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Pops
Lokahi
USA
387 Posts |
 Posted - 11/24/2002 : 11:16:45 AM
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Aloha!
Any one ever play or own a Maui Music concert model. It's my understanding that they were made by Peter Lieberman in Hawaii. What were your impressions of the tone, craftsmanship, etc.
Mahalo!
Pops
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marzullo
`Olu`olu
USA
923 Posts |
Posted - 11/25/2002 : 3:37:31 PM
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aloha e pops,
i have a maui music tenor, one of the fancy models. it looks very nice and whenever i wander around the lahaina area with it i get people admiring it and asking me if it's a vintage ukulele. it's all koa and is about two years old.
to put me in context, i also have a len young steelstring tenor, a valley made concert, a mele lili'u six string, a martin baritone from the early sixties, and a ko'olau tenor special order (cutaway, milo body, spruce soundboard).
the maui music tenor has a nice if somewhat soft tone; what i would call a traditional ukulele sound. it has great intonation. the main flaw it has, visually, is that the frets look a little uneven on the edge of the neck closest to you when you play (assuming you're right-handed). so, it is not a flawless ukulele. it is better made than all of the other ukes i have except for the ko'olau. it's tone is comparable (but softer) than the martin baritone, and definitely superior to the other ukes i have except the ko'olau.
there is a characteristic to ukuleles that i admire which i call "responsiveness". a responsive ukulele is, to me, one that feels alive in my hands. it is a combination of good tension on the strings, a good dynamic range from playing softly to loudly, the ability to produce different kinds of sounds, and a good sustain (well, good for a uke). anyway, i like maui music's responsiveness more than many other ukes that i have played, including the standard martin and kamaka tenors (a friend just got a kamaka lili'u six string, though, that is remarkably responsive. i keep hoping that he'll set it down by mistake at one of our kanikapilas). there are many other ukuleles that are more responsive, though; it's one of the things i love the most about ko'olau ukes.
aloha,
keith
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Keith |
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Pops
Lokahi
USA
387 Posts |
Posted - 11/25/2002 : 8:23:07 PM
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Aloha e Keith,
Thanks so much for the input. I really appreciate it. The model I'm looking at is a concert. The closest store tp me with a lot of ukes is about a 4-hour drive and I'm planning on making the trip this week to play as many as I can. The top two contenders so far are the Maui Music and a KoAloha concert. Mahalo again for your time.
Aloha,
Pops |
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Curtis Takahashi
Akahai
USA
62 Posts |
Posted - 11/26/2002 : 6:32:02 PM
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Aloha Pops,
I teach 'ukulele for my halau and one of the Kupuna owns a maui music concert. It has a very nice tone and stays in tune as well (very little adjustment needed). I would certainly consider it. Myself, I own 13 'ukes from a Tony Graziano Tenor "down" to a roy smek, a couple of harmonies and two banjo 'ukes (a maybell and a dixie) as well as a couple of guitars and a custom tenor guitar. Maui music 'ukes seem to be an exceptional value. I've never heard a really bad one (which I have once in a while from even the best makers, you can't win 'em all).
Hope this helps,
Curtis |
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Pops
Lokahi
USA
387 Posts |
Posted - 11/27/2002 : 08:30:27 AM
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Mahalo Curtis!
I really appreciate the information! I'm definatley going to check out the Maui Music concert and compare it to the KoAloha. I'm going to check out some Kamakas but I don't think they have any concerts or tenors available at the store I'm going to. They aren't supposed to be delivered until the beginning of the new year. I'm also going to check out a Ukebrand soparano that are handmade in California and supposed to be very nice, but I think I at least want a concert scale for the finger picking that I do. Thanks again, Curtis, for your time and best wishes for a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Pops |
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Curtis Takahashi
Akahai
USA
62 Posts |
Posted - 11/27/2002 : 6:19:00 PM
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No pilikia Pops!
The uke brand is made by Kenny Hill and are fine instruments as well. They are patterned after the old (20's and earlier?) instruments, commonly known as the "figure 8" style. They come in koa, mahogany and I think another wood, native here but in the same family as the koa tree.
