Steel string ukes - a tally

ichadwick · Apr 30, 2010

What companies currently produce steel-string ukes? Are they acoustic or electric? I'm trying to get a tally of who makes them.

I've seen some Jupiter electrics with them. I saw a thread that suggested Eleuke was coming out with some models, but haven't seen one yet. Any others?

My interest in steel strings just perked up about 1,000%. I borrowed a Boss eBand JS-8 from the local music store. I has a huge library of amp sims, effects, and loops (with drums, bass and rhythm). Plus it can loop a phrase for learning, input songs from USB, iPod or flash drive, and record pieces. Tons of features in a small box that doubles as a mini-amp.

My ukes sound great through it, but I also want to try steel - maybe open-tuned slide. Thought it might be worth looking into to see who offered them. Tenor, of course.

kissing · Apr 30, 2010

Risa make fabulous steel-string electrics. I have their new Tenor Les Paul model (with humbucking pickups!), which is definitely my favourite, primary uke.

Soprano Electric (single coil)
Tenor Electric (single coil)
8-string electric

Soprano Les Paul Electrics (humbuckers):
Black
Sunburst
Mahogany

Tenor Les Paul Electrics:
Black
Sunburst
Mahogany

I don't have a great sound sample of it yet.
But I use it in this video after 2:00 minutes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nM-bu5__RKw
(first clean, then with some distortion)

ichadwick · Apr 30, 2010

Thanks. I'll check them out. I trust they have a sales outlet or distributor in North America...

kissing · Apr 30, 2010

Not likely, I ordered mine direct from ukulele.de Germany. If you make an account and login, you get 19% off, as you're exempt from European VAT tax.

jontom · Apr 30, 2010

I have an Electric Tenor Red by RISA and it's amazing. Two single lipsticks and a great sound.
If you wanna check it out I just recorded a song on it for the Mya-Moe contest: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMzIH58ApkI

mailman · May 1, 2010

ichadwick said:
My ukes sound great through it, but I also want to try steel - maybe open-tuned slide.

Don't even know if one's available anywhere, but wouldn't a tenor reso-uke with steel strings be perfect for slide?

kissing · May 1, 2010

Risa also seem to have a new Reso uke:
http://ukulele.de/shop/product_info.php?info=p143_RISA-Resonator.html

ichadwick · May 2, 2010

The Risas are nice enough to warrant my attention, but the price is a tad hight and shipping to Canada is a killer. I'm looking for one I can get here. Seems I need to keep looking...

Pippin · May 2, 2010

Might be worth a trip to Elderly in Michigan.

ichadwick · May 2, 2010

Elderly sells them? Didn't know. They're a 6-8 hour drive away. Will check their store.

I don't usually mind paying shipping from the USA - although in the past Elderly has quoted me DOUBLE the cost to ship from Michigan as MGM quoted to ship from Hawaii and others have quoted to ship from California.

ichadwick · May 2, 2010

Just checked. They offer nothing in steel-string ukes I can see. Think I may have to put a notice under 'wanted'...

eleukeusa · May 5, 2010

I saw a thread that suggested Eleuke was coming out with some models, but haven't seen one yet.

I just saw pictures of the prototype... looks pretty cool, we'll be testing them out soon. So, sometime, EleUke steel strings will be coming...

ichadwick · May 5, 2010

Sometime? As in soon? I'm on the verge of taking up an offer of a Risa in the marketplace area...

Can a normal Eleuke be strung with steel strings instead of nylon?

ddpro153 · May 6, 2010

Hey Ian,

Check out: http://monkeywrenchmusic.com/products-page/ukuleles/ I just got their steel string tenor, excellent craftsmanship and made in the USA.

ichadwick · May 6, 2010

I saw that. Very, very nice, and looks well made. At $300 I'd buy it in a flash. But it's pricier than I really hoped to pay. With taxes and shipping, that would add another $135-150 to the total.

Just as a comparision, I can walk into any music store in Canada and get a new Strat clone for $100-$150, many even come with a gig bag at that price. Mine is on consignment at the local store for $125 and it's so unused the mactac is still on the pick guard! So $600-$800 for a solid body uke just seems over the top. I can get a new Strat for that price, or any of a number of brand-name instruments. Why would a solid-body uke be so expensive?

cornfedgroove · May 6, 2010

but you're talking about getting a used Risa for $400...and they're ugly! of course thats "IMO"

I like LP style

ichadwick · May 6, 2010

cornfedgroove said:
but you're talking about getting a used Risa for $400...and they're ugly! of course thats "IMO"

Yeah, well I'm not blown away by the Risa's 'kidney bean' shape I have to admit. But is the style alone worth $200-$300 more?

kissing · May 6, 2010

The new model does not cost more due to mere style.
The LP has the new handmade custom Ukulele humbucking pickups, with separate tone and volume controls for each pickup (there are 4 turning knobs).
I find that it gives me a lot of flexibility with the sound. Each pickup combination (neck, bridge, neck+bridge) gives me a different kind of sound suiting different purposes.

They have definitely invested in the quality of the electronics and its output. Humbuckers give a richer, warmer tone than single coils, and are more resistant to picking up interference (humbuckers "buck" the "hum").

Every other steel-string electric uke I've seen has single coil pickups and one tone and volume knob.

mailman · May 8, 2010

Worth a look....

http://cgi.ebay.com/Electric-Ukulel...tem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a06e4bbd5

Stackabones · May 8, 2010

Have you checked into the Cavaquinho?

Steel string ukes - a tally

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