Pineapple Talk

I recently picked up a Koaloha longnecked pineapple, soprano body with a concert neck, which I absolutely love! This is my favourite uke of all time.

I'm toying with the idea of checking out a Kamaka pineapple and wondered, seeing as I already have a longneck, how the regular neck soprano would compare to my Koaloha.

I'd be interested in your thoughts on this and/or if you are lucky enough to have both longneck pineapple and regular, how you like 'em?

You might be pretty "spoiled" after that KoAloha Longneck

Oh, pineapple talk is my favorite kind of talk!

I own a Kamaka HP-1, which is my favorite uke of all time. So much that I talked a fellow uke player into buying one just last night - she played mine and it was that strong of a selling point.

A couple of thoughts: first, if you try a Kamaka pineapple with the stock black nylon strings, chances are you will be underwhelmed - especially if you have a Koaloha longneck to compare it to, as those sound sweet with *their* stock strings. So for a fair comparison, string that Kamaka with fluorocarbons (I prefer Martins, but anything would be better than the awful factory strings!).

Another consideration would be whether or not you like the soprano scale. The difference between the concert neck on your Koaloha and the Kamaka soprano neck will be noticeable. Kamaka does, however, make a longneck pineapple with a concert neck (the HP-1L).

I've played a number of both of these, and I think they are different enough that you can justify having one of each on the basis of sound alone. As for the soprano vs. concert fretboard, that depends on your preferences. Personally, since I'm a small person with child-size hands, I find anything larger than a soprano scale increasingly difficult to play, but I seem to be the exception - most of the players I know tend to struggle with the smaller scale (particularly those with larger hands and/or a guitar background). I actually was considering the Koaloha longneck pineapple a while back, but I passed because I wasn't comfortable with the concert scale neck - but it was a lovely uke regardless.

Both are great instruments. The KoAloha is definitely louder and brighter. I don't think anyone could go wrong with either. It is purely personal taste. Since you already have a pineapple maybe you would want the Kamaka in a different size?

Your comments are really helping me think about important variables.

Yes, neck length.. I haven't actually spent much time playing the soprano size, that's a consideration I will need to address.

I definitely prefer bright and loud as in the Koaloha sound. So are you saying Kamaka pineapple will be more subdued?
Never heard one live and you know its pretty hard to tell on a video. I think tone and volume us really something I need to 'feel' even more than 'hear', do you know what I mean?

fretie said:

I definitely prefer bright and loud as in the Koaloha sound. So are you saying Kamaka pineapple will be more subdued?
Never heard one live and you know its pretty hard to tell on a video. I think tone and volume us really something I need to 'feel' even more than 'hear', do you know what I mean?

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I'm not sure that I'd say "subdued," but to my ear, Kamakas in general have fuller lower tones than Koalohas, which just sound clear and loud and bright to me (not that that's a bad thing, just very different from the Kamaka sound!) - but in comparison I do think the Kamakas may lack a bit of volume. Probably not that noticeably unless you're actually doing a comparison side by side.

If you're not able to try in person, my suggestion would be to contact Hawaii Music Supply - I've never bought from them but a friend just did, and he said they played ukes over the phone for him so he could compare and choose based on sound - which I'm thinking might be more accurate than judging by a video, considering all the additional variables.

I have some really old sound samples of three Kamakas posted here if you want to take a listen. And here's something played on the pineapple.

Thanks for those sound samples, janeray. Yes, I definitely sense that 'lower volume' that you described.

Could be a reason for me to pull back a little on my interest in a Kamaka pineapple. I fell hard for the Koaloha, my first ever pineapple, that it just got me thinking of adding another K koa pineapple, the baby sister, soprano. But I'm not sure I'd be enamoured with the lesser 'loud and bright' quality that I may end up with.

I have Kamaka and Koaloha concerts and sopranos. The Koalohas are brighter, for sure. The Kamakas are fuller and warmer. I'm not sure that the Koalohas are louder. It may be that they seem so simply because they are brighter. I prefer the feel of the Kamakas, but as has been said, they are different enough that a comparison seems moot. I mean, if you think you prefer Koalohas ...

