Carbon Fiber Tenors

I previously had a thread for carbon fiber ukes in general, but wanted to format it a little different and also focus specifically on carbon fiber tenor ukes. As of yesterday, I believe I have an example of every true carbon fiber tenor uke that is CURRENTLY available. I have been on the hunt for a Blackbird BTU in it's latest version with the UPT tuners, but haven't been able to locate one yet (any help is greatly appreciated), but either way, since they aren't currently available for sale, they may not be necessary here. That said, I plan to include separate comments on this post for each of the ukes in this photo, which include:

Sumimaru gloss
Sumimaru satin w/ MiSi
Klos full carbon
Synergy carbon
Sydow w/ LR Baggs
Emerald Synergy Harp Uke w/ LR Baggs

In each comment, I plan to include multiple photos and the best amateur descriptions I can put together. I do want to wait for the sun to come out in Western WA so I can get some good photos for everyone. Anyways, if you're interested in buying a carbon fiber tenor, stay tuned for updates.

Nice.

There are some Blackbird Farallon tenors at LAGUITARSALES.COM
> menu
> guitars
> brands > Blackbird.

Cheers.

We all want to know, which is the nicest to play, and which sounds the best (to you)?

Looking forward to your reviews and thoughts. I have played a KLOS with wooden neck. I liked the tone and sound. I do not own a carbon uke though. I have plenty to keep me occupied.

Great idea to review your cf instruments!
I enjoy playing the wooden neck Klos and will be planning many travel adventures for it once it’s safe to leave my neighborhood.

As a carbon fiber fan from way back (got my first CF guitar about 2008) I will be super interested. Particularly in your opinion of the Klos All Carbon, since I sent mine back for a refund.

Thank you for the replies. I was able to snap some photos today and will hopefully get my thoughts on each one posted throughout the day. To touch on a couple of the comments, I used to own a farallon, not carbon fiber but similar. They are great instruments, and I'm looking for one with the gloss burst, but that's unrelated to this particular post. In regards to which is my favorite to play, it depends on what I'm playing and where, but generally I reach for the Sumimaru with the satin finish, most comfortable traditional uke of the bunch with the 38mm nut width and satin neck. The sound varies on each, and depending on the song/tuning needed, that determines which sounds best at the time.

Sydow

Pricing - I was able to get a really good deal on existing stock, but current pricing starts at $2,200

Looks - I love the looks of this uke, and it's very unique when compared to the others. This is the only slimline uke of the bunch, and also the only one using wood (rosewood fretboard). While it does take away some of the durability, the wood does look very nice with the gold jumbo frets. Another unique characteristic is the gold wire woven through the carbon fiber, which adds to the shine coming from the instrument. Arguably the most unique characteristic in terms of looks though is the bridge. You'll notice that there isn't a traditional bridge on these, instead, you can see that the bridge is actually built into the carbon fiber top. If you view the side photos, you can see that the top of the instrument sticks out where the bridge would normally be, and it is supported with additional carbon material below the area that the strings pass through. The finish overall is nice, but there are some imperfections. This may be why I received a discount, but it is a one man shop, and it doesn't especially bother me on this one.

Feel - The slim profile of this uke makes it very comfortable to hold, especially while sitting. There is a bit of neck dive, but it's not bad, and for me, a uke is so small and light that it doesn't bother me. The fretboard is incredibly comfortable to play with the jumbo frets, minimal pressure required to get clean fretted notes. The shape also allows you to easily reach the highest frets.

Sound - This is a bright ukulele, more so than most of the others, but the more the strings have settled, the more it grown on me. There is some depth to the tone and you can get some beautiful sounds out of it. Plugged in, the LR Baggs pickup sounds great, as would be expected.

Customer Service - The communication was mostly with Steve's wife, Trisha, who was very helpful throughout the process. Nothing but positive communication with both Steve and Trisha.

Overall, I'm very happy with this instrument, and it's likely to stay with me for years to come. I bought stock, so I can't speak to the customizations offered by Sydow.

http://www.sydowguitars.com/Sydow_Guitars_and_Ukuleles/Home.html

Sumimaru satin w/ MiSi

Pricing - This particular model with the options included was $1,938

Looks - I love everything about the looks on this uke. The double sound holes, the curves of the body, the black burst satin finish, the use of different carbon fiber weave on different parts of the instrument, everything! The Sumimaru ukes are the biggest bodies standard tenors in this group. When you view the side profile, you can see the depth of the body. It has side markers, but I also like the one marker on the 12th fret as well. Beautiful uke.

Feel - The satin finish makes the entire instrument very smooth to the touch, which I really enjoy. The 38mm nut is also very helpful since I have very large hands. When it comes to overall feel, this one is definitely a favorite, as long as you don't mind the size.