Have you thought about the strings you are going to use? The new "nylgut" strings are very impressive. They are supposed to have the tone of the old gut style strings (but you don't have to re-tune after every song (I know!). They increase the volume of your instrument, have a nice clear tone (they don't have that sonic "wobble" that occurs when you pluck a string at the beginning. They are certainly worth a look!
Wishing you a fun-filled and safe Thanksgiving.
Curtis |
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Pops
Lokahi
USA
387 Posts |
Posted - 11/27/2002 : 8:46:05 PM
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Curtis,
You're the man! Thanks for your input. I'll let you know what I find this weekend!
Peace!
Pops |
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Pops
Lokahi
USA
387 Posts |
Posted - 11/30/2002 : 9:12:57 PM
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Howdy Folks,
Took my uke testing road trip today to a major music and came back empty handed. I'm bummed! One of the concert models I had on hold had some unattractive finishing flaws that I thought were unexcusable. I also checked two models from another well known maker and one had intonation problems past the fifth fret and the other model had some funky kind of spot or stain (almost looked like a water spot). Again, for the money, I passed on both models, along with a soprano from a well known third makerluthier that just didn't have any volume. I did play a Kamaka soprano that was nice but they're too small for me. I played a beautiful Kamaka baritone, too, that was cool, but not exactly what I've looking for. I was set to buy something today but I don't want to settle for inferior workmanship. It's back to square one for research. Any ideas for a nice concert or tenor in the $500-$600 range.
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Julie H
Ha`aha`a
USA
1206 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2002 : 12:53:13 AM
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Hey Pops,
Have you checked with Dennis Lake on the Big Island yet? His tenors rule! Try www.pomahina.com. We have two of his ukes and last time we visited him it was all I could do not to grab another soprano. Truly great workmanship, and a heck of a nice guy! Tell him I sent you. Aloha, Julie |
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edkalama
Akahai
USA
90 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2002 : 02:19:19 AM
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Aloha Pops,
Too bad you are not in Maui. I've also been shopping around for a Tenor Uke for almost a year now but I have yet to find one that I really like but today came very close- I actually went to get my checkbook in my car but was able to control myself on the last minute. Bounty Music here in Maui has two Maui Music 4-string Tenor - one used ($500) the other brand new. I really liked the new one. It had some fancy inlays and just simply good looking but both are equally of high quality sound. Enjoyed playing both for an hour while a few people shopping there listened for the whole time; I ended up answering their questions on what to look for in a Uke which I gladly answered "it's a personal thing" you have to play it and compare, compare, and compare regardless of what your skill level is. Which is why I couldn't make the purchase today cuz I am going to Honolulu next week to look at Ko'olau Ukuleles (after I run the Honolulu Marathon)and then hopefully I can finally make my choice.
Pops, take your time. If you are like me, a Ukulele is something you will keep for a very long time and likely would pass it on to your family when the time comes. I never sold any of my musical instruments in my life, I just simply gave them away to very close relatives and friends who in turn pass them on the same way.
Good luck and enjoy your shopping. I will keep you posted on what happens with my own Uke quest.
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ed
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Pops
Lokahi
USA
387 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2002 : 9:11:11 PM
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Julie and Ed,
Mahalo for your responses. I appreciate them. Julie, I did try two Po Mahina sopranos yesterday and I was very impressed with the workmanship. Unfortunately for me, I'm looking for either a concert or a tenor, so the models, though really nice, didn't match my need.
Ed, your experience of yesterday was close to mine. I had money in the pocket just itching to buy a new uke but the more I evaluated the instruments I was trying I couldn't bring myself to drop a lot of money for something that isn't just right. A major uke purchase is a big deal and it's something that I plan on keeping the rest of my life so I want it to be a good investment and not an impulse bu for Christmas. The search continues...I've come across the Kanile’a 'Ukulele website and I'm curious if anyone has one or played one? Thanks again for your time, and Ed, let me know how your search works out. Good luck!
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Fran Guidry
Ha`aha`a
USA
1579 Posts |
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