Name YOUR top three ukes

1. Makala Dolphin

2. Makala MK-B

3. My next uke
 
My top three are basically the three ukes I own...

03. Pono MT-E
02. Kiwaya KTS-4
01. Covered Bridge redwood and myrtle concert
 
Love all of my present ukes but the top 3 have to be the most recent. In no particular order: G-String C1 Sun Concert, Kamaka HF-2 Special (3A),
Kanile'a K-1 Concert Premium
 
3. Boat Paddle concert 12 fret 5-string
2. David Gill Concert Pineapple
1. Kanilea K-1 prem 8-string

Others that did not make the list
David Gill Aromatic Cedar tenor fluke
Ohana Sopranino
 
After owning two Kanile'as, not a Kanile'a. After playing about fifty Kamakas, not a Kamaka.

1. I'll keep my Koaloha concert.
2. Still want a Mya Moe concert, with a 1 1/2" nut and flat fret board, (Koa w/ Cedar top, Gloss finish)
3. Chuck Moore concert (again 1 1/2" nut, flat fret board.)
 
I have quite a few ukes and a constant rotating stock, but only two are going to remain keepers, at this time. So,

#2, 1950's Harmony baritone, all solid mahogany
#1, 1920's no name solid birch soprano (slightly smaller than your average soprano)

I'm hoping to one day make my Donaldson concert part of the top three list. Still on his waiting list though. But, as they say, good things come to those who wait.

Dan
 
Well... I only have 2 ukes now, Kala flame maple travel tenor and another Kala all solid Acacia Tenor.

So here it goes:
#1: Kala all Solid Acacia Tenor
#2: Kala flame maple travel tenor

Of coz, my dream uke will be a Moore Bettah! Imagine there is a beautiful mermaid inlay across the fretboard with the long fin extended to the sound hole... Lol.... But I think it will never come true, Moore Bettah uke is just too far away from me I guess...
 
#1 - my early 70s Kamaka Soprano I got for a steal

#2 - KPK Acacia Concert; great sound and easy to play, my everyday uke

#3 - my newly acquired KPK Deluxe Acacia Pineapple Soprano; sounds very much like the Kamaka and has a
beautiful koa-like grain and flame.
 
1. Kala Bass Baritone, tuned EADG
2. Kala uBass, with Ahkweelah Thundergut strings
3. Makala Pineapple
runner up: Makala Dolphin Noir:shaka:
 
#3 Ohana Vita Uke/ Fluke Tenor/Firefly Banjo Uke (Tie!)
#2 Kala Cedar Top Concert
#1 KoAloha Sceptre

Will this list change in the future? Certainly! I only have 13, after all.
 
Fun thread. My top three:

3. Mele solid mahogany double-hole baritone (stylish looks; a deep, sweet sound)
2. Kiwaya KS-0P (thin body, laminate uke with great sound and playability---the perfect travel/around-town uke for me)
1. Kamaka HF-1 (I keep loving this wonderful uke more and more.)
 
For the past two months I have been rotating between these three.

1. Pohaku koa tenor. Its the 'whale' on Peter's website gallery. The kayaker got the Pohaku baritone I was lusting after.

2.Martin mahogany baritone--1960s. I like my other two baritones but the woody sound of this old Martin is unique--sounds really good with several C tuned ukuleles.

3. Lately the third instrument in rotation is my 1963 flamenco (Juan Pimental--Mexico City). I know. This shouldn't count on a ukulele list but when played with only four string chords like a baritone uke, its long sustain is wonderful.
 
1. Pohaku koa tenor. Its the 'whale' on Peter's website gallery. The kayaker got the Pohaku baritone I was lusting after.

2.Martin mahogany baritone--1960s. I like my other two baritones but the woody sound of this old Martin is unique--sounds really good with several C tuned ukuleles.
lol Call me green--brother Jackwhale got the lusty Pohaku tenor and Martin baritone!
 
#3 - KoAloha Tenor Sceptre

Bought from Southern Ukulele Store here in the UK, I've not seen another for sale over here, so I'm glad I spent £800 on it. A koa body with a very striking shape, this uke has got me gigs on that alone, just so more people could see and hear it. Very loud, almost lute-like voice.

#2 - Kamaka HF-38 8-string Tenor

Bought from a fellow UU member in Hawaii on Boxing Day 2011. I sincerely hope the money he got for a mortgage downpayment has bought him as much pleasure as this uke has done for me. Sounds a little like a mandolin in places, and features heavily on my album.

#1 - Compass Rose Tenor

My all-time dream uke. I first saw MusicGuyMic play one of these on his Youtube channel - flamed maple with black trim - just as I was learning to play on my bright yellow Mahalo, and I fell in love. Other woods looked nice but I always wanted flamed maple. A few years later I contacted Rick and he delivered my uke 4 months later, I absolutely love it. It's loud, it's sweet, sounds like a harp, immediate on the fretboard and very striking wood.
 
#3 = KoAloha Concert w/ stock strings
#2 = Kamaka HF-1D Soprano w/ Living Water Strings
#1 = Collings UC-2 Mahogany Concert w/ Southcoast Strings
 
#3 - a dead heat between my Pono mahogany baritone (MBD) strung "normal" dGBE with fluorocarbon trebles and Thomastik-Infeld flat wound basses and my Mainland satin mango soprano. Since it has to be only three picked I'll give the nod to the Pono and an honorable mention to the soprano but tomorrow that could flip. :)

#2 - my KoAloha longneck soprano with "Seaguar CM" strings sits firmly in this spot.

#1...drum roll please - My Mainland satin mahogany soprano strung with "Seaguar CH" heavy-gage fluorocarbon strings.

Other ukes that didn't make the top-three cut include (in no particular order): Kiwaya longneck soprano, Mainland mahogany baritone, Eleuke concert solid-body, Mainland slothead gloss mahogany cutaway tenor, Mainland gloss mango tenor. Ukes that didn't make the "I still have it" cut include some Kalas and Lanikais of varying price ranges, a Mainland red cedar tenor (given to a son-in-law), and a KoAloha concert (nothing wrong with this one, either, I just promised myself I'd sell it when I bought the longneck soprano).

BTW, two of my top three, including the number one uke, are blems so I guess we can see where I fall on the eye candy vs. ear candy scale...

John
 
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