Sound - This uke sounds the most natural to me. There is a certain sound that is generally present in most carbon ukes, and I can't hear it with this one. I'm not sure if it's the finish, or the sound holes, or what, but this one sounds more "natural " than the others.

Customer Service - Initial response took a little bit, but overall communication was good. Very nice guy.

Overall, if I had to pick just one of these, this would likely be it. The sound, feel, looks, everything is great. If you can find one, I highly recommend it!

http://sumimaruguitar.com/ukulele/

Sumimaru gloss

Pricing - This one only cost me $1,000, but I believe that was because it was available stock, maybe even one that was showcased over a period of time? They needed time to clean it up a bit before sending.

Looks - I love the looks of these instruments, same body as the other Sumimaru, just a few differences obviously including sound holes and finish. I do also really like the fretboard on this one, not sure how he does the patchwork look. Very pretty instrument overall.

Feel - Once again, I love the 38mm nut on the Sumimarus, very comfortable to play. While this doesn't have a satin neck, it is still very comfy. I like the size, but that could be an issue for some since these are larger than a standard tenor.

Sound - When strung high g, there was something different about the sound, but almost did have a bit of a buzzy sound. When I changed to low g, I also removed the bridge beads, and it sounds great in low g. I don't know it it was the strings or the beads, but it sounds beautiful now, and it's nice to have two of these in separate tunings. Very clean tone with a nice sustain.

Customer Service - see above. Also worth noting that there are custom options available, I just don't know all of them. See website above.

Overall, I really like having this as a low g alternative to the other Sumimaru. It's also full acoustic, so really nothing to worry about in the elements which is nice. Again, highly recommend looking into a Sumimaru if the price doesn't scare you away.

Synergy Instruments

Pricing - Tenors start at $552.36 USD. This one would be extra with the added Gotoh UPTs.

Looks - I think these look great. The specific carbon fiber used has a really cool 3D effect. One of the cooler looking weaves I've seen. More to come regarding customer service, but the first instruments I received were really choppy around the sound holes. They weren't perfectly circular and were rough to touch. While it seems they fixed that, you will notice the sound hole is off center. Being at this price point, I don't expect the same level of quality as their more expensive counterparts, but certain things, like centering a sound hole, seem like standard QC items that shouldn't be missed. Another looks item worth noting is that there is zero branding anywhere on the instrument. Overall, I think it looks great other than the goofy sound hole.

Feel - This feels better than the soprano I had prior. The neck feels less bulky, maybe just because it's a bigger instrument? Not sure. I do wish they paid a bit more attention to the frets, they are sharp compared to the other instruments listed. The body itself is also "boxier" than the others, but it doesn't bother me too much, and it's still probably less boxy than most wooden ukes.

Sound - Still waiting for the strings to break in, so not super fair to give sound thoughts just yet. The more the strings settle, the better it's sounding. Overall, it seems brighter than the others, and a bit "artificial", but again, not fair to judge just yet.

Customer Service - These guys have been great. I was their first customer when they launched their website. When I voiced concerns about the first instruments, they reached out to me to make it right. They offered to replace both instruments to make sure I was happy. Only downside is timing. Everything that has been shipped has shown that it was waiting to be picked up for over a week before it moves. And just about everything took a bit longer that originally stated, from the launch of the site, to the ekoa instruments being on the site, to shipping, just had some delays.

Overall I think the value is there. If you are looking for a bombproof uke withe beautiful looks and the ability to customize certain options, and potentially stay under $600, this is the way to go. They also offer more size options than any other manufacturer, soprano through Baritone.

https://www.synergyinstruments.com/

Klos Full Carbon

Pricing - Acoustic now starting at $999

In fairness, this is limited edition #3, meaning one of the first off the line, and there were changes made after the fact.

Looks - I don't much care for the looks of the Klos. The carbon fiber is beautiful, but that headstock is about the ugliest in the business though, not to mention it sucks trying to clip a tuner to it. Otherwise, pretty normal looking. The finish is very good though, no issues.

Feel - This is heavy compared to some of the others, but not bad. I really don't like the fretboard though. When received, the action was painfully high. That was fixed, but it still feels very cramped when I'm playing it. Yes, I have very large hands, but this feels small and cramped for a tenor.

Sound - I think the sound is warm, and loud, but plain? I'm not sure what it is, but it doesn't seem to have a lot of depth. Again, possibly the early model, but it's not the sound I'm looking for personally.

Customer service - Nothing but good things to say here. Exceptional customer service. I bought my instrument used, and reached out regarding the action. They let me know about the changes they made to the production model, and offered to make changes to my instrument. Had it shipped out and back within a few weeks.

