Put me out of my misery-mid-price tenor decisions

[Ziret]

I am afraid this may be long, so I apologize in advance. I am shopping for a tenor. I know you will all laugh, and next year I may join you, but I'd like to only buy one. Tenor that is. I have only been playing since this spring, and am not by any means good.

I currently own: A Kala solid spruce top concert, which I like and may keep but may need to sell to finance this venture. A Gretsch 9120 laminate which I just bought from a member and will sell when replacement arrives. An Ohana mahogany solid top baritone which I love and intend to keep if only to prevent myself from buying another baritone.

I live in a climate that can have very low humidity in the summer and where the furnace runs in the winter, so I originally thought I would avoid all solid instruments, though other members of my uke group have them and seem to do fine. Then I heard Mim play a solid top Ohana followed by an all-solid Ohana, and realized the slight hassle may be worthwhile.

Price matters, but I don't want to buy something on the low end, then find myself buying, or wanting to buy something more expensive in a few months or a year. I can't afford anything made in Hawaii. I'd like to stay around $300, but knowing my own propensity to want an upgrade, could go higher.

I want to quit looking! It's wasting my life. To give you an idea how wide-ranging my choices have been (really, I've put each of these in a shopping cart, then backed away), here are the ones I've considered, in order of price.

• Makai MT-90 solid mango $225 at Elderly. Because I love my Ohana and read it is made at the same factory, because it's affordable, and because it's beautiful. At least from here.
• Koalana KTA-0010 $238 from Mim. I possibly love the sound of Koaloha more than of Ohana, so I thought this would great. It's all laminate which is good in our climate, but maybe not so good in sound. And I'm afraid that every time I pick it up I'll wish I had bought the Opio.
• Ohana TK-35 or 38 solid mahogany $269 or $319 just about everywhere. Same as above, though more expensive. I'm not sure whether the fake Martin look is worth the price, but would like to hear from you.
• Opio Sapele or Opio Acacia $576 or $595. That's quite a big jump in price from $319. Almost twice as much, in fact. But if it keeps me happy for years, that's OK. I like the Koaloha for one good reason and one kind of crazy one. I think they sound amazing. And I love onigiri (same thing as musubi, I think), so the sound hole makes me happy. So does the pineapple business on the headstock.

To help in your advisement, here are my questions. Again, if you are still reading, THANK YOU.

1. Is the Opio worth its much higher price compared to the others? If I were to keep it for a lifetime. If so, sapelle or acacia? Which is more durable in my climate? They both sound good to me and since they will both change, it's hard to know. I think the acacia is prettier.
3. Is the Koalana better or worse than the Ohanas or Maka? I think I like it mostly because of the brand, sound hole, and pineapple. See good and silly reasons above.
5. If I came down in favor of Ohana, which one?
7. Is the Makai as good as or better than the Koalana? Is it as good as the Ohanas?
9. Lastly, of the hardwoods, given my climate, which is the least sensitive to humidity changes, mango, mahogany, or acacia?

I know someone is going to jump in and say Pono, and I had that in my cart, too, but as I find the Gretsch neck too thick, I thought these other brands would suit me better. It was a relief to have a reason to eliminate one! But honestly, once I've been playing a while I really don't notice the thick neck, so AWK!

If you can help me out I would appreciate it very much. I am sick of looking at web sites, listening to sound samples that really don't tell much, and reading reviews. I want to get back to playing.

Thank you.

Teri

 

[stevejfc]

Buy the Pono. The neck ain't really that kind of thick. So unless you find something used, like a LoPrinzi (talk about thin necks), the Polo is the best in that price range.

 

[Mivo]

My impression from reading your post is that you want the Opio, and I think that is also a fantastic choice in its price bracket. I have the concert version of the Opio (sapele) and found it to be an impeccable instrument with the typical KoAloha sound (at half the price). Very loud and great projection, with fine craftsmanship. For the tenor, I would probably consider the acacia version, since it'll sound a bit closer to koa, and who knows, it might be the only tenor you'll ever need. I also feel that of the choices you listed, the Opio may have the best resell value, if this is a concern.

The climate issue may be something to take into account. At the very least, it will probably mean that you have to put the uke back into its case when you are done playing, and that you should get a good humidifier for the case. The question about humidity sensitivity is a good one, might want to ask that separately down in the luthier section of the forum. I believe that richly figured wood may be more sensitive than plainer wood without less impressive grain, or at least that's what I took from what a luthier recently posted in a discussion (don't have a link handy).

