may buy a Turner Compass Rose-some questions(adi top/spruce top)

D

darylcrisp

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big stone gap, virginia USA
sylvan music has two tenors:

adi top/cambodian rosewood
sitka top/acacia

both are satin finish i believe. anyone here played either one?
what are your thoughts on adi tops for Ukes?
and if you were to buy and ship-which one would you choose not being able to play it(i can return, but would incur shipping both ways-trying to make the best choice)
i focus on fingerstyle play

http://www.sylvanmusic.com/inventory.php?function=view&id=2108&search=Ukuleles#
http://www.sylvanmusic.com/inventory.php?function=view&id=1977&search=Ukuleles

and i also like this tenor Kanilea:
http://www.sylvanmusic.com/inventory.php?function=view&id=2119&search=Ukuleles

thanks folks
d
 
darylcrisp said:
sylvan music has two tenors:

adi top/cambodian rosewood
sitka top/acacia

both are satin finish i believe. anyone here played either one?
what are your thoughts on adi tops for Ukes?
and if you were to buy and ship-which one would you choose not being able to play it(i can return, but would incur shipping both ways-trying to make the best choice)
i focus on fingerstyle play

http://www.sylvanmusic.com/inventory.php?function=view&id=2108&search=Ukuleles#
http://www.sylvanmusic.com/inventory.php?function=view&id=1977&search=Ukuleles

and i also like this tenor Kanilea:
http://www.sylvanmusic.com/inventory.php?function=view&id=2119&search=Ukuleles

thanks folks
d
Click to expand...

I think you should email Rick and ask him which uke suits your playing style best. He can let you know which uke would have longer/shorter sustain, which one would respond better to a certain attack, etc.

But you better hurry. They don't stay on shelves for too long :)

Good luck.
 
I've played both a couple of times. I think that the playability of both is very similar. I like the looks of the rosewood a little better. I liked the tone of the acacia a little better (it maybe seems a smidgen more lively to me, but I honestly don't think I could tell one from the other if blindfolded). If it were my choice, I'd go for the acacia mostly because its a couple hundred bucks cheaper.
 
I'll be down the street from there tomorrow. I'll stop in and check them out and let you know what I think of them.
 
I have a Koa style C tenor and a Macassar Ebony/Sinker Redwood style C tenor on order now..Rick's ukes are very very nice..fit and finish one of the best..and the sound very good..

btw I play almost all fingerstyle too..that is why trying the Macassar/Redwood woods..my Koa CR sounds great finger picking it..too me seems CRs are great ukes to play fingerstyle with

have you checked the ones at Gryphon..the Cocobolo one looks nice

if you are getting a CR spend the extra money and get the polyester gloss finish..Rick does the finish himself,,and it is one of the best if not the best polyester finish around

and Rick says the Adirondack Spruce top is his favorite top wood for sound/tone..with rosewood b/s..

good luck..

like Gyosh says email Rick... the best way to get a CR is to order direct from him,,that way you get what you want..but if you can't wait you can find some at nice guitar/uke shops
 
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wow, tough choice. You can't go wrong with any of them. I had a solid mahog CR once, but those probably sound different. I currently have a Kanilea K-1 and love it. it's probably going to sound much different than the other 2. too bad you can't play them yourself side by side.
 
gyosh said:
I'll be down the street from there tomorrow. I'll stop in and check them out and let you know what I think of them.
Click to expand...

that would be so AWESOME!
i just spoke with Mike Sparber from Sylvan(i have a guitar i am returning and will do an exchange on one of the Ukes).
Mike played the Cambodian Rosewood and the Acacia Turners-i immediately leaned towards the cambodian RW-i heard a touch more sustain i think.

Also had him play the Kanilea slothead tenor and the SF2 satin tenor-i like the looks of that slothead a lot, and it sounded really nice to me via phone as well.

Your mission:
play both Turners, and play these Kanilea's(especially the slothead)
http://www.sylvanmusic.com/inventory.php?function=view&id=2171&search=Ukuleles
http://www.sylvanmusic.com/inventory.php?function=view&id=2119&search=Ukuleles

both Kanilea's sounded nice, very similar over the phone.

thanks again, i live in Virginia and this is so neat of you to do for me.
We will await your thoughts and reviews

d
 
remy26 said:
I've played both a couple of times. I think that the playability of both is very similar. I like the looks of the rosewood a little better. I liked the tone of the acacia a little better (it maybe seems a smidgen more lively to me, but I honestly don't think I could tell one from the other if blindfolded). If it were my choice, I'd go for the acacia mostly because its a couple hundred bucks cheaper.
Click to expand...

thanks for the reply, sounds like both are winners. i do like the emblem on the back of the headstock on the acacia-kinda cool.
the rosewood does impress visually from the pics though.
d
 
darylcrisp said:
that would be so AWESOME!
i just spoke with Mike Sparber from Sylvan(i have a guitar i am returning and will do an exchange on one of the Ukes).
Mike played the Cambodian Rosewood and the Acacia Turners-i immediately leaned towards the cambodian RW-i heard a touch more sustain i think.

