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Joined: October 2003 Posts: 134
Location: Lakewood, Ohio | Any experiences with these? Im interested in the plugged in sound. ive read hear the Tenor version has the OP24 system and as such is better than than passive system soprano. |
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Joined: December 2004 Posts: 1116
Location: Keller, TX | You'll have to ask Dave on that one. He is our resident UKE expert and he doesn't like Ovation's UKE offerings.
I have a non-amp'd version that I got off this board that I wanted to learn to play but never did. Interested?
Anyway, I'm sure Dave (or Paul) will pipe in with their UKE recommendations. |
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Joined: January 2005 Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | Plugged in the applause tenor w/OP24 is very nice. Unplugged the sound is pretty bad. All depends what you want to do with it. For live gigging you can't do better.
However, even plugged in I just can't play it due to the weight and shape. I play old school (without strap) and compared to traditional wooden box ukuleles the applause tenor weighs a LOT and the plastic bowl makes it almost impossible to hold in the traditional style, wedged between your chest and upper arm.
Anyway, not trying to bad mouth the applause ukes. They have their place, and certainly are GREAT looking. But for me, for equal or less money than the applause tenor, there are ukes from Vineyard, Kala, Lanikai and Bushman with nice Shadow-3 electronics which do very well plugged in AND can be played acoustically as real ukuleles.
Dave |
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 Joined: December 2003 Posts: 13997
Location: Upper Left USA | The Applause Tenor in Koa looked nice. I was able to play a Lanakai Baritone today and it had nice projection and workable action off the wall. |
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 Joined: April 2004 Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Did someone say Ovation uke in Koa :D
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Joined: August 2006 Posts: 2804
Location: ranson,wva | i want to get a baritone koa uke...jason |
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Joined: October 2003 Posts: 134
Location: Lakewood, Ohio | Based in large part on the issue of the Applause being cumbersome, I decided upon a Kala koa cutaway tenor w/shadow pu. Ironically, its laminate but from what Ive read, sounds better than the solid top spruce version of the same uke. Thanks for the help. |
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Joined: August 2006 Posts: 2804
Location: ranson,wva | id like to have a kamaka koa baritone...but thats serious cash there...jason |
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Joined: October 2006 Posts: 5576
Location: big island | Originally posted by johnny cash 83:
id like to have a kamaka koa baritone...but thats serious cash there...jason $750.00 for one on Hawaii's Craigslist if interested.
http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/msg/255190527.html |
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Joined: January 2005 Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | If you want to see some amazing craftsmanship, check out Duane Heilman (Blackbear Ukuleles) from Yakama, WA:
BLACKBEAR UKULELES
Nice gallery of some of his instruments. I own Baritone #252.
Dave |
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Joined: January 2005 Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | |
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Joined: August 2006 Posts: 2804
Location: ranson,wva | dave!! i found the uke for me!! its small and cute yet verry manly..lol
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Joined: September 2006 Posts: 713
Location: Alberta, Canada | Does that mean you've nothing else to add, Dave?
(Grin)
Dave |
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 Joined: August 2002 Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | Originally posted by Tupperware:
I own Baritone #252.
Dave Very nice, Dave. |
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Joined: January 2005 Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | Originally posted by colt357:
Does that mean you've nothing else to add, Dave?
No, The server was it's usual slow self so I hit the "Add Reply" button twice. We can't delete posts, but we can edit out everything in them.
Dave |
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Joined: January 2005 Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | Originally posted by johnny cash 83:
dave!! i found the uke for me!! its small and cute yet verry manly..lol And very expensive. Every Blackbear is a custom one-off. I've seen prices from $950. to $2200. depending on the design. My bari was $1400. They are wonderful ukes but not for the faint of heart (or light of wallet).
Dave |
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Joined: August 2006 Posts: 2804
Location: ranson,wva | ive got clearence to purchess one more high end insturment...ive contacted phillips reso's and blackbear...we shall see...but then again i might have to make another trip to south jersey to do some more shopping with al...i am quite fond of the adamas reso and the proto type cutaway legend...jason |
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Joined: January 2005 Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | Jason, Have a look at Beltona reso ukes. www.beltona.net |
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Joined: August 2006 Posts: 2804
Location: ranson,wva | glass and resin bodys..thats kinda cool. they sound good too..wonder what kinda of a price they are? sre the long scale concert ukes tuned baritone?? jason |
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Joined: January 2005 Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | No, long scale concert uke is still tuned GCEA. I've played Beltona and liked it. I played a soprano. It was awhile ago, but I think the street price is around $550. They are very well made. Dave |
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Joined: August 2006 Posts: 2804
Location: ranson,wva | thanks dave. they look cool too..lol im still shopping around. im working a song im writing that has a uke part. ive been capoing down to the 9th fret on the academy and playing that part on they 4 high strings..it sounds good but it would sound better on a uke..thanks jason |
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Joined: May 2004 Posts: 2850
Location: Midland, MI | Originally posted by stephent28:
Did someone say Ovation uke in Koa :D
I never should have sold the palm tree uke I had. Littleman still asks me, "Dad, where did that little guitar go? That was my favorite!" And, when I tell him I sent it to a good home in the country where it can run free and play with other ukes, he cries and tells me, "That was my favorite! You shouldn't have sold it. That was a bad choice!"
