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tkasam
Aloha
1 Posts |
 Posted - 02/17/2006 : 08:44:35 AM
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Hi, I'm wondering if anyone owns or has played on a Mele Ukulele. I live in Washington, DC, and need to buy a uke for a gig (current uke has no pick-up/is kind of beat up) and unfortunately, will have to do it without seeing/playing any ukes. If anyone has info, I'd love to hear it (or, if you know of other ukes in the $400 price range). Specifically, I would love to know the following things:
1) How is the intonation, particularly higher on the fretboard? I had a bad experience once with a Sunny-D uke that went sharp somewhere around the 7th fret.
2) How is the action? Some 4-string tenors tend to be up really high, and I'm wondering about that.
3) General comments on workmanship, sound, etc.
Mahalo!
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Mika ele
Ha`aha`a
USA
1493 Posts |
Posted - 02/17/2006 : 08:58:34 AM
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Sorry, no experience with Mele. I have been converted from other ukuleles to KoAloha because of intonation and playability.
Call Paul Okami at KoAloha Ukulele and ask about their new KoAlana line. This is a less expensive version of their outstanding ukuleles. I don't know if it comes with a pickup but I bet they can install a fishman pickup. Paul's moniker on this forum is "KoAloha".
http://www.koalohaukulele.com/KoAlana/index.htm |
E nana, e ho'olohe. E pa'a ka waha, e hana ka lima. |
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Pauline Leland
`Olu`olu
USA
783 Posts |
Posted - 02/17/2006 : 10:15:38 AM
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FWIW, no tenor, but I have a Braddah model pineapple soprano with Mele on the headstock, no electronics. Cost about $200 3 or 4 years ago. Intonation is good, but the electronic tuner says it's a little bit sharp at the 12th fret. I think it sounds very nice with acceptable volume.
It has ebony binding, dot-dash-dot purfling on the sides, and a marquetry strip down the middle of the back, so it is quietly good looking.
Action is fine; I also play guitar so that may affect my standards.
It's a good uke; I like it; I'd recommend it to others.
I hope you can scale up that info to a wired tenor.  |
Pauline |
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Retro
Ahonui
USA
2368 Posts |
Posted - 02/17/2006 : 12:15:57 PM
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My primary `ukulele (out of three) is a six-string tenor Mele, and I have been extremely pleased with it. I've had it for three years, and played scores of hula shows with it. Good intonation, the action is a touch higher than my others, but not uncomfortably so, excellent tone and sound.
I do keep wearing through any wound strings I use, however, usually at the second or third fret - but I'll be restringing it with Worth strings soon, which should resolve that issue. No electronics in mine. |
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Steven Espaniola
Lokahi
225 Posts |
Posted - 02/17/2006 : 12:18:26 PM
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| I own a custom Mele tenor 6 string. Nice intonation, workmanship, and overall sound. Stays in tune throughout the fretboard. Since this one was custom, it went over your $400 price range. Good luck! |
Steven |
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