'uke question, NMC

[Mandobart]

I've never learned 'ukulele but would like to now. I've played music as a hobby and professionally over the past 40 years. I have several custom built instruments, and a few old beginner instruments kicking around. I found I outgrew those "beginner level" instruments pretty quick and I don't need another camper/beater instrument. So I don't want a beginner instrument. I also don't need to go with top of the line.

Also, I tend to gravitate to the lower voiced instruments - octave mandolin and mandocello vs mandolin for example. So what is the tenor 'ukulele equivalent of say an Eastman, Morris or Silverangel mandolin? (Not looking for a baritone, yet). I do not care at all about inlays or carving, strictly playability and tone. What do the 'uke players that know think? Thanks!

[NursingDaBlues]

I have a Martin 2K tenor that I really enjoy. Pretty pricey though. However the Martin 2K concert is outstanding; what a voice and projection. It's also worth considering.

The really affordable treasures though are the Pono mahogany tenors. Great throaty voice and playability for an astoundingly low price. You can pick one of those up for around the $350 range.

Edit: Kala makes some very good ukes as well, including their tenors. A bonus for Kala is that they're fairly easy to find while Pono has very little mainland presence and usually has to be ordered.

[Roger Adams]

I like Kala's solid Acacia instruments. Very sweet. For a step up, check out their USA made line. Prices for quality ukuleles pale in comparison to prices for quality mandolins. This can lead, very quickly, to UAS. I swear the little buggers multiply on their own!

[NursingDaBlues]

Just for informational purposes, here is an article outlining the top four ukulele brands manufactured in Hawaii:

http://www.ukulelemag.com/stories/th...ulele-builders

Pono is produced in Indonesia (I believe) for Ko'olau. According to their marketing, the Pono line is their production line version of their Ko'olau custom ukes. Not a lot of adornment, but solid woods and nicely made. Of the handful of tenor mahogany Ponos that I've played, each one was nicely built and offered an impressive sound. But it still maintained that "uke" voicing. I have not played a Ko'olau branded uke.

Kamaka is very well known and has a very strong dealer network throughout mainland US. My personal impression is that the ones I've played didn't necessarily knock my socks off, especially in relation to their price. YMMV.

Kanile'a and KoAloha are both impressive in their workmanship. For some reason I tend to think that they offer a more modern sound. I've only sampled a couple of each. They were nice but I still prefer the voice of the Martin 2K tenor (but that is simply my preference).

If it's easily available, you might try the Martin T1K tenor uke. It's made in Martin's Mexico plant. And It's priced considerably lower than the T2K at around $500.

I've been told that Cordoba makes a very nice uke. Since the forebear of the ukulele started in Portugal, it stand to reason.

But don't discount the Kala. They're worth a try, they come in a fairly wide variety of woods and affordable price points, and you may be pleasantly surprised.

[Br1ck]

If you don't want to spend for an all koa instrument, I can recommend Pono without reservation. A no frills but very well made solid wood Uke, in either mahogany, acacia, or mango is around $400. I played a bunch when shopping, and it turned out to be better built than some of the Hawaiian instruments I played.

As to size, the soprano is the authentic strummed Uke sound, but a rather one trick pony. The concert is, to me, perplexing. Kind of wonder about it. I do have a Fluke concert, but the playability of a tenor is superior for me. Now the rage is a low strung G, but to me that leaves a lot of ukulele sound on the table.

Not nearly the difference to my ears as the mando family. Hawaii Music Supply has a bunch of good sound clips. Just like mandolins there are a bunch of high end beautiful ukuleles out there. Beware.

[bratsche]

After hanging out on the UU forums for a while to find out what people thought, I bought two Pono instruments, a baritone first and then a tenor, to tune GDAE and CGDA respectively. I am very happy with them. They come in many wood combinations and levels of adornment. The Ukulele Site is a great place to compare features of Ponos as well as many other brands and makers, to watch and listen to video clips, and (I understand) to purchase well-set-up instruments. I found I was really drawn to mahogany baritones, and cedar over mahogany tenors. I bought both of my ukes secondhand, but that's where they originally came from.

bratsche

[Rodney Riley]

http://hoffmannlutherie.com/

Might be a little pricey. Made in Missouri. Love the M-style, of which I have a mandolin made when he was building under the Boat Paddle brand name. NFI

[allenhopkins]

How you tune your ukulele is up to you, but one of the things that surprised me when I started playing uke was that soprano, concert and tenor sizes of ukulele were all built to be tuned the same, generally GCEA, either "low G" or "re-entrant" -- the usual "my dog has fleas" tuning with the fourth string tuned to a G between the second string's E and the first string's A.

So having a "tenor ukulele" didn't mean playing in a lower register than a soprano, just getting a different sound from the larger body. The Regal taropatch (eight-stringed ukulele, four unison-double courses GCEA) that's my usual performance instrument, has a tenor-sized body, but it's still tuned like the sopranos that I also own.

The baritone ukulele is a different story, being generally tuned DGBE like the top four strings of a guitar. It's the same fourths-and-a-third relative tuning.

