Review: KoAloha Opio Long Neck Soprano Ukulele

I bought this instrument here on UU, used. It was made in November 2018, so it is being reviewed on its second birthday.

If you know these instruments, you know that they offer all of what makes a KoAloha a KoAloha, other than the actual wood...they are acacia instead of koa. They're made by the same company in Thailand that makes the Rebel brand when they aren't producing Opios.

I find acacia models, in general, to be "darker" in sound than their koa counterparts--and this is true between an KoAloha Opio Concert that I own and its KoAloha Concert sibling. I think that Vic found out the same when he had one of these Opio Long Neck Sopranos and a Koa, and I believe he sold the Opio and kept the Koa (or he did at the time of the video...I don't know if he still has it).

Still, $450 is quite a bit (new) to pay for a ukulele (although you can pay much more), yet is still quite a bargain compared to a koa KoAloha...provided that you don't want the koa.

I really do like this ukulele, and it will be a treasured instrument that will stay with me when I start selling off instruments at some point. It may not have "heirloom status" like my KoAloha concert, but it does remain a very, very good ukulele. Absolutely recommended.

The UkeGuide video appears below. They are long, by design, and you can skip to different chapters. I've also included the One Minute Ukulele Review if you want just a short dose of the instrument.

I was looking forward to this particular review. Didn't really have any doubts about how good a KoAloha Opio is but I just enjoy reviews of more mid or high-end ukuleles. Thanks for the video.

One suggestion I have for the reviews is that I would love if you'd change the strings at the end of the video if you had some issues with the strings during the review (e.g., in this case, old strings). I think that would simply make for a more comprehensive review and would also show the full potential of the uke. It was the same thing with the Paisen review. Although, for that you quickly made an update video, so whichever method would be fine. I'd love to see an update for the Opio as well with new strings.

Yes, I'd like to hear your followup comments,, once you change the strings on that one.

Thanks for the feedback.

As it comes to strings, I’m admittedly very much influenced by Barry Maz and reviewing a ukulele with the strings it comes with. I also don’t want to start a process of having to replace strings on every ukulele in time to publish a review, which can add a few days.

I had time to film the Paisen in advance and was able to quickly follow up with more time than the actual release of the video showed.

As for the KoAloha, I have plans for a comparison with the KoaKolane, both with the Worth Clear Mediums, so that is coming, too.

I'm all for reviewing new ukuleles with the new strings that they come with. If the ukulele is many years old and the strings are an unknown brand in unknown condition, then installing new ones makes a lot of sense.

Choirguy said:

As for the KoAloha, I have plans for a comparison with the KoaKolane, both with the Worth Clear Mediums, so that is coming, too.

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If possible, please try and include your Kala KA-SSLNG in this comparison, too! Thanks!

man0a said:

I'm all for reviewing new ukuleles with the new strings that they come with. If the ukulele is many years old and the strings are an unknown brand in unknown condition, then installing new ones makes a lot of sense.

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This is basically what I was getting at, although I think the Paisen definitely warranted a string change as well because the intonation was so poor. But in general, I think reviewing a uke with the stock strings is justifiable, and I certainly don't assume strings should be switched to new ones every time. Only in very specific circumstances like the ones mentioned.

Nice reviews. Anything made by KoAloha is good. I've never had one I didn't like.