Uke Wanted

Jerryc41

Jerryc41

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This is an update about the uke I'm trying to find for a friend of a friend.

She wants a tenor, solid wood, low-G, and strap buttons. I showed her gotaukulele and the ratings, and she wants one rated 9.5 or higher. Traditional shape. She's raised her spending limit to over $600, but spending less would also be good.

She looked at one made of koi, but it was sold. That sounds kinda fishy. It probably wouldn't have a nice smell, anyway. :D

I'm going to spend some time looking online, but if you happen to know of something appropriate, let me know.

Thanks

No mahogany!
 
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Those snail ukuleles at the Southern Ukulele Store look pretty nice. I think Baz did a review of a laminate version and gave it a 9.0, so an all solid one might be what you need and it's under your price point. Good luck!
 
ghostrdr said:
Those snail ukuleles at the Southern Ukulele Store look pretty nice. I think Baz did a review of a laminate version and gave it a 9.0, so an all solid one might be what you need and it's under your price point. Good luck!
Click to expand...

Thanks. I can see myself spending all day on this, but I could do worse that looking at ukes online. :)
 
LoPrinzi might be good. Their Mahogany tenor is good and it plays easy.
aNueNue AMM2 African Mahogany
Ko'Aloha Opio Acacia, Spruce/Acacia there are usually some of these used floating around
I assume you have rejected Pono. Their deluxe versions are right around $600 new.
Kala Elite 1s I think are going for $600 - $700
Cocobolo. Bare bones. But by the time you include shipping its more like $775
Pepe Romeros are about $850 new.

I'm sure there must be a bazillion others in the $600 price range.
 
Jerryc41 said:
I showed her gotaukulele and the ratings, and she wants one rated 9.5 or higher.
Click to expand...

The only tenors at 9.5 or higher on Got a Ukulele are KoAloha and aNueNue Moon Bird which are over her budget. Such a shame she won't settle on a 9.4 since then she could get the Forest Ukuleles FUZZ-S tenor (a store brand for the Uke Room) which is just within her budget. Oh well...

Obviously I'm being facetious. I'm sure you realise how silly it is to limit yourself to a number set by a single ukulele reviewer. In all seriousness, you (she) should definitely check out the Uke Room's store brand ukes. They don't have the FUZZ-S available anymore but they do have the FUZZ-C which is the cedar version. I'm willing to bet that's an excellent uke for the money.

If you're checking out SUS for the Snail ukes, be sure to check out the Millar ukes also. They're supposedly really good for the price as well. You could also check World of Ukes for them since they offer free shipping at the price of the Millar tenors.
 
Kenn2018 said:
LoPrinzi might be good. Their Mahogany tenor is good and it plays easy.
aNueNue AMM2 African Mahogany
Ko'Aloha Opio Acacia, Spruce/Acacia there are usually some of these used floating around
I assume you have rejected Pono. Their deluxe versions are right around $600 new.
Kala Elite 1s I think are going for $600 - $700
Cocobolo. Bare bones. But by the time you include shipping its more like $775
Pepe Romeros are about $850 new.

I'm sure there must be a bazillion others in the $600 price range.
Click to expand...

Yes, I suggested several of them. She's still thinking. Actually, her latest email told me to pick one out and buy it for her. What are the chances I would pick one she liked? :)
 
I have to agree with Dohle here. Sticking to only 9.5 or higher is way too overly restrictive. You need to put Baz's (or anyone's for that matter) scores into perspective. Anything over an 8 gets a "recommended" from him, and anything over a 9 is "absolutely essential and recommended." There are a lot of great instruments he has reviewed that your friend of a friend should absolutely consider.
 
Without knowing much about her background, there's really not much to recommend.
Is she near you? If so, why not let her try a few of your ukes in the price range. Then just tell her to buy one that she likes best.
 
Low G and strap buttons you can add to any ukulele. If she doesnt want to do it herself, all you need to do is to buy from a music shop that will do it for her in stead of Amazon. But I figure that was not the plan anyway.

It says "no Mahogany" In the OP. For the looks or the sound? And is Khaya (african Mahogany) included?

Someone mention the Anuenue AMM 2. That is a concert ukulele, but I have the AMM3 tenor, and I will agree that it sounds great with low G. The "african Mahogany" is stained and finished so It looks nothing like a plain Mahogany ukulele.
 
