Martin Iz tenor

Your remark Consitter, makes me think about the "barefoot economics", where the person makes by just fine with how he/she is and doesn't want to be a slave to it's product.
Quick example: a woman in South America makes her poncho my hand and sells them at the market. Say she makes 5 or 6 ponchos a week. People provide her with a machine to help her out with the poncho-making. They think that when they will come back in a few months, the woman will be making more ponchos and thus more money and "better herself" and her "situation". But when they come back, they find that she still makes the same amount of ponchos. When they ask her about the machine, she says it's great and she still uses it everyday, but the machine enables her to spend more time with her family and more time for herself which is more important to her than making more money...
Just like Consitter stated, perhaps Kamaka could do slotted headstocks but it may require more investing on their part (people and money wise), and perhaps they are happy just the way things are; their customers sure seem always happy with their products, so why change?
Especially with a company that has so much history and that has survived so many economical challenges...
My humble 2 cents...

But back on topic, any other thoughts on the Martin Iz Tenor? I am curious...
Do people buy this type of ukulele as an investment or for playing?
 
But it's a Jake Shimabukuro Limited Edition >_<
A slotted headstock is kinda the point. Sorry, I'm OCD'ing on this issue, been driving me nuts for years @.@


So far, here's the one attention to detail with Martin that I'm impressed with; they remembered to tune it low-G by default. Good on them!
 
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I'm with kissing on the slotted headstocks on the Jake Kamakas. It's what Jake plays, make it that way (and what'd they make, like, 100 of them or something over a few years--it's a limited edition). If Mya Moe can make slotted headstocks by hand ($250 each), I'm thinking Kamaka could, too, for their $5000+ Jake models.

Similarly, Iz didn't use Pegheds. If I was buying an Iz ukulele--and I'm not--I'd want it to be as similar to Iz's as humanly possible.

(That's why I don't buy a modern Iz facsimile, and instead bought a traditional vintage Martin tenor with friction pegs. Just like Iz used. Thanks, Iz!)

(PS I also agree with you, kissing, about Martin's Dick Boak, at least on that video, knowing less about Iz than even I do. Sad.)
 
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I think people are missing the point about calling something a "INSERT FAMOUS PERSON NAME" model. That means, it should be as close to what that person is playing unless it's more of an endorsement or inspired by model.

This thread isn't asking if Kamaka should make slotted headstocks for everyone. My 1 cent take but it seems like things getting personal, which is the point I'm making I think :confused:
 
If you want to commemorate Iz, put a picture of him on your wall. It will resemble the man himself a lot more closely than the Martin will resemble his Uke. It's a cynical marketing exercise by Martin, nothing more.
 
I understood the Martin to be a tribute model, not a replication of Iz's ukulele. The rosewood head plate with the hibiscus inlay is also unlike Iz's standard style 1. Of course it is also a marketing effort, but I don't know that it is any more cynical than other marketing ploys. Unfortunately, Martin is not making any traditional style 1 models apart from this one. What are now style 1 Martins don't look like the old ones, which I happen to think are quite attractive.

I also doubt that there is anything intentionally dismissive of customers going on at the Kamaka factory. Maybe they don't realize that a slotted headstock is so important to buyers. Hasn't the Jake model sold out anyway?
 
Nothing wrong with these business marketing ploys....either you like them or not, or either you like their prices or not....these are niche ukes, whether you are satisfied with the prices or not and
they are what they are....there will always be someone to buy them...Assuming too much between the lines what the company does or it's intent is just Seinfeild drama to me....personally I tried them and think they are nice....
 
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mm stan said:
Nothing wrong with these business marketing ploys....either you like them or not, or either you like their prices or not....these are niche ukes, whether you are satisfied with the prices or not and
they are what they are....there will always be someone to buy them...Assuming too much between the lines what the company does or it's intent is just Seinfeild drama to me....personally I tried them and think they are nice....
Click to expand...

Hey Stan Seinfeild was a comedy not a drama!haha

I thought the Iz was nice....but not my style....
 
To the OP- I haven't seen them, but I like Martins. I think they missed the mark by not having bridge pins like Iz did. I also believe Iz played a 14 fret-to-body model (late 60s). Would have been nice to commomorate him with something closer to what he actually played. Original spec, then add the bling, if you will.

To the "what is Kamaka doing with the Jake model" crowd- I'm with you. Makes me appreciate what Kanilea did with the Aldrine model. This is the true gold standard- same appointments and same log!!! It doesn't get closer than that!
 
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