Risa Les Paul

are they really worth the money?
i was looking at them and doing research and they seem to be very good, but i haven't seen any good videos of them being played.

and how are they in comparison to eleukes and such??

thanks!

I got mine last week. It cost me an arm and a leg to afford... actually I couldn't afford it ... made by bank go overdraft for a few days x_x.

But the moment I opened the box and plugged it into my amp, my first thought was "This is the best thing I ever played".

It is very much worth it for me. It has dual humbuckers that Risa custom designed and handmade for the Ukulele, a Beautiful, flawless finish (arched top, cream binding, LP block fret markers, gloss..etc) and sounds like an absolute dream.
The clean tone is very sweet, mellow and rich. I'll try to get a good recording for it when I have time, but I am rather busy these days.. I find it opens a path to perform with other musicians in a band, such as electric guitars, vocals and keyboards. There are situations where a nylon stringedl ukulele does not blend well with other mainstream instruments/music, but the Risa tends to overcome those barriers.
The toggle switch between neck/bridge/both pickups and the tone/volume switches for each individual pickup also lets you shape your own unique sound needed for many styles and different songs.

The steel string electrics have a lot of sustain and have a mellower, midrangey quality to the tone. Well, kinda like an electric guitar but Ukeyfied !
Steel is a bit more, well 'harder' than nylon strings. But any uke player would get used to it within a week. The tension is low, like a uke, so playability remains similar.
The quality of the Risa is top notch. Everything about it says "real, professional level instrument" to me. The action is perfectly low already, so absolutely no need to setup upon purchase, and it's made in Germany.

Eleukes are also great instruments, but you get what you pay for (they don't cost as much as Risa). Their quality level is not as high as the Risa, and are made in China (nothing wrong with that! It's just that Germany is better known for quality).
You can play an Eleuke just fine out of the box, but the action does feel a bit higher than I would like.
Eleukes can be used as serious instruments in the right hands. The current models have good quality piezo pickups with tone and volume. It also has an mp3 input and headphone output, which are very useful and convenient features. But I think they still have more of a novelty, lighter appeal than the Risa. This is not a bad thing at all, as it is a great conversation starter if I happen to be carrying it around, and I feel more comfortable with taking it to places and having people try it out (whereas with my Risa, I am reluctant about letting others touch it.. my preciousss).

Eleukes are nylon string electrics with piezo pickups (pickups designed for acoustic-electrics), whereas the Risa Les Paul is a steel-string electric with magnetic pickups (pickups used for electric guitars).
So as playing goes, the Eleuke sustains less than the Risa and has a harsher, brighter tone. You can adjust this with the tone controls obviously, but overall it feels that way. However the Eleuke is closer to a traditional uke, since it has nylon strings. The Risa ventures a bit further from the traditional and mixes the sweet-high GCEA tuning of ukes on a Ukulele-sized body and neck and the versatility of electric gutiars.

If you can justify to purchase a Risa, you're probably very serious about electric ukuleles as a musician. I love electric instruments, like electric guitars, drums and ukuleles, so I knew that the Risa was the right instrument for me.
An Eleuke is kinda like an 'entry' instrument into electric ukuleles. It sure was to me It's for the ukulele player who is curious about what a solid-body electric would be like without venturing too far from a regular ukulele with nylon strings.
When you want a Risa, you know that the electric ukulele is the instrument for you. At the moment, it seems Risa is at the top-end for electric ukuleles.

They're both fun and versatile instruments in their own right. The Risa is my "dream uke" that I take care of and would be my first choice to perform with and impress people. The Eleuke is my travel companion to take around places as a beater electric uke. Eleukes also weigh a lot less. Risa electrics are heavy!



that's me playing the Risa at 5:01AM in the mornning. I couldn't take my hands off this beauty!


That's my collection... well I sold the Kala Archtop and will have to ship it off soon T_T

thanks man, sounds like you really enjoy it, im going to start savin up, since its on the expensive side of things. definitly post something up when u get the chance!!

