Lanikai SM-C

stevecarrero

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Hello,
I've been looking around and I'm real close to pulling the trigger on a Lanikai SM-C. I bought a Fender Hau oli on-line a few months back, so this is the only uke I have ever played. It cost $149. I love the look Lanikai and what I'm looking for is an answer to the age old question. Does the cost of the Lani pay me back in better quality, sound, and playing action over the Fender? Any and all opinions from you guys will be really appreciated. Thank you very much.

PS. Is there a better choice then the Lani in its price range.

I'm sorry, wanted to post this in buying tips. Mod, can this be deleted? newbie mistake.
 
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I have a Lanikai SM-C. It is a beautiful instrument and plays like butter. The tone is very mellow and balanced and extremely pleasant. You will notice a definite improvement in sound and playability over the Fender. The Spalted Mango is almost a golden tone and the gold tuners actually complement the overall color of the instrument. It is very unusual and strikingly beautiful with a sweet sound.

The SM-C is not nearly as loud as my Mainland cedar top concert, which has a red cedar sound board with rosewood sides and backs. My only complaint about the Mainland is the frets were a little rough along the sides. The guitar like combo of cedar top and rosewood sides and back give it a lot of projection. If I had only one, I would probably pick the red cedar Mainland.

I just bought a Lanikai NK-T tenor, beautiful solid koa curly top $333 on amazon. There is a concert version for 299. It is the only one of the three with a bound fretboard (bound in maple) with dots on the binding like a guitar. It shares a mother of pearl rosette and top side inlay with the SM-C but it also has maple binding on the sides and is a bump up in finish.

I have several others, but these three are all in the same price range 250-300. I wouldn't part with any of them. They are well made, very playable and they all sound different, but they all sound very nice. You would not go wrong with any one of them.
 
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