Tell us about your best sounding ukulele..
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plunker
Well-known member
Pono MTD tenor hands down.
Scooter1552
Active member
One of the best things about ukes is having more than one. There are times, and songs when my Kanile’a K1t sings to me and lifts me up and other times when my Fluke is there for me to bang out Billie Jean. The Fluke is loved because I can throw it in the car and take it with me and it’s easy to take on a plane(recently to Oahu). My vintage Martins sound great and have a smell that takes me back to earlier times. I love them all and love having different tools in my box.
ukuleletodd
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My Farrallon!! Love it! I started about 6 years ago with a Flea. Then I got a thinline Kala tenor. Then a solid body Fluke. I finally realized that I really liked the uke as much as my guitars (which are carbon fiber), so I took the plunge and bought the Farrallon. It's beautiful, it's loud, and it has a really mellow, pleasant sound. After that, I bought a tenor outdoor uke for teaching my primary music classes...
maki66
Well-known member
We have lots of ukuleles.
But the best sounding one is always which ever one my wife is playing at the moment.
I haven't figured out why,.....it............might........................mean........................I'm........................................................slow.
But the best sounding one is always which ever one my wife is playing at the moment.
I haven't figured out why,.....it............might........................mean........................I'm........................................................slow.
Hehe.. professional payers should offer a service where they play your ukulele for you to help internalize that UAS will not solve the ukulele sound problem :-D
I am curious to start recording.. cause I often hear instruments online and cannot normalize to what I hear when I play..
I am curious to start recording.. cause I often hear instruments online and cannot normalize to what I hear when I play..
After the crack and repair I will have to change my opinion
My c1k is what I seek to play the most http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com...crack!-Have-you-experienced-something-similar
My c1k is what I seek to play the most http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com...crack!-Have-you-experienced-something-similar
My best sounding tenor 'ukulele is an all-koa Moore Bettah that I was fortunate enough to buy from its original owner. With a set of Chuck Moore curated strings, it rings like a bell. Warm Hawaiian voice with nice sustain. Mahalo nui, Chuck!
My best-sounding traditional baritone is my Ono baritone with bearclaw spruce top and padauk back and sides. The sound is radiant. Mahalo nui, David!
I also need to give a shout-out to the steel string Compass Rose baritone 'ukulele that was built for me by Rick Turner. The steel strings give it a warm guitar-like sound and it has great tone and sustain. Mahalo, nui Rick!
I like to think that, as with most people, most ukuleles are lovable, but just not by everyone. I hope this instrument has found a home where it is loved and cherished for what it is, and not unloved for failing to meet someone's expectations.
My best-sounding traditional baritone is my Ono baritone with bearclaw spruce top and padauk back and sides. The sound is radiant. Mahalo nui, David!
I also need to give a shout-out to the steel string Compass Rose baritone 'ukulele that was built for me by Rick Turner. The steel strings give it a warm guitar-like sound and it has great tone and sustain. Mahalo, nui Rick!
I like to think that, as with most people, most ukuleles are lovable, but just not by everyone. I hope this instrument has found a home where it is loved and cherished for what it is, and not unloved for failing to meet someone's expectations.
Pueo
Well-known member
Aloha Folks!
My best-sounding ukulele is my newest acquisition, my Compass Rose Redwood top, cocobolo back and sides, 5-String tenor.
I like everything about it! Plays great up the neck, great tone, the doubled G gives it a nice extra oomph, It responds well to a light touch, but will handle aggressive strumming, just awesome!
#2 would probably be my Pono PKT-1 right behind it. I have had that ukulele for about 10 years now, and it sounds so good to my ear that it has actually prevented me from buying several nice ukuleles - because I always say to myself, "Sure, it sounds nice, but does it really sound [insert value] dollars nicer than my Pono?
Up until I played my Compass Rose, the answer was always "no."
I'm not saying the Compass Rose is the best-sounding ukulele I have ever played, but it is easily the best-sounding ukulele I am able to afford!
Cheers!
My best-sounding ukulele is my newest acquisition, my Compass Rose Redwood top, cocobolo back and sides, 5-String tenor.
I like everything about it! Plays great up the neck, great tone, the doubled G gives it a nice extra oomph, It responds well to a light touch, but will handle aggressive strumming, just awesome!
#2 would probably be my Pono PKT-1 right behind it. I have had that ukulele for about 10 years now, and it sounds so good to my ear that it has actually prevented me from buying several nice ukuleles - because I always say to myself, "Sure, it sounds nice, but does it really sound [insert value] dollars nicer than my Pono?
Up until I played my Compass Rose, the answer was always "no."
I'm not saying the Compass Rose is the best-sounding ukulele I have ever played, but it is easily the best-sounding ukulele I am able to afford!
Cheers!
Pueo
Well-known member
Oh, and Brenda, I can totally relate. I bought an ukulele a few years ago that I really wanted to like so much. Beautiful wood, good sound, fun to play, but...
