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| best buy on a tenor - Beginner Questions - Ukulele - Ukulele - ezFolk Forums | |||||||||||||||
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t bone Approved
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Well, I made the mistake of buying an ukulele ( a Rogue soprano) and now I'm hooked. After listening to several good players, from Dominator to Craig Robertson, Brudda Iz, James Hill, and of course Jake Shimabukuro, I gotta have a better axe. (Though I do really like the Rogue) Anyone have any experience with any of the following: Amigo Tenor Ukulele, at Musician's Best Buy for $36.95, Hilo ST 2656 Solid Spruce Top Tenor (also at MBB) for $49.95, Kala Solid Spruce Top Tenor with Sitka Spruce top @ $129.99, or the Lanikai Solid Mahogany Tenor Uke with ebony fretboard for $189.95. I'm assuming the less expensive ones would be less satisfying, but did see someone recommend an Amigo Baritone on another thread. The Lanikai Solid Mahogany looks pretty interesting, just wondered if any of yall have played any of the above. Thanks in advance for any advice. Oh, by the way, I'm assuming the tenor size is what I want, would anyone recommend a concert over a tenor? After playing guitar for 40 years, the tiny soprano neck is a bit frustrating. How does the size of the concert neck compare to the tenor? Thanks a million!
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b-uke Approved
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You might try a TENOR uke; I'm biased because I've played piano the most, a little bit of guitar/banjo/harp and so the soprano uke ( tried a soprano Martin in a local store) is like trying to play a "Barbie-doll" instrument to me, although large people like Brudda Iz I understand from this forum played soprano uke. IMHO the Tenor keepes that "uke" sound yet provides fret space for playability (although I still dont' care for those teeny upper frets, even on the tenor). Others on this forum have a differing opinion I recall. FYI: see http://www.ukelele.com for technical specifications for each size of uke (soprano/concert/tenor/baritone) although these specs I think are probably specific to that particular manufacturer.
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honu Approved
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IMHO....it's hard to find a decent tenor for less than $500.00 without some issues. The koa wood really makes a difference when it comes to loudness. My apologies for the long response. Although, mahogany is seems to be close. At the 2006 Cerritos festival, Dominator was playing his own mahogany-made uke with koolau strings. Last year he was carrying his Glyph. I didn't notice the differrence between his uke and the Glyph, except for the loudness. Amigo Tenor - have not tested Hilo ST - have not tested the tenor, have tested sopranos - intonation is average, playability is average, I would compare it to a Mahalo - so, so. I would not buy it. Kala Tenor - tested, not bad for the price, intonation is above average, loudness - it sounded louder than a Lanikai. I would almost compare it to almost a Mele. Meles are a lot better though. There's something about having a spruce top. Maybe from the guitar learnings? Lanikai Tenor - tested, intonation is above average. I always thought that a Lanikai was really quiet, not loud. I don't like the color of the uke and the white trim. FYI: Nato means Vietnamese oak. It's fine. Just doesn't look real. Playability...it's okay...action is fine. I would definitely change the strings. We have several uke players in our Halau that have Lanikai tenors...I sit next to one and I barely hear hers from the side. I like loudness, crispness, responsiveness and intonation. Oops, another thing...I don't like loose strings...because I strum hard...I found the Lanikai to be loose with the stock strings. Personally, I did like the Kala than the Lanikai. I would take a Lanikai over a Hilo. Unless it's a high-end prod uke or customized uke, it's hard to tell whether the production uke will sound great. I've heard lousy Lanikais and sweet sounding ones...some have lowered their bridges, some have changed their strings. It's really personal perference. Have you looked into a Pono Tenor uke? The Pono is Koolau's production ukes. Bruce Shimabukuro has a customized Koolau. I've tested the Ponos before and they really sound great for the price and for a tenor. I've already have a tenor (G-String) and if I was looking to buy one, especially a production one...I would have considered the Pono. http://www.ukes.com/pono-ukulele.html Let us know what you choose. I'm interested to know. Last edited on Mon Oct 16th, 2006 08:25 pm by honu |
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honu Approved
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Oops...your question on a tenor vs. concert. I have both...and the tenor is my preference. Pat Enos at the Cerritos Uke Festival stated...to be able to play low, medium and high variations of the major chords...(C,F,G, etc) get a concert or tenor. If you talk to Dominator...he will recommend a tenor. If you are trying to play Jake's songs...both Bruce and Jake have tenors. Having more than 12 frets really makes a difference. Usually, the concert neck is slightly smaller than a tenor. The fret spacing on a tenor is slightly wider than a concert. Of course, that's dependent on who the uke maker is. I've added a shoulder strap to my tenor...for ease of play.