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Joined: August 2006 Posts: 2804
Location: ranson,wva | ive decided after much thought and waffeling over many different reso ukes and not being able to decide on a resonator i liked im just gonna get a bushman baritone w/hard tweed case...at under $400 bucks it seems like a good choice....jason |
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Joined: October 2006 Posts: 5576
Location: big island | welcome to the ukulele movement, jason! the bushman baritone is a good choice and you won't have to re-train your brain for chording it. have fun! |
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Joined: August 2006 Posts: 2804
Location: ranson,wva | when the truth be known it was the beautiful hula dancer playing the jenny that sold me. thats the reason i wanted a baritone is that its tuned to the same pitch as the 4 high strings on a guitar...jason |
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Joined: October 2006 Posts: 5576
Location: big island | Ya wanna see a pretty tenor ukulele? Check out my Les Rietfors uke in my gallery. Les passed away almost a year ago but his talent lives on in wonderful sounding instruments. |
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Joined: August 2006 Posts: 2804
Location: ranson,wva | nice!!! look spensive!!!!!! how does it sound/play?? jason |
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Joined: October 2006 Posts: 5576
Location: big island | whoa brother...you are up late! it's almost 10:30 pm here so it's close to 3:30 am at your house.
it is the best sounding/easiest playing ukulele i have ever played and i have played plenty. volume, sustain and clarity galore! paid only $700 in 2002. went up in market value to around $1000 just before Les passed away. now it's probably worth $1800 or so. doesn't matter cuz it ain't for sale! |
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Joined: January 2005 Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | Jason, Nice choice. I have owned every size Jenny and they are great ukes for the money. Congratulations.
Dave |
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Joined: August 2006 Posts: 2804
Location: ranson,wva | thanks dave. im still undeiceded on the woods tho..koa,spruce,mahog...im leaning to the koa tho...jason |
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 Joined: July 2005 Posts: 3411
Location: GA USA | You know, though, Jason... You could record the song and send the file to Dave to add the uke, then buy a res if you're so inclined. |
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Joined: August 2006 Posts: 2804
Location: ranson,wva | i was thinking about that but i got a good deal on a jenny here localy. koa with hard bushman tweed case for $450.00 out the door. but my recording rig took a dump so im out of comission for a while. but i still have a digital recorder that has a line in for a mike and runs to the desk top via usb..i could use that...jason
there's just one problme with haveing dave do the uke part..none of my song is in writing....its in my head..when i put it on paper it dosnt come out right...its mostly just finger picked single chords buit the way i group them it sounds good when you add words...its nothing that gonna make it to the next cd..just a dossier of my progress...jason |
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 Joined: February 2005 Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Originally posted by johnny cash 83:
there's just one problme with haveing dave do the uke part.. Jason, evidence shows there may be more than one problem... |
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Joined: October 2005 Posts: 5332
Location: Bluffton, SC | He's right, Jason. More like a cornucopia. |
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Joined: August 2006 Posts: 2804
Location: ranson,wva | at least it would cover up my crappy playing..lol jason |
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 Joined: February 2005 Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Originally posted by Weaser P:
He's right, Jason. More like a cornucopia. Am I gonna have to call a moderator? |
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 Joined: July 2005 Posts: 3411
Location: GA USA | Wait... you spelled "dossier" right?
By the way, last night I discovered that "Turning Japanese" is great on uke. |
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Joined: August 2006 Posts: 2804
Location: ranson,wva | does that fact that a can spell dossier suprise you jas?? lol a alot of times i typ so fast i hit the wrong keys and my spelling gets messed up... im gonna pick mine up tomorow...jason |
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Joined: January 2005 Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | Nothing about Jason will ever surprise me. |
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Joined: August 2006 Posts: 2804
Location: ranson,wva | david,coming from you i will take that as a compliment.(perfect english as well) jason |
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 Joined: July 2005 Posts: 3411
Location: GA USA | It doesn't surprise me that you can. Just that you did. :) |
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Joined: March 2005 Posts: 12761
Location: Boise, Idaho | If one of jason's posts didn't have any misspellings, we would have to suspect an imposter. I just try to use small words that I can spell. I'm especially good at the 4 letter ones, but the moderators frown on that here. That's one of the benefits of a Catholic grade school. The nuns taught us spelling and grammar and then the other kids taught us the 4 letter words at recess. |
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Joined: October 2003 Posts: 134
Location: Lakewood, Ohio | I recently watched Roy Sokumas new ukulele video where he tours the major Hawaiian ukulele manufacturers including Kamaka, Koaloha, G-string and Koolou. He interviews Sonny D who opines that while Koa is prettier, Honduras Mahogony ukes have the best sound. Sonny D's are handmade and relatively rare, they occasionally show up on EBAY. I have a Bushman mahogony pinaplle and a Bushman koa soprano. The koa has alot of sharp tone bark. I prefer Kelii ukes for the money, although Kelii necks tend to be wider than most. For not much more, Koaloha's are my favorites. |
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Joined: October 2006 Posts: 5576
Location: big island | my father-in-law and sonny d are cousins. he has a few of sonny's very first ukuleles. one of them is currently in my possession as i am reattaching the bridge for him. sonny's early ukes are heavy and somewhat unbalanced with a fair tone. he has certainly become a better luthier over the years, however, in my opinion, his recent ukes on eBay are considerably overpriced. koa does have a sharper tone than mahogany and usually not as much volume. my tenor koa uke from les rietfors has a deeper body
than usual giving it a nice warm sound and plenty of volume. |
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