Acoustic Guitar Magazine's Players Choice Awards for Ukuleles - Discuss

mds725

mds725

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Acoutic Guitar Magazine conducts polls to come up with its "Players Choice Awards" for various types of guitars and other stringed instruments. It has announced on its website its Players Choice Awards for ukuleles.

Gold: Martin
Silver: Lanakai
Bronze: Cordoba

http://www.acousticguitar.com/News-Features/2014-Player-s-Choice-Awards/Player-s-Choice-Awards-Banjos-Mandolins-and-Ukuleles

All readers polls are necessarily self-selective, and the results often say as much about those who choose to particuipate in polls, the readership of the magazine conducting the polls, and how the polls are presented as they do about the subject of the polls. I think AG's ukulele awards reflect that most people who read AG and participated in this poll are guitarists who probably don't have that much experience with ukuleles or, if they do, with companies that make higher end ukuleles but don't make guitars. Many of these poll participants probably buy mostly or only inexpensive ukuleles. I don't know whether the poll was multiple choice or fill-in-the-blank, but I imagine that the results would be different if this poll was conducted among people who are primarily or exclusively ukulele players. (AG publishes Ukulele Magazine four times a year.)

Your thoughts?
 
mds725 said:
Acoutic Guitar Magazine conducts polls to come up with its "Players Choice Awards" for various types of guitars and other stringed instruments. It has announced on its website its Players Choice Awards for ukuleles.

Gold: Martin
Silver: Lanakai
Bronze: Cordoba

http://www.acousticguitar.com/News-Features/2014-Player-s-Choice-Awards/Player-s-Choice-Awards-Banjos-Mandolins-and-Ukuleles

All readers polls are necessarily self-selective, and the results often say as much about those who choose to particuipate in polls, the readership of the magazine conducting the polls, and how the polls are presented as they do about the subject of the polls. I think AG's ukulele awards reflect that most people who read AG and participated in this poll are guitarists who probably don't have that much experience with ukuleles or, if they do, with companies that make higher end ukuleles but don't make guitars. Many of these poll participants probably buy mostly or only inexpensive ukuleles. I don't know whether the poll was multiple choice or fill-in-the-blank, but I imagine that the results would be different if this poll was conducted among people who are primarily or exclusively ukulele players. (AG publishes Ukulele Magazine four times a year.)

Your thoughts?
Click to expand...

As a long time acoustic guitar player, the only ukulele headstock names I recognized initially were Martin and Collings, since they are well know for making quality guitars. I ended up with Ko'olau and Kamaka, which I had never heard of prior to purchasing, but I liked their sound best.

Tony
 
I totally agree, my thoughts when I saw that were huh? No disrespect intended for those brands, but I think the respondents had little experience with ukes as a primary instrument. If folks around these parts were polled, I think there would have been a lot of votes for MyaMoe, the K brands, Pono, and a lot of custom luthiers.

For the record, I would have responded:
1. Moore Bettah - an unbeatable (to me) union of beauty in tone and aesthetics
2. KoAloha - fantastic customer service/warranty with great tone and volume
3. Kamaka - I have to give them points for their longevity and typical Hawaiian sound.
 
I'll put my conspiracy hat on and ask if those three "winners' pay for big advertisements in the magazine.
 
mds725 said:
Acoutic Guitar Magazine conducts polls to come up with its "Players Choice Awards" for various types of guitars and other stringed instruments. It has announced on its website its Players Choice Awards for ukuleles.

Gold: Martin
Silver: Lanakai
Bronze: Cordoba

http://www.acousticguitar.com/News-Features/2014-Player-s-Choice-Awards/Player-s-Choice-Awards-Banjos-Mandolins-and-Ukuleles

All readers polls are necessarily self-selective, and the results often say as much about those who choose to particuipate in polls, the readership of the magazine conducting the polls, and how the polls are presented as they do about the subject of the polls. I think AG's ukulele awards reflect that most people who read AG and participated in this poll are guitarists who probably don't have that much experience with ukuleles or, if they do, with companies that make higher end ukuleles but don't make guitars. Many of these poll participants probably buy mostly or only inexpensive ukuleles. I don't know whether the poll was multiple choice or fill-in-the-blank, but I imagine that the results would be different if this poll was conducted among people who are primarily or exclusively ukulele players. (AG publishes Ukulele Magazine four times a year.)