 

[Booli]

Teri - I cant really advise you on which uke to get as none of those have been on my radar, nor do I own any of those you listed- but I can sympathize- UAS has such a firm grip on me that it's obscene ---

But what I can say is that if you have the money to 'jump the line' and avoid the upgrade path of buying a cheaper uke and then one a little more in price later on, and then one of the mid-high-end ukes later after that, and just go straight to the mid-high-end at the start, you will likely not only save money, but also stave of UAS for quite some time, as well as become even MORE inspired to stop the incessant shopping, just long enough to actually take time to PLAY the instrument...

I speak from some experience here, and I've seen others recount this advice as well -- if you have the money - buy the most expensive uke you can afford that suits your needs and desires and dont WAIT unti later, because then you end up shopping again at 3am because you cannot sleep, thinking about it all...

The only thing worse than this obsessive drive when shopping for another uke, is the ANTICIPATION once you have ordered one, while waiting for it to arrive....refreshing the FedEx/UPS/USPS tracking page like a dozen times per day....

Just BREATHE.....

 

[UkeStuff]

You should also factor in a Mainland in your process if money is an issue.

I believe Mim still has a B-Stock Opio Tenor and if you contact her I bet you could be a better price than the eBay price. I own one of those, and now I only want to try the Acacia. I may get the laminate Koalana version for hauling around these winter parts; I will save the purchase of a full KoAloha for a trip to Hawaii.

 

[Ziret]

Mivo, I hadn't thought of checking the luthier's section, that's a good idea. I did check with members of my uke group tonight, and apparently no one humidifies, or at least not consistently, and some who don't have had very high end instruments for a very long time. So I'm not going to worry about that, I don't think, and I should have checked with them sooner.

Booli, thank you, that's really good advice. I feel as if I've spent more time shopping for ukes than playing them.

Choirguy, Mainland was on the list, but lost out to Ohana on price. I didn't know you could negotiate with Mim, or anyone on Ebay. That is good to know. Right now HMS is cheaper than Mim. I should probably check with both of them and negotiate, I just didn't think of it.

I don't know if I should really thank you guys for encouraging me to spend twice my budget, but, it probably would, in fact, save me money and time in the long run.

Teri

 

[UkeStuff]

I don't know if "negotiate" is the right price, but it doesn't hurt to ask if a better deal can be had off eBay (which charges a fee to the seller).

 

[Lori]

Teri
Welcome to UU. You fit right in!
I don't have experience with all the ukes you mentioned, but I do have a couple of general tips. On the mango ukes... they are very beautiful, but they can vary a lot in wood grain pattern from one uke to the next. So, if you are buying online, make sure you are getting the exact uke that is in the photo. Mango wood ukes tend to have a mellow sound. Very different than the KoAloha, which tends to be bright. If you can test out the uke in person before buying, that is the best. Neck shape can make the difference between something easy to play, and something not so easy to play. This varies for each person. Ohana has some very nice ukes, and would be a good choice. If you can play all the ukes in the store, and choose the best one, you will see that even the same maker and model number will give you a variation in tone. If I had to choose one for online buying, I might lean toward the KoAloha brand, since they seem very consistent. Check and see if they have any "factory seconds" they could sell you at a discount.
Happy hunting!
–Lori

 

[Pueo]

Personally out of all your choices listed I would either buy a Pono or a Mainland

There are those who like Islanders (Kanile'a import brand) but personally (sorry Joe!) I prefer the Opio.

Most importantly, this is only my opinion.

You need to try them for yourself.

Buy from a reputable dealer like Mim where you may return or exchange it if you are not happy, and where you will get a good setup.

 

[DownUpDave]

I own the same Gretsch tenor as you do and a own a few Ponos. The necks are no where near the same, the Gretsch is much deeper. Pono tenor is best bang for the buck on an all solid wood instrument, next jump up is the Koaloha Opio, depends on how much you can spend.

You own a concert, a tenor and a baritone already............you know this new tenor will not be your one and only.

 

[actadh]

As the owner of an Opio soprano, I can attest to the wonderful value. That would be a great choice. I did get the better Oasis humidifier and a hard case for it when I bought it from HMS. It seems the acacia runs slightly more in price than the sapele. Mine is the sapele and sounds amazingly good. But, if you were going to spend that much, I would get the acacia as the sound clips are fantastic and you already like the looks.

