help with ukulele choice..

wilco said:

i've heard a few people mention that they're not fans of the shadow systems too.. hmm. i'm just not sure what to do! i'm wondering if i should buy a koa model without a pickup and have a better pickup installed.. my only fear is that here in illinois there aren't very many places familiar with ukulele pickup installation.. and i'm also not sure if the models designed for pickups are best suited, or does it not matter?

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If you're serious about plugging in and playing, I'd definitely get one without a pickup and then get a better aftermarket pickup installed. Installation is pretty much the same as installing one in a guitar...so it shouldn't be too big of an issue to find someone to install it for you

If you do decide to go that route, you might want to find out how wide the saddle on the uke you're looking at is, and make sure you find a pickup with an undersaddle element that'll fit into the slot...it'll save you a little bit of headache

seeso said:

I don't know what kind either of the pickups are.

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I'm pretty sure Kala and Lanikai both use Shadow pickups

Keonikapila said:

If you're serious about plugging in and playing, I'd definitely get one without a pickup and then get a better aftermarket pickup installed. Installation is pretty much the same as installing one in a guitar...so it shouldn't be too big of an issue to find someone to install it for you

If you do decide to go that route, you might want to find out how wide the saddle on the uke you're looking at is, and make sure you find a pickup with an undersaddle element that'll fit into the slot...it'll save you a little bit of headache

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Keonikapila, thank you so much for the advice.. that helps a lot too, especially after reading so much negative about the shadow pickups built into the one's i'm looking at. thank you for the suggestion, it also helps a lot to know that the installation process is similar to guitar, as well as the bridge size info.. thanks a lot! that sounds like the most sensible route..

another question i had would be why most of the models that come with pickups have that cutaway? i'm assuming it's just a preference thing for people that want to have easier access to higher frets, but i wanted to make sure it doesn't have something to do with pickup response to the body or something like that..

so, my next huge question is which tenor would anyone recommend to someone who loves his kala mango tenor, but also loved the koa models.. any thoughts on the kala's koa model, or another brand that has similar price range? (sorry for so many questions! i'm excited, indecisive and uneducated with this!

thank you so much again everyone for your help!

wilco said:

another question i had would be why most of the models that come with pickups have that cutaway? i'm assuming it's just a preference thing for people that want to have easier access to higher frets, but i wanted to make sure it doesn't have something to do with pickup response to the body or something like that..

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The cut away is just to give easier access to the frets and doesn't have anything to do with the pickup.

I'm not a luthier, so if anything I'm about to say isn't right, someone please jump in here and correct me:
With these under-saddle type pickups, the body of the uke doesn't really have much to do with the way the pick up works, the sound is coming directly from the vibration of the strings...the strings contact the saddle, which is pressed against the pickup element. The acoustics of the body (as far as I know) don't have any effect on the sound output by the (undersaddle) pickups...you could fill the body of your uke with sand and there would be a negligible (if any) difference in the output from the pickup....not that I've tried that--but it would definitely prevent feedback though

Keonikapila said:

The cut away is just to give easier access to the frets and doesn't have anything to do with the pickup.

I'm not a luthier, so if anything I'm about to say isn't right, someone please jump in here and correct me:
With these under-saddle type pickups, the body of the uke doesn't really have much to do with the way the pick up works, the sound is coming directly from the vibration of the strings...the strings contact the saddle, which is pressed against the pickup element. The acoustics of the body (as far as I know) don't have any effect on the sound output by the (undersaddle) pickups...you could fill the body of your uke with sand and there would be a negligible (if any) difference in the output from the pickup....not that I've tried that--but it would definitely prevent feedback though

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that makes a lot of sense for sure! i assumed, but as usual when i do that and act on it, it's definitely not right. ha. thanks a lot for the help! do you mind me asking which pickup(s) you have in your ukulele's? any you would recommend specifically? no obligation of course!

thanks again!

wilco said:

that makes a lot of sense for sure! i assumed, but as usual when i do that and act on it, it's definitely not right. ha. thanks a lot for the help! do you mind me asking which pickup(s) you have in your ukulele's? any you would recommend specifically? no obligation of course!

thanks again!

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I have 2 Pono Tenors, with the stock passive Pickups (I think they're Dean Markley pickups, I gotta double check). They're good pickups, but you're going to want to get an outboard preamp so you get a little control over the tone and level.

I also have a KoAloha Tenor and just got an LR Baggs Element pickup installed...this is a really good, low noise, pickup. I posted a thread about it a few weeks back (complete with blurry pictures and an audio sample)

okay, excellent. yeah that sample you put up sounds really great.. especially from a pickup sound. very cool!

hmm..uh oh i can feel the urge to buy a better ukulele than the one's i'm looking at coming on.. do you like your pono tenors? i'm assuming so since you have two!

bummer.. i wish chicago/illinois had somewhere i can play some!!

wilco said:

b: KALA MANGO TENOR CUTAWAY UKELELE (w/ pick up)

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I have a Kala spruce top w/pickup and it's pretty good for amplified sound, but I am annoyed about the internal wiring. It sometimes touches the wood of the uke and buzzes or rattles when I'm playing. Aside from that, I like their electronics. The model I have has a battery-powered pre-amp with volume and tone control. Helps keep the feedback down.

thanks, ichadwick! that's great to know.. yeah, i've been really impressed with my kala overall.

here's another question for anyone that may know the answer..

if i were to say purchase the kala tenor with the shadow pickup built in, would i be able to change out the pickup for a different one, or is this something that isn't recommended?

i figure, if i get one with the shadow and am disappointed with the pickups inside, i could just replace it.. hmm.. any thoughts?

wilco said:

here's another question for anyone that may know the answer..

if i were to say purchase the kala tenor with the shadow pickup built in, would i be able to change out the pickup for a different one, or is this something that isn't recommended?

i figure, if i get one with the shadow and am disappointed with the pickups inside, i could just replace it.. hmm.. any thoughts?

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Assuming that the new pickup has a preamp box the same size (length and width), or slightly larger (you can make a hole bigger to accommodate it, but if it's too small for the hole it'll just be nasty looking), and the pickup element fits the saddle you shouldn't have any problems

Also, as far the Ponos go, I think they're great and well worth the extra money. I've seen a few local performers using Pono's at their gigs here and they hold their own on stage. If you do decide to go with a Pono, you'll probably want to get a decent outboard preamp--more $$ to spend unfortunately...

Yea man Pono ukuleles are really expensive. I was thinking of getting one myself but then I heard that lately their quality has been terrible.

thanks guys for all the advice! i really, really appreciate it. yeah, it's tough for me to make any choices blindly like this, since i can't really try any of the ones i'm looking at! blind purchases aren't fun!

i think what i might do is buy either the same model i already own (but w/ pickup installed) and see how it suits me, and if it's not quite the tone i'm looking for, i'll look into finding a better pickup. AND THEN, next time i'm in hawaii, i'll be ready and saved-up for a nicer, higher end ukulele.. perhaps a pono, or kamaka.

thanks, ichadwick for your thoughts on your kala as well! yeah that wiring buzz would definitely be a pain.. maybe some gaffers tape inside there would help? i'm glad to hear you like the electonics pretty well otherwise.. would you say the plugged-in captures the ukulele's tone pretty well, or? is it more bright/purcussive plugged-in or more mellow and warm?

does anyone else own a kala tenor with electronics built-in? curious to hear their take on the uke as a whole, pickup sound and acoustic sound..

again, thank you guys for all of the tips! i really appreciate it.