Your thoughts?
Click to expand...

But but but... what about the Dolphin?

I'd love to see that poll done at this site. I doubt Cordoba or Lanikai would have gotten in. However I'd like lots of factors to determine things. Like bang for buck and quality control, and not just some high end elite names grabbing the top spots. Or have several categories for the contest. I'd be very interested in seeing that information all in one place.
 
wickedwahine11 said:
I totally agree, my thoughts when I saw that were huh? No disrespect intended for those brands, but I think the respondents had little experience with ukes as a primary instrument.
Click to expand...

Since Martin and Cordoba both have pretty roomy fretboards and are very broadly distributed, I'm not that surprised.

My thoughts are I'm stoked that a guitar magazine is even using any ink on the topic of ukes. It's a given that quite a few readers will give a uke some consideration who might have never thought twice about it before seeing that poll. And then when the dabble become a serious affliction like it has for us, they'll discover the brands we would have chosen.
 
looking at the advertising in the magazine...I wonder who voted...do you think Acoustic Guitar(Ukulele Magazine) had a vote..haha

not saying the ukes voted are bad...but no Hawaiian makers... :)
 
mds725 said:
Acoutic Guitar Magazine conducts polls to come up with its "Players Choice Awards" for various types of guitars and other stringed instruments. It has announced on its website its Players Choice Awards for ukuleles.

Gold: Martin
Silver: Lanakai
Bronze: Cordoba

http://www.acousticguitar.com/News-Features/2014-Player-s-Choice-Awards/Player-s-Choice-Awards-Banjos-Mandolins-and-Ukuleles

All readers polls are necessarily self-selective, and the results often say as much about those who choose to particuipate in polls, the readership of the magazine conducting the polls, and how the polls are presented as they do about the subject of the polls. I think AG's ukulele awards reflect that most people who read AG and participated in this poll are guitarists who probably don't have that much experience with ukuleles or, if they do, with companies that make higher end ukuleles but don't make guitars. Many of these poll participants probably buy mostly or only inexpensive ukuleles. I don't know whether the poll was multiple choice or fill-in-the-blank, but I imagine that the results would be different if this poll was conducted among people who are primarily or exclusively ukulele players. (AG publishes Ukulele Magazine four times a year.)
.....
Your thoughts?
Click to expand...

Well, I guess we know who advertises ukes the most in that magazine. :)
 
mds725 said:
Your thoughts?
Click to expand...

AGM has loved Martin since forever, so no big surprise for #1 (and as a Martin owner, I must agree... ;) ). The other two are a bit of a puzzle to me, since the Lanikais I've plunked on (several - we have a local dealer) seemed equal to or a notch below Ohana and Kala. And the Cordobas seem all over the place. One nearby dealer told me he's sending a recent bunch back due to bad QC (neck and body movement, heavy-ish build that kills resonance, etc. I played two of them and agree with him). I guess it's hit or miss with them since so many people have positive experiences. Maybe they're experiencing some growing pains with ramping up Chinese production?
 
Ukulele Eddie said:
Since Martin and Cordoba both have pretty roomy fretboards and are very broadly distributed, I'm not that surprised.
Click to expand...

Really? My T1K has a narrower fretboard at the nut than most of the ukes I've tried (1 11/32")
 
Gillian said:
I'll put my conspiracy hat on and ask if those three "winners' pay for big advertisements in the magazine.
Click to expand...
I'm a bit of a cynic, too. When I worked in the record biz a couple of lifetimes ago, it was common practice for a record label to take out a full-page color ad to celebrate their artists' achievements on the charts in that particular trade magazine. It would seem the amount the record labels spent on advertising in a publication often affected how high on the charts their releases went.
 
mds725 said:
Acoutic Guitar Magazine conducts polls to come up with its "Players Choice Awards" for various types of guitars and other stringed instruments. It has announced on its website its Players Choice Awards for ukuleles.