Also had him play the Kanilea slothead tenor and the SF2 satin tenor-i like the looks of that slothead a lot, and it sounded really nice to me via phone as well.

Your mission:
play both Turners, and play these Kanilea's(especially the slothead)
http://www.sylvanmusic.com/inventory.php?function=view&id=2171&search=Ukuleles
http://www.sylvanmusic.com/inventory.php?function=view&id=2119&search=Ukuleles

both Kanilea's sounded nice, very similar over the phone.

thanks again, i live in Virginia and this is so neat of you to do for me.
We will await your thoughts and reviews

d
Click to expand...

Be forewarned. I already said I'm a Turner fanboy. The reason I'll be in the area is that I'm picking up my custom CR tomorrow from Rick's shop. I was going to stop at Sylvan to check out some straps.:)

I have a Kamaka HF-3 and it was my first uke. I love it, but if I bought another K it would be a Kanile'a. I'll try to give you my honest opinion. Also be warned that I'm not that good of a player. I would label myself an "enthusiast" rather than good player, but I'll do my best.
 
gyosh said:
Be forewarned. I already said I'm a Turner fanboy. The reason I'll be in the area is that I'm picking up my custom CR tomorrow from Rick's shop. I was going to stop at Sylvan to check out some straps.:)

I have a Kamaka HF-3 and it was my first uke. I love it, but if I bought another K it would be a Kanile'a. I'll try to give you my honest opinion. Also be warned that I'm not that good of a player. I would label myself an "enthusiast" rather than good player, but I'll do my best.
Click to expand...

i am a fingerstyle guitar player, so wider necks don't bother me. i have a willie wixom all koa tenor i like a lot and a breedlove american series-they both fit me well-if that helps.
here is the style of playing i am driving towards:
http://robmackillop.net/ukulele/
so again, thanks so much, no prob with your playing.
looking forward to your reviews.

d
 
Thanks for the vid..
a CR will suit you well Rick loves to play jazz and standard on his personal CR..
you might want to check out Pepe Romero Jr. ukes they sound like the one in the video..
Kanile'a does not sound anything like the uke in the video..more of a Hawaiian sound..deeper tone,,not bright/clear sounding as that one in the video
 
hawaii 50 said:
Thanks for the vid..
a CR will suit you well Rick loves to play jazz and standard on his personal CR..
you might want to check out Pepe Romero Jr. ukes they sound like the one in the video..
Kanile'a does not sound anything like the uke in the video..more of a Hawaiian sound..deeper tone,,not bright/clear sounding as that one in the video
Click to expand...

ok, thanks for that heads-up. thats why i posted the videos hoping folks would chime in.
d
 
If you cannot play them, why don't you try to get a uke from HMS as you can hear a video of all their ukes, they do setup, and have great return policy. They should get some in the near future and they have many other brands. You can't beat that.
 
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nongdam said:
If you cannot play them, why don't you try to get a uke from HMS as you can hear a video of all their ukes, they do setup, and have great return policy. They should get some in the near future and they have many other brands. You can't beat that.
Click to expand...

i am returning a guitar i purchased thru Sylvans and although its a wonderful instrument-the tone and scale length just didn't suit me at all-so this is going to be an exchange.
i have looked at the Compass Rose and slothead Kanilea that Sylvans has a lot over the past month-plus they also have an excellent reputation for well kept instruments and i have talked with Mike sparber the manager more than a few times over the years, so i feel comfortable there.

Mike actually brought the 4 Ukes i was interested in, to the phone today and played them over and over-describing what he felt was best on each-the neat thing was to hear them. I've pinned it down to two of them.

thanks for the help folks
d
 
gyosh said:
Haven't left yet. I'm a teacher and the bell rings in about ten more minutes. Then I'll be on my way:)
Click to expand...

no prob Gary

thanks for taking this assignment.

BTW, i have the Kanilea tenor slothead in "hold" in my name-ask "mcCoy" who works there, tell him you are on a review mission for me.

thanks dude
daryl
 
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