Bizarre experience with a KoAloha

Ok, so for the last few weeks, I've had quite the experience with a KoAloha KSM-00 soprano (actually two of them), and unfortunately not a pleasant one. Let me go into story mode for a bit.

Several weeks ago, I decided to order a KoAloha KSM-00. My first Hawaiian-made koa uke. Couldn't be more excited. Once it arrives, I'm very pleased. Looks gorgeus, and sounds great... except for the G string. It buzzes like crazy, especially when played open. A little bit of pressure with a finger behind the nut on the string and the buzzing goes away, so I think this might be fixable. But on top of that, the tuner for the E string is busted and cuts into the headstock when turned. I contact the shop I ordered it from and they suspect that the issue might be that I opened the box it came in too quickly (within a few hours of receiving it). As it's fairly cold outside where I live, this might've damaged the uke or bent the neck/headstock or something. However, they offer to replace the uke. Phew, what a relief.

I send the uke back and receive another one a few weeks later. This time, I wait a full 24 hours before opening. After the anxious wait, I open the box, test the uke and... unbelievable... now both the G and A string are buzzing like crazy. I'm distraught. Not wanting to send it back again, I decide to try to fix it myself (as this time all the tuners are working). I find out that some people have had somewhat similar experiences with KoAloha ukes. One suggested fix was to put a very small piece of paper in the nut slot under the buzzing strings so I proceed to do this for both the G and A strings. And lo and behold... it actually works.

It seems to me that the nut used for the KoAloha has fairly wide slots, and if you put thin strings on them (like they do with the stock fluorocarbon strings) the strings are prone to buzzing. Or maybe the issue really is that the neck was damaged during the shipment or when I opened the box, but to have that happen with two separate ukes... I just find that unlikely. If I assume that there was no damage to the uke, I find it absolutely bizarre that an instrument this expensive (and presumably well-made) would have this kind of persistent issue. Since I managed to fix it (and without the fix affecting the sound of the uke that much, I think), I will probably keep it as I really don't want to send it back a second time. Has anyone else here had similar experiences with KoAloha (and also sorry for the long rant )?

No such experience with KoAloha...I have 5 different models ranging from 2004 to 2016 in all kinds of varieties.

The sad part is that you are in Finland. KoAloha has a GREAT warranty...I know, as they restored the 2004 as it developed a saddle that pulled away (they told me this was common for the time period). The problem is that postage from Finland to Hawaii might be the cost of delivering it to them in person.

I have a 2017 and 2004 Ko'Aloha KTM-00 tenors. I restrung both of them with Living Waters fluorocarbons. Which are pretty thin. No problems at all with either one.

After about a year, the 2017 had a problem with a tuner that was slipping. I talked to Ko'Aloha, and they sent me a replacement. No muss, no fuss. Easy to swap out.

If you are sure that problems are with the nut slots, you might contact Ko'Aloha and ask them to send you a replacement nut and then have a luthier install it.

Thanks for the responses so far. The uke actually didn't come all the way from Hawaii but from a reputable uke shop in Germany. Although, I don't think it really matters since it's still in optimal conditions in the shop and is exposed to the cold European weather nonetheless.

As I'm almost obsessed about keeping my ukes in shape, I have a room humidifier to keep the house humid enough for instruments and I also keep all my solid ukes in hard cases with humidifiers, so humidity and temperature should not be a problem. However, I have little faith in that proper humidification alone would fix the issue as it didn't happen with the previous KSM-00 I had. Although, I suppose given enough time it might be possible... who knows.

In any case, as I really don't want to send the uke back again, I will contact the shop and possibly KoAloha directly as well and asses my options. I know a very good luthier in the city as well so getting the uke fixed is certainly possible. The issue there is I don't feel I should have to do that with a brand new high-end uke, but of course if it's damaged by the harsh weather or whatever else, you need to do what you need to do...

Well, this mystery might've been solved already. I contacted the shop and they said that this kind of "buzz" can be typical for KoAlohas. The issue manifests itself usually when plucking or strumming the uke hard, and since I'm extremely picky when it comes to the sound of a uke, I always rigorously test a new one out for the slightest buzz or other issues. So this might actually be more related to a personal issue regarding my playstyle (and the testing of course), and the uke itself is probably fine. The fact that the previous KoAloha had the exact same "issue" would be evidence for that as well. The shop owner suggested that it can be fixed by raising the nut but I wouldn't want to do that as it would affect playability and possibly intonation as well. Seems I'll just have to get used to how this uke sounds and feels.

Without hearing it’s hard to say whether it’s your style of picking or the set up. I do know that KoAloha have excellent warranty. I’d try thicker strings AFTER I took Uke to shop to demonstrate what you are hearing. Get second opinion while playing the Uke. You can stand back and listen while someone else plays.

I would also start a dialogue with KoAloha directly. Maybe a new nut is needed. May different string and nut filing. I’m sure KoAhola will be helpful. I would let dealer know what KoAloha say after discussing. First email, then a phone call to them.

