Cordoba, Ohana, Pono, Martin

[Gery]

Hi, I need help on upgrading my Lanikai SPST-C and to a Tenor maybe electroacustic.
I know the options are very different, but each has its pros.
I don't have many uke to chose from in Argentina, so these are the ones I narrowed my search to.

Brand	Model	State	Price	Bag	Link
Cordoba	25T-CE	Used	408 USD	No	Ukelele Cordoba Tenor 25t-ce Electroacústico - Importado - $ 169.000 Podés venir a verlo y probarlo!*A partir de la imagen n° 3, son fotos originales del ukelele a la venta*Ukelele Cordoba Tenor 25t-ce Electroacústico - IMPORTADOORIGINAL El producto está nuevo, pero desembalado. Lo tengo hace menos de un año, casi sin uso. Traído de San Antonio (EEUU).Con su tapa... articulo.mercadolibre.com.ar
Cordoba	20TM-CE	New	379 USD	No	Cordoba 20tm-ce - Ukelele Tenor Electroacustico - $ 153.412 // Tienda Feedback //**Instrumentos Musicales, Sonido e Iluminación Profesional**_ Factura A / Factura B _ Las imagenes son a modo ilustrativo, consulte por dudas_ Horario: De Lun-Vie: 09:30HS a 19:30Hs / Sáb: 09:30Hs a 14:00Hs (Sucursal San Nicolás)_ Envíos a todo el país (mejor explicado... articulo.mercadolibre.com.ar
Lanikai	CA-T	New	560 USD	No	Ukelele Tenor Lanikai Ca-t Curly Acacia - $ 333.082,75 Encontrá más productos en Mercado Libre articulo.mercadolibre.com.ar
Ohana	TK-20CE	Used	184 USD	Yes	Ukeleles | MercadoLibre.com.ar Descubrí los productos más buscados que no te podés perder en Ukeleles ✓ Con Envío Gratis y Rápido ❤ ¡Lo mejor está por llegar! articulo.mercadolibre.com.ar
Pono	MGT	Used	447 USD	Yes	Ukeleles | MercadoLibre.com.ar Descubrí los productos más buscados que no te podés perder en Ukeleles ✓ Con Envío Gratis y Rápido ❤ ¡Lo mejor está por llegar! articulo.mercadolibre.com.ar
Martin	TK1	Used	486 USD	Yes	Ukeleles | MercadoLibre.com.ar Descubrí los productos más buscados que no te podés perder en Ukeleles ✓ Con Envío Gratis y Rápido ❤ ¡Lo mejor está por llegar! articulo.mercadolibre.com.ar

I understand Pono and Martin are much better and can afford them, but I live in a very humid city and I've read that solid body instruments suffer a lot from it. As I have no idea how they have been cared I'm a little bit worried about it. Is there a way to know if it has suffered damages from it? If so, which would you chose between these 2? I think I can get a little discount on Martin but on Pono that's the final one. I've been playing uke for 2 years now, but I still think myself to be on the beginner side.

Then I guess Cordoba 25T-CE would be the better option, and I think I can get a discount on it. Is there anything I should be worried about buying an used uke like the humidity on solid body? Is it that much better option than the 20TM-CE? What do you think about Lanikai? Ohana?

Thanks a lot!!

 

[Cadia]

I would go for the Pono or the Martin. Keep in mind their neck widths are very different.

 

[ripock]

Gery,
I want to mention a problem I had when buying a uke from this level of ukes. I bought a Cordoba 30 or 35T (I cannot remember) and at first I was happy because the jump in quality from entry-level ukes. However I soon was craving more. The Cordoba was a good middle of the road uke but I wanted something top shelf. I eventually bought a Kamaka. So I wasted the $400 on the Cordoba when what I actually wanted was something excellent. So it is something to think about. If you want to go from Lanikai to greatness, it might be worth your while to just sit on your bankroll and let it accumulate until you can get the next level uke.