I second the Mainland tenor as a good value as well. It is similar to the Ohana, so either one would be a fine option.

 

[Booli]

Well, now that other folks have suggested Mainland, I just wanted to point out that they have been offering a 20% discount on cosmetic seconds or 'blems'.

I own two Mainland ukes, which are my first all-solid ukes and love them both for the sound and playability...

The thread from Mainland Mike where he offers the discount is here (not sure if there are any left since this was on Aug 9th), where I also posted details about my experiences, with videos of the ukes in question:

http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/showthread.php?122028-Mainland-cosmetic-2nds

Also, I should mention that with the 20% discount, you may find that Mainland edges out the Makai, Koalana, and Ohana ukes...depending upon tonewood vs. price...

 

[blodzoom]

I'm still a relative beginner with only a little experience with any of those, so take this with a grain of salt.

You should buy the Opio.

It's true that it's a great instrument for a great value and all of that, but it's your 'crazy' reason that makes it the right choice. You like the weird pineapple headstock and the soundhole makes you happy. You are going to smile when you look at that instrument more than anything else on the list. The fact that it's also really good is a huge bonus. That's the one that you're excited about and it's the one that's going to get you picking up your uke more often. Maybe sometimes just to look at it.

 

[Ziret]

Thank you for the welcome, Lori. I've been lurking for a while and this seems like a great bunch. I really appreciate all your help, and the information available on the site is fantastic.

Blodzoom, you swept away my doubts. And because last night I got an email approving me for a small freelance, but ongoing, writing job, I think that's what I'm going to do. I probably can't do it today, though, because it's pouring rain and my car window is stuck in the down position, and I must somehow get that fixed.

Down Up Dave (Do you prefer Dave, DUD or Dude?) Yes, it looks like I'm well on my way to the dread disorder, but my house is so small and my workroom already so packed with hobbies, I really must exercise restraint. I was playing all the ukes this morning, seeing which ones have got to go. And the reason I have all three sizes is, how do you know what you're going to like till you play it. Sadly, I also know that what you like changes as your playing changes. OK, maybe I'll keep everyone but the Gretsch. And then get a soprano so I have a full house

One last question before I pull trigger. I live more than 250 miles from the nearest ukulele store. The thing about my Kala concert with solid spruce top, is, it's super bright and loud and those are great things, I guess, but for me I think they are a bit over the top. It also has great sustain. It's a fabulous instrument, especially for the price. But is the acacia Opio going to be that bright? I can deal with loud. My baritone mahogony Ohana has a sound I love, but it's almost impossible to separate that from the fact that it's a baritone. The Gretsch is actually growing on me, but maybe it's the strings, maybe it's the Low G, maybe it's the low G strings, but it is "boomy," if that's a technical term, and I find it hard to get over that. I don't think the Opio will have that issue. So I think what I'm looking for in sound is balance.

I intend to order from either HMS or Elderly, from what I can tell on here, they are both honest and I think they both do fine setups.

Thank you again,
Teri

 

[Lori]

Thank you for the welcome, Lori. I've been lurking for a while and this seems like a great bunch. I really appreciate all your help, and the information available on the site is fantastic.

Blodzoom, you swept away my doubts. And because last night I got an email approving me for a small freelance, but ongoing, writing job, I think that's what I'm going to do. I probably can't do it today, though, because it's pouring rain and my car window is stuck in the down position, and I must somehow get that fixed.

Down Up Dave (Do you prefer Dave, DUD or Dude?) Yes, it looks like I'm well on my way to the dread disorder, but my house is so small and my workroom already so packed with hobbies, I really must exercise restraint. I was playing all the ukes this morning, seeing which ones have got to go. And the reason I have all three sizes is, how do you know what you're going to like till you play it. Sadly, I also know that what you like changes as your playing changes. OK, maybe I'll keep everyone but the Gretsch. And then get a soprano so I have a full house

One last question before I pull trigger. I live more than 250 miles from the nearest ukulele store. The thing about my Kala concert with solid spruce top, is, it's super bright and loud and those are great things, I guess, but for me I think they are a bit over the top. It also has great sustain. It's a fabulous instrument, especially for the price. But is the acacia Opio going to be that bright? I can deal with loud. My baritone mahogony Ohana has a sound I love, but it's almost impossible to separate that from the fact that it's a baritone. The Gretsch is actually growing on me, but maybe it's the strings, maybe it's the Low G, maybe it's the low G strings, but it is "boomy," if that's a technical term, and I find it hard to get over that. I don't think the Opio will have that issue. So I think what I'm looking for in sound is balance.

