I want to rock out, but my Pono says, "no thank you."

I've got a touch of UAS. I need an assist. Been playing a Cordoba 15CM for years (wonderful laminate instrument). Looking for a tenor with a little more bass, mid-range, and presence.

My first attempt was a disappointing misstep with a beautiful Pono MT. Turns out a Pono wasn't what I wanted. Even after a string change (to Martins) the sound is thin, quiet, and lacking in presence. Add in neck dive and I just don't want to pick it up. It doesn't suit my playing, which primarily involves singing along to rock songs like: Queen, Guns N' Roses, Beatles, and the like.

I am hoping to check the following boxes:

• Tenor
• Preferably no more than $300-$399
• Warm, meaty mids and lows that compliment rock covers -- the ukulele equivalent of a dual-humbucker guitar.
• Curious about solid wood (not a deal breaker)
• I probably don't want the harshness of a crazy loud uke, but quiet is no bueno. I have a guitar when I really want to make noise.
• Well-suited for strumming, with room to grow as a fingerstyle player

I've been eyeing the Mainland Red Cedar. Cedar seems like it might have a nice, warm punch to it. But I've heard Mainlands can be a little quiet. Suggestions, please?

High g or low g? You might want to try some more strings on the Pono, maybe Worth Browns or UkeLogic.

I agree you could try some different strings on the Pono, both of Jim's suggestions are good. Low G, of course, you want that bassiness. I have Worth Browns on my tenor. And which wood do you have?

Nothing wrong with UAS, though. Every uke has it's own voice.

Couple of rules for a rocker uke:
1) If you get a solid top get a hardwood like mahogany and avoid softwood like cedar or spruce. Those are more suited for more gentle music and sound harsh if played hard.
2) For strings get a plain low G in a set with similar thick or high tension strings. Avoid wound low G and thin strings and mixing different string types as this will unbalance power chords. I use Aquila red low G with super Nylgut and the power chords are mighty sweet. High tension Uke logic might be fluorocarbon alternative.
3) For the body look for an arched back ideally without braces for good projection. This type of back would be laminated or plastic. A black magic fluke might be a good rock machine but it has laminate top.

Thanks for the awesome responses!

Never tried low-G tuning, but not opposed. Thanks for the suggestion on that and the strings, all.

In response to your question, the Pono is solid mahogany. Nice sound, just too thin.

Bill_McNeil said:

I am hoping to check the following boxes:

• Tenor
• Preferably no more than $300-$399
• Warm, meaty mids and lows that compliment rock covers -- the ukulele equivalent of a dual-humbucker guitar.
• Curious about solid wood (not a deal breaker)
• I probably don't want the harshness of a crazy loud uke, but quiet is no bueno. I have a guitar when I really want to make noise.
• Well-suited for strumming, with room to grow as a fingerstyle player

I've been eyeing the Mainland Red Cedar. Cedar seems like it might have a nice, warm punch to it. But I've heard Mainlands can be a little quiet. Suggestions, please?

Click to expand...

$300-$400 may limit you if you wish to check all those off. For a good rock strummer that could also handle some finger picking close you your price range, I'd suggest looking at a Koaloha Opio strung with a low G (just a few hundred more, but would last much longer than others in your price range). I've heard Rebels sound similar, but may be even more expensive. Both those options are less than the next price range that would give you even more options. I'd also look at the Martin T1K.

Some of what you may be experiencing with the Pono may be due to bracing, which is just as important as tone woods. Ponos are heavy builds with traditional fan bracing (I believe). Koaloha (and Opio, i think) has a unibrace the gives it its volume. AnueNue Bird series and Kala Elites have an X brace that gives it an open sound that sounds well with rock music, IMO. But those are much more expensive. I don't know what brands in your price range would have a build and brace like that...

The only way to rock with a Pono is to plug it in.

As Jim say....strings, strings and more strings. I have Pono AT which is same class as your MT just different wood. My AT sounded subdued when I first got it. It hates anything that is NON fluro carbon. Nylon sound bad in particular. In the beginning, a string set would only last less than a week on it if I didn’t like the sound. Then I found Flurocarbon. Most all sound good but Oasis Brights, Romeo high g, and a few others really make it chime.

I will say, I did play a Pono tenor, Mango, at a guitar store once that was pretty quiet. I attributed it to the strings. That entry series by Pono, with its satin finish helps these ukuleles project. Maybe time and strings is all you need.

My brother has all mahogany Mainland and while I like it, it’s doesn’t sound as nice as my Pono to my ears.

I also have a MTD-SP with spruce top, mahogany and gloss finish.......I like my AT better for sound. Both made really well......but I like sound out of the satin finished AT.

Good luck with search but my experience always says try more strings.

