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Tygerwoody
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Posted: Tue Jul 25th, 2006 07:21 pm |
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Spending around $300 on an electric Ukulele. Obviously I would like to spend less, but I am willing to spend more if the quality is worth it. I have done a good amount of searches for electric ukuleles and haven't gotten good results.
Thanks!
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Tygerwoody
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Posted: Wed Jul 26th, 2006 12:53 pm |
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| Anyone? Is that Blue Star Konablaster a good electric? Really all I could find online was Risa and Konablaster.
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Richard Hefner
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Posted: Wed Jul 26th, 2006 01:07 pm |
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Hey Tyger,
Sorry you didn't get a response yet. Somebody will probably come along soon who know more about these than I do.
I haven't heard anything bad about either the Risa or the Konablaster but I'm more into acoustics so I don't know much about them.
Joel Eckhaus makes really nice electric ukes but I think they might be a bit more expensive. You can find them at his website...
http://www.earnestinstruments.com/
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Tygerwoody
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Posted: Wed Jul 26th, 2006 01:10 pm |
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Richard Hefner wrote: Hey Tyger,
Sorry you didn't get a response yet. Somebody will probably come along soon who know more about these than I do.
I haven't heard anything bad about either the Risa or the Konablaster but I'm more into acoustics so I don't know much about them.
Joel Eckhaus makes really nice electric ukes but I think they might be a bit more expensive. You can find them at his website...
http://www.earnestinstruments.com/
Yea, I saw that website. Nice ukes, but I'm not looking to spend $1200 on a ukulele(not now at least). I'm more of an acoustics guy myself, but I use to play electric guitar and figured I might try an electric uke out. I just wish I had more choices. 
Last edited on Wed Jul 26th, 2006 01:13 pm by Tygerwoody
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Will
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Posted: Wed Jul 26th, 2006 09:36 pm |
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Tygerwoody wrote: Spending around $300 on an electric Ukulele. Obviously I would like to spend less, but I am willing to spend more if the quality is worth it. I have done a good amount of searches for electric ukuleles and haven't gotten good results.
Thanks!
When you say "electric ukulele," do you mean you are look for a solid body instrument analogous to an electric guitar? Or did you mean an "acoustic-electric" hollow uke that can be played unamplified or amplified with built-in electronics? There are far more instruments available of the latter type than the former.
The "electric guitar" sound is generated by the magnetic pickups located under the steel strings, which must be amplified; the tone of the instrument is very dependent upon the amplifier used. The magnetic pickups require steel strings, so for an "electric ukulele" to have this type of sound, the strings would have to be steel rather than nylon. Nylon string ukes use piezo pickups.
Last edited on Thu Jul 27th, 2006 06:49 am by Will
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Tygerwoody
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Posted: Thu Jul 27th, 2006 12:13 pm |
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I want an electric guitar sound. Steel Strings are fine.
I have a good acoustic ukulele already. Now I need one to jam on. 
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Will
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Posted: Thu Jul 27th, 2006 01:59 pm |
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I do not own a solid body electric uke, so I can't personally vouch how well these these instruments play. I did see a singer play a Risa electric tenor uke at a concert last year, so I've heard the amplified sound, which was pretty good. This is Elderly Instrument's selection of electric (solid body) ukuleles, including Risa and Konablaster instruments:
http://elderly.com/search/elderly?terms=electric+ukulele
The Konablasters go for $300:
http://elderly.com/search/elderly?terms=konablaster
The Risa steel-string semi-hollow ukes that are built with an electric guitar-like shape sell for $450 (soprano) and $485 (tenor)
http://elderly.com/new_instruments/items/RHBSB.htm
This is Elderly's lowest priced solid body electric uke, but it has nylon strings and a passive piezo pickup installed...
http://www.elderly.com/new_instruments/names/risa-%22uke-solid-soprano%22-ii-ukulele-and-gigbag--RUSII.htm
RISA "UKE-SOLID-SOPRANO" II UKULELE & GIGBAG
Now with Grover non-geared tuners and improved pickup system. Soprano ukulele, strung with nylon strings, only 18.5" total length, one piece maple body, 14.2" scale length, 14 frets, aluminum bridge with passive piezo pickup, use it on stage without feedback or as the ultimate travel ukulele, with gigbag and strap. The strap works for the gigbag or the instrument. Unit does require external amplification (not phantom power) for pickup to make an audible sound.
RUSII .. list $195.00 ours $175.00
 Last edited on Thu Jul 27th, 2006 02:15 pm by Will
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Tygerwoody
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Posted: Thu Jul 27th, 2006 02:46 pm |
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| do you think that Risa Tenor is worth $500? I have no problem spending $500 on a guitar, but I'd be surprised if this $500 uke has half the quality of even a $200 guitar.