You're planning to tune your instruments in fifths, and I would assume you're going for the "fifths tuning" ukulele strings? Or, perhaps, assemble "custom" sets from nylon guitar strings? I would assume that tuning the tenor CGDA would be difficult with GCEA ukulele strings; the top strings would be fine, but tuning the C fourth string down to G might make it a bit "floppy."

[Charlie Bernstein]

And check out Joel Eckhaus's ukes at: www.earnestinstruments.com. He built Bruce Springsteen's and Eddie Vedder's ukes.

You'll also see his tenor guitars, which are voiced lower than ukes.

(And for browsy mando fans: he also built one of Hot Tuna's Barry Mitterhoff's mandos.)

[ambrosepottie]

Originally soprano was tuned a full step higher, aDF# B, but cGDA is more common now. dGBE or DGBE for baritone, but because of the short scale on a baritone (compared to a guitar), it can sometimes be pretty loose tension wise and not very loud. Tenors and baritones can be tuned in 5ths and several companies make strings for this purpose. Personally I find anything other than a soprano sounds too much like a capoed four stringed classical guitar. And if you're a mando player the small size and short scale might not be not uncomfortable. If that's the case then the decision is easy (for me). My 1940's vintage Martin Style 0 cost about $300 5 years ago. It's not a one trick pony.

[CES]

I chose a Pomo Acacia tenor Uke in low G tuning. I can recommend their quality without reservation. I bought from The Ukulele Site given their rep for set up. In the comments box I put how I usually liked my mandolins set up, just for reference, and actually got a call from them to discuss Uke set up (which is more like classical guitar), just to make sure I understood they couldn't go to mandolin settings without a ton of buzz (I knew, but appreciated the call/communication). The Uke arrived from Hawaii very well set up and in great condition. I have a soprano travel Uke that's in standard tuning, and I much prefer the low G tuning.

The Ponos are the only ones I know of offhand, and definitely in this price range, that have truss rods. Mine hasn't needed adjustment, but I like having the option, especially coming from Hawaii. I'd equate mine's quality with Eastman's 300 series, but a "good 'un." Very cleanly made with excellent attention to detail, great tone, but without a ton of bling. The tuners are decent quality and very functional. The Acacia was a little bright out of the box but is mellowing nicely the more I play it. I also don't feel like I'm going to outgrow it anytime soon, as it's a professional quality Uke. In fact, it has a lot of similarities in build quality with my Flatiron 1N, now that I think of it. Good luck, Bart!

[ProfChris]

Pono are good ukes, and I'd say equate to a reasonably high end factory instrument. Kamaka, Koaloha etc are boutique factory instruments.

Kala are decently made Chinese instruments - maybe all you want, good beginner instruments, but playing for yourself you might notice the lack of tonal subtleties.

A brand to consider, which I think might be an equivalent in quality to Eastman, is Ohana. These tend to be quite lightly built and always very playable once set up. Price range for tenors is US$250-400 (yes, ukes are cheap, $1k is an expensive uke).

I suggest you call Mim's Ukes - http://mimsukes.com - and feel free to say I sent you her way. She runs one of the three online uke businesses which regularly get praise for their service (the others are HMS and, I think, the Ukulele Shop in Hawaii). As you can guess she's a friend, but I recommend her because I know she's passionate about finding buyers the right instrument for them, sets up ukes before she ships them, and ships next day. I'm sure the others are good too, though, and there will be smaller sellers whose reputation hasn't reached the UK.

Whoever you buy from it would help to tell them what kind of music you think you're likely to play on it. As a for instance, if you want to play 20s and 30s jazz then I'd steer you to a soprano or concert with a hardwood top. If you want to play Led Zeppelin tunes then a tenor with a softwood top is more the thing.

[Br1ck]

Whatever size you choose, be aware that you will want another size also, maybe all the sizes.

I once was playing music with a friend and commented that a song we were playing would go great with a uke part. Too bad I didn't bring one. His wife overheard me, said she had one, and handed me a Kamaka soprano. What a sweet uke that was. Wouldn't want one for my one and only but...you get the picture.

Some of the high end customs are works of art what with the abalone inlays of the Hawaiian Islands inlayed on the tops.

[Mandolinespieler]

I got a Martin C1K (Concert with koa) a few months ago. I really enjoy it as an instrument. It is their bottom of the line and made in Mexico, but its a very well built, simple instrument. The tone is nice and action great. I had purcahsed it from Elderly and they always do a great job.

[Mandobart]

...You're planning to tune your instruments in fifths, and I would assume you're going for the "fifths tuning" ukulele strings? Or, perhaps, assemble "custom" sets from nylon guitar strings? I would assume that tuning the tenor CGDA would be difficult with GCEA ukulele strings; the top strings would be fine, but tuning the C fourth string down to G might make it a bit "floppy."

No, at least to start out I want to learn in a "standard" 'ukulele tuning. I won't rule out going to 5ths at some point.

[NewKid]

I had a Kala all solid mahogany tenor (KA-SMHT = about $260) when I first started and it was as good as some ukes 5x its price I bought later.

I played ukulele for four years before discovering mandolin and I released my uke collection except for two custom tenors.

Ukulele is a very fun instrument but I'm crazy about mandolin now.