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cw
Aloha
32 Posts |
 Posted - 05/27/2003 : 3:34:50 PM
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Ok, topic was getting pretty long and I haven't bought one yet, so I started this one.
For all of of you who were asking about ukes in the $250 or less range, ran across another option.
Tried out a Mele brand uke this weekend -- spruce and rosewood, traditional look, $170 w/ out case. Seemed kind of nice to me.
Any opinions on these?
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Pauline Leland
`Olu`olu
USA
783 Posts |
Posted - 05/27/2003 : 4:22:36 PM
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I have a mahogany pineapple soprano. Sopranos are delightfully tiny and fun. The tone on this is good, not great, down in the first position. Twelfth fret harmonics ring out; seventh fret harmonics are very soft. The tuner says a fretted twelfth fret is 20 cents sharp. Is the action too high?
It's a good looking little beastie with ebony binding top and bottom and a patterned purfling on the sides, the butt stripe, and down the back. The inside is incompletely clean with excess glue visible. The fret endss are smoother on the treble side, more noticeable on the base side. Perhaps the ebony fretboard shrank.
It was the best in tone of three Meles; the other two were figure-8 shaped. The pineapple shape gives a larger body, so maybe that's why it sounded a bit better, mellower. |
Pauline |
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marzullo
`Olu`olu
USA
923 Posts |
Posted - 05/27/2003 : 4:26:10 PM
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cw,
i have a mele six string. i like it, it's okay, nothing spectacular. it pales next to a friend's kamaka version of the same uke.
i should check, but i'll be lazy - did anyone mention lanikai ukes? they're selling them in southern california for around $100 - a bit less for a soprano, a bit more for a baritone. they've become popular with the kealani's uku picker crowd (a group that plays together in encinitas every saturday afternoon). last saturday i got to try a few. they sounded fine, better than my mele. one person had a koa tenor with a high-gloss finish; she told me that it cost her $110. at least one uku picker sold his fluke to get a lanikai.
D7, G7, C -
keith
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Keith |
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cpatch
Ahonui
USA
2187 Posts |
Posted - 05/27/2003 : 6:37:35 PM
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| Just so you know, all the Lanikai models are made out of laminated wood (top, bottom, and sides). This may not matter to most people as long as they sound good, but for the purists... |
Craig
My goal is to be able to play as well as people think I can. |
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marzullo
`Olu`olu
USA
923 Posts |
Posted - 05/27/2003 : 8:25:53 PM
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craig,
yes, they are... they're also assembled somewhere outside of the US. thanks for bringing this up.
as always, try before you buy.
aloha, |
Keith |
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A.U.B.
Aloha
1 Posts |
Posted - 05/30/2003 : 5:35:44 PM
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| I had a Lanikai tenor, it sounded very good and I could not wish anything better for learning how to play. When I saw a Ukebrand soprano, however, I simply fell in love with its tone. It sounded way better than any other uke I've seen, including Mele, Martin etc., even a Kamaka. It cost me a little over $350 in the shop, after some negotiation... well worth it I think! |
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Mainkaukau
Lokahi
USA
245 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2003 : 10:48:09 PM
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| I have a lady friend who just finished making her own ukulele. I was very surprised at the quality of her workmanship and sound of the finished instrument especially since she is not known for her patience and dexterity. The total cost was $250 plus an average of 2 hours of concentration a day for 6 weeks. She is so happy from the experience that she takes her "Uke" everwhere and shows it to everyone. Ho hum, I must admit though, I find myself treating her with more respect (silly me) now that she's a maker of a ukulele. Anyway, maybe one should think about making your own instrument before going out and buying one. I am planning on making my own ukulele later this year and I will document the experience. With a little luck and the determination of Kamehameha I, maybe, just maybe, I can become a "maker" of a ukulele. Have a creative practice and aloooha! |
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Dana
Akahai
USA
61 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2003 : 11:16:58 PM
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Howzit everyone,
Jus my 2 cents...and realize that I am NOT a ukulele expert by any means, and am just learning stuff on the uke. However, i tried to apply what I know about guitar and apply it to my uke purchase. I bought a Lehua tenor ukulele off of Ebay. It was a factory 2nd/blem, but that was ok 'cause I was looking for a good sounding, nice ukulele for around $200 - $250 range....but got this one for 177. I first found out about lehua ukes on ukes.com --> http://www.ukes.com/ukulele_ukelele.html and http://www.lehuaukulele.com I have to say I am very pleased with the uke. I think it sounds great and plays well too. The action feels fine and the instrument is set up pretty well. Of course I don't have a large amount of experience on ukulele and don't have anyone around to compare it too, but I still like it alot and don't regret the purchase at all! Oh, I also had a pickup installed , and I bought a pro tec case for it too! I really think it is a good value..IMHO
Aloha no
Dana |
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Pauline Leland
`Olu`olu
USA
783 Posts |
Posted - 06/02/2003 : 12:30:50 AM
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| Second hand, I've heard very positive reports on Lehua ukuleles. Aren't these built in Portugal with some of the last stages done in Hawaii? |
Pauline |
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cpatch
Ahonui
USA
2187 Posts |
Posted - 06/02/2003 : 02:55:13 AM
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| They're designed in Hawaii, built in Portugal, and checked and setup in Hawaii. |
Craig
My goal is to be able to play as well as people think I can. |
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OglavyandTuglavy
Aloha
USA
11 Posts |
Posted - 07/08/2003 : 12:40:41 AM
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ok. I'm dying to make my next uke purchase and it's between lanikai and lehua. I'm leaning toward the lehua because of it's all solid wood construction and even though i love koa i'm not sure the laminated wood of the lanikai will produce the same full rich tone (please correct me if I'm wrong on this).
Besides tone, the other main concern I have is with intonation. I'm very sensitive to the pitch variances of most mid quality soprano ukes and I'm hoping to have constant pitch accuracy to the 12th fret.
Please help me make my decision or if you can reccomend something better please let me know. Thanks so much, Nick |
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OglavyandTuglavy
Aloha
USA
11 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2003 : 9:51:40 PM
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Hey, just a question on 6 string ukes; how are they typically tuned-standard guitar tuning or a slack key tuning? And if they are tuned to standard tuning what would be the major differences in tone between a classical guitar or a 6 string baritone uke?
Thanks,
Nick |
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Pauline Leland
`Olu`olu
USA
783 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2003 : 11:38:09 PM
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Aloha Nick,
The 6-string ukes that I'm aware of are like a 12-string guitar. Some of the strings are paired and played together so there's a little more volume, or they may be tuned an octave apart for a different sound, but there are still only 4 courses.
Sorry that is only half an answer; I don't know which strings are paired or how they are tuned.
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Pauline |
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cpatch
Ahonui
USA
2187 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2003 : 03:03:46 AM
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Hey Pauline, congratulations on your 500th post!
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Craig
My goal is to be able to play as well as people think I can. |
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OglavyandTuglavy
Aloha
USA
11 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2003 : 6:36:07 PM
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That information is very helpful. Thank you Pauline!
Nick |
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sdm
Aloha
USA
13 Posts |
Posted - 07/12/2003 : 11:54:22 PM
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Regarding 6 string ukes -
We just returned from the islands a couple days ago, and brought home a Mele 6 string tenor.
Its strung low G, paired C (octave), E, paired A (unison)
We're beginners, but having great fun! |
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