Kamoa L-5T

So I've been searching around the forums to see if anyone has posted anything about the Kamoa L-5T. Forgive me if there is a thread already I'll cancel this one out and go to that one. The L-5 is a tenor ukulele that Mike demos on Uke Republic. Its sounds awesome and from what I can tell it has huge sound. I't's a spruce top ovangkol back and sides all solid. Anyway I can't find any info on the L-5 series from Kamoa other than Uke republic, (who are sold out of them currently). On the Kamoa ukulele site the link for the L-5 series is dead. I was curious if anyone has one has played one and has any insider knowledge about if more will be coming out soon.
Thanks guys!

At some point earlier in the year I ran across a Kamoa tenor and became very interested. I wasn't able to find a great deal of information about it on the web but what little I did find seemed positive. On a whim I purchased it from an ebay seller. The model I purchased is the E-5T which has a solid mahogany body and solid cedar top. I keep meaning to do a proper review but haven't had time yet. I can tell you that the build quality is very good on my uke. You are correct in that it does have a huge, wonderful sound. They are marketed/designed to be low G and mine is about as "guitar-like" as I can imagine in a tenor. As soon as mine arrived I replaced the strings with Southcoast ML-WB and it sounds great.

A few observations:

The nut width is generous on these ukes. I'm not at home now but I think the nut is 1 1/2" on these as opposed to 1 3/8" on my Kala ukes. The string spread at the bridge is also wider so the overall spacing of the strings is roomy. It seems like many new ukes are marketed as having wider nuts to appeal to guitarists, fingerpickers and people with larger hands. I'm not sure how I feel about this as I'm accustomed to my Kalas and their more narrow string spacing.

One other observation, the lower bout is larger/wider than my other ukes which probably contributes to that big, rich sound. The uke doesn't fit in my Uke Crazy tenor case but it does fit in my Gator and Fremont cases.

At some point I contacted Sam Bonano, owner of Kamoa Ukulele, to ask him a question and he was very responsive and a pleasure to speak with.
I used the email address found on the website. I'm sure he can answer your questions about supply.
kamoaukes "at" gmail.com

Thanks so much for the awesome response, and yes that's the description I was looking for with the big sound, they sound "guitar-like". I really like that though, my kala tenor is a high g and I absolutely love it but I have been getting UAS lately. Now that I've had it for a year I decided I need to expand my collection and go in search of a low g uke. I believe you about the nut width, my brother-in-law has a Pono MT and its noticeably wider than the kala as well, not bad just different. Thanks for the address I will have to email Sam about the L-5, but in the mean time I have been considering just settling for the E-5. I mean all I really have to go off of between the E-5 and L-5 is the demo from Uke Republic and the fact that I'm generally a spruce rosewood fan. I like bright sustain. Thanks so much again.

That "big guitar sound" is exactly what attracted me to this model. I'm more of a cedar top fan and this one has a lot of warmth. I may have to get a spruce top soon to change things up a little.
Good luck in your quest

I've got a touch of UAS lately too (don't we all?).
I'm still in "exploratory" mode...

So update on my quest. I emailed Sam at Kamoa ukes and he responded within an hour. They just finished a batch of E-5's and they'll be making some L-5's that will be ready some time this fall. Not sure if I can wait that long though...sigh...

You can always buy a "gateway" uke while you're waiting…

Yeah but I want to diversify my collection I don't want to have two Kamoa tenors, at least not yet. I was checking out the Kremona Coco tenor's they look pretty cool and appear to be good quality. They're kinda expensive though. Who know's what I'll end up with lol, I love my Kala but everyone has one and has reviewed them to death. I'd like to get a unique uke or two, maybe write some reviews so that others on their quest can have some resources to make decisions.

If I'm looking at the right one, Uke Republic has them for $320. Seems like a bargain! http://cargo.ukerepublic.com/product/kamoa-l5-t-all-solid-spruce-ovangkol-tenor-ukulele

Could always consider a baritone uke, especially if you're looking for big, guitar-like sound.

So update the L-5 is now available from Kamoa on their site, but for $499, Ukerepublics price is way better as steel rider said $320. Ukerepublic finally got one in earlier this week and Mike from Ukerepublic emailed me to let me know, which was very nice of him. Unfortunately while I was doing the song and dance of wooing my wife into letting me buy it someone else bought it. Sigh... But Mike sent me some pictures of a nice E-5T he had and talked me into getting it. So still super excited to get my E-5T. Solid cedar top, mahogany sides, I have a classical guitar with the same wood combo and I really like it, I'm hoping I can do some spanish style stuff on it. It should arrive tomorrow I'll try and post some pictures when I get it.

