Concert that sounds like a tenor?

bearbike137

bearbike137

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Has anyone ever played a concert size ukulele that nearly sounded like a tenor (including sustain, intonation, and fullness all the way up the fretboard)?

I love the tone of tenors, but a badly reset broken pinky has limited my reach. I guess I should add that I play mostly fingerstyle.

Any thoughts? Thank you.
 
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I have a Collings UC-1 that's broken in to the max. I don't know that it necessarily sounds like a tenor, but it definitely has a throaty, rugged voice. I absolutely love it. It's pretty versatile, too; sounds great picked or strummed, and has excellent sustain. Not cheap though... glad I got it before the price increase. Still worth the money, however, in my opinion. They're the best production ukuleles I've experienced thus far. I also have a UC-2 sunburst that could hang in a museum as far as I'm concerned. It's perfect.
 
Aaron at HMS reviewed the Cordoba 20CM, and said it sounds like his tenor. Not a high end ukelele, but a very nice instrument. I don't know about all the way up the fretboard, however. Aaron's review is on HMS's site. I've spoken to Aaron on the phone, and he really likes Cordoba ukeleles.

EDIT: Aaron was reviewing the 15CM: http://www.theukulelesite.com/cordoba-15cm-mahogany-concert.html

I've played the 20CM and the 15CM, and owned the 20TM. The 20CM adds a bit more quality to the 15CM's good tone and volume.
 
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My daughter plays a KoAloha Pikake Concert and it booms. It can keep up with my Collings UT-1 strumming wise. Finger picking the Collings sounds "fuller" That could be a bunch of different things, Tenor vs Concert, Mahogany vs Koa, Living water vs Worth Brown.

I really like both of them, different sounds/styles.

My vote, KoAloha, have heard that plenty of times on here how loud and great they are.
 
You might check out the Tiny Tenor by Romero Creations. Quite reasonably priced and the two I've played had a very nice sound. Here is a link with sound sample.
 
blowery said:
My daughter plays a KoAloha Pikake Concert and it booms. It can keep up with my Collings UT-1 strumming wise. Finger picking the Collings sounds "fuller" That could be a bunch of different things, Tenor vs Concert, Mahogany vs Koa, Living water vs Worth Brown.

I really like both of them, different sounds/styles.

My vote, KoAloha, have heard that plenty of times on here how loud and great they are.
Click to expand...
my vote too
 
Some of my sopranos are as loud, or nearly as loud, as some of my tenors. That doesn't mean they have the sustain, ring, or bottom end of a tenor, though (especially up the neck). If it's primarily volume and sustain you're looking for, I recommend a pickup. In fact, even if you are looking for improved bottom end a pickup can help some. For acoustic performance, bottom end seems pretty tightly coupled to soundboard size and body volume.

A pickup and a small (but good) amp will even let you run low-G on a concert and get good tonal response - better than an acoustic tenor, probably.

John
 
Kamaka Ohta-San is a concert made for finger style and sounds great with a low-g string.
 
I have a Pohaku concert, custom, that is very rich and full and compares favorably to my tenors. But dunno if it's truly possible to get a tenor sound and volume out of that smaller size.
 
Caveat, I haven't played one. But you might look into concert pineapples. I'm thinking specifically of Mele Ukulele. They have a true concert body, concert scale pineapple in solid mahogany or koa. Ohana also has a solid mahog.

Or a concert Fluke, which I've played and enjoyed--except for the shape. :eek:
 
Kanile'a, any concert. Listen to one at HMS then quick as you can, listen to any other tenor from Cordoba to Kala. Also think that Peaceweaver3 has a good idea re: pineapple.
 
NewKid said:
Kamaka Ohta-San is a concert made for finger style and sounds great with a low-g string.
Click to expand...

Okay, I tried playing the same song with both my Ohta-san and my husband's Kamaka tenor. We were both very surprised to find that the Ohta-san, at least the one I have with the spruce top, does indeed sound like a tenor, in fact more like a tenor than the tenor does. Who'd have thought it.
 
If it sounds like a tenor...shouldn't it be a tenor? it's like an alto woman singing low...but still being called and alto woman...and visa versa for a high singing tenor...looks like...sounds like...walks like...a duck...just saying...
 
blue_knight_usa said:
Pohaku Concert 10 Mahogany. Booming concert as big as a tenor.
Click to expand...

Agreed. Same goes for the regular Pohaku Concert, like the one I was fortunate enough to buy used.
Concert-B&W-Bridge-01.jpg
 

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Ohana Vita has a surprisingly loud full sound...
 
Kaniela Super Concert. My Kanilea super concert sounds better than most all Tenors I have owned, and I have owned many tenors that exceed the $1000 price tag.
 
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