Gold: Martin
Silver: Lanakai
Bronze: Cordoba

http://www.acousticguitar.com/News-Features/2014-Player-s-Choice-Awards/Player-s-Choice-Awards-Banjos-Mandolins-and-Ukuleles

All readers polls are necessarily self-selective, and the results often say as much about those who choose to particuipate in polls, the readership of the magazine conducting the polls, and how the polls are presented as they do about the subject of the polls. I think AG's ukulele awards reflect that most people who read AG and participated in this poll are guitarists who probably don't have that much experience with ukuleles or, if they do, with companies that make higher end ukuleles but don't make guitars. Many of these poll participants probably buy mostly or only inexpensive ukuleles. I don't know whether the poll was multiple choice or fill-in-the-blank, but I imagine that the results would be different if this poll was conducted among people who are primarily or exclusively ukulele players. (AG publishes Ukulele Magazine four times a year.)

Your thoughts?
Click to expand...

stinky choice!
Martin of course excellent mainland made ukes of course!
lanikai meh their ok for beginners
cordoba meh dead i think.
 
Bill1 said:
I think it is great to see a magazine like AG mention the ukulele at all, even if it is with banjos and mandolins.
Click to expand...
AG puts out a quarterly uke mag, so I'm sure they feel the cross-promotion is advantageous.

When it came out, they put the first issue online for free (I want to think Jake was their feature story). I seem to recall it was pretty ad heavy.
 
itsme said:
AG puts out a quarterly uke mag, so I'm sure they feel the cross-promotion is advantageous.

When it came out, they put the first issue online for free (I want to think Jake was their feature story). I seem to recall it was pretty ad heavy.
Click to expand...

id rather seem them feature kimo hussey or lyle ritz jake is very talented but he's the van halen of the uke world just doesn't interest me as much as kimo or the classic style of lyle ritz.
 
I guess I really don't care what the readers of AGM think about ukuleles, unless they are ukers of course.
 
Last edited:
Bill1 said:
I think it is great to see a magazine like AG mention the ukulele at all, even if it is with banjos and mandolins. Unfortunately the link does not show the entire article, and I think it is likely that if you get the right edition of the magazine you will find all the contenders and some background info. Basically the link is a teaser to get you to find the magazine article and until you see the whole article, including all the ukes considered, it is impossible to make a meaningful comment. If someone has actually read the whole article maybe they could post the list of contenders and terms of reference.
Perhaps, if someone had a connection to AG they may be able to get the editor to arrange with UU to post the article here, I am sure that could be commercially useful to both UU and AG
Anyway in the end, the guitar readers who get AG (most will never have heard of UU) and want to get a ukulele for some recreational music, will take some notice of the list and some sales will result and you will see the AG medal thing in the advertising literature. So if you are a peeved seller of other brands, maybe you should see how much the results affect sales and work out whether or not you should pay any attention to the comments in the review.
Click to expand...

I have site access and downloaded a pdf of the issue that includes the Players Choice Awards. I've attached a copy of the page on which the ukulele poll appears. No more information than on the webpage, but prettier.

attachment.php
 
PhilUSAFRet said:
I guess I really don't care what the readers of AGM think about ukuleles.
Click to expand...

+1 for me. I wonder if they included the poll in the ukulele quarterly magazine? Yes, mass makers make and sell massive amounts of instruments. Is that what the results are reflecting?
 
LOL they must have an over stock in those brands.....great idea if you think in a marketing sense.....
 
My 3:
KoAloha
Martin
Blackbird Clara (for innovation)

Full disclosure, you can see below that I own examples of all three.
 
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