Mivo: I haven't played to many baritones, I'd like to try and add one to my collection. Got any recommendations on models you've played or like?

Congrats! The E5-T is the model I have. It has a big warm sound.

I keep meaning to do a mini review since there is so little info out there about these Kamoas.
Maybe I'll get inspired to move forward with the review so that you can add your observations to it.

Mike

So I just got my Kamoa E5-T in. I'll post something with my thoughts on it once I've had it for a couple more days. In the mean time I was wondering what kind of strings you have on yours? Mine came with bio nylon Aquila's and they sounded alright but they had this grippy scrubby texture the closest thing to it is maybe like the feeling of fingers on a chalk board. I can rub my finger on the string and it makes an awful rough sound. Anyway I replaced the strings with standard Aquila's immediately but I couldn't find anywhere in San Antonio that sold low g strings. So I've got three Aquila nylguts and my bio nylon low g right now and it's not a great setup. Sigh...I think I will order some oasis warm low g to try. They seem like they sound nice based on demos I've seen. Was wondering what you use and if anyone else has any opinions one way or another?

I use Oasis strings and they are among my faves but... on this Kamoa and a few other ukes I tried the Southcoast ML-WB set that has 2 wound bass strings and 2 fluorocarbon trebles. If you like a big boomy sound and wonder how can it possibly get bigger and boomier... well these strings will take you there.

So just wanted to give a shout out to Sam Bonanno from Kamoa Ukuleles. I emailed him about my string situation and he offered to send me a set a different set free of charge to try out. Which I think is just a super nice thing to do. Looking forward to getting a nice low g nylgut set to try on my new Kamoa. Thanks Sam! So far this uke seems nice, though its not a flashy uke like my Kala ASAC-T is. The look is just right with a really nice abalone (I think) rosette and real bone nut and saddle. It sounds really awesome on the bottom three stings but the low g sting just sounds so big, it temds to cover everything else. I'll have to play it a little less aggressively I guess.
The process of purchasing though was excellent and I would highly recommend Kamoa to anyone who interested my experience with Mike from Uke republic and Sam from Kamoa has been great. Not sure if Sam or Mike will ever read this but even so keep up the good work guys, y'all are awesome!

To photoshooter: I will definitely have to check out the Southcoast strings I hadn't heard of them. I saw Kalei do a demo with the Oasis warm low g on the HMS website and I thought it sounded great. I'll hopefully get around to swapping some strings eventually. I might put some different strings on my Kala since I haven't changed them since I got it. The Aquila Nylgut's on there are great but maybe it's time for something different....

Keonidoe said:

So just wanted to give a shout out to Sam Bonanno from Kamoa Ukuleles. I emailed him about my string situation and he offered to send me a set a different set free of charge to try out. Which I think is just a super nice thing to do. Looking forward to getting a nice low g nylgut set to try on my new and awesome Kamoa. Thanks Sam! Also while I'm here I've had a few days to break in my new uke and its just awesome. The sound especially with the low g is just huge. It's really opening up some different possibilities of songs that I've wanted to try. It looks nice, though its not a flashy uke like my Kala ASAC-T is. The Kamoa is just right with a really nice abalone (I think) rosette and real bone nut and saddle. But the sound though the sound is where its at. Simply wonderful. I would highly recommend Kamoa to anyone who interested my experience with Mike from Uke republic and Sam from Kamoa has been absolutely excellent. Not sure if Sam or Mike will ever read this but even so keep up the good work guys, y'all are awesome!

To photoshooter: I will definitely have to check out the Southcoast strings I hadn't heard of them. I saw Kalei do a demo with the Oasis warm low g on the HMS website and I thought it sounded great. I'll hopefully get around to swapping some strings eventually. I might put some different strings on my Kala since I haven't changed them since I got it. The Aquila Nylgut's on there are great but maybe it's time for something different....

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So glad you are loving your Kamoa! They do have an amazing sound and a sweet fast neck. Okay I got to toss in more string recommendation that a lot of my local Kamoa customers are big on, Fremonts and Living Waters. Many still like the Aquilas so of course you got to find what is for you.

So I got the aquila strings from Sam and put the wound low g on (thanks again Sam) but after a couple days I'm finding that the tension of the strings is pretty high and I can't easily do bends or anything like that. I wonder if there are any strings that I could get that would work for a cedar uke that would give me less string tension. When I think of cedar I think of my classical guitar and the nylons on there are soft nice and flexible. Easy to strum,bend, play etc. I'd like to try to replicate that feeling with my Kamoa. Anyone have suggestions for low tension ukulele strings?

Uke Republic: I definitely want to try out some fremonts/living waters I just want to figure out if either of them are lower tension before I order a set.