Ohana SK-25S vs SK-35S

[Wiggy]

Are they the same, but for the difference of added purfling and headstock trim on the 35S?

The headstock shapes are a bit different. The 25 is pointy and the 35 is rounded.

Does the 35S have a fuller (more 'woofy' than 'barky') tone? It will be low G.

 

[Cluze]

Are they the same, but for the difference of added purfling and headstock trim on the 35S?

The headstock shapes are a bit different. The 25 is pointy and the 35 is rounded.

Does the 35S have a fuller (more 'woofy' than 'barky') tone? It will be low G.

I believe that the only difference between the 25 and the 35 line is the aesthetics. They are virtually identical otherwise: same material (solid mahogany), same body size/shape, same everything. I don't think either will sound fuller than the other model. Their difference is really just about looks.

 

[chris667]

The SK35 is "premium" mahogany, the SK25 is "normal" mahogany.

The S means satin finish. The alternative is G, or gloss finish. It's the same thickness of finish but there's a matting agent.

Like all mass-produced Asian manufactured ukes Ohana quality control is pretty variable. You can get a good or bad example of either, so play the one you want to buy rather than buying online. I used to know someone who had an SK25 which was superb, the best Ohana I ever played. Most aren't.

I am surprised people still buy Ohanas. There is a lot more choice than there was 10 years ago.

 

[Wiggy]

The SK35 is "premium" mahogany, the SK25 is "normal" mahogany.

...Ohana quality control is pretty variable...

I perused the Ohana site and It looks like the SK-38/39 series is "premium" mahogany.

I prefer satin finish and geared tuners.

I have 4 Ohanas: CK-70W, TK-50R, PKT-25G and VK-70R. None are all solid; thus my curiosity. They are all very satisfactory and required only minimal nut slot adjustment for the way I like. My random sample purchases have been very consistent. Ohana's neck shape and general "feel" (action) will likely keep me coming back.

The 35S is understated and very attractive. It would only be about $35 more.

 

[badhabits]

going by their website photos, the Sk25 also has no facing on the headstock and has a more 'blocky' heel, instead of their more typical pointy triangular shape. interestingly/?strangely, the sk25 is one of the only ohanas that has a 3-point headstock, even the concert size -25 has their usual rounded top.

I have the CK-35s, in part due to satin finish, gears, and nicer cosmetics...also it sounds great (to my ears).

 

[chris667]

They are all very satisfactory and required only minimal nut slot adjustment for the way I like. My random sample purchases have been very consistent. Ohana's neck shape and general "feel" (action) will likely keep me coming back.

I was (albeit briefly) a dealer for Ohana.

Out of my first batch of 14 one was very good, one sounded awful and the bridge was coming off one. The rest were average.

The 35S is understated and very attractive. It would only be about $35 more.

You should never judge an instrument by its looks.

 

[Graham Greenbag]

going by their website photos, the Sk25 also has no facing on the headstock and has a more 'blocky' heel, instead of their more typical pointy triangular shape. interestingly/?strangely, the sk25 is one of the only ohanas that has a 3-point headstock, even the concert size -25 has their usual rounded top.

I have the CK-35s, in part due to satin finish, gears, and nicer cosmetics...also it sounds great (to my ears).

I have a second-hand CK-35GS which I now quite like, it needed some set-up work, etc., and to me it seems sensitive to strings. Aquila SNG’s seem fine on my CK-35 but there might be ones that are a better match to it. Please, what strings do you use?

Are they the same, but for the difference of added purfling and headstock trim on the 35S?

The headstock shapes are a bit different. The 25 is pointy and the 35 is rounded.

Does the 35S have a fuller (more 'woofy' than 'barky') tone? It will be low G.

The Soprano is what I most like to play and but for their too narrow (for me) nut width I’d have an Ohana. Yes, there are some questions about QA and some do play better than others but for the money you pay you’re likely to get reasonable value and particularly so if you play the instrument first or deal with say Mim (ie. someone who actually does proper quantity ASSURANCE on what leaves their shop).

My preference is for the unfussy, but I like protective binding too. IMHO there’s little to choose between the 25 and the 35, for me it’d be a case of what’s available and at what price. Don’t expect it to play like a Martin, ‘cause there are reasons why they cost three times more, but enjoy them for what they are. I know of at least two good players who have or have had better Ukes and still think that the SK35 could perfectly well meet all of their playing needs. The guy in this video is one of them:

As for me, we’ll I don’t play that well and anyway my fat fingers need a wide nut and the Ohana Sop’s are only 34 mm.

IIRC Mim has a video of the solid mahogany Ohana Sopranos. Here’s a start:

 

[badhabits]

I have a second-hand CK-35GS which I now quite like, it needed some set-up work, etc., and to me it seems sensitive to strings. Aquila SNG’s seem fine on my CK-35 but there might be ones that are a better match to it. Please, what strings do you use?

I bought mine new about a year and a half ago (with a set up). It came with the ubiquitous nylguts, and was switched to plain ol' martin M600s. At some point I switched to either fremont clears or oasis. Shortly thereafter the A string snapped, so I went back to M600s because that is what I had on hand. I haven't experimented with a lot of (fc) strings (in part due to not wanting to go down that rabbit hole), and the subtle differences may be lost on me. Also, remember my CK-35s is still fairly young.

 

[Graham Greenbag]

I bought mine new about a year and a half ago (with a set up). It came with the ubiquitous nylguts, and was switched to plain ol' martin M600s. At some point I switched to either fremont clears or oasis. Shortly thereafter the A string snapped, so I went back to M600s because that is what I had on hand. I haven't experimented with a lot of (fc) strings (in part due to not wanting to go down that rabbit hole), and the subtle differences may be lost on me. Also, remember my CK-35s is still fairly young.