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Will
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Posted: Fri Jul 28th, 2006 01:50 pm |
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Tygerwoody wrote: do you think that Risa Tenor is worth $500? I have no problem spending $500 on a guitar, but I'd be surprised if this $500 uke has half the quality of even a $200 guitar.
That's not an easy question to answer. First, there aren't a lot of electric steel string ukes being made, so there isn't as big a range of prices to choose from. These kinds of instruments are are lot closer to being guitars than to ukes, so these should be considered specialty electric guitars, rather than ukes. Risa, a company based in Germany, is known for making good instruments, and their semi-hollow body electric ukes should be pretty well made, playable, and good sounding, based upon the forum posts that I've read from buyers.
Give Elderly Instruments a call and discuss these instruments with them. Also, you can contact Rigk Sauer, who runs Risa Music - he posts over at the 4th Peg Forum:
http://www.4thpeg.com/parlor_room/viewtopic.php?t=686&highlight=
Posted at Risa's web site, there are recorded samples played on the Risa electric soprano and the tenor:
http://www.risa-music.de/English/Products/Electrics/electrics.html
Soprano electric uke: http://www.risa-music.de/Products/UKE350SB_So.html
Tenor electric uke: http://www.risa-music.de/Products/UKE432RD_So.html
Last edited on Fri Jul 28th, 2006 01:56 pm by Will
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Tygerwoody
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Posted: Mon Aug 7th, 2006 03:42 am |
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I ended up buying the Risa Tenor Electric. Lets see how it works out. 
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UkeForever
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Posted: Mon Aug 7th, 2006 05:08 am |
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Tygerwoody wrote: do you think that Risa Tenor is worth $500? I have no problem spending $500 on a guitar, but I'd be surprised if this $500 uke has half the quality of even a $200 guitar.
Why? I wouldn't.
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Tygerwoody
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Posted: Mon Aug 7th, 2006 04:33 pm |
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UkeForever wrote: Tygerwoody wrote: do you think that Risa Tenor is worth $500? I have no problem spending $500 on a guitar, but I'd be surprised if this $500 uke has half the quality of even a $200 guitar.
Why? I wouldn't.
I was judging by the reviews of that Konablaster. People were comparing it to an extremely cheap electric. Not hardly worth $300.
However, after looking up this Risa all I am reading is that it is pure quality in every aspect. They are even comparing it to a Gibson Guitar, which is quite an accomplishment.
I am spending close to $500 which is more than I wanted to spend, but for even remotely close to the quality of a Gibson Electric then it has to be worth it.
I'll let you guys know how it is. I should have it in this Wednesday.
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nevc*ernamed
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Posted: Fri Jan 19th, 2007 03:30 am |
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Hi all! I noticed that this thread hasn't been updated in a while so I don't know if I'm going to get a response or not. Here's my question, directed at the fellow who bought the risa tenor, or anybody that can help really. I want to buy an electric ukulele, I have been playing an acoustic soprano for a while and would really like to buy an electric soprano. I have been trying to decide if a steel-strung electric would be better or just an acoustic-electric uke.
The sound that I'm looking for is something that still has the distincive ukulele sound, just more electric. I listened to some of the recordings on the risa website that was posted above and I thought that they sounded more like guitars than ukuleles.
I've never heard one or the other in person and I'm not really sure what is going to give me the sound that I want. Does anybody have any ideas?
Thanks a lot.
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UkeForever
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Posted: Fri Jan 19th, 2007 04:05 am |
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If you want that distinctive uke sound, I'd go for nylon strings.
The Risa acoustic ukes with spruce top seem like they'd be ideal electrified sopranos.
Or that Clearwater Smeck copy that you see on e-bay.
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catty
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Posted: Fri Jan 19th, 2007 04:47 am |
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I just purchased one of these (on layaway) last week -- Fender 5-string, semi-hollow body mandolin:
...modeled after the 4-string, solid-body mandocasters of the 50s-60s:
On the 5-string, the bottom four strings are tuned CGDA like a mandola/tenor banjo, which I also play. I'm also going to try it in a 5-string uke tuning to play some of my bluesy uke repertoire (my only uke is a recently acquired Johnson reso w/ National cone--I love it). I haven't yet done this, so I can't yet comment. But it seems like it should work fine, especially with a low-G tuning. I would think a person could put it into any tuning at all, such as bari-uke/guitar tuning, etc., given the relative correct string gauges. There are several choices in 4 and 5 string electric mandos available, such as this Blue Star (but the old mandocasters go for around $2K):
...or this Kentucky, which is only $250:
Last edited on Fri Jan 19th, 2007 05:29 am by catty
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nevc*ernamed
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Posted: Fri Jan 19th, 2007 12:14 pm |
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well, now I'm slightly confused. I see where you're coming from with the nylon strings recommendation. However, the guy who posted beneath you recommended 3 or for what looked like steel-strung ukes. Does anybody know any place where I can hear those instruments being played so I can decide for myself which sound that I want?
