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Absolute
Lokahi
275 Posts |
 Posted - 09/05/2007 : 08:28:35 AM
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Okay, I'll practice.
That response is quite a "thingy"! |
Thank you. |
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Lawrence
Ha`aha`a
USA
1597 Posts |
Posted - 09/05/2007 : 09:12:23 AM
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quote:
Oh my! Didn't we do this `uke categorization thing recently? Where is Hikabe?
If it is YOUR instrument, then I guess you can call it what you want! If I had one, (and since I am a Guitarist) I would tune it like a Guitar (say open G), and would call it a Guitar (or the Spanish name for that Mariachi instrument preceded by the word "Hawaiian" as in "Hawaiian Requinto"). 
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Mahope Kākou...
...El Lorenzo de Ondas Sonoras |
Edited by - Lawrence on 09/05/2007 09:43:14 AM |
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Mika ele
Ha`aha`a
USA
1493 Posts |
Posted - 09/05/2007 : 09:43:03 AM
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I have had a KoAloha D-VI for over a year now. My main reason for ordering it was to be able to play slack key in a different musical register/tuning. The same reason I have a nylon string and a steel string guitar. I tune my D-VI to several of the standard slack key guitar tunings but move it up five frets -- in other words the G taropatch becomes a C taropatch tuned GCGCEG. So I can transpose the songs I know on the guitar in Open G (taropatch) to the Key of C Major -- sometimes a more friendly range for my voice.
However, I found that I was niave to think it would be that easy.
In practice, since the strings are gut/nylon and the scale is the same as my tenor ukulele, the sustain on the strings is very short. Slow slack key songs that sound nice and nahenahe on the guitar now have too much "dead air" where the strings aren't producing any sound. I have to add in many of the techniques used on the ukulele to fill in the sound such as strums, tremolo, etc. -- or just speed up the song.
The result is (Dusty, Bill, Terry, and Rik may disagree since they have heard me perform with it) is a very nice sound indeed. More work than I expected but well worth the effort.
As and aside, I had the opportunity to play a Yamaha Gitalele, which they have been building and selling in Japan for years (some of the local Japanese surfers brought several to Cardiff Reef this last weekend). It is slightly larger than the KoAloha D-VI, less expensive, and made with more accessible woods (mahogany and spruce). It had a nice sound but the headstock is exactly the same as the Yamaha classical guitars and makes the instrument "top heavy". To my ear, the string sustain was even shorter than the D-VI. There must be a good reason why Daniel Ho, who plays and endorses Yamaha guitars asked Paul Okami at KoAloha to make him a six string tenor ukulele, which became the D-VI, vice choose to play the Gitalele.
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E nana, e ho'olohe. E pa'a ka waha, e hana ka lima. |
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GUke
Lokahi
188 Posts |
Posted - 09/05/2007 : 4:43:04 PM
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e joka,
I put in an order for a DVI with a Fishman Pro Pickup and some custom work last October. Paul Okami told me it would be about a year wait.
So if things are as planned maybe another month or so. And if not well... I'm hoping not too many months past October, but as this will set me back "boku dollahs", I'm open to a bit of more waiting. I do have a stable of ukuleles to play, but am itching to playing with more strings.
G'uke
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Genaro
Should I? Itʻs only $, and where Iʻm going itʻll burn or melt. |
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da_joka
Lokahi
361 Posts |
Posted - 09/06/2007 : 06:46:59 AM
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| GUke ... looks like you goin be getting one (hopefully) early Christmas present eh! Hope da ting comes in soon. |
If can, can. If no can, no can. |
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DHCdesigns
Aloha
34 Posts |
Posted - 09/06/2007 : 07:38:16 AM
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i have the second custom (after daniels) d-vi that paul made.... koa top,back & sides, maple binding, maple & ebony bridge, ebony fingerboard, pick-up. strung with la bella requinto for the bass, aquila nylgut for the trebles tuned to open-c...g,c,g,c,e,g. like the way it sounds / plays. no problem holding chords.... probably because i have no idea what chords i'm playing.
no complaints so far except that i have to wait for my custom d-vi #2.
doug |
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bbenzel
Lokahi
USA
130 Posts |
Posted - 09/06/2007 : 11:57:52 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Mika ele
The result is (Dusty, Bill, Terry, and Rik may disagree since they have heard me perform with it) is a very nice sound indeed. More work than I expected but well worth the effort.
