Jhud
Well-known member
My reason for asking this question is due to my recent purchase of a top of the range Pono tenor which I love everything about apart from the fact that to my ears at least it seems noticeably quieter than any of my other Uke’s whether they be Tenor, Concert or Soprano .
It has a beautifully sweet and clear tone , bags of sustain is easy to play and the build quality is in my opinion second to none. To emphasise this I am lucky enough to also own a 2016 Kamaka HF-3D and I reckon the Pono matches it for build quality.
However , the Pono as well as being quiet is also the heaviest of all my Uke’s by a long way. It is literally built like a battleship and it certainly feels like it . One example is the neck and headstock which if ever the word “overbuilt” could be applied then that is how you might describe the Pono.
I realise that the Macassar Ebony is a very hard and dense wood and is used for the back and sides on this model and that this might account for some of the extra weight but it also seems to me that the Western Red Cedar top is slightly thicker than the tops of some of my other Uke’s , might this also affect the perceived volume ?
Obviously when it comes to the weight issue you have to compare like with like ie Tenor v Tenor not Tenor v Soprano but I only own one Soprano Uke , a Mahogany Kepasa which is naturally much lighter than the Pono but is definitely also a lot louder using the same amount of playing effort.
I guess what I am asking is , is there a correlation between weight and volume ? Does “heavier mean quieter “ and likewise “lighter mean louder” ? or is there such a thing as being “overbuilt” when it comes to a stringed musical instrument especially a Ukulele ? and if there is might the heavier build affect the volume of the instrument ?
If there are any views from anyone out there who has some knowledge or experience of these issues I would very much appreciate hearing them.
Thanks
Jon.
It has a beautifully sweet and clear tone , bags of sustain is easy to play and the build quality is in my opinion second to none. To emphasise this I am lucky enough to also own a 2016 Kamaka HF-3D and I reckon the Pono matches it for build quality.
However , the Pono as well as being quiet is also the heaviest of all my Uke’s by a long way. It is literally built like a battleship and it certainly feels like it . One example is the neck and headstock which if ever the word “overbuilt” could be applied then that is how you might describe the Pono.
I realise that the Macassar Ebony is a very hard and dense wood and is used for the back and sides on this model and that this might account for some of the extra weight but it also seems to me that the Western Red Cedar top is slightly thicker than the tops of some of my other Uke’s , might this also affect the perceived volume ?
Obviously when it comes to the weight issue you have to compare like with like ie Tenor v Tenor not Tenor v Soprano but I only own one Soprano Uke , a Mahogany Kepasa which is naturally much lighter than the Pono but is definitely also a lot louder using the same amount of playing effort.
I guess what I am asking is , is there a correlation between weight and volume ? Does “heavier mean quieter “ and likewise “lighter mean louder” ? or is there such a thing as being “overbuilt” when it comes to a stringed musical instrument especially a Ukulele ? and if there is might the heavier build affect the volume of the instrument ?
If there are any views from anyone out there who has some knowledge or experience of these issues I would very much appreciate hearing them.
Thanks
Jon.