Help! Advice on UAS for cheap dreadnought ukuleles

[Martinlover]

You are right on this, at least in my case and thanks for your thoughts. Will definitely leads to more angsts if I went on to get the substitute ukes instead. And likely to fuel more UAS attacks. Meanwhile, I will practice more on my martins and they are amazing too!

By the way, fund jar for Ohta San is up and has 2 bucks already!

Like a hungry ghost, the other ukuleles will never fill you up and they will steal the money from the savings jar.
Unless, you try one some how and find out you don’t really like it as much.

 

[AustinHing]

Temptations mostly come from this site, hard not to be when NUD is shared daily. Haha.. need to back off from UU forums.

I have not a chance yet to try an Ohta San but I’m sure it wouldn’t disappoint. Luckily I have tried 1 or 2 Kamaka concert before and the playability is great. Can’t say much on the tone but that’s largely due to stock strings.

My local uke shop did had an Ohta San last year, I will be ready when they do hang another up the wall.

 

[Joyful Uke]

By the way, fund jar for Ohta San is up and has 2 bucks already!

While you're waiting for the jar to fill up, (that's going to be a big jar!), you have to consider the question of whether you want an all koa Ohta San, or one with a cedar top, or a spruce top.
So many temptations.

 

[AustinHing]

While you're waiting for the jar to fill up, (that's going to be a big jar!), you have to consider the question of whether you want an all koa Ohta San, or one with a cedar top, or a spruce top.
So many temptations.

The question should be “should one get all 3 types of Ohta san?” Haha, truly tempting but there is the reality again.

The spruce is definitely out as it may sound too guitarish for me. So, having own both solid koa and cedar ukes, I have not tonal preference between them. Look-wise, the curly koa wins hands down.

Again, Ohta San showing up is not a everyday thing. So I would grab one (cedar or koa) when the opportunity comes!

 

[Slade]

Never really liked Kamakas. Owned one, played many but never a Ohta San. I’m getting a I’iwi made for me right now. They have a dreadnought shape and sound beautiful. They’re pricey but so is a quality Kamaka. Save, save, save.

 

[AustinHing]

Never really liked Kamakas. Owned one, played many but never a Ohta San. I’m getting a I’iwi made for me right now. They have a dreadnought shape and sound beautiful. They’re pricey but so is a quality Kamaka. Save, save, save.

Congrats on your customised i’iwi. Went to the ukulele site and they are gorgeous! Beautiful dreadnought. So what’s up with the multiple small sound holes? I prefer their traditional model. Saw their prices and inhaled deeply. Haha. Just curious, would you mind to share on your experiences with the kamakas?

 

[Martinlover]

I’m getting a I’iwi made for me right now.

They sound great but the multiple sound holes remind me of a spider.

 

[AustinHing]

There is used i’iwi concert for sale around my area. Been staring hard at it, it’s gorgeous with all full curly koa with no spider holes. But I will passed. Just didn’t feel my heart racing with it.

So I went to hang out at the local uke stop yesterday. Staff were Super nice and allowed me to play on the Kamaka hf-2, kanile’a k-1 and even a moonbird. I tried only the concerts sizes.

I was so very much blown away by the kamaka hf-2. It’s so much different from the kamaka hf-2D, the deluxe version which I tried on a previous visit.

It’s the lightest ukulele I have ever held, and the playability is great. And somehow, the stock kamaka strings actually sounded nice on it! Sure it’s pretty plain and kind of semi gloss when compared to the kanile’a k-1 concert, full-on gloss with crazy multi-hue of golden koa. The kanile’a did have the bell like dreadnought kind of body..

The moonbird has the loudest brightest voice ever, Period. And it’s just a concert size. Super responsive but I guess it’s my problem, the G and A strings, I have the tendency to push them off the edge of the neck. I don’t see anyone reporting on this.

And the good news is that staff told me a batch of kamakas are coming soon in a few months time and maybe an Ohta San is thrown in the mix.

The sad news is Ohta San fund jar is miserable looking. Haha

 

[Rakelele]

Back to the original question of an inexpensive dreadnought style ukulele, I just remembered that Kamoa makes such a model called the Grand Concert:

https://kamoaukuleles.myshopify.com/search?type=product&q=grand

I have never played a Kamoa and cannot testify for their value, but Bazmaz has a review in his "Got A Ukulele" page that makes it sound like a decent instrument.

 

[AustinHing]

Back to the original question of an inexpensive dreadnought style ukulele, I just remembered that Kamoa makes such a model called the Grand Concert:

https://kamoaukuleles.myshopify.com/search?type=product&q=grand

I have never played a Kamoa and cannot testify for their value, but Bazmaz has a review in his "Got A Ukulele" page that makes it sound like a decent instrument.

These look really nice! Didn’t know kamoa has such models! 370 is not exactly cheap either for me, but definitely a good option.

This one caught my eyes with that Martin look.

This one has spruce top and maple back and sides.