Long Neck Soprano

DavidGuitar95010

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I've been playing my tenor mostly due to the longer fretboard and wider nut (fat fingers are no help here). I keep seeing the term "long neck soprano", and I'm not 100% certain what that means. Is it a concert size neck or tenor size neck attached to a soprano body? So would someone with larger hands get the benefit of something like a tenor, but the higher pitched sound of a soprano?

As a tenor player, I'm also a bit jealous of how less expensive sopranos are.

Thoughts?
 
You are absolutely on the right track. A long neck soprano, or sometimes called a super soprano, in 99% of cases is a soprano with a concert scale neck. Those two names are a bit of a misnomer since of course it's actually the scale that gives the name to a uke, so a uke with a concert scale and a "soprano" body should actually be something like small bodied concert or a mini concert or whatever, but obviously the nomenclature has been widely decided already.

In any case, as I said, most of the time a long neck soprano will have a concert scale neck, similarly to a long neck concert which will have a tenor scale neck, but I have seen some tenor scale ukes with a "soprano" size body as well. At least Magic Fluke has made them for their Flea models but I'm not sure if they're in regular production anymore. If I'm not mistaken, KoAloha have done tenor scale sopranos as well but I bet those a rarer than hen's teeth.
 
Yes my most recent uke purchase was a long neck soprano. That gets you close to the sweet authentic sound of soprano with the playing comfort of concert.
 
One thing to note: there's some contention about uke sizes, since "soprano," "concert," "tenor," etc. are supposedly about scale lengths (from nut to saddle). So following that, a longneck soprano would really be a concert with a body that traditionally goes with sopranos. Maybe "longneck" or "super soprano" just sounds better than "small-bodied concert." Although "mini-concert" or "mini-tenor" doesn't sound so bad to me.

I like what Pepe Romero's been doing with his sopranos, concerts, and tenors. He's basically taking those scale lengths and putting them on bigger than average bodies. So his soprano sounds like, well, a super soprano. He's going in the opposite direction than longneck instruments, which I find pretty cool.
 
I like what Pepe Romero's been doing with his sopranos, concerts, and tenors. He's basically taking those scale lengths and putting them on bigger than average bodies. So his soprano sounds like, well, a super soprano. He's going in the opposite direction than longneck instruments, which I find pretty cool.

Very much agreed. I'm really surprised why more manufacturers haven't done this. I mainly play soprano so I would definitely appreciate a larger sized body with soprano scale. The concept for the Romero's is excellent but I don't much care for the body shape and the stock low g so I haven't bought one.

Next week I'll receive my own long neck soprano that's a first one for me. It's funny since I don't really know what to expect, but suffice it to say that a NUD is incoming.
 
Ohana has a model called the SK-30L, which has a tenor-scale neck paired with a soprano body. I had one of these several years ago, but made disposition of it in a trade. I can certify, however, that it was a wonderful instrument, with a powerful jangly voice, and really comfortable to play!
 
Very much agreed. I'm really surprised why more manufacturers haven't done this. I mainly play soprano so I would definitely appreciate a larger sized body with soprano scale. The concept for the Romero's is excellent but I don't much care for the body shape and the stock low g so I haven't bought one.

Next week I'll receive my own long neck soprano that's a first one for me. It's funny since I don't really know what to expect, but suffice it to say that a NUD is incoming.

I’m not a fan of Romero’s headstock. It was designed to reduce the overall length of the ukulele on the pineapple shapes, but for some reason it’s used on the figure 8 shapes as well. Aside from the headstock’s appearance, which I’m not fond of, the small shape makes playing at the first fret feel cramped because I bump up against tuners. I’m fine with the body shape, and I like that Romero puts low g on even the smaller ukes. But since it’s wound, it doesn’t seem like it would be difficult to put in a high g.

Actually, I would think, since you not only like sopranos, but are often looking for different kinds to play, that Romero might be a fun soprano variation for you, low g and all. I just wish the headstock design was the Signature/Replica one, rather than the Tiny Tenor.
 
Ohana has a model called the SK-30L, which has a tenor-scale neck paired with a soprano body. I had one of these several years ago, but made disposition of it in a trade. I can certify, however, that it was a wonderful instrument, with a powerful jangly voice, and really comfortable to play!

Totally agree, it is a quite unique instrument, & plays well - I also have the SK-30M concert scale soprano body, & their CK-35L tenor scale with concert sized body - all solid mahogany, & excellent for their prices.
 
I’m not a fan of Romero’s headstock. It was designed to reduce the overall length of the ukulele on the pineapple shapes, but for some reason it’s used on the figure 8 shapes as well. Aside from the headstock’s appearance, which I’m not fond of, the small shape makes playing at the first fret feel cramped because I bump up against tuners. I’m fine with the body shape, and I like that Romero puts low g on even the smaller ukes. But since it’s wound, it doesn’t seem like it would be difficult to put in a high g.

