k brand or custom

nobleark

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was wanting to get a good ukulele. right now playing on a kala.

i have around $1000 to spend. looking at kbrands or should i look for a nice used custom either in concert or tenor size.
 
was wanting to get a good ukulele. right now playing on a kala.

i have around $1000 to spend. looking at kbrands or should i look for a nice used custom either in concert or tenor size.

what size do you currently play? You'll get no shortage of opinions on how to spend your money on these boards.

Having played K brands, but not customs, I do like them very much. Some are very pricey. If you like the concert scale, I might also encourage you to look at a Blackbird Clara. I have one and she is awesome.

Good luck!
 
At or around that price, some K brand ukuleles are better than some used customs. And some used customs are better than some K brands. Tough to say without something more specific. I don't think customs are necessarily better than K brands, which means if you're open to buying a second hand custom to stretch your dollar, you might want to consider a second hand K brand as well. Add to that, some pretty good luthiers have new, non-custom builds for under a thousand. If it were me, I would pick a K brand (or another high end factory made) or a non-custom luthier made at that budget.

I think it's better to figure out what kind of sound you like and start from there. But it seems like you're assuming a custom is better (since you're willing to buy it used for the same money), and for me, for a first "good" ukulele, I wouldn't look at customs.
 
Ideally it would be great if you could try out the ukes you're considering. It maybe worthwhile to listen to Vimeo or YouTube to determine which make/model you'd like. If you decide on either you could post to the Marketplace as a WTB and see if anyone in the community has something within your budget.

Personally I'm fortunate to have both. My K brand is Koaloha tenor which has a beautiful bell like tone. And I was fortunate to get a used Graziano Selmer style concert.

Good luck in your quest.
 
was wanting to get a good ukulele. right now playing on a kala.

i have around $1000 to spend. looking at kbrands or should i look for a nice used custom either in concert or tenor size.

I have a few thoughts on the subject.

First of all, a used custom uke makes no sense. The whole point is to create a uke to your own specifications.

I think you need more money. $1000 for a custom is inordinately cheap.

The love of my life is my custom ukulele, so I don't want to be discouraging. Go for it.

A custom uke, it goes without saying, will play perfectly; if it doesn't, you better return it. But let's be honest, most of the money spent is all about bling, beauty, and fetish-value. So, realize that and make sure you get the look you want. When I ordered my custom, I told the luthier that I wanted something warm, unique, and with 19 frets. Then i stepped back and let the artist do his thing. In six months or so, I was elated to see my instructions made flesh and I was elated by the poetic license with which the luthier improvised certain aspects. So a custom is worth it.

I also have a special edition Kamaka. It is great as well (although out of your price range). In certain respects (i.e., its sustain) it is superior to my custom. So it is kick-ass and I cannot deny it. But the two of us lack a certain emotional connection since I wasn't there at its birth like I was with my custom uke.

So, it is impossible to go wrong with either of your choices. But I would go with the custom uke because, in my experience, it has been more rewarding.
 
Even though I have a few customs, which took months to make, I will suggest you go for a K brand.


This is Michael Kohan in Los Angeles, Beverly West near the Beverly Center
9 tenor cutaway ukes, 5 acoustic bass ukes, 10 solid body bass ukes, 13 mini electric bass guitars (Total: 37)

• Donate to The Ukulele Kids Club, they provide ukuleles to children in hospital music therapy programs. www.theukc.org
• Member The CC Strummers: YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/CCStrummers/video, Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheCCStrummers
 
I bought loads of ukes trying to find 'the one' - I eventually found a KoAloha Opio long neck concert in acacia - I'm no longer looking. :)
 
I "third" the comment on setup. I've bought from both HMS and Mim and would be happy to buy from either again. HMS has the advantage of someone there having time to spend with you on the phone to talk over your purchase; Mim is always on the run doing all the great things she does. The only disadvantage I can think with HMS is that you'll have to wait longer to get in the setup queue.

