think his jazz work is terrific. Maybe even write to him about his Koolau experience? http://www.uketet.com/index.htm
 
Personally, I think Ponos are the best of the import ukes. When setup properly, they can hang with the "K" brands. They are very, very good.

I would need to know more about your price range and if you are willing to buy used before making a recommendation. Our UU Marketplace has some incredible deals in the ~1k range. However, if you say "I want a new tenor for about 1k" I would steer you to a KoAloha or a Pono and to HMS or Mim's ukes.

Welcome to UU, by the way!
 
I would seek the advice/recommendations of the vendors who frequent UU (HMS, Uke Republic, Mim's). They'll be more than happy to provide you with info as well as answer questions you may have. You can even ask them to play a certain instrument for you so you can judge for yourself. I feel it's worth the time and effort to go this route. Here are some previous threads about the MT.
http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?43267-Pono-MT-review
http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?58224-Pono-MT-vs-Islander-MST-4
http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?75585-New-Uke-Day-Pono-MT
 
I own a Pono ATDC (Acacia, Tenor, Deluxe, Cutaway). Even though I followed it with a custom build, the Pono is a keeper. The neck/fingerboard is well designed and I can play it endlessly with comfort. My guess is that most of the difference between mine and the Pro Classics could not be discerned in a blind test. In fact, the specs are the same as the much more expensive Koolau. But, there is no doubt that the Pro Classics are esthetically pleasing.

I play jazz with mine; great tone.
 
Personally, I think Ponos are the best of the import ukes. When setup properly, they can hang with the "K" brands. They are very, very good.

I would need to know more about your price range and if you are willing to buy used before making a recommendation. Our UU Marketplace has some incredible deals in the ~1k range. However, if you say "I want a new tenor for about 1k" I would steer you to a KoAloha or a Pono and to HMS or Mim's ukes.

Welcome to UU, by the way!

Thanks for your thoughts. So, comparing Ponos to Ponos, am I essentially just paying for bling when I move up from the MT?
 
I would seek the advice/recommendations of the vendors who frequent UU (HMS, Uke Republic, Mim's). They'll be more than happy to provide you with info as well as answer questions you may have. You can even ask them to play a certain instrument for you so you can judge for yourself. I feel it's worth the time and effort to go this route. Here are some previous threads about the MT.
http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?43267-Pono-MT-review
http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?58224-Pono-MT-vs-Islander-MST-4
http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?75585-New-Uke-Day-Pono-MT
I think that's a good suggestion, but if it's like guitar salesmen, they'll be motivated by cranking more $$ out of my wallet. I most value players and owners who have firsthand experience with various ukes.
 
I own a Pono ATDC (Acacia, Tenor, Deluxe, Cutaway). Even though I followed it with a custom build, the Pono is a keeper. The neck/fingerboard is well designed and I can play it endlessly with comfort. My guess is that most of the difference between mine and the Pro Classics could not be discerned in a blind test. In fact, the specs are the same as the much more expensive Koolau. But, there is no doubt that the Pro Classics are esthetically pleasing.

I play jazz with mine; great tone.

Thanks for the input. This is the type of feedback I was fishing for.
 
I think that's a good suggestion, but if it's like guitar salesmen, they'll be motivated by cranking more $$ out of my wallet. I most value players and owners who have firsthand experience with various ukes.
What may come as a surprise is uke folks are very different from guitar folks. All of the businesses mentioned in this thread are more interested in earning your trust and long-term business than a sale. I've had one of these places talk me out of a sale because it was "the right thing" to do. Guess what, I respect them more for trying.

Uke folks are just way different. You will own multiple ukes, it is just a matter of when, not if.

Not sure of the differences with the MT, but I'm sure that is easy to find. Good luck with the purchase!
 
What may come as a surprise is uke folks are very different from guitar folks. All of the businesses mentioned in this thread are more interested in earning your trust and long-term business than a sale. I've had one of these places talk me out of a sale because it was "the right thing" to do. Guess what, I respect them more for trying.

Uke folks are just way different. You will own multiple ukes, it is just a matter of when, not if.

Not sure of the differences with the MT, but I'm sure that is easy to find. Good luck with the purchase!

That's interesting, and refreshing. In the guitar world, Eastman Strings is my kind of company. Very, very good quality at a fraction of the price of their competitors, with quality that is often better. You guys be on the Lookout for Eastman's line of ukes they are releasing in June. If it's like their guitars, they will definitely be worth checking out. They look to be copy of Martins, and I'll wager that they will be better.
 
I think that's a good suggestion, but if it's like guitar salesmen, they'll be motivated by cranking more $$ out of my wallet. I most value players and owners who have firsthand experience with various ukes.
I'll have to disagree with you about their motivation. They've been helpful to a great number of the members here and they've never pushed a sale for the sake of a sale. As I said, it's worth the time to call and make inquires. I feel you'll come away with a different point of view. Just my dos centavos . . .
 
I'll have to disagree with you about their motivation. They've been helpful to a great number of the members here and they've never pushed a sale for the sake of a sale. As I said, it's worth the time to call and make inquires. I feel you'll come away with a different point of view. Just my dos centavos . . .