Hi, all ~

I will humbly add that I have played Ponos, exclusively, (tenors and baritones) the last 7 years in my 10 years of playing. The first three years of my playing were spent trying to figure out what brand, size, and wood configuration worked for best for me; this is as I have terrible wrist tendonitis in my fretting hand and I also have a pretty loud voice. I found that Pono Deluxe models and Pro Classic models fit the bill for me — tho, I admit that these models do exceed the $399 price cap noted by the OP.

I am absolutely no professional — by means of playing, nor by means of building instruments, but I’d like to add, humbly again, that, in my opinion, I don’t find my Ponos to be overbuilt, heavy, or that they lack the means of ‘rocking out.’ I find my Pono instruments extremely comfortable to play, light-weight compared to other brands/models I’ve played, and all Pono wood configurations I’ve had in the past, as well as that I have currently in my herd, have excellent sound projection. I’ll add that I always use the Ko’olau ‘Alohi strings with both my Pono tenor and bari ukes and I really love these strings best.

Another side note: As I have such a loud voice, I cannot play on solid mahogany instruments as my voice just overpowers them; however, add a solid spruce top (or solid cedar top) with all mahogany sides/back — and it’s perfect for me.

May I please also add that, truly, I feel like I have to add that I don’t mean to stir the pot, here, I only feel it’s important to share my Pono feedback to provide another perspective. My Pono experience is not similar as others have described their experiences in this thread. Honestly, I would not play on Ponos if I didn’t feel that I could ‘rock out’ with them — I love to rock out on my Ponos! :rock:

Many thanks to the community for all the thoughtful responses on my tone-hunting journey. I have a pair of Worth Brown low-G strings on the way. I'll give that a shot on the Pono MT and report back. Should be fun to try low-G for the first time. Seems like a promising, meaty string choice based on some YouTube videos I watched -- and perhaps more to my taste than the bright Martins.

You also inspired me to give the Pono a little more love. Even after just a few more hours of playing it started to open up a bit. I was disappointed by how little vibration I could feel on my chest at first (especially for such a "large" body). But now I am surprised at how much that is increasing as it opens up. I'll be interested to see how that continues to develop. The life in wood instruments fascinates me.

More to come...

Uke Logic HIGH Tension strings transmute these builds..

Warm, meaty mids and lows that compliment rock covers -- the ukulele equivalent of a dual-humbucker guitar.

Click to expand...

https://www.ukulele.de/tenor/63/risa-lp-tenor-cherry-sunburst?c=51

If you don't mind single coils, there is a preowned one with dual-single coils preowned here:
https://forum.ukuleleunderground.co...isa-tobacco-sunburst-semi-hollow-electric-uke

You might want to consider what Joe Turner had to say in 12 bars, with a quick turn around on the IV

When I get the blues gonna get me a rockin’ chair
When I get the blues gonna get me a rockin’ chair
When the blues overtake me gonna ROCK right away from here!

Tracy

(Flip, flop and fly - don’t care if I die)

King David said:

Uke Logic HIGH Tension strings transmute these builds..

Click to expand...

This is so very very true. I have a Pono tenor I was ready to give up on until I put Uke Logic Hign Tension strings on it. Wow. What a huge difference. I own two other Ponos, both baritones. - One is a steel stringed Bari and it is marvelous. Don't give up yet!

Since you like your Cordoba, you might try a Cordoba 24T tenor - solid cedar top, spalted maple (laminated) back and sides, mahogany neck, and vermillion bindings.
I once weighed mine on an accurate scale and, in total it weighed less than the difference in weight between it and my Pono Acacia tenor.
I’ve sold off the Pono, long since.... as well as two other solid mahigany tenors, but I won’t easily part with my 24T, and it was less than $200 new.
It has a wonderful, warm, dry, woody tone that responds well to strumming or picking.... even hard strumming. It’s not the loudest uke, but it’s much louder than that Pono, and far more responsive.... nice neck carve, too!

Hmmm... There IS something to this Ponos and their strings thing: Here's my story-

I bought my AT-CR used from a guy in Sonoma, and he said it had Worth-Brown strings on it when I bought it. He also warned my it didn't sound so great with other brands of strings. It sounds (well, sounded) so awesome with those strings, with a harp like quality that made my finger picking style light up. I love this Pono! I'll Never sell it...

Then, time to change strings. SO- Did I listen to the guy I bought it from told me? NO! I put on some super light LoPrinzi medium tension 100% florocarbon strings... and now my AT sounds Terrible! I don't even want to play that box right now. And in fact, if it had sounded like this when I first played it I probably would not have even bought it in the first place... It's THAT bad!

To be fair, when I emailed LoPrinzi and told them my tale of woe, they offered to mail me a heavy/high set right away. They got back to me right away and offered a replacement set for free. I'll update your when I slap them on... I've been kinda obsessed with my Oscar Schmidt baritone right now so it's gonna be OK. I can make it a few more days of not playing it without risking withdrawl symptoms...

