|
|
Joined:
September 2004
Posts: 777
Location: East Wenatchee, WA | Just back from another "Wife's birthday trips to Hawaii" where we spent all 7 days/nights in Waikiki.
We actually went out more this time and were exposed to a lot of very good local talent.
Score card: Out of about 8 different performers using guitars, 6 were playing Ovation or Adamas. The Uke store in the Mariott where we stayed had a selection of Ovation Uke's prominently displayed in the window with the custom stuff.
I was somewhat amazed at how no matter what instrument was being played, they sounded almost identical. I could never quite get to asking them what their set up was but all seemed to play bar chords in the upper registers....mostly above the 5th fret.
It made me curious about "slack key" guitar. One act the guy had a Takamine with a quarter sized hole worn clean through the top (I have heard of the sound board opening up before, but this was a new twist on that). Obviously he practices ALOT...
Anyway, maybe Lanaki can shed some light on the particulars of Hawaiian style guitar. My wife loves it and I wouldn't mind trying to figure it out a bit with my novice abilities. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
October 2006
Posts: 5575
Location: big island | aloha jeffreyd,
7 days in waikiki makes one weak! are you guys gluttons for punishment or what? ;)
there is something about hawaiian style music that easily bends the ear of most listeners. while it is difficult to define, it is generally easy to play. however, one must live here for an extended period of time or listen to lots of hawaiian recordings in order to capture the "hawaiian" essence. it is a style of music that can only come from the heart once hawaii gets inside of you. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
July 2005
Posts: 3410
Location: GA USA | Originally posted by JeffreyD:
The Uke store in the Mariott where we stayed had a selection of Ovation Uke's This one?
I stayed in that hotel a couple of years ago. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
September 2004
Posts: 777
Location: East Wenatchee, WA | Originally posted by Captain_Lovehandles:
Originally posted by JeffreyD:
The Uke store in the Mariott where we stayed had a selection of Ovation Uke's This one?
I stayed in that hotel a couple of years ago.
As for the music. I like Hawaii, but as for the heart thing...well, that is my wife. She loves the place. I start getting Island fever after a week and am glad to be back in the Deserts of the inland Pacific Northwest. Even though it was 40 when I went on my run this morning.
Guess my wife will have to learn guitar if she wants live Hawaiian music at home. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
October 2006
Posts: 5575
Location: big island | bob's ukulele shop caters to mostly japanese tourists who seemingly don't mind paying maximum dollars for hawaiian trinkets. the $700 ukuleles at bob's sell for $400 here in hilo.
waikiki is not the poster child for hawaiian culture but it's a cool place to hang out for a day. a week there would make me long for the desert too. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 194
Location: Las Vegas, NV | If you're on Oahu, you HAVE to get away from Waikiki and get up to the north shore. We spent 2 weeks there (rented a beach house) over this last Christmas and New Year (got to watch UH play in their bowl game in New Years Day with family, too), and it was the most relaxing vacation I've ever had. And that was with three small kids! The north shore hasn't changed much from when I was a kid (and probably since my parents were kids). |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 7236
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | Originally posted by bcoombs:
The north shore hasn't changed much from when I was a kid (and probably since my parents were kids). Certainly not as much as Waikiki. When I lived in Hawaii in the early 80's I spent most of my evenings/nights in Waikiki. North Shore on the weekends and Bellows Falls when I needed a beach.
I lived in Mililani and around the Air Force base, Wahiawa etc..
Took over three years before it started to feel like an Island. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 194
Location: Las Vegas, NV | My aunt lives in Mililani, my uncle in Kipapa Gulch.
Wahiawa, huh? You must have eaten at Dot's, then? Or Dong Yang?
So this is somewhat guitar related, can people in the know tell me what island-made tenor ukelele is the best 'value' (I know, purely subjective)? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 7236
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | Remember Dot's. Don't remember Dong Yang.
Mother-in-law (at that time) was the head of the Wahiawa Library. She lived, and in fact still lives, up on Pupukea.
Some say the best island made Ukulele are the ones you make yourself. It's apparently a course at BYU too. The shop downtown may have some info, but I think I would hit up some of the masters at the Polynesian Cultural Center and ask them if I had the chance. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
October 2006
Posts: 5575
Location: big island | there are many, many boutique ukulele builders here that are getting 2K and over for their instruments. this makes the good ole island traditional kamaka brand a great value at around $800 for a new tenor. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 194
Location: Las Vegas, NV | Thanks for the ukulele info. I've seen Kamaka (and a bunch of others) on the 'bay, but like you said, there's such a wide range of price. What is your opinion of the Ovation ukes?
Dong Yang has some excellent Korean plate-lunch (meat jun!), but it is a place that you want to strictly do take-out (hole-in-the-wall). |
|
| |
Ovation in Hawaii