If I was going acoustic-electric I was considering the "applause" line. Does anybody know anything about them?
One more thing I just thought of. What is a "solid". I noticed that risa makes these uke stick thingies and I have no idea what they do. They look rather difficult to play due to the positioning of the tuning pegs on the body and the absence of a headstock. Would you happen to have any experience with these because I saw a video on youtube and that's the type of sound that I'm looking for. And can this type of sound be produced by any acoustic-electric instrument. Here's a link to the vid:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=a-3yHEJJlgc
Thanks a lot.
Last edited on Fri Jan 19th, 2007 12:33 pm by nevc*ernamed
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catty
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Posted: Fri Jan 19th, 2007 01:07 pm |
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| The last succession of photos are all mandolins--sorry for the confusion.
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nevc*ernamed
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Posted: Fri Jan 19th, 2007 02:02 pm |
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Thanks for your interest. But I'm not really interested in picking up mandolin at the moment, I'm primarily interested in some sort of electric ukulele so any information pertaining to my last post would be great. Thanks!!
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Will
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Posted: Fri Jan 19th, 2007 02:13 pm |
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nevc*ernamed wrote: well, now I'm slightly confused. I see where you're coming from with the nylon strings recommendation. However, the guy who posted beneath you recommended 3 or for what looked like steel-strung ukes. Does anybody know any place where I can hear those instruments being played so I can decide for myself which sound that I want?
If I was going acoustic-electric I was considering the "applause" line. Does anybody know anything about them?
One more thing I just thought of. What is a "solid". I noticed that risa makes these uke stick thingies and I have no idea what they do. They look rather difficult to play due to the positioning of the tuning pegs on the body and the absence of a headstock. Would you happen to have any experience with these because I saw a video on youtube and that's the type of sound that I'm looking for. And can this type of sound be produced by any acoustic-electric instrument. Here's a link to the vid:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=a-3yHEJJlgc
Thanks a lot.
"Solid" means solid body, rather than hollow body; it also means that such an instrument has no hollow resonating sound chamber and therefore little volume without external amplification. The Risa "solids" were originally designed specifically to be ultra-short travel instruments, and were called "uke sticks" before they changed the name; that's why there is no headstock, and the tuning pegs were relocated. They need to be played with a strap, which comes with the instrument.
Risa's web site has an English version:
http://www.risa-music.de/English/english.html
I saw an Applause acoustic-electric tenor played one time, by a ukulele instructor, through my amp, at my sister's luau. It sounded pretty good, but I wouldn't spend that much money for one (they cost about $350). The Applause soprano electric costs about $150:
http://www.music123.com/Applause-by-Ovation-UAE20-Ukulele-i25154.music
Instead, I bought an Oscar Schmidt OU-14E, an acoustic-electric concert uke, for less than $100, from this dealer:
http://www.elevation-music.com/osscoucuacel.html
 Now this is what we call cool. Two colors available!!
$89.00
Guitar shape with cutaway for upper fret access
Select spruce top
Mahogany back and sides
Rosewood fingerboard and bridge
Gloss finish
Klusen style sealed back tuners
Passive electronics
Last edited on Fri Jan 19th, 2007 02:23 pm by Will
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nevc*ernamed
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Posted: Fri Jan 19th, 2007 02:57 pm |
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Thanks for the prompt reply Will. I have a few new questions. It seems that the traditional "ukulele sound" is prodiced by nylon strings, and the impression that I have now is that it is very hard, if not impossible to find a steel-strung instrument that replicates this sound.
The risa uke-stick is pretty much an acoustic instrument just without and sound hole, so no resonace occurs inside the instrument and it needs external amplification.
Got all that.
Now new question:
You mentioned the Oscar Schmidt Ukulele in your previous post. I already have a nice ukulele, I don't think it has a brand because I can't find any logos anywhere, but it came in an oscar schmidt gig bag. I think it's one of the OU series. I want something that can be amplified because I play with other people (some marching band people from school) and I can't be heard over them. I was also looking for a slight breakout from the traditional acoustic sound, but not quite (see the video above)
What is the potential for the OU14E's amplification (passive electronics?)? How good does it sound? Is there anyway that you know of that I could hear one?
Is this a soprano or tenor?
Thanks a lot again.
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