Actually, I would think, since you not only like sopranos, but are often looking for different kinds to play, that Romero might be a fun soprano variation for you, low g and all. I just wish the headstock design was the Signature/Replica one, rather than the Tiny Tenor.

I wholeheartedly agree. I like the quirky headstock on the Tiny Tenor and its smaller variants but on the normal shaped ukes it just looks ugly as sin. And that small headstock just screams rear-facing planetary tuners. The geared tuners look hideous. The Replica Tenor, on the other hand, is just gorgeous in every way. I wish they made a concert version of it.

I was thinking about getting either the XS Soprano or the STC Concert since I wanted a low g uke but ultimately I went for something a bit more affordable and something that I wanted to customize for low g myself. I have no doubt the Romero ukes are great quality but I play so little with a low g that I can't justify getting one anymore.
 
These ones have gotten some good reviews

View attachment 131143

The low-end Kiwayas are great values if you're buying in Japan (where prices start below the equivalent of US$100), but beware that markups can be really huge if you buy from foreign importers.
IMG_20191006_111910.jpg
 
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Dang, you’re right, that’s a big markup.

The low-end Kiwayas are can be great values if you're buying in Japan (where prices start below the equivalent of US$100), but beware that markups can be really huge if you buy from foreign importers.
View attachment 131144
 
I have an Ohana SK30M, concert scale, and I can recommend it if you want a serious yet not too expensive try at this kind of ukulele.
It is rather cheap for a solid wood ukulele, and it is a joy to play. My other favorite ukes cost three times as much, and I still love this one. I play it with fluorocarbon strings, goes really well with it.
 
These ones have gotten some good reviews

View attachment 131143

I have it, and I am a big fan. It plays as well (speed and feel of neck) as my higher end ukes. It has a fun plucky sound and is surprisingly resonant. I have wondered how much different the Japanese made model is that is twice the price. Sadly, Kawaya does not make any LN sopranos in solid wood--I wrote and asked.

While paying $175 for a laminate might seem expensive, this was well worth it to me. The only thing I don't like is that edges are somewhat sharp--this makes it less wonderful for playing on the couch or in bed. It is the one I play by the Puget Sound each morning when it is warm enough and is not raining.
 
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I have it, and I am a big fan. It plays as well (speed and feel of neck) as my higher end ukes. It has a fun plucky sound and is surprisingly resonant. I have wondered how much different the Japanese made model is that is twice the price. Sadly, Kawaya does not make any LN sopranos in solid wood--I wrote and asked.

While paying $175 for a laminate might seem expensive, this was well worth it to me. The only thing I don't like is that edges are somewhat sharp--this makes it less wonderful for playing on the couch or in bed. It is the one I play by the Puget Sound each morning when it is warm enough and is not raining.

Hi Rich, don't mean to butt in and be giving unsolicited advice, but for those occasional sharp fret ends on my ukes, I just take all the strings off, and lightly run one of those fine-grit sanding sponges (made by the 3M company) lengthwise at about a 45-degree angle along the edge of the fretboard (one side first, then the other), and that makes things smooth as a baby's bottom! Then slap a fresh set of strings on there, and you're golden!
 
Hi Rich, don't mean to butt in and be giving unsolicited advice, but for those occasional sharp fret ends on my ukes, I just take all the strings off, and lightly run one of those fine-grit sanding sponges (made by the 3M company) lengthwise at about a 45-degree angle along the edge of the fretboard (one side first, then the other), and that makes things smooth as a baby's bottom! Then slap a fresh set of strings on there, and you're golden!

Bill, that is not butting in, that is giving good advice! That is wanted. The problem is, it is not the frets--I was not clear when I wrote it. it is the actual body of the uke, which one of the builders currently making a uke for me suggested this was due to it being a laminate construction. I think that might be true to some degree, but I think it is really also an issue in design and finish as well. I have research how to sand the edges slightly, although there is a risk of harming the finish and having to redo it. I am not, sadly, a handy person, and will just not use this one for "coach playing"--I have others :).

Thank for responding--I am all about learning new things :)
 
I believe Kiwaya makes some solid body long neck sopranos under their Famous brand. I've only found them from Japanese vendors though and ever since Rakuten Japan basically shut down international orders, it takes a bit of creative googling to find a vendor. I'm with you Rich, I like the body edges a little rounded.

The Chinese made Kiwayas have thicker frets too, which doesn't bother me, but might bother some Kiwaya fans. I briefly had a KSU-1. Nicely built, but wasn't for me. If it was the 1L, I probably would have kept it just because I like long neck sopranos.
 
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