Thanks. My second-hand but almost certainly previously little used CK35 came with a gash set of strings on it, I changed them to Martin M600’s because I already had a packet of them and because they have worked well for me on other Ukes. I liked the M600’s but also wanted a bit less treble and a bit more bass and mid range out of my particular CK35 Uke - it’s definitely improved with time but originally the thick top didn’t seem to respond to lower frequencies well. I think that the thick gloss finish doesn’t help the sound either.

It’s a tough and subjective call but to my ear ears the SNG’s are a marginally better match to my CK35 than the Martins were. The issue is further confused by ‘opening up’, the more that I play it the better it sounds. I’ve had no real success with NNG - which I find visually hard to distinguish from SNG and which might possibly have been fitted to your CK35 originally - but am sure that NNG is perfect for some other folks on some instruments. Another CK35 owner here on UU is (after testing many other strings) very happy with Fremont Black-lines and those would be the fluorocarbons that I’d try next. I have the Fremont strings in my ‘store’, ready, but if it ain’t broke then don’t fix it - Aquila’s last for a long time so the change ain’t going to happen any time soon.

Apologies to the OP for diverting his thread. Back on topic I understand that Martin M600’s really suit the SK35, the guy in the comparison video above says so in the comments of one of his videos. As above I don’t recommend the gloss finish (other than for looks) and anticipate some opening up over time and use.

 

[larauke]

Thanks. My second-hand but almost certainly previously little used CK35 came with a gash set of strings on it, I changed them to Martin M600’s because I already had a packet of them and because they have worked well for me on other Ukes. I liked the M600’s but also wanted a bit less treble and a bit more bass and mid range out of my particular CK35 Uke - it’s definitely improved with time but originally the thick top didn’t seem to respond to lower frequencies well. I think that the thick gloss finish doesn’t help the sound either.

It’s a tough and subjective call but to my ear ears the SNG’s are a marginally better match to my CK35 than the Martins were. The issue is further confused by ‘opening up’, the more that I play it the better it sounds. I’ve had no real success with NNG - which I find visually hard to distinguish from SNG and which might possibly have been fitted to your CK35 originally - but am sure that NNG is perfect for some other folks on some instruments. Another CK35 owner here on UU is (after testing many other strings) very happy with Fremont Black-lines and those would be the fluorocarbons that I’d try next. I have the Fremont strings in my ‘store’, ready, but if it ain’t broke then don’t fix it - Aquila’s last for a long time so the change ain’t going to happen any time soon.

Apologies to the OP for diverting his thread. Back on topic I understand that Martin M600’s really suit the SK35, the guy in the comparison video above says so in the comments of one of his videos. As above I don’t recommend the gloss finish (other than for looks) and anticipate some opening up over time and use.

Hello Graham Greenbag:
Do you know the string spacing at the nut for your CK35? Thanks.

 

[Patty]

The SK35 is "premium" mahogany, the SK25 is "normal" mahogany.

The S means satin finish. The alternative is G, or gloss finish. It's the same thickness of finish but there's a matting agent.

Like all mass-produced Asian manufactured ukes Ohana quality control is pretty variable. You can get a good or bad example of either, so play the one you want to buy rather than buying online. I used to know someone who had an SK25 which was superb, the best Ohana I ever played. Most aren't.

I am surprised people still buy Ohanas. There is a lot more choice than there was 10 years ago.

My Ohana SK 25, purchased early in 2022, is one of the superb ones. Got from Mim and it’s wonderful. I prefer the simpler look and satin finish. Aside from that, the tone is really outstanding. It does not sound like a $159 uke. I play it low G.
(PS: Mine is strung with Worth Browns, which I requested from Mim. But I’m thinking of trying out Fremont blacks on it. The WBs are fine but I think the uke could do better.)

 

[Graham Greenbag]

Hello Graham Greenbag:
Do you know the string spacing at the nut for your CK35? Thanks.

Ah, this could be tricky. Somewhere I have the original nut that my CK35 came with and maybe I might be able to measure the spacing on that for you. IIRC the nut is 35 mm wide and the strings were reasonably spaced out, say 28mm g to A. I like my strings to be a bit further apart than that and wasn’t certain what material the nut was made, I made a new nut out of bone and replaced the original nut - just to be sure of what was fitted I made a replacement saddle out of bone too. Maybe ask a few other people for now, if you can’t get an answer off of anyone else then send me a pm in a few weeks time and I’ll try and find the old nut.

The CK35 is quite a nice instrument; mine sounds good now but to get there it need some set-up work and to open up a bit. As for the SK25; if one crossed my path then I’d give it a try and hope I’d got a good one, or at least one that I could sort out. There was a thread sometime back where a Canadian Lady said how pleased she was with hers, but I accept that it might be a bit hit and miss. Some dealers are more able to and more active at weeding out the duds than others ...

 

[larauke]

Ah, this could be tricky. Somewhere I have the original nut that my CK35 came with and maybe I might be able to measure the spacing on that for you. IIRC the nut is 35 mm wide and the strings were reasonably spaced out, say 28mm g to A. I like my strings to be a bit further apart than that and wasn’t certain what material the nut was made, I made a new nut out of bone and replaced the original nut - just to be sure of what was fitted I made a replacement saddle out of bone too. Maybe ask a few other people for now, if you can’t get an answer off of anyone else then send me a pm in a few weeks time and I’ll try and find the old nut.

The CK35 is quite a nice instrument; mine sounds good now but to get there it need some set-up work and to open up a bit. As for the SK25; if one crossed my path then I’d give it a try and hope I’d got a good one, or at least one that I could sort out. There was a thread sometime back where a Canadian Lady said how pleased she was with hers, but I accept that it might be a bit hit and miss. Some dealers are more able to and more active at weeding out the duds than others ...

Thanks !