Thanks, I guess I've had too many years of dealing with The Great Satan (Guitar Center) and I've become jaded and cynical..... :)
 
I got my Pono MT-PC in February. It was my first uke. Played guitar for years. I love the ukulele more than my guitar. It's a easy instrument to learn after the guitar. I also had a couple of other tenors since. My only complaint was I felt my Pono was a little more difficult to play than the cheaper uke's. It came with two wound strings and two poly. I ordered it with a low G set up because I read several posts regarding tenors. I bought it from HMS and the set up was fantastic. It has a really low "action". I finally called HMS a few weeks back and spoke with Aaron. He said all Pono's are" high tension" uke's and since I ordered low G, it probably didn't help having the wound strings. He said they normally send them out with Mahana strings. They are a "tight-high tension" string. I really don't play much melody, I just like to strum songs. We decided I should change the strings to something with a little less tension. I got Worth clears and went back to standard high G tuning. It really made a difference. The low G made it sound more like a guitar. I have a few of those. LOL. Anyway, I think a ukulele should sound like a ukulele, not a guitar. As for the sound quality, I think everyone is right, mine has more "bling" but I'm sure the MT sounds the same. Just my 2 cents. Good luck with your search.
 
I have a Pono ATD. Acacia Tenor Deluxe. Major difference seems to be the closed tuners. It is a really good ukulele. The sound is big, the construction is sturdy, and the setup from Hawaii Music Supply is very good. They have online comparison videos to compare the mahogany and acacia versions. These people (HMS) are really interested in you getting a good ukulele, one of the best long-distance purchase experiences I have ever had. I've bought two ukes from them and have my eye on another.
 
I would talk to Andrew at HMS. I got my Pono Pro Classic Maple Slothead Cutaway Tenor from them. Excellent setup and all through the inquiry process he was very straightforward in answering all my questions. He has even steered me away from ukes that were more expensive when he thought there were other ukes that would serve my needs better. The crew at HMS are real stand up people that just want to get you a great uke to play. If I recall correctly (and I may be recalling this wrong...) in addition to the added "bling" the pro classics are controlled a little bit more as far as which technicians/luthiers at Pono are allowed to work on them... or maybe that's only the 5 series... Talk to Andrew. You can email HMS or sometimes you can find him here on the forums. Great guy and won't steer you wrong. The HMS site is also great for comparing different Pono models. They generally have video sound samples of all the ukes they have for sale, so you can hear the ukes in question in action (well in a video at least) which is probably as good as it gets without actually being there. www.theukulelesite.com Really great info there.

As far as my Pono, I really like it. The intonation and playability are fantastic. The neck is a little thicker compared to some other brands I've played, but it's not a problem for my beefy hands, and I don't think it would cause problems for a guitar convert.
 
I got my Pono MT-PC in February. It was my first uke. Played guitar for years. I love the ukulele more than my guitar. It's a easy instrument to learn after the guitar. I also had a couple of other tenors since. My only complaint was I felt my Pono was a little more difficult to play than the cheaper uke's. It came with two wound strings and two poly. I ordered it with a low G set up because I read several posts regarding tenors. I bought it from HMS and the set up was fantastic. It has a really low "action". I finally called HMS a few weeks back and spoke with Aaron. He said all Pono's are" high tension" uke's and since I ordered low G, it probably didn't help having the wound strings. He said they normally send them out with Mahana strings. They are a "tight-high tension" string. I really don't play much melody, I just like to strum songs. We decided I should change the strings to something with a little less tension. I got Worth clears and went back to standard high G tuning. It really made a difference. The low G made it sound more like a guitar. I have a few of those. LOL. Anyway, I think a ukulele should sound like a ukulele, not a guitar. As for the sound quality, I think everyone is right, mine has more "bling" but I'm sure the MT sounds the same. Just my 2 cents. Good luck with your search.

Thanks for your thoughts. I've wrestled with the low G concept, but I'm making sense of the high G, and I do think it is a part of the charm. I have way too many guitars, too.
 
I would talk to Andrew at HMS. I got my Pono Pro Classic Maple Slothead Cutaway Tenor from them. Excellent setup and all through the inquiry process he was very straightforward in answering all my questions. He has even steered me away from ukes that were more expensive when he thought there were other ukes that would serve my needs better. The crew at HMS are real stand up people that just want to get you a great uke to play. If I recall correctly (and I may be recalling this wrong...) in addition to the added "bling" the pro classics are controlled a little bit more as far as which technicians/luthiers at Pono are allowed to work on them... or maybe that's only the 5 series... Talk to Andrew. You can email HMS or sometimes you can find him here on the forums. Great guy and won't steer you wrong. The HMS site is also great for comparing different Pono models. They generally have video sound samples of all the ukes they have for sale, so you can hear the ukes in question in action (well in a video at least) which is probably as good as it gets without actually being there. www.theukulelesite.com Really great info there.

As far as my Pono, I really like it. The intonation and playability are fantastic. The neck is a little thicker compared to some other brands I've played, but it's not a problem for my beefy hands, and I don't think it would cause problems for a guitar convert.

Thanks for your thoughts on the Ponos. Man, a bigger neck would be nice (meaning wider) !!
I've certainly looked a lot at the HMS site, I've emailed several questions about ukes to them and gotten no reply, which honestly sits as a bit of a negative on the relationship building side, but their site boasts plenty of satisfied customers.
 
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