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t bone Approved
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OK honu, thanks for the input. You got me looking at the Kala ukes again, and I was wondering about your comment on Koa wood. Kala makes a Koa tenor that looks pretty nice. Would you consider it a better instrument than the spruce top? Seems like a pretty fair price if it's truly a good instrument. Loudness is not a top priority, but I wouldn't mind a fair amount of projection if the tone is good (and the playability, intonation, etc.) How would you rank it as a primary instrument? I'm sure I'll eventually collect a few of the cute little things, but I would like a good quality instrument soon, figure it will really help my playing. Anyway, thanks for all the input. I know guitars fairly well, and can appreciate a good axe, but ukes are fairly uncommon around here, so I can't get my hands on one locally to try it out. Thanks a million.
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honu Approved
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I'm not sure on guitars...but on ukes...the thickness of the top wood really makes a difference. Most high-end ukes have really thin tops with more bracing. It really brings out the sound, intonation, etc. Just like guitars...playing a really good uke makes a big difference. Most beginners have inexpensive ukes and are easily frustrated when playing them. I prefer koa over spruce tops...to keep with traditions and for respect of the uke. I have tested a KoAloha with a spruce top at the KoAloha factory three months ago and it sounded great. Besides playing rock-n-roll music, I also play hawaiian. So, I like the versatility of koa. I also like 'rosewood' fretboards. Easier to play. How would I rate it as a primary instrument? I'm assuming you mean using it like a workhorse. My belief is to buy the best uke that I can afford...and I'm kind of a minimalist...wanting one or two ukes. One for primary and the other for practice around the house. I learned the hardway, looking for an inexpensive travel/practice uke ending up with a Flea and a Samick. (Big mistake on the Samick) If comparing with the ukes you notated...I would say a Kala edges the Lanikai. The Lanikai has been around for a long time...as where the Kala - see article below...founded by Mike Upton. Mike was a sales rep for Lanikai. http://www.australele.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=47&Itemid=2 I did see the Kala koas...very nice. I especially liked the cut-away - usually only found in customized ukes. Not to confuse you, Lanikai makes a Koa one called a CKC. I have not played a koa Lanikai yet. Oh, BTW...you're welcome.
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pied007 Approved
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Hi Honu, I have been playing a leolani concert mahogany ukulele for the past 6 months. I want to buy a tenor accoustic-electric. I had a few choices: 1. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250216342005 2. http://www.americanmusical.com/item.aspx?i=LAI%20LU21TE&src=D0407FG0HAMS0000LAI%20LU21TE&utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=feed& 3. http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Lanikai-CKTEQ-Tenor-Ukulele-AcousticElectric?sku=512517&src=3WFRWXX&CAWELAID=26042135 could you give me your opinion as to which is better? Kala or Lanikai? and in Lanikai whts the CK vs LU models? is there any other brand I can look for in the same price range? thanks a lot buddy
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scrooner Approved
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I have a Vineyard tenor (similar to Bushman/Ohana) that I play once in a while, but I really prefer the concert size. It's a lot easier for me to hold when I'm standing up, easier to strum, and easier for my hand to span multiple frets due to the smaller scale. If you want to get a Kala or Lanikai to see if you like tenors or not, that's not a bad idea, but if you are serious about getting a good quality instrument, I'd suggest opening the wallet a little wider. I bought a few mid-level instruments in different sizes to see which size fit me best, and then I invested in a KoAloha concert, which was $550 & way more than my wife wanted me to spend  I've never regretted it. I play it every day, and yes, I do think it makes me a better player because it inspires me to try harder (not to mention that it's easier to sound good on a good instrument).
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pied007 Approved
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my wife has a real hard budget on me for this  so now i am considering the Kala KA-STE-C solid spruce top tenor electric for around $217.... anyone has this?
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honu Approved
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Hi Pied007, Of the choices you referred to in the post, the Kala would be a better choice. Two of my fellow musicians have the Lanikai mahogany tenor and the Lanikai CK-TEQ. The musician with the Lanikai CK-TEQ always comments on how clear sounding my tenor is. I own a G-String tenor with a passive Fishman pickup combined with an LR Baggs para-coustic pre-amp. Two years ago, I tested a concert Kala without a pickup. For the price, the uke was not bad. It was easy to play. I would definitely upgrade on the strings. Definitely better than a Lanikai. I'm sure I'll get flack for this statement - A Lanikai is a good entry uke for beginners or for folks who have budgetary concerns. From what I've seen, most players will upgrade. The question is, do you want an uke that you can progress to an intermediate player or do you want to develop UAS? Ukulele Acquisition Syndrome. One of my friends just received a William King customized uke with a spruce top. He's supposed to let me know how the spruce top performs. The spruce top is known in the guitar world as great sounding. Hard to tell if it applies to the ukes, since the bracing is different. In ukes, the soundtop is very thin, yet it projects 99% of the sound. If the Kala is for $217 with a spruce top, that's a great bargain. The question is how much bracing is applied? If there is too much bracing, then the uke will sound quiet. (Similar to an Oscar Schmidt). The same person who used to work for Lanikai, owns Kala. And so, the Kala has to be similarly built the same way. I heard that he has a license to build under the the name of Kala. Hope this response makes sense. Last edited on Mon Feb 25th, 2008 04:41 pm by honu |
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pied007 Approved
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Thanks Honu. Your reply does make sense. I was refering to musicguymic's sale: http://cgi.ebay.com/KALA-KA-STE-Sitka-spruceTenor-Ukulele-w-pu-case_W0QQitemZ250217688531QQihZ015QQcategoryZ16224QQcmdZViewItem Take a look at his description. I am not too sure what bracing means! Also, for a tenor, is it better to have the G tuned lower than the C ? I am sure it would help in playing lead.. but does it make the chords sound worse?