My experience with long necks is they are usually louder. Which makes sense longer string, more vibration, bigger sound.

Bill1 said:

If you have found your favourite uke of all time why not enjoy it for a while without thinking about getting another uke. Keep adding to the stash of cash and look for a more special buy when the shine finally wears off. In the pineapple range you have a lot of choice, an old Kamaka, a custom Kamaka or other maker, etc. then there are wood choices, mahogany, Koa etc.

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Thank you, Bill, point well made!

hmgberg said:

I prefer the feel of the Kamakas...

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So do I, and this post by fretie asking about rosewood fretboards got me to wondering if that has something to do with it. Non-custom Kamakas have rosewood fretboards, but I think the non-custom Koaloha fretboards are koa. Personally I've found the rosewood fretboards to be more playable - I feel like they are somehow smoother, whereas the Koaloha fretboards feel sort of... resistant?... to me.

I like both my Kala pina and my Flea concert! Just a bit of difference in feel...the Flea actually feels better, but both are great players!

I have a Koaloha concert scale pineapple and a semi custom concert scale pineapple Kamaka with spruce top/ebony fretboard and saddle with factory installed pick-up. They are both superb but I have to give the edge to my ear the Kamaka. I did change the factory strings of the Kamaka to Worth and to me made a huge difference. Couldn't go wrong with either.

SailingUke said:

My experience with long necks is they are usually louder. Which makes sense longer string, more vibration, bigger sound.

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true and longer sustain. yep, as su says

janeray1940 said:

So do I, and this post by fretie asking about rosewood fretboards got me to wondering if that has something to do with it. Non-custom Kamakas have rosewood fretboards, but I think the non-custom Koaloha fretboards are koa. Personally I've found the rosewood fretboards to be more playable - I feel like they are somehow smoother, whereas the Koaloha fretboards feel sort of... resistant?... to me.

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Wow, definitely something to consider, not that I'm in the market for a pineapple right now. Tell you what, Frettie, you go ahead and get a Kamaka pineapple and whichever one you love least, you can send it to me.

Kamaka seems to be hit or miss even between instruments of the same wood-type and size. I would not have another one without having the opportunity to hear and play it; and with the intention of reselling it to someone else. There are many builders who use different woods and some other variables which affect play-ability and sound. Zero fret-side port- shape and placement of the sound opening away from the centre of the top-small bridge and through the body stringing-PEGHED tuners-matching tail button and side of neck- comparable price are some of the reasons I would not buy another Kamaka of any size or configuration for my own playing.

TheCraftedCow said:

Kamaka seems to be hit or miss even between instruments of the same wood-type and size. I would not have another one without having the opportunity to hear and play it; and with the intention of reselling it to someone else. There are many builders who use different woods and some other variables which affect play-ability and sound. Zero fret-side port- shape and placement of the sound opening away from the centre of the top-small bridge and through the body stringing-PEGHED tuners-matching tail button and side of neck- comparable price are some of the reasons I would not buy another Kamaka of any size or configuration for my own playing.

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I SO agree with this. I have never bought an instrument that I didn't play first. One of the reasons I shop at local stores. On-line shopping is great for many things, but not instruments.

stringy said:

I SO agree with this. I have never bought an instrument that I didn't play first. One of the reasons I shop at local stores. On-line shopping is great for many things, but not instruments.

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Agree completely. Every uke I've bought sight unseen has been re-homed. After the third time - I figured it was a lesson learned.

janeray1940 said:

Agree completely. Every uke I've bought sight unseen has been re-homed. After the third time - I figured it was a lesson learned.

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Your lesson learned will help a lot of people

I agree that shopping in person is best, but as for for those of us who live in the boonies... we are more apt to take the risk of shopping on-line. I have had good luck so far, but maybe I'm just lucky. I've bought many instruments using the Internet. Some expensive ones, and some cheaper ones. I sold a few, kept the rest, and I'm probably not done yet :>)