mid-range concert with pick up

Anthroterra · Nov 23, 2019

I'm helping the mother of one of my students shop for an upgrade and am only having minimal luck, so I'm turning to this great community.

Her "likes":
Concert size (possibly soprano)
Pick up is a must, acoustic electric. Solid electric may be considered, but not steel string.
Likes natural wood or yellow
Satin finish and dark bindings are minor preferences
Under $400ish

Also, she is a lefty. I'm finding some options with Kala and Luna, but so many of them are cutaways and it may look odd upside down. I'm looking at the blem mahogany Ohanas from Mim right now just for her awesome setup (esp lefty), but am hoping for something ever so slightly nicer. Any suggestions?

CPG · Nov 23, 2019

IF she can go slightly over $400 HMS currently has a Pono Mahogany concert on sale for $299.

Add a Pono passive pickup and that would come in at about $420. Though it would be more with a humidifier upgrade and a case, so it might be getting to far out of her price range in the end. A k&k pickup would be a little less but the HMS folks like the Pono pickup better I think.

RafterGirl · Nov 23, 2019

I just ordered a Kala KA-ATP-CTG as a Birthday/Christmas gift for a nephew. I added a case, strap buttons, strap, and a tuner. Just over $400. No pick-up though. HMS and Mim seem to have a great selection of mid range Kala and Pono models.

Croaky Keith · Nov 23, 2019

Hmm, upgrade from what.......I have a Kala KA-CEME that I like, amongst all my other ukes, it was one of my first electro acoustic ukes, & still plays well.

UkerDanno · Nov 23, 2019

Islanders are great instruments, well under budget...
https://reverb.com/item/28893177-islander-mc-4-rb-eq-satin-finish-mahogany-concert-elec-aco-ukulele-from-kanile-a?gclid=CjwKCAiAzuPuBRAIEiwAkkmOSJ5DBr_P9rdOoQJkJ-s4njM0sO4B7NndyVxqpWVjwxh01HuzMsVGRRoCtT8QAvD_BwE&merchant_id=101084581&pla=1&utm_campaign=6445914874&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google

Jerryc41 · Nov 23, 2019

Flea or Fluke.

Arcy · Nov 23, 2019

Check out the Bonanza Homestead line. Should come in just over your 400 target with a MiSi pickup and case. Under your target without the case. Baz has a review of the similar Bonanza Oreo on gotaukulele.com (auto incorrect: goat ukulele). The Homestead and Oreo are essentially the same instrument except the Homestead has a lower price, less bling, and fewer customizations. Small and friendly shop. You can talk to the owners to see if Lefty is on the table there.

The other I was looking at in that range was a Kala Cedar top slot head (concert: KA-ACP-CTG) - same one RafterGirl mentioned in tenor size. It should be in your range with a pickup (just under $400 shipped from HMS with K&K or over with MiSi)

Your options are pretty much wide open if the range includes both acoustic electric and solid body. Hard to give solid advice without more of her personal opinion.

Bonanza Pete · Nov 23, 2019

Arcy said:
Check out the Bonanza Homestead line. Should come in just over your 400 target with a MiSi pickup and case. Under your target without the case. Baz has a review of the similar Bonanza Oreo on gotaukulele.com (auto incorrect: goat ukulele). The Homestead and Oreo are essentially the same instrument except the Homestead has a lower price, less bling, and fewer customizations. Small and friendly shop. You can talk to the owners to see if Lefty is on the table there.
.

Yes I can do a Lefty with or without the cutaway. And the cutaway would be on the down side.

DaveY · Nov 23, 2019

UkerDanno said:
Islanders are great instruments, well under budget...
https://reverb.com/item/28893177-islander-mc-4-rb-eq-satin-finish-mahogany-concert-elec-aco-ukulele-from-kanile-a?gclid=CjwKCAiAzuPuBRAIEiwAkkmOSJ5DBr_P9rdOoQJkJ-s4njM0sO4B7NndyVxqpWVjwxh01HuzMsVGRRoCtT8QAvD_BwE&merchant_id=101084581&pla=1&utm_campaign=6445914874&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google

or $139 at TheUkuleleSite -- https://www.theukulelesite.com/shop-by/brand/islander/islander-mahogany-concert-w-pickup-mc-4-rb-eq.html -- and it would include a setup.

Anthroterra · Nov 30, 2019

Thanks for the suggestions. Upon further inquiry, she was looking for something super quiet. I directed her to solid-body electrics and I think shes settling on an Eleuke peanut. I tried to steer her to the solid-body Fluke electric, but her budget wasn't high enough.

kkimura · Nov 30, 2019

Anthroterra said:
Thanks for the suggestions. Upon further inquiry, she was looking for something super quiet. I directed her to solid-body electrics and I think shes settling on an Eleuke peanut. I tried to steer her to the solid-body Fluke electric, but her budget wasn't high enough.

Kinda odd to want a super quiet uke with a pickup so you can amplify it. That said, leaving off the pickup brings a lot more instruments in under $400.

Anthroterra · Dec 1, 2019

kkimura said:
Kinda odd to want a super quiet uke with a pickup so you can amplify it. That said, leaving off the pickup brings a lot more instruments in under $400.

She wanted to occasionally rock out too

kissing · Dec 2, 2019

I have an Eleuke Peanut.
It's one of the newer models with the lithium in-built battery and Bluetooth connectivity.

Superb electric ukulele! I really like mine.

Had to do a bit of a setup though.
Out of box, action is quite high (but so are most ukes in this price range)

mid-range concert with pick up

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