Sounds like the Risa LP is a top notch instrument. I would love to get one someday (I love the LP shape).

How does it sound unplugged? Is it pretty much like a typical electric guitar? Does it require special string sets?

Thanks!

Yeah, unplugged, just like an electric guitar. You hear a gentle sound of steel strings with no resonating body.
You can hear it in your room, but probably not beyond it lol.

Risa does sell their own brand of strings for the steel string electrics they make. But apparently you can use electric guitar strings if you use the right gauge as listed in the specifications on the website.

I am so glad I put off buying an electric until now. I wanted a Risa before but am in full, frothing at the mouth UAS. Did you order from Germany or are there retailers in other countries? It would be wonderful if I could get one faster in the states.

I think currently, you can only order in from Germany: www.ukulele.de

For what it's worth, I have a brief sound sample in this video used live:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nM-bu5__RKw
The uke starts at the 2:00 minute mark.
If u listen on after the singing, I add some distortion and attempt a solo

On my Microcube amp
Brit Combo, first with bridge pickup with the volume turned down (so its clean), then both pickups on (with the Neck pickup volume high so it distorts).

That sounds fantastic - both the Risa and the improv!

Oh I soooo want one of these. Can I ask you why you kept the two eleukes and sold the Kala?

I needed money, and wanted an acoustic-electric that was louder acoustically in future.
The archtop was a lovely instrument, but a bit too gentle acoustically.

I have an electric Flea on the way from MGM with B-band pickup, rosewood fretboard and peghead tuners

Anyone else feel the same way? ...
The Les Paul shape on such a small instrument looks too "cute" to me. Of course the same could be argued about any uke, but a baby-electric-guitar somehow just looks too funny.

I don't like the SG-shaped ukes either, the Mahalo range made me cringe - but this looks lovely.

I agree. In the right scale, the instruments have a neat look. The mahalo's are not good. I am only marginally happy with my LP Junior style uke BUT it was only $100. This one is over $800 US. I just think Les Paul guitars are the best but I can't play guitar (nor do I care to) so to me, the Risa Les Paul is tops.

The next line Risa needs to make is Explorers haha

kissing said:

I got mine last week. It cost me an arm and a leg to afford... actually I couldn't afford it ... made by bank go overdraft for a few days x_x.

But the moment I opened the box and plugged it into my amp, my first thought was "This is the best thing I ever played".

It is very much worth it for me. It has dual humbuckers that Risa custom designed and handmade for the Ukulele, a Beautiful, flawless finish (arched top, cream binding, LP block fret markers, gloss..etc) and sounds like an absolute dream.
The clean tone is very sweet, mellow and rich. I'll try to get a good recording for it when I have time, but I am rather busy these days.. I find it opens a path to perform with other musicians in a band, such as electric guitars, vocals and keyboards. There are situations where a nylon stringedl ukulele does not blend well with other mainstream instruments/music, but the Risa tends to overcome those barriers.
The toggle switch between neck/bridge/both pickups and the tone/volume switches for each individual pickup also lets you shape your own unique sound needed for many styles and different songs.

The steel string electrics have a lot of sustain and have a mellower, midrangey quality to the tone. Well, kinda like an electric guitar but Ukeyfied !
Steel is a bit more, well 'harder' than nylon strings. But any uke player would get used to it within a week. The tension is low, like a uke, so playability remains similar.
The quality of the Risa is top notch. Everything about it says "real, professional level instrument" to me. The action is perfectly low already, so absolutely no need to setup upon purchase, and it's made in Germany.