Overall, it's not the instrument for me, but I've seen many great reviews as well. It is well built and feels incredibly sturdy. The finish is great, frets are nice, no major issues, but it's very uncomfortable for my large hands, and the sound, while very loud, lacks the depth I'm looking for.

https://klosguitars.com/

Emerald Synergy Harp Uke

Pricing - starts at $1,775 w/o pickup, approx $2,600 as pictured

Looks - The looks are entirely up to your imagination on these. They have many veneers, colors, finishes, etc... You can customize almost anything you can imagine on these instruments if you have the cash. The finish is perfect, everything is beautiful to me, zero complaints in the looks department. It's very cool to be able to use royal ebony as the top without compromising sound!!

Feel - It's a different beast than a standard uke, but I think it feels great. I had the do a satin finish on the neck, and they also have a standard 38mm nut, so super comfortable. A little weird with a strap, but now I'm just looking for something to complain about.

Sound - These sound amazing when used as a harp uke, or fingerpicking, absolutely amazing. When strumming regular uke songs, the reverb effect from the harp strings can be a bit much. Not my go to when I'm looking to play the uke, but absolutely incredible once you learn to use the harp strings as well. Such a beautiful, resonant, warm sound.

Customer service - These guys were pretty good. Some communication was a bit rocky, and they made the wrong instrument the first time around, then sold the veneer I had chosen to someone else, wasn't great at that point. That said, they were able to make it right, made a gorgeous instrument for me, and gave me a discount on the balor bass that they are currently building for me.

Overall, if you like the idea of a harp uke, you can't go wrong. I don't see any harp ukes of this quality coming in at or below their base price, and this can go anywhere! Highly recommended.

https://emeraldguitars.com/

That's all of them for now, feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns. Thanks!!

maddogsauce said:

Pricing - Acoustic now starting at $999

In fairness, this is limited edition #3, meaning one of the first off the line, and there were changes made after the fact.

Looks - I don't much care for the looks of the Klos. It looks alright, but pretty standard shape. That headstock is about the ugliest in the business though, not to mention it sucks trying to clip a tuner to it. Otherwise, pretty normal looking. The finish is very good though, no issues.

Feel - This is heavy compared to some of the others, but not bad. I really don't like the fretboard though. When received, the action was painfully high. That was fixed, but it still feels very cramped when I'm playing it. Yes, I have very large hands, but this feels small and cramped for a tenor.

Sound - I think the sound is warm, and loud, but plain? I'm not sure what it is, but it doesn't seem to have a lot of depth. Again, possibly the early model, but it's not the sound I'm looking for personally.

Customer service - Nothing but good things to say here. Exceptional customer service. I bought my instrument used, and reached out regarding the action. They let me know about the changes they made to the production model, and offered to make changes to my instrument. Had it shipped out and back within a few weeks.

Overall, it's not the instrument for me, but I've seen many great reviews as well. It is well built and feels incredibly sturdy. The finish is great, frets are nice, no major issues, but it's very uncomfortable for my large hands, and the sound, while very loud, lacks the depth I'm looking for.

https://klosguitars.com/

Click to expand...

Well as I said, I had one of the Full Carbons and sent it back. I rather liked the looks, but, like you did not care for a tiny headstock that made it all but impossible to mount any type of clip on tuner. Mine also suffered from high action, to the point where had I sanded the saddle down to give the ~0.090" (12th fret) that I wanted, would have left only about 0.040" of saddle proud of the bridge - way too little. I had the same issue with my original Klos "hybrid" with the wood neck a few years ago too. But in that case I was able to sand the bridge down to provide more clearance for the saddle. (They really need to work on their neck angles!) I felt the sound of the All Carbon was improved over the hybrid, but didn't feel it was worth roughly twice the ~$500 I paid for the hybrid.

I sure haven't been impressed by the fit and finish of the Synergy ukes I've seen photos of so far, but they do like a better value option than the Klos.

Speaking to the Klos older model wood fretboard uke which I purchased a little more than a year ago, my experience has been a positive one. For me the instrument felt well balanced and offered a comfortable neck profile not unlike those I was used to from my Kamaka and Koaloha ukes. The action was pleasantly low and intonation precise.

After having a poor experience with an early model Synergy uke, which sported a very well crafted and attractive carbon fibre body but poorly finished frets and incorrect intonation, I returned the uke and bought the Klos. Immediately, and just a month before the pandemic started, I jumped on a small local prop plane and chugged my way to the west coast of BC for some adventuring. The Klos was not allowed to travel in its case due to aircraft luggage restrictions (remember ‘small prop plane’) and so it flew naked. What a great uke to have in that scenario as I had no worries about its durability and response to temperature or humidity changes. The uke traveled handsomely, was a worry free instrument to have along on my somewhat rugged travels and was then, and still is, a delight to play.