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Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | OK ... Since there's NO WAY I could possibly get on the guitar-buying band wagon at the moment, I've turned my attention to UKULELES. Can anyone provide some comprehensive information/comparisons on ukes?
I am considering the purchase of one. (preferably a tenor)
Are there many differences between the Ovation ones/Applause/ or other makes? I like the cutaway idea as it seems it would give you some additional playing room.
Any suggestions? Any up for sale??? |
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Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | After serching the net, I may be vasilating betwwen a tenor and the baritone. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | There's a huge amount of information in the archives, as this question has been asked many times. Hit the search button.
The answer to your question depends what your goal (and budget) is. The applause ukes are cute, but I would shy away from them unless you are a 100% homer. They just don't play or sound like a real ukulele should.
Go look at Kala. Lanikai, Pono Vineyard and Ohana brands. Great instruments for the money. If you buy a Baritone (I would not) string it with Bari-G tuning. Aquila and probably others make Bari-G strings that allow you to tune it the same as Tenor/Concert ukuleles. |
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Posts: 5575
Location: big island | i agree with dave. a baritone uke is not much different than a tenor guitar. i'd recommend a tenor ukulele. the kala and lanikai brands are good for the money and, if they have pickups (usually "shadow" brand), they sound great plugged in. pono brand is excellent and a bit more costly.
ovation/applause ukuleles are designed to be played plugged in and sound like crapola acoustically. they do look good though. |
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Location: GA USA | Since we're re-hashing...
Guys, I notice that there are lots of Lanikai ukes that are very cheap. It seems I remember Dave saying that you start hitting quality at about $300. Is this the case?
I have an Oscar Schmidt OU5, but think about upgrading from time to time. Is the Fluke better than an OU5 by much? |
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Location: big island | y'know, cap'n, i purchased a "fluke" about a year after they began production and i was quite impressed with the tone. it is just not as comfortable to play as a traditional ukulele and there are not many pros playing them here in the islands. they do sound better than any oscar schmidt i've heard or played. and they are cuter...just like you. |
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Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | The applause ukes are cute, but I would shy away from them unless you are a 100% homer. I have an applause uke. For what I use it for, it serves my purpose well enough.
The big reason I wanted one is because it looks like a scale model of my U681T. Not the best reason to buy a musical instrument.
I am fully aware of their limitations.
Dave is right to say that that unless you are a 100% homer, you can do much better.
I'm a 100% homer and I know it.
go wings. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | This was recorded on a Lanikai tenor koa ...
JUIN A PARIS
Non amplified, I just stuck a microphone in front of it. It's a $300 uke. |
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Location: GA USA | Randy, I was wondering about whether Flukes were as comfortable to hold. I know I'm still a rank novice, but I want one no bigger than a concert, and hold it up high, so I can feel like I'm being somewhat traditional. Thanks for the info. |
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Location: big island | the fluke is more comfy held up high so it just may be your ticket. they've got some cool graphics available but if you get one, you should graphify it yourself. i think you'd like a fluke. |
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Location: GA USA | Thanks. I'll put it back on the radar. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | My advice if you are looking at a Fluke, pay the extra $75. and get the rosewood fretboard. I've owned a couple of stock Flukes and didn't like the plastic molded fretboard. But the darn things do sound pretty nice. |
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Location: GA USA | Good advice. Thanks. |
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Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | Just curious about why nobody likes the idea of a baritone? |
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Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Maybe for your 2nd or 3rd Uke. Not the first.
Y'only need it for the full Ukestra sound. ;-)
Penguin Cafe Orchestra have examples in some of their tunes. Not the one attached, I think, bu I can't 'see' them from work. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Originally posted by bvince:
Just curious about why nobody likes the idea of a baritone? Nothing wrong with a baritone per se. I actually own quite a nice one ...
Black Bear Baritone
But it's not your bread-n-butter ukulele. Few people perform solo on a bari, it's more like a member of an ensemble. Sorta like a bass saxophone, works well in a combo but when you think "saxophone" the bass or bari isn't the first thing to come to mind.
The bari uke is also tuned differently, which is just an added complication. Although you can tune it like tenor with special strings, which is what I do. The other thing that bugs me is that the size of the bari is such that I can't play it standing up unless I use a strap, which sorta defeats the whole uke vibe (for me).
Nothing wrong with a bari, but I would not want one as my only instrument. It would be sorta like having a longneck guitar as your only guitar. I wouldn't like it. |
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Location: big island | most folks that play baritone uke here simply tune the strings to the treble strings of a guitar. D-G-B-E. makes for relatively easy playing if you are familiar with guitar chords. as dave says and rightly so, the bari is best for accompaniment of other instruments rather than solo work. |
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Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | Any comments on the Pono? |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | The Pono Ohai Tenor for about $275. is a great instrument. One of the guys in my kanikipila plays one. |
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Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | I've been checking them out on YouTube. There are a lot of video/sound comparison examples there. |
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Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | Here's a kinda' nice ensemble number using the Flukes. The recording itself leaves a bit to be desired but the use of the instruments is pretty creative...
