A Fresh Look At Collings, Pono, and Loprinzi Concert Ukueleles

Today I had the opportunity to compare three popular ukulele makers: Collings Ct-1, Pono MC; Loprinzi - concert mahogany. This is how I stacked them up after playing around with each one for a couple of hours.

Tone: Each get fours stars. I say four stars because each had a wonderful voice and who am I to judge which has better tone. They each have there on voice. Toss up!

Playability: Again, all three had great action and set up. It would be up to the individual to determine which is best for them. As for me, I give the edge to the Loprinzi. I didn't find the radius fret board on the collings all that much better for bar chords.

Build Quality: All three are comparable... again 4 stars for each.

Intonation: I give the Collings - 4 stars; Loprinzi 3 stars; Pono 2 stars. This is where the Collings really stands out above the other two. The intonation was spot on all the way up the neck. Whereas the intonation on the Pono was very inconsistent up the neck.... The Loprinzi was better than the Pono, but still had intonation issues up the neck. Whereas the Pono went sharp as I played up the neck, the Lorinzi went flat. The intonation with the Collings is the best I've heard on a ukulele.

tc

It's nice that you haver the chance to try them one after the other...here in Montreal, there's no way to find Collins....even their guitars!!!!


https://soundcloud.com/baouke/star-filante-by-caro-bao

I assume the Pono was strung with some of Ko'olau's own brand of nylon strings (mahana, maybe?). They are thick, which could account for the intonation problems you experienced. New Collings these days come from the factory with fluorocarbons, which are considerably thinner and tend to yield better intonation in higher positions. I have a Ko'olau concert strung with fluorocarbon strings, and the intonation is very good.

oldtimestrings said:

I assume the Pono was strung with some of Ko'olau's own brand of nylon strings (mahana, maybe?). They are thick, which could account for the intonation problems you experienced. New Collings these days come from the factory with fluorocarbons, which are considerably thinner and tend to yield better intonation in higher positions. I have a Ko'olau concert strung with fluorocarbon strings, and the intonation is very good.

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All three were strung with flurocarbons.

oldtimestrings said:

I have a Ko'olau concert strung with fluorocarbon strings, and the intonation is very good.

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Ko'olau and Ponos are completely different animals.

I am currently running Living Waters on my Pono ATDC and the intonation is spot on.