Semi-Custom KoAloha Mango Tenor - IMPRESSION

[LaserWater]

After a 3 month wait, this incredible Ukulele arrived on my doorstep today. After playing a KoAloha mango tenor and being stunned by the beauty of its sound, I knew I had to get my hands on one, but of course, they were in short supply and I didn't love how any of the ones that were in stock actually looked. I had the good fortune to get into contact with Isaac at Ukulele lab and he just happened to have some Mango wood blanks that he was about to send to KoAloha. A short conversation later and I had a tenor with a side port and rosette in the works that was going to be built by only Albert at KoAlohah. It was a long wait. I call this "semi-custom" because even though the rosette, side port, and gorgeous mango, and single luthier build are custom features, it is still built to the same specs as the standard tenors, which I like because I actually prefer their bracing to the red and black labels.

After playing it every possible second I could today, I can say that this is without a doubt the best looking and sounding Ukulele I have come across to my ears and eyes. It visually blows my mind and its sound is so rich and full and sweet all at the same time. I'm still kind of in shock every time I play it. The new KoAloha tuners are freaking awesome too and turn like butter with something like a 21:1 gear ratio. My only gripe is that I keep running late to things I need to do because I can't stop playing this Ukulele.

Here are pictures and some sound samples I put together today. A bit clumsy because I'm used to a wider nut width. Strings on it are medium worth clears with a Uke Logic low G cause I'm not about that floppy fluoro. Open to string suggestions!

 

[rainbow21]

How exciting an uke to anticipate and receive. I think mango and KoAloha uke go wonderfully well together... and it has a soundport!

Enjoy and thanks for sharing!

 

[Arik]

Beautiful semi-custom. Mango is an awesome tonewood. Love my KTM-00mg. Yours is super cool with the highly figured mango, rosette, and sound port! congrats

 

[LaserWater]

How exciting an uke to anticipate and receive. I think mango and KoAloha uke go wonderfully well together... and it has a soundport!

Enjoy and thanks for sharing!

Thank you! I completely agree. Mango can be relatively low volume compared to other woods but the KoAloha volume balances that well and projects the warmth and sweetness wonderfull.

 

[Contrails]

Congrats! that looks amazing. And you have a musubi soundport as well!

 

[BigJackBrass]

That's exceptionally attractive mango wood, very fine indeed. A beautiful instrument.

 

[Maiden Uke]

Lovely ukulele!

 

[LaserWater]

Beautiful semi-custom. Mango is an awesome tonewood. Love my KTM-00mg. Yours is super cool with the highly figured mango, rosette, and sound port! congrats

Thanks AriK. As a fellow KTM-00mg owner, I'm curious if you have tried string sets other than the stock ones and if you have found any that stand out?

 

[Veritas99]

That uke looks amazing! Any chance you can post some sound sample?

 

[eternal tinkerer]

Congrats on the new uke! It’s beautiful. Isaac at Ukulele Lab is a great person to work with too.

 

[LaserWater]

That uke looks amazing! Any chance you can post some sound sample?

Thanks for asking! Here's a playlist I made today. Please forgive the clumsy fingerwork. Still getting used to the smaller nut width after playing a Romero creations grand tenor since July.

 

[Veritas99]

Thanks for asking! Here's a playlist I made today. Please forgive the clumsy fingerwork. Still getting used to the smaller nut width after playing a Romero creations grand tenor since July.

Thanks, it sounds amazing.

 

[Kenn2018]

Congratulations LaserWater. Awesome mango. Beautiful looks and sound. Loved the pieces you played.

Did you install the strap button?

 

[LaserWater]

Congratulations LaserWater. Awesome mango. Beautiful looks and sound. Loved the pieces you played.

Did you install the strap button?

Thanks so much Kenn. Isaac at the Ukulele Lab drilled the hole. I screwed it in since I was had a very specific one I wanted.

 

[Cadia]

Sounds great! Enjoy!

 

[Contrails]

Wow the mango is really nice. Congrats. Reminds me of some exotic animal fur! (In a nice way)

Sounds really nice too. Mind sharing how you are recording it?

I am in the lookout for a RC grand tenor. Could you give your advice on the difference between them please? Thanks

 

[LaserWater]

Wow the mango is really nice. Congrats. Reminds me of some exotic animal fur! (In a nice way)

Sounds really nice too. Mind sharing how you are recording it?

I am in the lookout for a RC grand tenor. Could you give your advice on the difference between them please? Thanks

I recorded just with my phones mic using a app called voice memos.

RC grand tenor is a very different instrument (I have a Koa one) it’s heavier and sounds better with higher gauge or wound strings in my opinion that drive the top with more vibration. Tone is deeper and less complex than a KoAloha. Playability is way different too. RC has a ton of space to move around on the fretboard which makes some things easier and some things harder to play. Harder to bar, easier to play chords where fingers get mashed together. I think it sounds best with a baby baritone set of strings.