Fluke Ensemble |
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Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | Well after asking, checking, reading, and more research I pulled the trigger on this Kala model KA-ASMTE-C Tenor cutaway. $215 with case and free shipping. 'can't wait to play it! ...
Kala Tenor Uke |
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Location: Scotland | The Flukes and Fleas are great ukes for the money. I sell a ton of them. And how weird is this? they have a one-piece molded back/bowl, sound great, are very affordable and the factory is in New Hartford, Ct, about 15 mins drive from Ovation. Go figure. |
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Location: Scotland | Originally posted by Gallerinski:
Originally posted by bvince:
Just curious about why nobody likes the idea of a baritone? Nothing wrong with a baritone per se. I actually own quite a nice one
The bari uke is also tuned differently, which is just an added complication. |
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Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | The Fluke was actually my next choice, but I just didn't care for the look. It's ironic that I prefer roundback guitars over the traditionals though. I also prefer a bit more fret room also. I may pick up a flea later on as they really project well for such a little instrument. I'd still be looking for something like a koa or mango top though. (if they make them) |
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Location: GA USA | The Flea is really cool looking, and now for the first time I notice that they are available in concert size. Is this a good option?
And since I do play my Oscar currently in the church band from time to time, would the soundboard transducer be good enough, or is the under-saddle much better? |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Flea comes in soprano or concert size. Fluke is a tad bit bigger than concert but smaller than tenor. Up to you, but I would still opt for the Kala or Lanikai koa tenor.
I had a s/b transducer on a Vineyard uke and it would feed back like a wild monkey getting a prostate exam. Total trash. I use a Fishman undersaddle specially designed for uke (thanks AL) and it works great. |
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Location: Scotland | Good quality Soundboard transducers are never a great idea on instruments with large soundboards but they can work great on ukes, dulcimers mandolins etc. Ukes are so small and high-pitched that it is difficult to get them into helmholtz feedback regardless of the type of transducer used. The usual fault with a soundboard tranducer on a Uke is it's either in the wrong place or more likely is not seated correctly, or it's a combination of those 2 factors. Also, soundboard transducers need to be mechanically damped on their reverse (non-pickup) side or they have a tendency to go nuts.
Personally I think soundboard transducers sound much better than UST's on ukes. |
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Location: GA USA | Thanks. I knew the two of you would be there to help. |
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July 2005
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Location: GA USA | Thanks to Dave, Paul, and Randy, I think I have decided what uke to upgrade to:
Kala KA-KCE
I really think I want to stay with a concert size, and want koa and AE capability. Good choice?
I also registered at Ukulele Underground . Seems to be a wealth of info and tabs there. |
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Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | I'm pretty happy with mine. now I just have to figure out which of the gazillion tunings to use. Anybody have a good link to the best on-line uke tunings website? |
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Location: big island | what size uke y'got, vince? |
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Location: GA USA | Update: I ordered my new uke today.
A Mainland concert, solid mahogany, bone nut & saddle, with a MI-SI undersaddle pickup installed (it's battery free - you power it up with its charger for one minute and play for 16 hours), and a cool tweed case. Should be here by the weekend.
I went back & forth between the Mainland, a Kala KA-ASMCE-C, and Pono PCO-E, but the Mainland won out with that Woody's Roundup look. |
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Location: big island | yeah. it has more character, huh jas?
"jess" like you! |
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Location: GA USA | Ride like the wind, Bullseye!
Thanks again to Randy, Paul and Dave for the answers and info. |
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Location: big island | i've never heard of that brand before (perhaps "mainland" has something to do with it) but i sure like the looks of your new "jumping flea"! sweet. |
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Posts: 5575
Location: big island | a very enthused mainland ukulele owner!
this is a tenor sized uke and it sounds VERY nice.
thanks, jas! |
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Posts: 194
Location: Las Vegas, NV | Paniolo-style! I like it! |
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Location: GA USA | Well, I've been checking out the reviews and forums at ukuleleunderground dot com. The crowd there is very high on Mainland.
I was telling the boys at Samba that when you check out that forum, you say... okay, there's THEIR Cliff, their Temp, their Al... I even found their Jason. I wonder if every active forum is like that? I joined a social group called Southeast Ukers, and we're having a big cookout/jam next month. Should be fun. Any time you get together and play music, right? |
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Info Wanted - UKES