Bonanza Homestead Line

They look great. I can't figure out the difference between those and say the Oreo or a Slimline?
 
Claims to be the same sound and playability, just fewer "frills"
They were already the best bang-for-the-buck option for a made-by-hand uke
:eek:
 
Are those tuners geared?

The differences I can see between the Oreo and the Homestead is that the latter won't have the sandwiched contrasting wood in the body or on the headstock, it doesn't have a rosette and you don't have a tuner option.
 
It looks like there is an option of Gotoh tuners for an additional fee.

Are the Graphtec Tunalele tuners geared?
 
It looks like there is an option of Gotoh tuners for an additional fee.

Are the Graphtec Tunalele tuners geared?
Graphtecs are geared, 6:1 ratio. I have them on my last two Bonanzas. They don't look as good as the UPTs but work just as well and are a lot cheaper. We'll have to see how well they hold up but so far so good.
 
Graphtecs are geared, 6:1 ratio. I have them on my last two Bonanzas. They don't look as good as the UPTs but work just as well and are a lot cheaper. We'll have to see how well they hold up but so far so good.

Hmmm.... if they were friction tuners it would have been a deal breaker but since these are geared, this has become very intriguing!
 
Looks like there is a bug in the current page. There is no way to *not* add a case.

But wow, this looks like an amazing deal for a good instrument!
 
Wow, very cool, solid wood ukes for 200 bucks!
 
Wow, that just dropped right into my price range. And I dont like too much bling so the no frills is great
 
Bonanza has just introduced a new line of ukes - Homestead - with an introductory price of $200.

https://www.bonanzaukuleles.com/category-s/155.htm

They look almost identical to the Oreo thinelines, but with fewer customization options.

Funny, but I was looking at them just yesterday. I'd like to see them revise their web site. Maybe it's just me, but I find it awkward to use. Take the Homestead, for example. Not enough pictures!
 
Wow, that just dropped right into my price range. And I dont like too much bling so the no frills is great

My thoughts exactly. I’m going to wait until later this month before committing, though. Who knows what other Black Friday sales may turn up.
 
Bonanza Pete here. I found out about this thread from my website stats.

Yes in many ways the Homestead line is similar to our Oreo line. For quite a while I have been seeing the requests online for an instrument of quality in this price range. I studied how I build my instruments and looked at where the bottlenecks came from. Turns out it was in the custom features. Being everything to everyone.

So, i have reduced the options. It makes it easier to build. Less office time getting the details just right, doing sample burns of custom lasering,etc.

The Homestead line has the same core as our other ukuleles. The sound is the same. The playability is the same. Maybe I was overthinking things.

The issue on the no case was resolved. Now you can chose not to get a case. I will be adding additional pictures and video as time permits. We wanted to get this out for the Christmas season so rushed a few things. SORRY.:)

The introductory price will hold until Dec 1. At that time I am seeing a regular price around $249. Still an amazing price I believe.

Thanks for all the comments I am seeing here. Feel free to ask me questions.

Pete
 
Bonanza Pete here. I found out about this thread from my website stats.

Yes in many ways the Homestead line is similar to our Oreo line. For quite a while I have been seeing the requests online for an instrument of quality in this price range. I studied how I build my instruments and looked at where the bottlenecks came from. Turns out it was in the custom features. Being everything to everyone.

So, i have reduced the options. It makes it easier to build. Less office time getting the details just right, doing sample burns of custom lasering,etc.

The Homestead line has the same core as our other ukuleles. The sound is the same. The playability is the same. Maybe I was overthinking things.

The issue on the no case was resolved. Now you can chose not to get a case. I will be adding additional pictures and video as time permits. We wanted to get this out for the Christmas season so rushed a few things. SORRY.:)

The introductory price will hold until Dec 1. At that time I am seeing a regular price around $249. Still an amazing price I believe.

Thanks for all the comments I am seeing here. Feel free to ask me questions.

Pete

Pete, I'm not one to fall subject to UAS, but THIS is really doing a number on me! I'm thinking hard about this one.

Can you give us a quick rundown on the tonal qualities of the various woods that you use (since they're not traditional uke woods).

Also, can you do a lefty cutaway? Thanks!
 
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Can you give us a quick rundown on the tonal qualities of the various woods that you use (since they're not traditional uke woods).

Also, can you do a lefty cutaway? Thanks!
Yes I can do (and have done) a lefty cutaway. I can't do much of a sound sample though strung that way.

Sound samples are plentiful either on our website or on our Bonanza Facebook page. That is the best way to feel the sound.
Aspen is the brightest, cherry is warm, walnut is mellow. Barry Maz has reviewed both a walnut and Aspen instrument on Gotaukulele.
 
Graphtecs are geared, 6:1 ratio. I have them on my last two Bonanzas. They don't look as good as the UPTs but work just as well and are a lot cheaper. We'll have to see how well they hold up but so far so good.

When you said we'll have to see how well they hold up I thought to myself, "Why wouldn't the tuners hold up?" After poking around a while I discovered that the Graphtec Tune-a-lele tuners are plastic!! Perhaps they work fine but that wouldn't be for me. It looks like the price just jumped up $65 for the optional Gotoh tuners if I go for one of these!
 
When you said we'll have to see how well they hold up I thought to myself, "Why wouldn't the tuners hold up?" After poking around a while I discovered that the Graphtec Tune-a-lele tuners are plastic!! Perhaps they work fine but that wouldn't be for me. It looks like the price just jumped up $65 for the optional Gotoh tuners if I go for one of these!

Sealed geared tuners are also available.
 
Graphtecs are geared, 6:1 ratio. I have them on my last two Bonanzas. They don't look as good as the UPTs but work just as well and are a lot cheaper. We'll have to see how well they hold up but so far so good.

And they're almost invisible - on the back of the headstock. The audience will never see them.
 
When you said we'll have to see how well they hold up I thought to myself, "Why wouldn't the tuners hold up?" After poking around a while I discovered that the Graphtec Tune-a-lele tuners are plastic!! Perhaps they work fine but that wouldn't be for me!

Well yes the gears are plastic, but then so is the body of an Airbus A380. And while I probably wouldn't want a drill fitted with plastic gears, the stresses applied to tuning gears are pretty low. My problem with those is that they are ugly, but I still like them.
 
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