Eleukes are also great instruments, but you get what you pay for (they don't cost as much as Risa). Their quality level is not as high as the Risa, and are made in China (nothing wrong with that! It's just that Germany is better known for quality).
You can play an Eleuke just fine out of the box, but the action does feel a bit higher than I would like.
Eleukes can be used as serious instruments in the right hands. The current models have good quality piezo pickups with tone and volume. It also has an mp3 input and headphone output, which are very useful and convenient features. But I think they still have more of a novelty, lighter appeal than the Risa. This is not a bad thing at all, as it is a great conversation starter if I happen to be carrying it around, and I feel more comfortable with taking it to places and having people try it out (whereas with my Risa, I am reluctant about letting others touch it.. my preciousss).

Eleukes are nylon string electrics with piezo pickups (pickups designed for acoustic-electrics), whereas the Risa Les Paul is a steel-string electric with magnetic pickups (pickups used for electric guitars).
So as playing goes, the Eleuke sustains less than the Risa and has a harsher, brighter tone. You can adjust this with the tone controls obviously, but overall it feels that way. However the Eleuke is closer to a traditional uke, since it has nylon strings. The Risa ventures a bit further from the traditional and mixes the sweet-high GCEA tuning of ukes on a Ukulele-sized body and neck and the versatility of electric gutiars.

If you can justify to purchase a Risa, you're probably very serious about electric ukuleles as a musician. I love electric instruments, like electric guitars, drums and ukuleles, so I knew that the Risa was the right instrument for me.
An Eleuke is kinda like an 'entry' instrument into electric ukuleles. It sure was to me It's for the ukulele player who is curious about what a solid-body electric would be like without venturing too far from a regular ukulele with nylon strings.
When you want a Risa, you know that the electric ukulele is the instrument for you. At the moment, it seems Risa is at the top-end for electric ukuleles.

They're both fun and versatile instruments in their own right. The Risa is my "dream uke" that I take care of and would be my first choice to perform with and impress people. The Eleuke is my travel companion to take around places as a beater electric uke. Eleukes also weigh a lot less. Risa electrics are heavy!

that's me playing the Risa at 5:01AM in the mornning. I couldn't take my hands off this beauty!

That's my collection... well I sold the Kala Archtop and will have to ship it off soon T_T

Click to expand...

I've had the Risa Les Paul for awhile now, biggest problem is the placement of the amp jack. It doesn't really work to plug in a Fender Mustang Micro into the thing, gets crushed on your lap because of the angle. And I have to say, the intstrument is REALLY heavy. I guess that's the nature of the electric instrument beast, but a uke player is used to a lighter feel.

Wow, an ancient one... didn't know that uke was that old. I'm surprised Gibson hasn't sued Risa (and flight), cuz Gibson is like that...

Prenez said:

I've had the Risa Les Paul for awhile now, biggest problem is the placement of the amp jack. It doesn't really work to plug in a Fender Mustang Micro into the thing, gets crushed on your lap because of the angle. And I have to say, the intstrument is REALLY heavy. I guess that's the nature of the electric instrument beast, but a uke player is used to a lighter feel.

Click to expand...

Wow this is really a blast from the past (my post was from 14 years ago!).

Yes, that location of output jack is inconvenient, but is the same case for all actual Les Paul guitars.
In retrospect, the most annoying thing on the Risa Les Paul for me was the pickup-switch location.
Due to my strumming habits back then (and who knows, now?) I would occasionally flip the switch while strumming.

Yes, it is heavy relative to its size, as are Les Paul guitars
My Gibson Les Paul Studio (with Bigsby) is a whopping 4.5kg (10 pounds!)

RISA makes really fine electric ukulele's. There are a few other makers out there as well. Fanner really caught my eye! Flight's are less expensive and I hear quality is acceptable?

I had the RISA Tele uke--had lots of fun with it. As mentioned NOT plugged in the instrument had the typical steel string electric sound--small in my opinion. My Tele uke was traded in to a shop just after the first of the year for a Fender Telecaster---wanted more depth and sound of the electric world.

Maybe some day a LesPaul-----uke or guitar? I do tend to gravitate toward the ES339 though. Wonder if anyone makes an ES339 style electric ukulele? I bet Fanner would do one for a person?