Something just kept me from bonding with it.
It had some Quality Control issues. It was good, but not great. It cost pretty much double what I paid for my Pono. I tried to love it for years, but I eventually sold it for half of what I paid for it and it helped pay for the Compass Rose.
Something just kept me from bonding with it.
It had some Quality Control issues. It was good, but not great. It cost pretty much double what I paid for my Pono. I tried to love it for years, but I eventually sold it for half of what I paid for it and it helped pay for the Compass Rose.
Since I bought my Kala tenor solid cedar top with preamp, I considered it my best sounding and playing uke, lots of projection, good sustain, hi-g with the original Aquila strings. Then about a month ago I bought a Lanikai Thinline figured bocote and it's just as good, if not slightly better, also with preamp and original Aquila strings. It really surprises me the sound that comes out of thinlines, Kala and my Lanikai.
8 tenor cutaway ukes, 3 acoustic bass ukes, 8 solid body bass ukes, 8 mini electric bass guitars
• Donate to The Ukulele Kids Club, they provide ukuleles to children's hospital music therapy programs. http://www.theukc.org
• Member The CC Strummers: https://www.youtube.com/user/CCStrummers/videos
8 tenor cutaway ukes, 3 acoustic bass ukes, 8 solid body bass ukes, 8 mini electric bass guitars
• Donate to The Ukulele Kids Club, they provide ukuleles to children's hospital music therapy programs. http://www.theukc.org
• Member The CC Strummers: https://www.youtube.com/user/CCStrummers/videos
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I have been eyeing the compass rose for sometime! Time to go check them out again!
Have to change my vote to a shiny new Moore Bettah (Spruce + Ebony, #1808) I was lucky/blessed to get.
Playing it, feels like putting out a big UAS forrest fire deep inside. I wait for the right moment to open and play it..
Playing it, feels like putting out a big UAS forrest fire deep inside. I wait for the right moment to open and play it..
BuzzBD
Well-known member
My best sounding uke is not, unfortunately one that I built. It is a Martin O style mahogany soprano. Picked it up on EBay a few years ago. It has the decal on the peg head, that they started using in 1932, and bar frets which Martin quit using in 1934. It was missing a tuner, so I put on a set of Grover friction tuners. The finish was badly cracked and crazed, so I first applied some shellac and then sprayed a couple of light coats of nitro over it. That welded the finish together nicely. The finish crazing is only slightly visible now, and more importantly it is ready for another 80 years. The body is totally sound, no cracks at all and zero fret wear. It sounds amazing, loud with an incredible dynamic range, but lacking any of the harshness sometimes present with loud instruments. I feel very fortunate that it wound up in my hands.
Brad
Brad
Best seems to change as my mood changes and the songs change
*Bright and articulate....LfdM tenor sitka spruce and Amazon rosewood. This instrument is the easiest playing uke I have ever touched, means alot
*Warm loud and very resonant....I'iwi tenor redwood and walnut. This is light and so well balanced
* Even toned, excellent mid range sound great for strumming, singing and performing live.....Ko'olau tenor spruce and myrtle
If the house was burning down I would grab the LfdM and run
*Bright and articulate....LfdM tenor sitka spruce and Amazon rosewood. This instrument is the easiest playing uke I have ever touched, means alot
*Warm loud and very resonant....I'iwi tenor redwood and walnut. This is light and so well balanced
* Even toned, excellent mid range sound great for strumming, singing and performing live.....Ko'olau tenor spruce and myrtle
If the house was burning down I would grab the LfdM and run
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I am glad you know the answer to that quandary!
Jerryc41
Well-known member
If they weren't all the best or didn't look great, I wouldn't have them. I'm not a sound snob, and all of my ukuleles sound like ukuleles. The m,ore expensive ones do tend to sound better, though. The Koaloha has a great sound.
It's a Beau Hannam tenor, redwood top with koa back & sides. It plays as good as it sounds. If you follow Beau's builds you know that he puts an impressive level of craft and heart into them. Must say that this uke pretty much slayed UAS. I've re-homed 4 since it came home.
Second is a Pono ATD. The action isn't quite as good.
Third is a Clara.
Second is a Pono ATD. The action isn't quite as good.
Third is a Clara.
I am a sound snob......if knowing what sound I like from a ukuele makes me a snob!!
The question asked was "Tell us about your best sounding ukulele", not which ones look great. Just sayin'
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Ukecaster
Well-known member
Without a doubt, it is my LoPrinzi Model A tenor. This is their basic mahogany tenor model, no frills, except a beautiful logo on the headstock, and the laminate wood stripes on the back of neck and headstock. But what a sweet woody sound, with great volume. I've owned 7 tenors from Ohana, Mainland, Pono and Outdoor, and this one is by far the best sounding and playing.
