ailevin
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2022
- Messages
- 220
- Points
- 93
I experienced a Christmas miracle yesterday. My wife and I exchanged gifts early before our kids and grandchildren arrived. The protocol here is that the kids open stockings, then we have the Christmas meal, and then the true present opening frenzy begins. Four of five sons were here, each with a partner plus five grandchildren so there were 13 piles of gifts to open. It was loud and at times a bit wild, with epic destruction of wrapping paper. I was mostly occupied with releasing toys bound to their cartons with an uncountable number of zip ties.
In the midst of this chaos I noticed that a large wrapped box had appeared on my right with a tag that said, "To Gramps From Kimo." As I torn off the paper and saw it was a shipping box from TUS I was thinking, "Did she really do this?" She did! I pried a well packed hard case out of the shipping material and found a brand new KoAloha KTM-00 Koa Tenor strung in low G. The paperwork in the box showed that it had been ordered Nov 9, long before my first post here.
Anyway, after everyone had gone home, my wife and I had a chance to play both the new KTM and our much loved Pono ATD. I have had a chance to play the new ukulele during several practice sessions today. The KTM had been sitting for many weeks packed away at low string tension, and it is a brand new solid wood instrument. I understand that it may take a while for the strings to settle, and for the instrument to open up and develop its full potential. Perhaps it is just the power of suggestion, but the differences between the ATD and the KTM seem more distinct today than they did last night.
Physically the KTM is smaller in several respects. It is a bit lighter in weight, the body dimensions are only slightly smaller than the ATD, except for the depth. The KTM body is noticeably thinner. The ATD neck is fuller and more rounded than the KTM. The KTM balance is also different, so that the neck feels much lighter than the ATD when held in playing position. The action on the KTM is very nice. Either the stock strings are higher tension or the action is set slightly higher on the KTM compare to the ATD. So far, I don't see any of these differences as significant advantages or disadvantages as far a playability is concerned. I am much more used to the ATD, so it will take some time to see what I think about the physical differences. So far, I mostly notice the thinner body which may be slightly more comfortable, and the difference in balance which makes the entire ukulele feel lighter when I am holding it in playing position.
While the physical dimensions of the KoAloha are generally smaller than the Pono, the sound is generally bigger. It has more volume, more sustain, and a richer tone. I've noticed that higher end ukuleles that I've tried have a surprisingly good balance of volume and tone on all four strings. On the KTM, every note just sings on every string up and down the fretboard. I think much of this is due to differences in design and execution though perhaps better materials play a role as well. When played loud, the ukulele maintains its mellow sound, when played soft it maintains its rich tone. This gives me a wider range of available dynamics without pushing as hard at either end. I guess I'd call that responsiveness. l would describe the sound signature as very integrated or very smooth with a bell-like quality to the tone. The Pono ATD has a similar bell-like tone profile, and it is a beautiful sounding instrument, but the KTM just does most everything a bit better. It has a more sonorous and slightly more woody tone.
Enough of comparative details. The new KoAloha ukulele is gorgeous and a joy to play. I am still can't quite believe it: that I could be caught so totally by surprise, that she would choose that particular ukulele without any consultation, and that it is now sitting in my living room waiting for us to play it whenever we like. Miraculous.
In the midst of this chaos I noticed that a large wrapped box had appeared on my right with a tag that said, "To Gramps From Kimo." As I torn off the paper and saw it was a shipping box from TUS I was thinking, "Did she really do this?" She did! I pried a well packed hard case out of the shipping material and found a brand new KoAloha KTM-00 Koa Tenor strung in low G. The paperwork in the box showed that it had been ordered Nov 9, long before my first post here.
Anyway, after everyone had gone home, my wife and I had a chance to play both the new KTM and our much loved Pono ATD. I have had a chance to play the new ukulele during several practice sessions today. The KTM had been sitting for many weeks packed away at low string tension, and it is a brand new solid wood instrument. I understand that it may take a while for the strings to settle, and for the instrument to open up and develop its full potential. Perhaps it is just the power of suggestion, but the differences between the ATD and the KTM seem more distinct today than they did last night.
Physically the KTM is smaller in several respects. It is a bit lighter in weight, the body dimensions are only slightly smaller than the ATD, except for the depth. The KTM body is noticeably thinner. The ATD neck is fuller and more rounded than the KTM. The KTM balance is also different, so that the neck feels much lighter than the ATD when held in playing position. The action on the KTM is very nice. Either the stock strings are higher tension or the action is set slightly higher on the KTM compare to the ATD. So far, I don't see any of these differences as significant advantages or disadvantages as far a playability is concerned. I am much more used to the ATD, so it will take some time to see what I think about the physical differences. So far, I mostly notice the thinner body which may be slightly more comfortable, and the difference in balance which makes the entire ukulele feel lighter when I am holding it in playing position.
While the physical dimensions of the KoAloha are generally smaller than the Pono, the sound is generally bigger. It has more volume, more sustain, and a richer tone. I've noticed that higher end ukuleles that I've tried have a surprisingly good balance of volume and tone on all four strings. On the KTM, every note just sings on every string up and down the fretboard. I think much of this is due to differences in design and execution though perhaps better materials play a role as well. When played loud, the ukulele maintains its mellow sound, when played soft it maintains its rich tone. This gives me a wider range of available dynamics without pushing as hard at either end. I guess I'd call that responsiveness. l would describe the sound signature as very integrated or very smooth with a bell-like quality to the tone. The Pono ATD has a similar bell-like tone profile, and it is a beautiful sounding instrument, but the KTM just does most everything a bit better. It has a more sonorous and slightly more woody tone.
Enough of comparative details. The new KoAloha ukulele is gorgeous and a joy to play. I am still can't quite believe it: that I could be caught so totally by surprise, that she would choose that particular ukulele without any consultation, and that it is now sitting in my living room waiting for us to play it whenever we like. Miraculous.