 

[Farkvam]

Of the ones you mentioned I would opt for the Pono or Martin as well, keeping in mind they are very different instruments as has been mentioned. I am very happy with the sound of my Martin (soprano) but have heard great things about Pono and would have loved to try one if they were readily available in my area.
But indeed, always buy the “best” you can afford! I would actually love a Kamaka and may just find myself there one day

 

[man0a]

Gery,
I want to mention a problem I had when buying a uke from this level of ukes. I bought a Cordoba 30 or 35T (I cannot remember) and at first I was happy because the jump in quality from entry-level ukes. However I soon was craving more. The Cordoba was a good middle of the road uke but I wanted something top shelf. I eventually bought a Kamaka. So I wasted the $400 on the Cordoba when what I actually wanted was something excellent. So it is something to think about. If you want to go from Lanikai to greatness, it might be worth your while to just sit on your bankroll and let it accumulate until you can get the next level uke.

This is a good point. There was a long thread in this forum a while ago about the trap of midrange ukuleles. The original comment is perhaps over-simplified, but it is still worth thinking about, especially when you are somewhat new to UAS. The thread is long, but it contains a lot of interesting points: https://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/index.php?threads/avoid-the-mid-level-300-600.152342/

 

[Gery]

Thanks a lot for your opinions!

I find very interesting what's mentioned about the mid range ukes. However I'm far from needing a top one, my skill level doesn't deserve it yet.
What I really want is to start using a tenor and those were the most according options to this moment.
After reading this mid range opinion though, my doubts is now between Ohana (cheaper with electronic) and Pono.
I'll allow my head to clear a bit.

Thanks a lot!

 

[Graham Greenbag]

Thanks a lot for your opinions!

I find very interesting what's mentioned about the mid range ukes. However I'm far from needing a top one, my skill level doesn't deserve it yet.
What I really want is to start using a tenor and those were the most according options to this moment.
After reading this mid range opinion though, my doubts is now between Ohana (cheaper with electronic) and Pono.
I'll allow my head to clear a bit.

Thanks a lot!

It’s true that you have to spend a lot to get the best and that less than the best imposes a limit on how good you can sound. What’s too rarely expressed though is that only a tiny fraction of us will ever be limited by not playing the best instruments and that the more relevant limitation on how good we sound is us (our skill).

My suggestion would be to buy a reasonable mid-range instrument at a price that’s readily affordable to you and then play the thing for say a decade. If you practice a lot and have talent then you might eventually become limited by the instrument. That limitation is unlikely but if it happens than you’ll have had a decade of use out of a reasonably priced instrument and be in a much better place to make an informed purchase on a then needed expensive replacement.

IIRC an on-line guy by the name of Woodshed now plays an Ohana TK35, he could play higher end Ukes but chooses not to, he’s exceptionally good. This is his website: http://ukulelehunt.com/ . Ken Middleton also plays an Ohana TK35 and could afford to have much more expensive Ukes - he used to have links to Ohana but no longer does and he runs Living Waters Strings.

Edit. Where possible and practical I think it both greener and more cost effective to buy second hand - caveat emptor applies and I’ve been caught out, but overall I’d still recommend that purchase route.

 

[tiburris]

Hi, I need help on upgrading my Lanikai SPST-C and to a Tenor maybe electroacustic.
I know the options are very different, but each has its pros.
I don't have many uke to chose from in Argentina, so these are the ones I narrowed my search to.

