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 Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar / Hawaiian Music
 All-mahogany guitar for ki ho`alu?
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Puluke
Aloha

USA
36 Posts

Posted - 02/12/2013 :  05:57:21 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I've about decided on a Martin OM-15m. Any thoughts on an all-mahogany guitar for ki ho`alu?

Mahalo

- Bruce

sirduke58
`Olu`olu

USA
993 Posts

Posted - 02/12/2013 :  06:31:06 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
One of my students has that same all mahogany model Martin. It sounds great for ki ho'alu to me. In my opinion it's whatever sounds good to you. A couple of years ago a friend & I gave Ozzie Kotani a National resonator guitar. He loved the different voice it offered. So much so that he recorded about 5 songs with it on his "Ho'ihi" CD. He also recorded with the following guitars on that CD: A Requinto, his old reliable nylon stringed Takamine, a 7oo series Brazilian Rosewood Taylor & Sonny Chillingworth's mahogany Martin. Ozzie used all these different guitars because they all had unique voices. He matched the voices with the songs to emphasis the mood he wanted to convey. Pretty cool, huh?
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Puluke
Aloha

USA
36 Posts

Posted - 02/12/2013 :  07:36:04 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Thanks Duke! I also got a thumbs up from a Taro Patcher of your acquaintance, on another forum. Looks like I'm getting a new guitar!

Matching the voices is very cool and provides much more than just variety. I've heard the samples from O`Ihi that Ozzie has on his website and really enjoy them. Unfortunatley, the CD doesn't seem to be for sale anywhere anymore.

- Bruce
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Russell Letson
`Olu`olu

USA
504 Posts

Posted - 02/12/2013 :  07:37:27 AM  Show Profile  Visit Russell Letson's Homepage  Reply with Quote
As Sirduke suggests, whatever works for you. (This is part of a family of good advice that includes "Art is whatever you can get away with." Seriously.)

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thumbstruck
Ahonui

USA
2168 Posts

Posted - 02/13/2013 :  05:38:17 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
The guy that taught me ki ho'alu played an old OM-15m he got from his uncle. Like Duke said, whatever sounds good.
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bsheephead
Aloha

USA
7 Posts

Posted - 02/13/2013 :  7:07:17 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I shopped around a lot for a guitar that I liked for slack key and ended up with a Martin 000-15S, which is a twelve fret mahogony, and I love the extra punch in the bass that the extra soundboard gives you. Also reasonable for a Martin, and very sturdy.
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Pops
Lokahi

USA
387 Posts

Posted - 02/19/2013 :  07:55:24 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I really like all mahogany guitars. In fact, I'm really close to buying one in the new few weeks. However, it really does come down to what you like. If if makes you smile and makes you want to play it more, it's good!
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ukrazy
Akahai

USA
69 Posts

Posted - 02/21/2013 :  08:19:37 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I play a Taylor GS-Mini with a mahogany top. Though it sounds nice in taropatch, it really comes to life in open C. (CGEGCE) With a laminate back and sides plus mahogany top, the note separation in taropatch seemed a little muddy. In open C, with the 2nd. and 4th. strings going up in pitch from standard tuning, and the high E staying there, keeps some brightness. The low C on a mahogany top is nice and throaty.
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feoli
Aloha

USA
27 Posts

Posted - 03/03/2013 :  11:45:24 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I tried two all mahogany ukuleles and both cracked - they were well made, I just think that mahogany backs have trouble handling the stress - not of playing but the weather.

Frank E. Griffen
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darcius1
Aloha

USA
3 Posts

Posted - 03/03/2013 :  9:16:18 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I am learning on a mahogany 000-15M. I don't think the wood has quite opened up all the way, but I enjoy the tone and resonance. Have elixir strings. Bought it second hand from someone who was traveling between the Northwest and Oahu performing slack key.

I was thinking about getting a parlor size with cutaway at one point and was looking high and low for other instruments to play. Was looking at a Santa Cruz 1929 0 or 00 which is also mahogany. Was interested in a Recording King RP1-626. I now think that the best guitar is one that you are comfortable playing. Better to spend the time and effort on practicing than looking at a bunch of instruments.

Hope you have fun playing.

Just Another Slacker
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Russell Letson
`Olu`olu

USA
504 Posts

Posted - 03/04/2013 :  05:58:55 AM  Show Profile  Visit Russell Letson's Homepage  Reply with Quote
I've never seen any evidence (or heard any builder suggest) that mahogany has any more trouble with weather than any wood. I've owned maybe eight or nine mahogany guitars and ukes with no problems at all--two of them Martins in the 90-plus-year-old range, another a 54-year-old Guild M-30. And we live in Minnesota, not an easy place to be a guitar.
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slipry1
Ha`aha`a

USA
1511 Posts

Posted - 03/04/2013 :  07:35:53 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Russell - IMHO, Minnesota is hard on just about everything.

keaka
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thumbstruck
Ahonui

USA
2168 Posts

Posted - 03/04/2013 :  10:06:06 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Eh, Feoli! No worry about the cracks in the ukulele. I know some local guys won't play one til it gets "da puka" in the back to show that it's seasoned. My Martin soprano (c1960) has one. I showed it to Gary Medeiros and the 1st thing he looked for was "da puka in da back".
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