But: It seems like these Ponos are very string sensitive. Mine used to sound amazing, and not it lacks in all of the ways you described in your original posting!

Here is what I suggest: You try the W-Bs and I'll install the LoPrenzis and we will each post about how things changed... Deal?

Andon't give up! Mine went from remarkable to awful with a string change... Let's hope we can reverse this experience.

Bill

Hi Bill! This is Bill...

I hate to break it too you, but you are going to need two different ukes. The Ponos really don't rock, even if you put light strings on them. They strum better with light strings, but sound awful with light strings so spare yourself the trouble!

Here is what I do: Save the Pono for a finger picking style song - say Bruce Cockburn's "Wondering where the lions are", and when it's time for Neil Young's "Rocking in the free world" I switch to my Kala SSTU travel tenor. It's louder than anything and with a set of light strings it just loves to be thrashed on. You can do ol' Neil proud with that box!

I love both of these uke's, but each has their place! Now, you must decide: Is this a problem or an opportunity? Depends on your cash flow situation! I'd view this and a sign I need one more uke... Your results may vary...

And by all means, quit trying to make that Pono into something it isn't... I just put a set of light strings on my AT to try and make it more "strummy" and it sounds horrible now! Terrible tone and low output...Big mistake...I'll be changing those out ASAP. These Ponos seem very sensitive to their string weight. I'm finding it's better to go heavy to get the best out of this one here, at least.

Yes... one more uke sound pretty good about now, actually. Plenty of time to practice, that's for sure. I wonder if I can sneak another one into the house though, if I have mail order it. Maybe I can get it delivered to my neighbor's house so my partner doesn't figure out what I'm up to... Hmmmmm...

Again, many thanks to all of you. It's a fun journey and I really appreciate the assistance on the path. It helps me to avoid the frustration that can cause me to put down the instrument for a stretch.

I've learned a lot since I last checked in on this thread almost two months ago. Thanks to the encouragement on Barry Maz' website, I learned how to change my own strings. I've gotten pretty decent at it. I really enjoy hearing how the strings develop as they stretch.

I put the low-G Worth Browns on the mahogany tenor Pono and some very interesting things happened. I immediately learned I like the low-G tone. It also resolved the thinness of the instrument that was nagging me. But then as the Pono opened up, I also learned there is an upper limit to my desire for a fat sound.

To my surprise, I overshot the type of warm tone I wanted. On strums with an open G the Pono is a bit boomy for my taste with the Worth Browns. I thought I'd get used to it, but it's getting more irritating to my ear with time -- on a spirited song, the fat sustain causes a droning low resonance that is unpleasant. I'm planning on trying some different strings, likely the Oasis warm low-G carbon strings, to see if that gets me closer to what I'm looking for.

Sheepishly, I will concede I also gave in to my UAS and picked up a Cordoba 21T (spruce top, lam sides/back, comp fretboard). I needed a non-solid uke that could live in a converted garage that might have some temperature and humidity challenges. I put on some low-G Fremont Blackline strings and had it professionally set up. I've been really pleased. It has a terrific sound that is only getting better as it opens up a tiny bit. Not quite the quality fit and finish of the Pono (needs some filing of fret ends, minor finish issues), but still a pretty decent value. I'm not totally sure how to describe what I like about the sound, but I dig it. Nice little uke.

I'll report back again when I've learned more. Thanks, all.

A Mahogany instrument is inherently warm-sounding, so putting "warm" strings on the Pono MT will only make it sounder warmer. You may want to try Worth Clears or Oasis Brights on it. Also, Living Water strings sound good on every ukulele I've tried them with.

Worth strings and Living Waters both have an un-wound Low G string. Oasis strings use a wound Low G, although at one time they offered Low G sets with a smooth wound "squeakless" Low G. I'm not sure if that's still an option, though.

I have sometimes used Oasis strings with a Worth Low G, and that's worked pretty well.

But yeah, the right strings can make a huge difference on Pono ukes!

Edit: Also, re the boomy, low droning. It takes a little while to adapt your strumming when first playing with a Low G string. The 4th string will sound boomy until you learn to strum it a little more softly, so that it's more balanced with the other strings. But not to worry, it's an almost unconscious process and doesn't take long to get used to. Meanwhile, if you're playing 'Smoke on the Water', wail on that thing!

Bill_McNeil said:

I'll report back again when I've learned more. Thanks, all.

Click to expand...

I'm glad you're making progress. I love brown Worth strings and Fremonts. I even downtune them three or four half-steps. That makes the boom even boomier. The trick is to control it. When you're a low G person, you need to become proficient at muting.