Brand	Model	State	Price	Bag	Link
Cordoba	25T-CE	Used	408 USD	No	Ukelele Cordoba Tenor 25t-ce Electroacústico - Importado - $ 169.000 Podés venir a verlo y probarlo!*A partir de la imagen n° 3, son fotos originales del ukelele a la venta*Ukelele Cordoba Tenor 25t-ce Electroacústico - IMPORTADOORIGINAL El producto está nuevo, pero desembalado. Lo tengo hace menos de un año, casi sin uso. Traído de San Antonio (EEUU).Con su tapa... articulo.mercadolibre.com.ar
Cordoba	20TM-CE	New	379 USD	No	Cordoba 20tm-ce - Ukelele Tenor Electroacustico - $ 153.412 // Tienda Feedback //**Instrumentos Musicales, Sonido e Iluminación Profesional**_ Factura A / Factura B _ Las imagenes son a modo ilustrativo, consulte por dudas_ Horario: De Lun-Vie: 09:30HS a 19:30Hs / Sáb: 09:30Hs a 14:00Hs (Sucursal San Nicolás)_ Envíos a todo el país (mejor explicado... articulo.mercadolibre.com.ar
Lanikai	CA-T	New	560 USD	No	Ukelele Tenor Lanikai Ca-t Curly Acacia - $ 333.082,75 Encontrá más productos en Mercado Libre articulo.mercadolibre.com.ar
Ohana	TK-20CE	Used	184 USD	Yes	Ukeleles | MercadoLibre.com.ar Descubrí los productos más buscados que no te podés perder en Ukeleles ✓ Con Envío Gratis y Rápido ❤ ¡Lo mejor está por llegar! articulo.mercadolibre.com.ar
Pono	MGT	Used	447 USD	Yes	Ukeleles | MercadoLibre.com.ar Descubrí los productos más buscados que no te podés perder en Ukeleles ✓ Con Envío Gratis y Rápido ❤ ¡Lo mejor está por llegar! articulo.mercadolibre.com.ar
Martin	TK1	Used	486 USD	Yes	Ukeleles | MercadoLibre.com.ar Descubrí los productos más buscados que no te podés perder en Ukeleles ✓ Con Envío Gratis y Rápido ❤ ¡Lo mejor está por llegar! articulo.mercadolibre.com.ar

I understand Pono and Martin are much better and can afford them, but I live in a very humid city and I've read that solid body instruments suffer a lot from it. As I have no idea how they have been cared I'm a little bit worried about it. Is there a way to know if it has suffered damages from it? If so, which would you chose between these 2? I think I can get a little discount on Martin but on Pono that's the final one. I've been playing uke for 2 years now, but I still think myself to be on the beginner side.

Then I guess Cordoba 25T-CE would be the better option, and I think I can get a discount on it. Is there anything I should be worried about buying an used uke like the humidity on solid body? Is it that much better option than the 20TM-CE? What do you think about Lanikai? Ohana?

Thanks a lot!!

Whatever you do, please buy used, unless you are 100% confident the luthier gets his wood from a sustainable or renewable source. Hey, I'm not perfect and I know that anyone can find things in my home that are not good for the environment. I'm still ignorant on a lot of things. But deforestation is real thing. It's not fictitious and I think we all need to start somewhere. Another thing good to know is all about the tree that the wood comes from. For example, cocobolo wood grows extremely slow and is endangered in many places. Acacia, from what I know, grows extremely fast. It's not just the trees or the future of humanity that I think about. I think about all sorts of wildlife losing their homes right now as we speak. I'm not trying to get any one angry. We can have a kind and gentle dialogue about this. What I present here is not unreasonable.

 

[Tiger Camo]

I'd go with the Martin. Pono's have very polarizing necks (I don't consider myself fussy at all and I dislike the Pono neck enough that I'd never own one). In my opinion, it's a bit of a risk to drop a considerable amount of cheddar on a Pono if you haven't been able to lay hands on it first and confirmed you like the feel. My 2 cents.

 

[Gery]

Thanks tiburris for your dosis of consciousness, it's easy to forget about this when the focus is ourselves.

I'll see the guy with the Ponos today and let you know. Thanks about all your insights.

 

[tiburris]

Gery, it touches my heart that you would even consider what I have posted. Thank you and blessings to you today!

 

[tiburris]

If the Pono you're looking at today is the one made of solid mango, that is a fantastic choice! - well, as long as you actually like the feel of it. "Highly sustainable due to its cultivation as a fruit tree, mango wood prevents waste and can make beautiful furniture. Mango trees grow to maturity usually at about 15 years old, which is pretty quick for hardwood. After those 15 years, mango trees stop growing fruit and are cut down for furnishing use."

 

[Gery]

Thanks for your help! I finally bought the Pono, it sound a lot better than my Lanikai.
The previous owner told me he didn't like the strings and I want to put a pickup and a strap too, so I'll open another thread for opinions on that.
Thanks again!

 

[Tin Ear]

Very good choice - Of the choices it was the Pono hands down in my opinion. Enjoy !