IMHO, a new Uke should be perfectly set up. Who you buy from is as important as what you buy. Also, maybe fret need level or crowning.
I never accept, “ that is how they are are” statements. If that were the case would KoAloha be so popular and we’ll respected.

I had an Opio by KoAloha and it had some ghost notes that were very annoying. A local dealer said they could not hear it. I heard it EVERY TIME I played that string. It drove me nuts. I got back to my selling dealer and they replaced it. Problem gone, issue solved.

Sorry for your troubles. I’m not stirring the pot just offering opinion and suggestions.

I'm sorry to hear that. It doesn't sound like the shop checked the ukes at all. opening the box too soon is not going to cause that kind of damage. I've never waited - summer or winter. It's too bad you can't oprder from a different shop. I would contact KoAloha about this. I've bought nine KoAlohas, new and used, and they've all been perfect. Getting two bad ones from the same shop? More than a coincidence.

Dohle said:

Well, this mystery might've been solved already. I contacted the shop and they said that this kind of "buzz" can be typical for KoAlohas. The issue manifests itself usually when plucking or strumming the uke hard, and since I'm extremely picky when it comes to the sound of a uke, I always rigorously test a new one out for the slightest buzz or other issues. So this might actually be more related to a personal issue regarding my playstyle (and the testing of course), and the uke itself is probably fine. The fact that the previous KoAloha had the exact same "issue" would be evidence for that as well. The shop owner suggested that it can be fixed by raising the nut but I wouldn't want to do that as it would affect playability and possibly intonation as well. Seems I'll just have to get used to how this uke sounds and feels.

Click to expand...

Whoever is running this shop doesn't know what he's talking about. KoAlohas are not known for their buzzing strings. Find someone who is experienced with ukes and have him play it - and listen to you playing it.

Just curious, don't want you to name names, but what type of seller did you buy these from? What type of shop was it, a small shop that also sells online, or a big operation that sells Koaloha, in addition to other ukes? As you may know, there are a number of top notch dealers recommended here, all of whom examine and adjust/setup ukes prior to shipping. Some dealers just ship the uke as received. In that case, issues like this can arise, since the uke may have changed, due to environmental changes during travel and storage at the dealer.

As I mentioned earlier, I purchased the uke from what I believe to be a reputable shop. I don't want to name names, at least yet, but they are a very small specialised ukulele shop with several positive reviews or mentions, also on this site. So they're definitely not some massive warehouse operation. They also mentioned that they did check the uke before sending it. I don't have any (other) reason to distrust them, which is why I'm a bit confused about both the issue with the uke and their claims about it.

I have now contacted KoAloha directly as well, so I'll see what they have to comment on the situation.

Hope you get this sorted, but this is not a problem I have personally encountered with any KoAloha and I've played a few.

I'm just guessing but it is not uncommon to have the nut slot angle off on new instruments. The slot needs to fall away at 20 degrees or so so the string sits on the front edge of the nut slot. If the string manages to make strange buzzes and harmonics when played forte, but is okay when played softer, it probably just needs a wee bit steeper angle on the fall away to keep the string from vibrating against the middle or back side of the nut slot.

I don't know the amount of buzz, but in situations like this, I like to resort to superglue (its a good hard plastic when dried). use a dot in the slot. Lifts it a bit.

Try strumming and picking at different angles. I have found some buzzing with some of tenors because I was hitting the string at an steep almost angle especially when strumming hard. This caused the string to vibrate towards the fret and away, hitting the frets. I changed the angle to one more parallel to the fretboard and the buzz went away. The ukes with the lowest actions were more susceptible than those with slightly higher actions.

Do some test strums and picks, watching very closely and see if you replicate the buzzing.

If the G string don't buzz when fretted you need a new nut. i'm shure Koaloha will send you a new one.
What is the action at the twelfth fret?
I've had a Koaloha with a dead c# note that drove me nuts.

I don't have great tools for measuring the action but at the 12th fret it seems to be about 2.5 mm. That's definitely on the lower side but the KoAloha seems to have larger frets than my other ukes. In any case, I'm fairly certain the buzzing is not occurring because of the action being too low. I'm positive it's either because of low string tension due to the shallow angle of the strings from the tuners to the nut, or alternatively the nut itself (or both, I suppose). The angle of the strings beyond the nut definitely seems shallower compared to my other ukes. This was also mentioned by the shop owner and he actually suggested that the strings should be wound around the tuner posts as low as possible for maximum angle to the nut. It makes sense to me but I'm still completely puzzled why this would be a persistent issue on KoAlohas (or more accurately, the ones I've been able to try out; I know many of you haven't had any such issues).

Also, I'm certain the issue is not my playstyle regarding the angle of my picking or strumming. I always test my ukes for buzzes by plucking the string as horizontally (in relation to the fretboard, of course) as I can. There's very clear buzzing on this one when testing like this.