I intend to order from either HMS or Elderly, from what I can tell on here, they are both honest and I think they both do fine setups.

Thank you again,
Teri

Strings make a big difference on each uke. Lots of experimentation is involved for matching the ideal string to the right uke. If you feel your Kala is a bit bright (spruce tends to be brighter than many woods), then try a more mellow string like Worth Browns, or a lower tension string. Koa and Acacia will tend to be warmer and less bright than Spruce generally speaking. Mahogany is also a good mid range tone wood, with less treble. There are other factors such as the structure of the instrument... how thick is the soundboard, what kind of bracing, etc. that affect the overall sound. That is why it is helpful to hear the instrument. Maybe you can hear a video of the one you are thinking of getting.
–Good Luck
Lori

 

[Mivo]

The Gretsch is actually growing on me, but maybe it's the strings, maybe it's the Low G, maybe it's the low G strings, but it is "boomy," if that's a technical term, and I find it hard to get over that.

What kind of low-G string is it? I had tried a Worth Brown unwound low-G string on my tenor, and didn't like it one bit. Boomy, thuddy, and dull. I wrote off low-G tuning for quite a while as a result. Then when I got a baritone with two wound strings, I fell in love with the beautiful sound of that wound G. I got curious and tried a wound low-G on my tenor, and it was such a revelation! It sounded beautiful, transformed the whole instrument. In my tenor's case, it's a Aquila Red Series wound low-G, but people here almost all love the Fremont Soloist wound low-G, so that would be my recommendation.

 

[Ziret]

Strings make a big difference on each uke. Lots of experimentation is involved for matching the ideal string to the right uke. If you feel your Kala is a bit bright (spruce tends to be brighter than many woods), then try a more mellow string like Worth Browns, or a lower tension string. Koa and Acacia will tend to be warmer and less bright than Spruce generally speaking. Mahogany is also a good mid range tone wood, with less treble. There are other factors such as the structure of the instrument... how thick is the soundboard, what kind of bracing, etc. that affect the overall sound. That is why it is helpful to hear the instrument. Maybe you can hear a video of the one you are thinking of getting.
–Good Luck
Lori

Lori,

I meant to post this on whatever the strings board might be, but I changed the Kala from Aquilas to Martins because when I played a C chord it was oddly much louder than any other C chord. It screamed "playing a c chord now!" That fixed that problem and I'm OK with how it is for a while, anyway. I have spent so much on strings that I am having a moratorium on them for a bit. I think. Overall I like the Martins, but they didn't work at all with the Gretsch. For me, I mean. So it has Aquilas. And here I thought I had an affordable brand I liked and I'd never have to think about strings again. hahahahahahaha!

Thanks for the info about koa/acacia. I'm glad to hear it. I am still trying to screw up the courage to call someplace and place an order.

Teri

 

[Ziret]

Mivo, the string is a wound G that comes with the Nylgut Low-G. I will confess, it is a set for my concert that I had lying around. Which I hope isn't going to make the whole world blow up or something. I tried the Aquila Red unwound G on my concert and wasn't a fan--went back to reentrant. My baritone has two wound strings, and I love it, too. I think the wound G sounds great on the tenor, I think it's the other three that are thudding. But what do I know? One thing I am pretty sure about, though, is my tastes in everything from ukes to strings will change with time.

 

[Ziret]

All right, all you lovely enablers, I just pressed the button at HMS. And as someone said, now begins the agonizing wait, which may be worse than the agonizing shopping was, but at least it will end. So glad to get my brain back. No I just need to sell some of these others. Small house, small budget. Big happy.

 

[Booli]

@Ziret

"agonizing wait" - aye - you and me both. I too "pressed the button", but on a Mainland concert classic mahogany (from the blem sale linked in my previous post above) and if Fedex tracking is true, I should have it by end of day tomorrow...

"need to sell some of these others" - me too, one in, and then one out rule has been enforced on me...

"enablers" - LOL - yes all of us are