Tim Mullins
Well-known member
I think this combination of body size, scale and tuners make just about the perfect player's ukulele. I'm really happy with it!
New Uke Week: Kamaka HF-2L Long Neck Concert with Gotoh UPT tuners
- Thread starter Tim Mullins
- Start date
experimentjon
Well-known member
Fantastic combination. I've always loved the Kamaka concert body and the tenor scale. The upgraded UPT tuners are also a perfect compromise.
-Emma-
Well-known member
Congratulations! The koa looks really beautiful! 
. Where did you buy it from?
I have a Kamaka HF-2+ with Gotoh tuners and I absolutely love it.
. Where did you buy it from?I have a Kamaka HF-2+ with Gotoh tuners and I absolutely love it.
very nice..welcome to the longneck club
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Tim Mullins
Well-known member
Congratulations! The koa looks really beautiful!
I have a Kamaka HF-2+ with Gotoh tuners and I absolutely love it.
Thanks, all!
Hi Emma,
Gryphon Stringed Instruments in Palo Alto and they were great to deal with. The Gotoh tuners don't seem to add any weight to the peghead, which might be a little neck-heavy on a long-neck anyway. I've been playing it since last Wednesday and I think they really nailed it with this model!
I am a longneck fan...welcome to the club!
Beautiful grain, beautiful uke! Yes, longnecks are wonderful!
guitharsis
Well-known member
It's a beauty. Congrats!
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Tim Mullins
Well-known member
Thanks!
The more I play this, the more I like it. The concert body size means I don't have to reach up as far as I do with my tenors to avoid strumming over the body. The length of my forearm naturally puts where I strum at the sweet spot between the 12th and 14th frets.
The tenor scale makes it play very in tune and gives 14 frets clear of the body without changing the bridge position a lot. My favorite ukulele for tone of those I've owned has been an older Kamaka concert and this one has a similar sound, with a good attack for fingerstyle yet a nice full tone. The notes ring out clearly right up to the 18th fret.
This latest version of this model has an added position dot at the 15th fret and the same tie bridge as the tenors, which I think is a good idea with the added string tension.
I really like the look of the straight-grained wood. The Gotoh tuners are smooth and stay where you put 'em. And, as mentioned above, the ukulele fits the case perfectly. All in all, a nice package! Recommended!
The more I play this, the more I like it. The concert body size means I don't have to reach up as far as I do with my tenors to avoid strumming over the body. The length of my forearm naturally puts where I strum at the sweet spot between the 12th and 14th frets.
The tenor scale makes it play very in tune and gives 14 frets clear of the body without changing the bridge position a lot. My favorite ukulele for tone of those I've owned has been an older Kamaka concert and this one has a similar sound, with a good attack for fingerstyle yet a nice full tone. The notes ring out clearly right up to the 18th fret.
This latest version of this model has an added position dot at the 15th fret and the same tie bridge as the tenors, which I think is a good idea with the added string tension.
I really like the look of the straight-grained wood. The Gotoh tuners are smooth and stay where you put 'em. And, as mentioned above, the ukulele fits the case perfectly. All in all, a nice package! Recommended!
Gillian
Well-known member
I'll mention that the longneck comes with geared tuners, rather than friction. A big plus, IMO.
Skinny Money McGee
Well-known member
Sweet uke Tim. Which strings do you have on it?
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Tim Mullins
Well-known member
Gillian, thanks for clarifying that! Yep, 4-to-1 planetary geared tuners. They're the perfect solution, look right and work great. I'm spoiled now!
Skinny Money, I'm using Aquila New Nylgut Concert Regular strings, the 7U sets with a high G. They work for me!
Skinny Money, I'm using Aquila New Nylgut Concert Regular strings, the 7U sets with a high G. They work for me!
Interesting as I use tenor strings.
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Tim Mullins
Well-known member
Hi nongdam, By the way, your beautiful long neck concert was one that got me interested in the idea of getting one of these.
For years now I've used that same Aquila Concert set on almost all my ukuleles, soprano, concert or tenor. I only have to keep one kind of strings and they all play well and sound good. For the tenor scale I prefer the concert set over the tenor because of the smaller diameter and the less-stiff feel (maybe because I'm used to playing 5-string banjo with light strings?) and I can't tell a difference in the sound between the two. I do know that, to my ear, the concert Aquilas were an improvement over the Kamaka strings that came on it.
