Ukulele News from NAMM 2019

I don't think they showed this at NAMM, but looks like KoAloha is working on their very own take of a side sound port, using their triangular Musubi shape (these might be custom orders for now, though):

https://www.instagram.com/p/BtadHMChtaH/
 
I've watched a few youtube videos of NAMM this year and checked out a few websites, but what I've seen so far worries me greatly.
There seems to be a great concentration on the large size ukuleles - long-neck sopranos, concerts, tenors, super tenors, baritones, etc., but I haven't seen any standard sopranos.
I know that the Chinese market is dominated by concerts and tenors, but has that influenced the west so much? Are we going to see the sad demise of the humble soprano because Jake, James and Taimane all play the big boys?
It's very hard to find an upmarket soprano on the Kala website too. The more expensive varieties seem to be the larger sizes.
Please, will somebody tell me that I'm wrong?
 
I've watched a few youtube videos of NAMM this year and checked out a few websites, but what I've seen so far worries me greatly.
There seems to be a great concentration on the large size ukuleles - long-neck sopranos, concerts, tenors, super tenors, baritones, etc., but I haven't seen any standard sopranos.
I know that the Chinese market is dominated by concerts and tenors, but has that influenced the west so much? Are we going to see the sad demise of the humble soprano because Jake, James and Taimane all play the big boys?
It's very hard to find an upmarket soprano on the Kala website too. The more expensive varieties seem to be the larger sizes.
Please, will somebody tell me that I'm wrong?

I think your observation may have to do with the fact that most reports from NAMM such as the ones collected in this thread focus on news and innovation which will favor all sorts of crossover instruments. One of the trends may indeed lean towards bigger sizes, while another one seems to be going even smaller than Soprano, with new brands introducing their Sopranino and Sopranissimo models. Personally, I am happy about this growing variety and don't see it as a threat to the standard size Soprano. I haven't seen any evidence of brands stopping to make Sopranos, from colorful plywood and plastic to the Hawaiian K brands who all still offer their soprano models.
 
Leave it to me to ask a question totally unrelated to anything the video is intended for. I loved the great performances but I had a question about the HMS guy on the far right. Is he wearing Red Wing Work Chukkas in charcoal leather?


Ok ... first of all Mike, since you brought up this question totally unrelated to anything the video was intended for - I know now that there are many of us who have inquiring minds and are eager to find out what the answer to your question is in regards to the Chukkas.

However, I MUST first identify the "HMS guy on the far right". He is none other than Joel Blechinger. He manages the setup department for HMS/The Ukulele Site with an honest and diligent work ethic like no one Andrew Kitakis has ever known. He is a crucial member of the team and has been setting up ukes full time for about 10 years now and estimates at least 30,000 setups. His natural talent for this work is a big part of what makes HMS/The Ukulele Site the best value. Joel was the head setup tech for MGM(Music Guy Mic) until MGM had to close down his physical retail store and online eBay store due to health issues. So, props go out to bruddah Joel for his stellar expertise!!!

For those of you who don't know who MGM was, he was a legend in the ukulele industry. He sold ukuleles via his retail uke shop in Kaneohe, HI and on eBay where many of us around the world were privileged to get to know him while inquiring about and/or purchasing an instrument he was selling. He has many uke demos on You Tube, even though he has since passed away. Many of us have purchased multiple ukes from him over the years. WE MISS YOU MGM!!!

Bruddah Joel contacted me this morning after I inquired about his Chukkas that he was wearing in the video. He took some time off after the NAMM Show and today is his first day back to work. With Joel's blessing, I am now going to reveal the maker of the Chukkas. Bruddah Joel, mahalo for your honest and humble response!

This is Joel's response: "I wish I had some Red Wing's in Charcoal leather ... the boots I have are some brand named "Crevo", but no way they can handle any real work. Those boots never set foot on a job site, they would disintegrate."

So, there you have it! I actually searched the Red Wing Shoes website and found a similar pair of Charcoal leather Chukkas that they make ... but IMHO, the one's that Joel has, looks WWAAAAAYYYYY better than the Red Wing Chukkas!!!

For those of you that haven't gone through the entire Thread to read through all of the posts, this is the video regarding the question totally unrelated to any uke or NAMM Show stuff:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXqi-Kcyb2w


Aloha and have a great weekend!!!:shaka:
 
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Ok ... first of all Mike, since you brought up this question totally unrelated to anything the video was intended for - I know now that there are many of us who have inquiring minds and are eager to find out what the answer to your question is in regards to the Chukkas.

