Don't get a longneck Kamaka without Gotoh UPT

Dan Uke

Dan Uke

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I have a Kamaka longneck concert with Shaller tuners and I really disliked the balance. I finally got the Gotoh UPTs and the uke is significantly better. Since it's much better balanced, the playability has improved. I personally like the look better as well as it now looks like a Kamaka concert head.

I know some people might say otherwise but you can feel a big difference in the before and after. I would pay the extra upcharge to get the Gotohs vs. doing it after and having some ugly holes. HAHAHA

In fact, I believe it will help any longneck that has closed geared tuners.


Before: Before (1).jpgBefore (2).jpg


After: After (1).jpgAfter (2).jpg
 
coolkayaker1 said:
Or any standard neck ukulele with geared tuners, for that matter. :worship:

Thanks for the advice, D. I'm sure you're right.
Click to expand...

Well at least closed geared for tenors. I owned a 2011 Koaloha Tenor and it was a little head heavy and I thought the same with the Sceptre. My first LFDM was too head heavy as well, which is why I ordered a custom with Stealth tuners.

If you mean standard as being soprano I definitely agree. On a side note, Uke Leash is doing really well because of unbalanced ukes. Way to fill a need Lori!!

BTW, When I visited Kamaka and talked to Chris, he agreed that it was head heavy. Kudos to Kamaka to have the option of putting the Gotoh UPT!!
 
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nongdam said:
BTW, When I visited Kamaka and talked to Chris, he agreed that it was head heavy. Kudos to Kamaka to have the option of putting the Gotoh UPT!!
Click to expand...

There's an upcharge for UPT tuners, so yeah, I;m sure he agreed with you. If he honestly thought the stock tuners were heavy, he could have chosen Peghed tuners as standard years ago.
 
I think that looks so much better. And I agree, it seems that especially on the longneck models the tuners' weight would be multiplied by being out at the end of a longer neck, which is already more neck-heavy anyway. I really like the new Gotoh UPTs. I would like it if all manufacturers started using them instead of the side keys, for all sizes of ukuleles. Then case manufacturers could start offering cases that don't look like they have a goiter on the end.
 
thanks for the 411...but I work out. :biglaugh:

lawls ounces do not much matter to me...
 
nongdam said:
I have a Kamaka longneck concert with Shaller tuners and I really disliked the balance. I finally got the Gotoh UPTs and the uke is significantly better. Since it's much better balanced, the playability has improved. I personally like the look better as well as it now looks like a Kamaka concert head.

I know some people might say otherwise but you can feel a big difference in the before and after. I would pay the extra upcharge to get the Gotohs vs. doing it after and having some ugly holes. HAHAHA

In fact, I believe it will help any longneck that has closed geared tuners.


Before: View attachment 56507View attachment 56508


After: View attachment 56509View attachment 56510
Click to expand...

Heavy tuners can benefit the sound. Did you notice any difference before & after?
 
Kamanaaloha said:
thanks for the 411...but I work out. :biglaugh:

lawls ounces do not much matter to me...
Click to expand...

Reminds me of when people comment on my shiny new WINDOWS 8 phone "being too heavy". At under half a pound, I say to them: hit the weights guy! That and you can actually read the screen without constant eye strain, puny iphones(they're made for ants).

If you make the tuner decision, make it for aesthetics.
 
That sure is some pretty Koa on that headplate, and I agree, they look much better then the micky mouse ears sticking out.
 
coolkayaker1 said:
There's an upcharge for UPT tuners, so yeah, I;m sure he agreed with you. If he honestly thought the stock tuners were heavy, he could have chosen Peghed tuners as standard years ago.
Click to expand...

I don't know if they think like that...I believe they use Shallers so that's what they stick too. It's like Koaloha making a soprano w/ a tenor neck w/ the closed geared tuners.

Moore Bettah Ukuleles said:
Heavy tuners can benefit the sound. Did you notice any difference before & after?
Click to expand...

I wish I kept the same strings but I used Oasis this time instead of Southcoast. Definitely less volume and warmer. Before it sounded brighter like a Martin but more in lines with the Kamaka sound.

King David said:
Reminds me of when people comment on my shiny new WINDOWS 8 phone "being too heavy". At under half a pound, I say to them: hit the weights guy! That and you can actually read the screen without constant eye strain, puny iphones(they're made for ants).

If you make the tuner decision, make it for aesthetics.
Click to expand...

Disagree, $90 (Kamaka upcharge) is a lot of money to pay for the look when there are other alternatives. You can tell that the uke is better balanced. Weight in the middle is hard to notice but weight at the end is noticeable. There must be a reason why manufacturers typically post weight for the tuners. hmmm
 
dkcrown said:
Hmm.... How so Chuck?
Click to expand...

At the very least it can add to the sustain of the instrument. You can even buy weights to add to the head stock of guitars. I know one builder who inserts lead under the head stock veneer to improve the sound he's looking for. I personally think there are other tonal benefits but that's just based on personal observation on my own instruments, nothing scientific. The weights and densities of certain neck woods will certainly affect the way an acoustic instrument responds. Same thing with using carbon fiber as a stiffener. I'm just not in the camp that believes that a tuner that is lighter is better in every way.

So Daniel, you changed the strings to a set of Oasis concerts? Are you surprised they have less volume?
 
Moore Bettah Ukuleles said:
So Daniel, you changed the strings to a set of Oasis concerts? Are you surprised they have less volume?
Click to expand...

They are the Oasis tenor strings and I was surprised that they warmed up the uke since they were brighter than the Martin Tenor strings on another uke. I knew that sustain is affected but not volume.
 
Moore Bettah Ukuleles said:
At the very least it can add to the sustain of the instrument. You can even buy weights to add to the head stock of guitars. I know one builder who inserts lead under the head stock veneer to improve the sound he's looking for. I personally think there are other tonal benefits but that's just based on personal observation on my own instruments, nothing scientific. The weights and densities of certain neck woods will certainly affect the way an acoustic instrument responds. Same thing with using carbon fiber as a stiffener. I'm just not in the camp that believes that a tuner that is lighter is better in every way.



With this info, I may rethink having the Gotoh UPT's installed on my Kamaka Concert.
Click to expand...
 
I have a KoAloha tenor from 2010 with closed gear tuners that probably weigh about five pounds a piece. It's by far my most head-heavy uke; and it's also the best sounding overall. Huh. Every time I get it out I'm shocked by how heavy it is, for about five seconds, but then I totally forget about that because I really don't find tuner weight to be an issue on ukuleles. Even with KoAloha's Scepters and thin-bodied ukes- with their small bodies and long necks- I never really had any playability issues due to head-heaviness. I guess it's just a personal preference thing.
 
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I think my Kamaka longneck concert with the UPTs sounds just great. Since I have had it I also played another one at Gryphon that has the side keys and would not have traded mine for it.
 
Agree it's a preference in terms of balance. However, when I mainly fingerpick up and down the fretboard, a balanced uke is very important and I can honestly say the uke is easier to play after the switch.

I've had emails with Chuck and many conversations with my current custom about head weight, balance, slotted vs. non, carbon fiber, neck material, etc. and there seems to be many parts that affect the sound and not just tuner weight.
 
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