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scrooner Approved
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It makes the chords sound more guitarish.
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honu Approved
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A sitka top is supposedly just as good sounding. musicguymic is legitimate. I have known him for two years and I order my strings on an annual basis. You can also email him and he'll play the uke over the phone for you. For the cost of the uke, here's why it's a real bargain: (1) Cutaway - allows for you to play the lower frets easily - not offered in production ukes in that price range, (2) Shadow under the saddle pickup - it's an active pickup- does not require a pre-amp (which is around $180.00 cost savings) (3) Aquila strings - not the stock GHS or Black Hilos. (4) Mahogany neck - standard (5) Rosewood frets - standard in all production ukes. The mahogany soundbox (except for the sitka top) sounds just as good as koa. Not as sweet sounding, but very hard to determine, if a player was blindly tested. If you purchase from musicguymic, ask him if you can order a Meisel electronic tuner. Not the scare you, but my setup (no cutaway) with Koolau strings, all koa is around $1,200 including the LR Baggs paracoustic pre-amp. As for bracing, what I'm talking about is the inside of the soundbox. How the bracing is done affects the sound, intonation and loudness of the ukulele, besides the size. There are wood braces holding up the soundbox. And there is perfling that is used to join the sides to the top and bottom of the boxes. For example, KoAloha uses a trademarked unibrace which produces tons of sound. Others apply a traditional brace. The more braced the uke is, the softer the sound and intonation. Because the uke has a thiner top than a guitar, the bracing is important because it not only affects the sound, but how long the uke will last. The vintage ukes did not last long, because they made the tops so thin and after 30 years, the ukes would develop cracks. Not so, with the vintage Martins. Sorry, too much information for brain overload. As for a low-g sound. It takes a little getting used to. Does it sound worse? No, it's sounds different. It's like the top bass sounds of a guitar. Some players don't like the sound, because it's not traditional. I play the regular highGCEA tuning. If you are playing with other uke players who play the regular G tuning, then the low-g can be distinctly heard. I think it's personal preference. If you like a low-g sound, then buy the extra strings from musicguymic. I would order Worth's Brown. The Aquila strings are not low-g. You can also add a third-wound on the "C" string. Which basically is a nylong string with an alumininum wrap. The third wound does not last that long. The best advice is to try numerous strings. Let us know what you selected and provide the feedback.
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pied007 Approved
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Wow Honu, Thanks a lot for the detailed info. It was not overload at all as I really want to learn all I can about this instrument. I am trying to see if I can get this Uke in a local shop just so that I can play and see it. And if I like the feel of it I might as well buy from musicguy mic as his deal is pretty sweet. I'll surely let you know what I end up with. Thanks again.
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Preston Approved 
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I have also known Music Guy Mike for 2 years and I bought my Kanile'a Koa tenor from him. He met me at the factory and gave me a tour. He is a great person and I don't think you can get a better buy from anyone else on the ukes he carries. Honu knows what he is talking about and I trust his advise. What ever you decide, have fun. Last edited on Mon Feb 25th, 2008 08:54 pm by Preston ____________________ My EzFolk Page: http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1072 |
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scrooner Approved
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I'd look into that Hamano tenor he's got listed. Those get good reviews.
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pied007 Approved
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Thanks guys. I am getting a lot of positive feedback for music guy mic. Initially I was a lil concerned about ordering online without seeing the actual piece.. but i think I am going to take that risk. I did call and speak with Mike too.. he was helpful. Last edited on Mon Feb 25th, 2008 10:32 pm by pied007 |
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honu Approved
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Preston: Thanks for the vote of confidence! Your Kanilea is nothing to sneeze about either. It's a well built and awesome sounding uke. What strings are you using? Pied007: I use a strap on my tenor. Not sure if you have a requirement for one. I believe that musicguymic has a return policy.
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pied007 Approved
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yeah.. for my accoustic leolani concert mahogony uke.. i dont need a strap. but for the electric tenor I would like to have a strap. does music guy mic attach something to the body to hold the strap at that end? I'll ask him I guess...
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Preston Approved
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Honu, It came with high G Aquillas. I bought some clear Worth's from MGM at Cerritos. I think it sounds a little better and louder with the Worths but they are very close. John Rockwell recommends the brown Worths but I haven't tried them.
____________________ My EzFolk Page: http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1072 |
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| ezFolk Forums > Ukulele > Beginner Questions - Ukulele > best buy on a tenor | |
