I'm a bit braver just by reading the posts. Wowzers.
Part of me wants to bask in the glow of admiration from those admiring my bravery...but, honestly, there is a back story that diminishes the bravery required by a fair amount.
The short story is this long neck soprano that I bought used (only a couple of months after it's manufacture date, though) always had some intonation issues (up the neck). I went so far as to glue up an extra thick bridge saddle with a "bump" for the C and E strings so I could get intonation. Like most KoAloha ukes it didn't like the really high tension strings that I use on many of my ukes. I found, however, that it sounded great and, after carving my new saddle, had great intonation with Ko'Olau Alohi
tenor strings. Then two months later the intonation was horrible again even with a fresh set of strings.
That's when I looked closely and realized that the bridge was curling forward. The top had only dimpled a little more than usual between the bridge and the soundhole but it was enough to throw the top of the saddle forward and mess up the intonation up the neck. It had apparently been curling even with the stock strings and the Alohi tenor strings hastened the process.
I took the strings off about three months ago and started hydrating the bejabbers out of it. The top returned to it's normal profile but I had the feeling that it would start curling forward again as soon as I put strings on it, even the mediums it comes with. So, I was kind of in a quandry.
I couldn't in good conscious ask KoAloha to fix it because they have such great service they would probably insist on replacing it under warranty even though the damage was really my fault for using the tenor strings.
I also couldn't in good conscious string it up with light strings and sell it to someone knowing that it might curl again.
So, I decided I was going to have to put braces in but doing so would destroy the resale value completely and that's when I hit on the idea of converting it to 5-string, too since I was going to be "stuck" with it and I find that I'm really enamored of 5-strings.
I expect that the braces are going to reduce some of the "openness" and volume characteristic of KoAloha ukes, but it will still be gorgeous and probably a very good player...just not fully up to what one expects from KoAloha.
I also decided that I would pull the under-soundboard pickup out and put in a MiSi as an under saddle pickup should do a better job of picking up the low G notes on the small body than a soundboard transducer.
So...not so much bravery as "nothing left to lose. "
John
So what are your plans for your new one of a kind 5 string KoAloha? Will we get a sound sample? Can I send you my Kanile'a for your next conversion?
Heh, heh. I don't work on other folks instruments...too much stress involved!
You've decided to go stringless and full percussive! Cool!
LOL - well, if the five string doesn't work out...that's a possibility!
John