Next time you're planning to bring it, let me know -- I would love to compare it, side by side, with my little Terz which is considered a guitar.
I think there's room for overlap in the Venn diagram here.
Bill |
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Mika ele
Ha`aha`a
USA
1493 Posts |
Posted - 09/06/2007 : 1:07:17 PM
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| next week at Open Mic (oops Mike) |
E nana, e ho'olohe. E pa'a ka waha, e hana ka lima. |
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justinalderfer
Aloha
USA
27 Posts |
Posted - 09/07/2007 : 08:54:45 AM
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Aloha, I have been playing slack key guitar for 8 years now and I couldn't decide whether to purchase another guitar or and uke. My decision was one of fate when I googled six string uke and the Koaloha D-VI-6 popped up. Coincidentally, I called my cousin in San Diego http://www.kolohebruddahs.com/. His friend is a luthier http://www.kkukulele.com and had shown him a prototype that he was going to add to his line of custom ukes, the K-6. My moe 'uhane ukulele was born. Out of all my guitars I can't seem to put this one down! It is solid rosewood neck and body, ebony fingerboard and a super thin bear claw spruce sound board.
Is this instrument a disgrace to the ukulele community or is there room such an animal?
justin |
ka loku mele kaona |
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Mika ele
Ha`aha`a
USA
1493 Posts |
Posted - 09/07/2007 : 09:52:28 AM
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Depends on the sounds you can coax out of it!
Bring it with you to San Diego! |
E nana, e ho'olohe. E pa'a ka waha, e hana ka lima. |
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hikabe
Lokahi
USA
358 Posts |
Posted - 09/07/2007 : 1:17:27 PM
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It is not an ukulele. It is just a small guitar. People are taking advantage of the selling power of the word UKE! Only guitar players can play it properly. You got to know guitar chords to play it right or you will have to resort to open tuning. I am guessing that a lot of you will slacken the strings bucause you will not be willing to learn a few guitar chords. In the same way, lots of slack key players have given up standard tuning altogether because of how easy slack key is to play as compared to standard guitar tuning.
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Stay Tuned... |
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Absolute
Lokahi
275 Posts |
Posted - 09/07/2007 : 1:50:36 PM
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Someone mentioned the heavier headstock of the D-VI. I read that some believe that mass in the headstock increases sustain and reinforces center range frequencies. There's even a gizmo you can add to the headstock of any instrument to provide that mass. I have no idea if it works, and don't plan to acquire one.
(Who knows. Maybe that's the "acid test". Can you play it like a ukulele without muddying the chords?) |
Thank you. |
Edited by - Absolute on 09/07/2007 1:51:44 PM |
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Mika ele
Ha`aha`a
USA
1493 Posts |
Posted - 09/07/2007 : 6:28:02 PM
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The headstock of the Yamaha Gitalele is BIG and Heavy.
The headstock of the D-VI is just slightly bigger than the standard KoAloha Tenor headstock.
Hikabe,
I play guitar chords and open tunings on my six string ukulele (D-VI). Other than the width of the nut, fretboard, and bridge it has the same scale length, fret spacing, and body as my tenor ukulele. Having played standard tuning guitar for many years, I find playing slack key WELL to be much more difficult on either guitar or ukulele. |
E nana, e ho'olohe. E pa'a ka waha, e hana ka lima. |
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thumbstruck
Ahonui
USA
2165 Posts |
Posted - 09/08/2007 : 9:11:49 PM
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| Led used to play a Tacoma Papoose. It has 6 strings tuned ADGCEA, like Reid described. I liked the one I tried. |
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justinalderfer
Aloha
USA
27 Posts |
Posted - 09/11/2007 : 03:52:05 AM
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Mika ele, if I show up at open mike how much material should I have ready? Right now I am polishing up Ku'u Kika Kahiko, Wai 'anae Slack Key Hula. On my six string uke I am playing Bali Ha'i, Opae e and Pohakuloa. Any chance jammin' my uke with someone on Ulili e?
A hui hou,
Justin |
ka loku mele kaona |
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