First of all, I don’t intend for this thread to disparage or disrespect any ukulele brand or builder. There’s an amazing variety of ukes on the market, and each one is perfect for someone, somewhere, in some setting, so this isn’t about the best or the worst ukuleles, nor is it about the top three ukes on your wish list. Who’s to say which is the “best” uke, and each of us probably has a current favorite that varies from week to week, or even day to day. For those who own three or more ukes, this thread is about which of your ukes you would rank 1, 2, 3, using any criteria you like.
Here’s my top three:
#3. Pono RTD, purchased from HMS - This a Tenor uke with top, back, and sides of solid Rosewood; one of only eight built. I love the big beefy neck, and I think it has a warm, clear tone. I just love playing it. It has a passive pickup installed, and I imagine if I were a performer, this is the uke I would want to play onstage.
#2. Kamaka HF-2L, purchased from HMS - This a Longneck Concert uke, with top, back, and sides of solid Koa. What can I say, it’s a Kamaka. The build quality is amazing, and it has a bright, crystal clear sound, with excellent intonation. The only drawback is the Schaller sealed gear tuners. They seem a little sloppy and imprecise, compared to Grover geared tuners. I wish Kamaka would use Grover geared tuners instead of the Schallers.
And now, in the top spot (drum roll, please):
#1. Maestro Mango Concert, purchased from dreamukes.com - This a Concert uke, with top, back, and sides of solid Mango, and it's currently bumped my Kamaka from the top spot. The build quality is very high, and it has Grover open geared tuners which are very smooth and precise. But mainly, I love its tone and the way it plays. With 12 frets to the body, it feels relaxed and has that dreamy, creamy island sound that I love. Intonation is spot on, and it has a sound port on the side that adds to its volume when I play it. I just love that mellow Mango sound.
For full disclosure, I also have a couple of Big Island Honu ukes, which are pretty awesome, and I have a half dozen Oscar Schmidt ukes, all of which look good, play nicely, and are a good value in their price range, plus I have a half dozen Makala Dolphins and one Mahalo Smiley Face uke, all of which are tons of fun, although some are better than others. But for now anyway, none of those ukes come close to my top three.
Edit: Almost forgot my Sailor Brand uke, purchased at the Uke Republic store in GA, USA, which is a sweet little Soprano that deserves an Honorable Mention.
So what are the top three ukes in your collection?
Here’s my top three:
#3. Pono RTD, purchased from HMS - This a Tenor uke with top, back, and sides of solid Rosewood; one of only eight built. I love the big beefy neck, and I think it has a warm, clear tone. I just love playing it. It has a passive pickup installed, and I imagine if I were a performer, this is the uke I would want to play onstage.
#2. Kamaka HF-2L, purchased from HMS - This a Longneck Concert uke, with top, back, and sides of solid Koa. What can I say, it’s a Kamaka. The build quality is amazing, and it has a bright, crystal clear sound, with excellent intonation. The only drawback is the Schaller sealed gear tuners. They seem a little sloppy and imprecise, compared to Grover geared tuners. I wish Kamaka would use Grover geared tuners instead of the Schallers.
And now, in the top spot (drum roll, please):
#1. Maestro Mango Concert, purchased from dreamukes.com - This a Concert uke, with top, back, and sides of solid Mango, and it's currently bumped my Kamaka from the top spot. The build quality is very high, and it has Grover open geared tuners which are very smooth and precise. But mainly, I love its tone and the way it plays. With 12 frets to the body, it feels relaxed and has that dreamy, creamy island sound that I love. Intonation is spot on, and it has a sound port on the side that adds to its volume when I play it. I just love that mellow Mango sound.
For full disclosure, I also have a couple of Big Island Honu ukes, which are pretty awesome, and I have a half dozen Oscar Schmidt ukes, all of which look good, play nicely, and are a good value in their price range, plus I have a half dozen Makala Dolphins and one Mahalo Smiley Face uke, all of which are tons of fun, although some are better than others. But for now anyway, none of those ukes come close to my top three.
Edit: Almost forgot my Sailor Brand uke, purchased at the Uke Republic store in GA, USA, which is a sweet little Soprano that deserves an Honorable Mention.
So what are the top three ukes in your collection?
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