CTurner
Well-known member
Features
What year was it made? Where was is made? Oahu, Hawaii. Build finished 2/12/2012. Riggio #0014.
How many frets? 18 frets total, 14 to the body.
Solid Koa top, back and sides.
Any pickups or electronics? No
Body and neck woods? Mahogany neck. Black/white Rosette. Ivoroid top binding.
Finish? Nitro gloss finish, semi-open pore.
Body style? Tenor.
Bridge style? Rosewood pin bridge. Rosewood fingerboard. Bone nut and saddle.
Tuners? Grover geared tuners.
Neck/Scale? Thinner style, similar to I'iwi and bit thinner than Kanile'a.
Any included accessories? Oahu Hard case.
Sound
How does it suit your music style (and what is that style)? The warmth of koa is what I wanted. Picking and strumming, chord melodies.
What amps and effects are you using it with? None.
Rich/Full sound? Bright sound? Very full and rich. Excellent volume and sustain.
What kind of sounds can the ukulele make? How much variety? I have it strung re-entrant with Worth clears in B tuning. It sounded good in standard C tuning, but this half step down gives it a bit more expansive warmth in tone.
Likes and dislikes? None. A wonderfully responsive instrument. I did ask Music Guy Mike about a black top binding for this model, but they only had the ivoroid at that time. It actually looks very nice in person and goes well with the koa colors.
Link to sound file: http://www.box.com/s/e46f4c66d4cd87a598ae
Action, Fit & Finish
How well was the ukulele set-up at the factory? Handmade, HMS adjusted action extremely well, no issues. I like the thinner neck.
Properly bookmatched top? Yes
Properly routed bridge? Yes
Did the ukulele contain any flaws? I have not found any. Edges are lovely and precise, frets smooth, inside body is very clean. Offset fret markers are a classy touch.
Reliability/Durability
Will this ukulele withstand live playing? Definitely.
Does the hardware seem like it will last? Definitely will.
Is the finish good enough to last, or does it seem thin and easy to wear off with lots of playing? Superbly applied finish.
Can you depend on it? Yes.
Would you use it on a gig without a backup? Yes.
Customer Support
If you've dealt with the company, how helpful/friendly were they? Hawaii Music Supply had two of these in stock, the other a spruce top. I spoke to Music Guy Mike who was friendly and helpful. Quick process to purchase.
Ever try and get it repaired? No.
Was it under warranty? N/A.
How long is the warranty? N/A.
Overall Rating
How long have you been playing? 5 years.
What other gear do you own? Lichty tenor, Pohaku tenor, I'iwi concert, Kanile'a concert. I like individual luthier made instruments and these are all distinctive ukes.
Is there something you wish you had asked before buying this ukulele? No
If it were stolen or lost, would you buy it again or get something else? Yes, I would, but it might be more expensive then!!
What do you love about it? Light as a feather, yet very solid build; and the warm and expressive sound it can make.
What do you dislike? Nothing.
What is your favorite feature? Beauty of the solid koa.
Did you compare it to other ukuleles? Which ones? Has a distinctive "Hawaiian" sound, to me. My other tenors are different in style and sound and I play them for different reasons.
Why did you choose this one? Because I wanted all koa at a good price point. This Riggio is an outstanding value. I suspect Riggio's prices will go up soon as he becomes better known. Well worth a look if you're in the market for a well made tenor by individual Hawaiian luthier. Phil Riggio spent time apprenticing at Kanile'a.
Anything you wish it had? No. I like this spec uke so much, I can see sometime in future asking Phil Riggio to make a custom.
Anything else you'd like to share? Riggio Ukulele: http://hawaiiukuleles.com/
I saw two Riggio Ukuleles on the Hawaii Music Supply site. Aaron had made videos of them and was enthusiastic about them. That caught my eye. That the price point was good and that it was crafted by an individual luthier sealed the deal.
.
What year was it made? Where was is made? Oahu, Hawaii. Build finished 2/12/2012. Riggio #0014.
How many frets? 18 frets total, 14 to the body.
Solid Koa top, back and sides.
Any pickups or electronics? No
Body and neck woods? Mahogany neck. Black/white Rosette. Ivoroid top binding.
Finish? Nitro gloss finish, semi-open pore.
Body style? Tenor.
Bridge style? Rosewood pin bridge. Rosewood fingerboard. Bone nut and saddle.
Tuners? Grover geared tuners.
Neck/Scale? Thinner style, similar to I'iwi and bit thinner than Kanile'a.
Any included accessories? Oahu Hard case.
Sound
How does it suit your music style (and what is that style)? The warmth of koa is what I wanted. Picking and strumming, chord melodies.
What amps and effects are you using it with? None.
Rich/Full sound? Bright sound? Very full and rich. Excellent volume and sustain.
What kind of sounds can the ukulele make? How much variety? I have it strung re-entrant with Worth clears in B tuning. It sounded good in standard C tuning, but this half step down gives it a bit more expansive warmth in tone.
Likes and dislikes? None. A wonderfully responsive instrument. I did ask Music Guy Mike about a black top binding for this model, but they only had the ivoroid at that time. It actually looks very nice in person and goes well with the koa colors.
Link to sound file: http://www.box.com/s/e46f4c66d4cd87a598ae
Action, Fit & Finish
How well was the ukulele set-up at the factory? Handmade, HMS adjusted action extremely well, no issues. I like the thinner neck.
Properly bookmatched top? Yes
Properly routed bridge? Yes
Did the ukulele contain any flaws? I have not found any. Edges are lovely and precise, frets smooth, inside body is very clean. Offset fret markers are a classy touch.
Reliability/Durability
Will this ukulele withstand live playing? Definitely.
Does the hardware seem like it will last? Definitely will.
Is the finish good enough to last, or does it seem thin and easy to wear off with lots of playing? Superbly applied finish.
Can you depend on it? Yes.
Would you use it on a gig without a backup? Yes.
Customer Support
If you've dealt with the company, how helpful/friendly were they? Hawaii Music Supply had two of these in stock, the other a spruce top. I spoke to Music Guy Mike who was friendly and helpful. Quick process to purchase.
Ever try and get it repaired? No.
Was it under warranty? N/A.
How long is the warranty? N/A.
Overall Rating
How long have you been playing? 5 years.
What other gear do you own? Lichty tenor, Pohaku tenor, I'iwi concert, Kanile'a concert. I like individual luthier made instruments and these are all distinctive ukes.
Is there something you wish you had asked before buying this ukulele? No
If it were stolen or lost, would you buy it again or get something else? Yes, I would, but it might be more expensive then!!
What do you love about it? Light as a feather, yet very solid build; and the warm and expressive sound it can make.
What do you dislike? Nothing.
What is your favorite feature? Beauty of the solid koa.
Did you compare it to other ukuleles? Which ones? Has a distinctive "Hawaiian" sound, to me. My other tenors are different in style and sound and I play them for different reasons.
Why did you choose this one? Because I wanted all koa at a good price point. This Riggio is an outstanding value. I suspect Riggio's prices will go up soon as he becomes better known. Well worth a look if you're in the market for a well made tenor by individual Hawaiian luthier. Phil Riggio spent time apprenticing at Kanile'a.
Anything you wish it had? No. I like this spec uke so much, I can see sometime in future asking Phil Riggio to make a custom.
Anything else you'd like to share? Riggio Ukulele: http://hawaiiukuleles.com/
I saw two Riggio Ukuleles on the Hawaii Music Supply site. Aaron had made videos of them and was enthusiastic about them. That caught my eye. That the price point was good and that it was crafted by an individual luthier sealed the deal.
.
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