If you want a concert, the cost of a new Hawaiian made concert (K brand) is just about in your range. I've been very happy buying above my "play grade" mostly because it has helped me understand what is considered the classic Hawaiian tone/sound. Most others on this forum know what they like and would have a custom aimed in that direction, which is why I wouldn't buy a custom until I really knew what I liked/wanted in a ukulele. However, buying a used Kamaka, Kanile'a, Koaloha, or Ko'olau for me would be a great idea.
 
if you are looking for a custom built uke Hank Johnson is a great builder who likes to be under the radar..don't let his price point(1500.00) fool you he does great work. nice tone on his ukes and his fit and finish top notch....call him l would recommend him to you as I think he is who you may want to build for you...his building time is pretty fast to and he has a wide selection of tone woods

http://www.kimoukulele.com/


here is my Kimo uke with a short sound sample recorded on a cell phone
http://www.kimoukulele.com/2019/09/23/cutaway-koa-super-tenor-ukulele/
 
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was wanting to get a good ukulele. right now playing on a kala.

i have around $1000 to spend. looking at kbrands or should i look for a nice used custom either in concert or tenor size.

A custom involves lots of decisions and a long waiting period. Buying a used K brand will get you a beautiful, nice-sounding uke within a few days. A budget of $1,000 is cutting it close, though. That sounds ridiculous, doesn't it? $1,000 for a ukulele is cutting it close. :D

My first good uke was a KoAloha soprano. Great company and great ukes.

Kanile'a soprano - $950
https://www.fleamarketmusic.com/images/market/58268-DSCF1851.jpg
https://www.fleamarketmusic.com/marketplace/default.asp

https://reverb.com/marketplace?query=koaloha uke&condition=used
https://reverb.com/marketplace?query=kamaka uke&condition=used
https://reverb.com/marketplace?query=kanile'a uke&condition=used
 
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I recently purchased a Koaloha koa tenor from their facility in Honolulu. The instrument was a factory special. The instrument plays great and has a small ding on the headstock. It went for a little over a grand and normally goes for around $1400.
 
By this logic,

First of all, a used custom uke makes no sense. The whole point is to create a uke to your own specifications.

Ukulelefriend.com shouldn't really exist.
 
I think the distinction nobleark (the OP) is looking for in this discussion is between luthier-made ukes and factory-made K brand ukes.

"Custom" is a misnomer in this context especially when talking about about "used customs," because they will not have been customized for nobleark, but rather for whoever originally commissioned them.


My opinion:

K brand ukuleles are very nice, and are probably the safer all-around choice if your goal is to obtain a consensus quality ukulele.

Luthier-built ukes are also very nice, but the reputation and quality of a given luthier's work can be much harder to discern. Some people really enjoy the personality and individual character of luthier-made instruments. There is a sense of exclusivity and intimacy about an instrument lovingly, painstakingly built by a single artisan. There are perhaps a hundred thousand Kamakas in the world, many of them very similar to one another; any given luthier will only produce a few dozen to a few hundred instruments over their entire lifetime, and many of those will be completely unique.


In the end, it comes down to what is important to you.
 
Right now, you're playing a Kala. Without knowing your background, I'm going to say it's pretty likely you haven't figured out exactly what you want/like in a ukulele yet and even if you think you have, you might change your mind in a year's time. Buying used will save you money in the long run if you end up experimenting a lot. If you're buying new and can't try before you buy, make sure you can return.

It's such a personal decision. I'll get obsessed with a brand like Kamaka (or Kiwaya) and then I get the oportunity to play one and it's not for me. All the K-brands have their own distinct personality, that you'll probably find one that speaks to you. Custom really depends on who made it and is hugely variable.
 
I would choose the Kamaka at around the $1000 price point. A new Kamaka.

Interestingly enough, I recently took possession of one and am experiencing intonation problems, which is what prompted the other thread you posted in.
 
was wanting to get a good ukulele. right now playing on a kala.

i have around $1000 to spend. looking at kbrands or should i look for a nice used custom either in concert or tenor size.

A used Custom ukulele is made to the individual specifications and desires of the person who commissioned it
Factory made ukuleles are made to specifications which will fit a broad range of people. You may not want a radiused fretboard or one with that particular radius. You may not want the neck profile the original purchaser chose. You also may not care for the additional embellishments which are part of the price. Until you know what you personally want in a ukulele, it is best to go for a factory made K brand since the are engineered to please and to hit the desired points of the greatest number of people.
 
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