At this point, I'm fairly determined to fix this without sending the uke back to the shop. As I mentioned earlier, the shop owner offered to fix the issue by raising the nut but I really don't want to do that since the action at the nut is just about comfortable for me as it is now. I got a response from KoAloha saying that they forwarded my email to one of their lead builders. No further response from them yet so I'll have to wait at least until Monday. I'll see what their response is and move forward from there. Simply having a luthier fix the uke is definitely an option for me at this point but I'm keeping it as a last resort.

It sounds like either a nut slot that is cut too low (easily fixed) or perhaps the uke was under humidified this winter and the top has sunk a bit. If the shop you bought it from is located in a dry winter region, try humidifying properly. If a low nut slot, simply tape both sides of the nut to create walls on each side of the slot equal to height of nut - put a drop of Crazy Glue in the low slot - liberally sprinkle the slot with baking soda (or, my preference, sand a old saddle or nut you might have around, and use that dust) while glue is still wet - use a needle/pin to quickly mix the concoction (it will look ugly) - than blow the loose dust away. Remove tape and file the slot down to the proper height. Works like a charm.

If two strings are buzzing then maybe the whole nut is too low. Can you put a thin shim under it (slice of credit card)? The advantage of this is that it is a reversible experiment.

Have you systematically fretted down the neck to identify the level of the buzz? I am sure you know all this but if you eliminate the buzz by barring at the first fret then the buzz is at the nut, if it is still buzzing it is one of the frets and you need to keep working down till you elimiate the buzz.

Also have you tried new strings? if the strings are old they may have gone saggy in storage at the warehouse.

Dohle said:

I don't have great tools for measuring the action but at the 12th fret it seems to be about 2.5 mm. That's definitely on the lower side but the KoAloha seems to have larger frets than my other ukes. In any case, I'm fairly certain the buzzing is not occurring because of the action being too low. I'm positive it's either because of low string tension due to the shallow angle of the strings from the tuners to the nut, or alternatively the nut itself (or both, I suppose). The angle of the strings beyond the nut definitely seems shallower compared to my other ukes. This was also mentioned by the shop owner and he actually suggested that the strings should be wound around the tuner posts as low as possible for maximum angle to the nut. It makes sense to me but I'm still completely puzzled why this would be a persistent issue on KoAlohas (or more accurately, the ones I've been able to try out; I know many of you haven't had any such issues).

Also, I'm certain the issue is not my playstyle regarding the angle of my picking or strumming. I always test my ukes for buzzes by plucking the string as horizontally (in relation to the fretboard, of course) as I can. There's very clear buzzing on this one when testing like this.

At this point, I'm fairly determined to fix this without sending the uke back to the shop. As I mentioned earlier, the shop owner offered to fix the issue by raising the nut but I really don't want to do that since the action at the nut is just about comfortable for me as it is now. I got a response from KoAloha saying that they forwarded my email to one of their lead builders. No further response from them yet so I'll have to wait at least until Monday. I'll see what their response is and move forward from there. Simply having a luthier fix the uke is definitely an option for me at this point but I'm keeping it as a last resort.

Click to expand...

I own a longneck KoAloha soprano strung with KoAloha soprano strings. I think they recommend concert strings, but I always observed stepping up that direction kind of kills the sound on these smaller bodies. They are built light and don’t need much to fully resonate the soundboard. It does buzz on a certain string certain chords tuned in standard C tuning with my vigorous playing style aka really digging in, but the trick is I tune up to D (ADF#B) and wala zero buzzing without so much floppy-ness in the strings. This is not a problem for me as a solo player, but you can always re-tune back to C at a uke group or playing with a band need be and it’s really hard to notice in that loud of a setting. The upgraded UPT tuners really make tuning back and forth a breeze. Hope this helps, little soprano/sub-sopranos were originally tuned higher back in the days anyways it’s just physics and sounds MUCH more ideal.

As I mentioned earlier, the shop owner offered to raise the nut to fix the issue. He actually said that the issue might very well be that the nut is too low / the nut slots are cut too low. But before I mess with the nut (or have someone else to do it), I'll wait for KoAloha's response. I'm sure they will know what should be done next.

The buzz indeed stops when fretting the strings. My little paper trick also got rid of the buzzing, so the issue is definitely the nut, or at least at the nut. I just think that jamming some paper under the strings is not an acceptable long-term solution as it can affect the sound of the strings. Also, I always try new strings first when dealing with buzzes so it's definitely not the stock strings. I even switched them to a slightly higher tension than the stock strings but that alone wasn't enough to fix the issue.

Thanks for all the responses and support, btw. For now, I'll try to take it easy and wait for KoAloha's instructions. Although, being the impatient dolt that I am, I already ordered another higher-end uke from another dealer so I can at least have that one to play with, but I am still determined getting the KoAloha fixed as it's my only koa intrument.