However, I MUST first identify the "HMS guy on the far right". He is none other than Joel Blechinger. He manages the setup department for HMS/The Ukulele Site with an honest and diligent work ethic like no one Andrew Kitakis has ever known. He is a crucial member of the team and has been setting up ukes full time for about 10 years now and estimates at least 30,000 setups. His natural talent for this work is a big part of what makes HMS/The Ukulele Site the best value. Joel was the head setup tech for MGM(Music Guy Mic) until MGM had to close down his physical retail store and online eBay store due to health issues. So, props go out to bruddah Joel for his stellar expertise!!!

For those of you who don't know who MGM was, he was a legend in the ukulele industry. He sold ukuleles via his retail uke shop in Kaneohe, HI and on eBay where many of us around the world were privileged to get to know him while inquiring about and/or purchasing an instrument he was selling. He has many uke demos on You Tube, even though he has since passed away. Many of us have purchased multiple ukes from him over the years. WE MISS YOU MGM!!!

Bruddah Joel contacted me this morning after I inquired about his Chukkas that he was wearing in the video. He took some time off after the NAMM Show and today is his first day back to work. With Joel's blessing, I am now going to reveal the maker of the Chukkas. Bruddah Joel, mahalo for your honest and humble response!

This is Joel's response: "I wish I had some Red Wing's in Charcoal leather ... the boots I have are some brand named "Crevo", but no way they can handle any real work. Those boots never set foot on a job site, they would disintegrate."

So, there you have it! I actually searched the Red Wing Shoes website and found a similar pair of Charcoal leather Chukkas that they make ... but IMHO, the one's that Joel has, looks WWAAAAAYYYYY better than the Red Wing Chukkas!!!


Aloha and have a great weekend!!!:shaka:

Ha ha and wow! :D At this point I didn't expect a response to my question at all so this was quite a surprise! Thank you for the response and for your introduction of Joel. He's got quite the ukulele resume!

This is what I thought he might be wearing. I liked the look of what Joel was wearing and wondered if they were Red Wings and if that's what they might look like when they were broken in. I'm in the market for a pair but I like what Joel was wearing too. They look pretty similar.
Red Wing chukka.jpg
 
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Ha ha and wow! :D At this point I didn't expect a response to my question at all so this was quite a surprise! Thank you for the response and for your introduction of Joel. He's got quite the ukulele resume!

This is what I thought he might be wearing. I liked the look of what Joel was wearing and wondered if they were Red Wings and if that's what they might look like when they were broken in. I'm in the market for a pair but I like what Joel was wearing too. They look pretty similar.
View attachment 115474

Would this picture qualify it for a NSD.........New Shoe Day
 
In this thread I saw a video from Kumu ukuleles. I'd love to find a Kumu, but no one seems to carry them. Uke Republic has them on their website, but the last time I asked, they said they didn't have them in stock, and didn't know if or when they'd get any. They still have them listed as "For Sale" on their website, so I'm checking with them again. I've emailed Kumu directly, but never received an answer. The last entries on the Kumu Facebook page are from 2017.

Anyone have any new info on Kumu?
 
In this thread I saw a video from Kumu ukuleles. I'd love to find a Kumu, but no one seems to carry them. Uke Republic has them on their website, but the last time I asked, they said they didn't have them in stock, and didn't know if or when they'd get any. They still have them listed as "For Sale" on their website, so I'm checking with them again. I've emailed Kumu directly, but never received an answer. The last entries on the Kumu Facebook page are from 2017.

Anyone have any new info on Kumu?

call the Ukulele Site they have them but the ones they have in stock are selling fast...Kumu ukulele company 5 mins from the The Ukulele Site in Kaka'ako
 
call the Ukulele Site they have them but the ones they have in stock are selling fast...Kumu ukulele company 5 mins from the The Ukulele Site in Kaka'ako
I’ve never seen them on the HMS website. Do they order them on request? I’m currently using an Islander acacia laminate soprano as my camping uke, but would like a nice laminate concert instead. Looking at all options. No... I don’t want a Flea or a Blackbird Clara.
 
I’ve never seen them on the HMS website. Do they order them on request? I’m currently using an Islander acacia laminate soprano as my camping uke, but would like a nice laminate concert instead. Looking at all options. No... I don’t want a Flea or a Blackbird Clara.

the Kumu ukes not on the HMS website...make sure you call the Kaka'ako store they are there....
 
Kumu Koa laminate concert listed on Uke Republic.
Yeah. Uke Republic has had them on their website for awhile, but when I checked with them last year, they didn’t actually have them in stock. They didn’t know if or when they’d get any. I heard from Leolani ukulele today, and Mike at UR has ordered some.
 
Order for Kumu concert placed with Uke Republic. I’ll report back when it arrives.
 
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