NUD - Islander MC-4...

UkerDanno

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Just arrived today after delivery dates changing 4 times. Islander MC-4 laminate, off of Ebay, I was a little torn between saving money and getting a guaranteed setup. But the seller has 100% positive feedback. It seems to play well with no buzz. Tone is mellow with standard Aquilas and a thick laminate mahogany top, but it sounds nice! Neck width at the nut is wider than I'm used to, I'll see how I like that.
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the laminate wall...
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strings are settled in and it seems it's opening up! This thing sounds really good! The body is larger than the standard concert size, wider and deeper, and with the wider neck, it just has a more substantial feel than a standard concert.

Is the wider neck a standard Kanilea thing? Who else makes wider necks? Not sure if I like it yet (wider necks), makes some chords more than a stretch than I'm used to, since I also play sopranos a bit.

strange thing...plucking the A string creates a vibration in the body under my right forearm that sort of tickles...wondering if there's a thin spot there or what?
 
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I have one of these and for a cheap laminate it is pretty good. Its kind of my play outdoors and throw in the car uke. For a cheap laminate the sound is quite open and sustain is decent. The wider necks are a Kanilea "thing". I like them in a concert - makes fingerpicking easier and a bit more room for chording but not in a tenor.
 
Congratulations! I hope you are able to acclimate to the wider neck. My sons each have a Lanikai concert with a slightly wider neck and I can feel the difference from my Ohana concert.
 
Is the wider neck a standard Kanalea thing? Who else makes wider necks?

From what I understand, wide necks are standard Kanilea (and Islander). KoAlohas have wider necks (at least the tenor), as do some Cordobas (the 22T, for one). There are others, too, but I can't remember them.

I have an Islander MT-4 that I have liked a lot (for the price), especially with Fremont Blackline strings on it.
 
Just arrived today after delivery dates changing 4 times. Islander MC-4 laminate, off of Ebay, I was a little torn between saving money and getting a guaranteed setup. But the seller has 100% positive feedback. It seems to play well with no buzz. Tone is mellow with standard Aquilas and a thick laminate mahogany top, but it sounds nice! Neck width at the nut is wider than I'm used to, I'll see how I like that.
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the laminate wall...
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nice uke is that a concert?
 
Congrats! I keep hearing really good things about Ilanders....let us know!
 
The sopranos do as well. A feature I regard highly as I find the generous width much more comfortable to play.

The Koalohas all have narrower necks than the Islander and Kanilea of the comparable sizes.
 
The Koalohas all have narrower necks than the Islander and Kanilea of the comparable sizes.

I just measured my Islander (almost two years old) and KoAloha (four months old) and each one is 1.5" at the nut. Both are tenors. Maybe there is some variation in a more recent Islander, or in other (non-tenor) sizes.
 
I just measured my Islander (almost two years old) and KoAloha (four months old) and each one is 1.5" at the nut. Both are tenors. Maybe there is some variation in a more recent Islander, or in other (non-tenor) sizes.

my Islander is 1.5", my Martin C1K is 1 3/8" +/-...feels like a lot more difference when playing.
 
my Islander is 1.5", my Martin C1K is 1 3/8" +/-...feels like a lot more difference when playing.

I find that, too, at least with certain chords (such as Bb, at least the way I play it), and with picking. I now avoid buying anything but 1.5" ukes, which really limits me . . . and/or really saves time when looking.
 
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