FrankB
Well-known member
And if there is, which makers best represent it? I have a couple of solid Kala tenors (very nice), and have a Martin Koa concert that rings and resonates like a steel string guitar. The Koaloha and Kamaka ukuleles I've owned/own do not have that jangly sound which oozes out of the Martin. Martin has been making ukuleles almost as long as Kamaka, but I don't know if they sold many in Hawaii 90 years ago. I don't know what a vintage Martin sounds like either.
Times change, and musical styles evolve, sometimes rapidly. Jake's Koa Kamaka sounds rather dry (unplugged) compared to some other brands I've heard. I'm still trying to decide whether the relatively woody tone of my Kamaka is better than the jangly, highly resonant tone of the Martin. I do know without a doubt that the Martin's resonance can be a bit much sometimes, and actually bothers my ears. OTOH, there are certainly times when it sounds good. The Koaloha I had fell somewhere between the Martin and Kamaka in terms of resonance, and all three have about the same volume with Oasis strings.
Are there any pros who would exemplify a traditional Hawaiian sound? Is anyone interested in a traditional Hawaiian sounding uke? I'll use a Martin 0015 vs a D-28, and say the 0015 suits blues playing better than the D-28. Maybe a poor comparison, but the only one I can think of besides a realflamenco guitar like a Paco de Lucia's Condes, and a Yamaha "flamenco". Those guitars are separated by a great deal of cash, so I'll say using a Conde for flamenco, and a classical guitar like Paco Pena sometimes used.
Times change, and musical styles evolve, sometimes rapidly. Jake's Koa Kamaka sounds rather dry (unplugged) compared to some other brands I've heard. I'm still trying to decide whether the relatively woody tone of my Kamaka is better than the jangly, highly resonant tone of the Martin. I do know without a doubt that the Martin's resonance can be a bit much sometimes, and actually bothers my ears. OTOH, there are certainly times when it sounds good. The Koaloha I had fell somewhere between the Martin and Kamaka in terms of resonance, and all three have about the same volume with Oasis strings.
Are there any pros who would exemplify a traditional Hawaiian sound? Is anyone interested in a traditional Hawaiian sounding uke? I'll use a Martin 0015 vs a D-28, and say the 0015 suits blues playing better than the D-28. Maybe a poor comparison, but the only one I can think of besides a realflamenco guitar like a Paco de Lucia's Condes, and a Yamaha "flamenco". Those guitars are separated by a great deal of cash, so I'll say using a Conde for flamenco, and a classical guitar like Paco Pena sometimes used.