UkingViking said:
Someone mention the Anuenue AMM 2. That is a concert ukulele, but I have the AMM3 tenor, and I will agree that it sounds great with low G. The "african Mahogany" is stained and finished so It looks nothing like a plain Mahogany ukulele.
Click to expand...

I have the AMM2 with low G. I agree that these models from aNueNue are excellent if you're after a low G uke. The quality for the price of these is exceptionally good.

I don't really understand why you'd disregard mahogany ukes.
 
Dohle said:
I have the AMM2 with low G. I agree that these models from aNueNue are excellent if you're after a low G uke. The quality for the price of these is exceptionally good.

I don't really understand why you'd disregard mahogany ukes.
Click to expand...

It's not me disregarding mahogany, it's the potential buyer. Oh, and it has to be solid wood, no laminates or alternate materials.

Translating her search into familiar terms, she wants the equivalent of a Hawaiian koa K brand for $600. "To dream the impossible dream..." It's gotten to the point where she wants me to pick one out and buy it for her using her credit card. Unless it a koa K, she's going to be disappointed.

Part of email from her -

""Would you love the sound for years? Remember i am purchasing 1 uku -----i love the bargain but will I love the sound for time to come?"
 
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Jerryc41 said:
It's not me disregarding mahogany, it's the potential buyer.
Click to expand...

Apologies. I'm posting as if talking to the buyer, not you, but I should've conveyed that better. And I don't envy your position one bit. :D

If the requirement really is basically a K brand for $600 or thereabouts, I would just go with a KoAloha Opio and be done with it. That's basically the same construction as a Hawaiian KoAloha, just not made out of koa.
 
clear said:
Without knowing much about her background, there's really not much to recommend.
Is she near you? If so, why not let her try a few of your ukes in the price range. Then just tell her to buy one that she likes best.
Click to expand...

Yes, it is hard to know what to recommend, considering what she wants and her price range. My latest recommendation is a page of Pono tenors from HMS. This has been dragging on for two weeks now. I want to limit my contact with her to email. She gave me her phone number, but I'm not going to call. There's no way I want to start meeting with her in person. She's not a player, but she want a "perfect" uke that will be her one and only. I've offered her over a dozen suggestions, and this page of Ponos will be my last.
 
Jerryc41 said:
It's not me disregarding mahogany, it's the potential buyer. Oh, and it has to be solid wood, no laminates or alternate materials.

Translating her search into familiar terms, she wants the equivalent of a Hawaiian koa K brand for $600. "To dream the impossible dream..." It's gotten to the point where she wants me to pick one out and buy it for her using her credit card. Unless it a koa K, she's going to be disappointed.

Part of email from her -

""Would you love the sound for years? Remember i am purchasing 1 uku -----i love the bargain but will I love the sound for time to come?"
Click to expand...

Maybe a Martin T1K?
 
I'm thinking it is perhaps not the uke she is after ....................
 
Jerryc41 said:
It's not me disregarding mahogany, it's the potential buyer. Oh, and it has to be solid wood, no laminates or alternate materials.

Translating her search into familiar terms, she wants the equivalent of a Hawaiian koa K brand for $600. "To dream the impossible dream..." It's gotten to the point where she wants me to pick one out and buy it for her using her credit card. Unless it a koa K, she's going to be disappointed.

Part of email from her -

""Would you love the sound for years? Remember i am purchasing 1 uku -----i love the bargain but will I love the sound for time to come?"
Click to expand...

I would punt this whole situation. She's putting all of the burden on you and if you don't satisfy her exacting expectations, and odds are sounding likely that you won't, she'll blame you. She's an adult with a credit card. Kindly offer your advice as you already have and let her do the rest.
 
mikelz777 said:
I would punt this whole situation. She's putting all of the burden on you and if you don't satisfy her exacting expectations, and odds are sounding likely that you won't, she'll blame you. She's an adult with a credit card. Kindly offer your advice as you already have and let her do the rest.
Click to expand...

Nail-On-The-Head!
 
I'm with mikelz777 at this point. Time to walk away.

You have already done more than could reasonably be expected of you. No good can come of continuing on this path. The decision and its consequences must ultimately be theirs, not yours.

Say it with me, "I've given you all the advice I can. Instruments are personal, and this is your ukulele, not mine. You will have to make the choice for yourself."
 
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