New Look Buy a Ukulele Section, Joe Brown Signature Kala: Window Shopping

I’ve given the Buy a Ukulele section an overhaul. The used for that section stopped being updated and I haven’t been able to change anything on it for a long time. So I’ve switched the whole thing over to WordPress. I’ll probably be adding to it and messing around with the layout in the next couple of weeks. So if you’ve got any suggestions, let me know. You can still find the old version here for the time being at least.

The Southern Ukulele Store (henceforth to be referred to as SUS) have the new Joe Brown signature Kala ukulele.

And the other TLA seller (MGM) has two new ukuleles from Kala: flame mahogany and cedar top.

Mandolin on one side, ukulele on the other. The main picture looks very different from the actual item.

If you have twelve and a half million dollars burning a hole in your pocket, check out this Queen Lilioukalani music box.

Ukulele kitsch: Marilyn Monroe on the ukulele Christmas tree ornament.

Selmer, Loprinzi, SpruceHouse: Ukulele Window Shopping

I love the look of the old Django-endorsed Maccaferri guitars. It’s a shame Maccaferri didn’t use the shape for their ukuleles (other than the baritone). So it’s good to see the influence of the Maccaferri ukulele on Selmer.

For the sake of entertainment, I usually focus on more outlandish ukuleles but I do love beautifully simple ukuleles like this SpruceHouse and this Loprinzi.

If you had your interest piqued by the Mya-Moe interview earlier this week, there’s a fine looking tenor resonator up for sale.

Friend of the blog, Byjimini is selling off his Lanikai LU-21CE.

According to the Southern Ukulele Store, Eleukes are now being made in the Kala factory. Not much of a surprise when you look at the tabacco sunburst and f-holes on this one and compare it to the Kala archtop.

Musician’s Friend are having a sale on accessories. If you’re thinking of buying a case, looks like it might be a good time. They’re advertising this baritone case at 81% off.

Ukulele kitsch: miniature ukulele.

Ukulele photos: Robert Conrad, woman with ukulele and poodle

Ukulele Estate Sale: eBay Window Shopping

The Hidden Lake Estate Sale looks like a mine of great vintage ukes including this William Eden custom tenor. But the real stroke of genius is that they’re offering a weekend getaway where you can try out all the instruments for yourself.

Oh crap, the Kala UBass has hit the UK.

This uke is advertised as a “1910’s Nunes Ukulele”. But I don’t remember ever seeing a fretboard like that on an instrument that old.

A shoebox full of fascinating ukulele photos knocking around this week:

- African American man with ukulele #1
- African American man with ukulele #2
- African American woman with ukulele.
- Farm girls
- Lynne Thorne ukulele pin-up.
- Teenage girl playing a ukulele.

Road Toad Mana, Kala Sunburst: Ukulele Window Shopping

Ukulele4U has an usual looking Road Toad Mana Tenor. It looks like the bottom half of a Vita uke spliced to the top half of a standard uke with the soundhole shunted into the corner. I’m not too keen on the look of it myself.

But I am keen on the look of the Kala Koa Sunburst ukuleles. They’re being called ‘limited edition’. So if you want one, best get your skates on.

The Southern Ukulele Store are doing a bang up job of bringing quality uke brands to the UK. The latest additions include Honu and Pono.

MGM describes the cut-out soundhole on this Ana’ole custom tenor as, “resembling a maple leaf.” But it looks a whole lot more like a more medicinal type of leaf to me.

Ukulele photos: long hair ukulele, harp guitar and what might be a taropatch. It’s a mandolinetto. Thanks, Karl

Kala KA-ASLAS Lacewood and Spruce Soprano Review

I bought myself a Kala lacewood soprano ukulele as a reward for finally finishing the How to Play Ukulele Strums ebook. So were the endless hours of sweet and tears worth it? Here’s my review:

The Lowdown

Wood: Kala seem to make a bigger deal of the lacewood but the part that matters, the top, is solid sitka spruce. Everything else (back, sides, body, neck) are all solid lacewood.
Fretboard: Rosewood. 12 frets.
Tuners: Sealed, Geared.
Made in: China

The Good Stuff

- The Strumming Sound: I love strumming out on this ukulele. It’s bright, loud and punchy. As you would expect from a uke with a spruce top. It has just the sort of tone I love. You don’t get the force of it on the MP3, but here it is anyway.

Strum Test (MP3) (Sister Kate chords)

- Looks: The leopard-spot grain of the lacewood is gorgeous. The uke is very cleanly put together. There are some fancy-Dan fret markers. And, as a well documented lover of pink, I’m a fan of the purfling.

- Construction: It’s sturdily built (handy when you’re as clumsy as I am) and well put together (no flaws worth mentioning). And the intonation is good.

- Smell: Oh, am I the only who likes to give the soundhole of a new uke a good sniff?

The Not So Good Stuff

- Fingerpicking: I knew when I bought that it would more suited to strumming than picking. I always find my fingers falling over each other when fingerpicking a soprano. And the uke loses a lot of its bite when picked (unless you really give it some hammer).

Judging by the video, David Beckingham does a much better job than me of picking this uke. But here’s my picking test.

Picking Test (MP3) (Larry O’Gaff tab

- Geared Tuners: I don’t have anything against geared tuners in general, but they always feel wrong on a soprano. They throw it off balance. I understand the need for them on cheap ukes, but on more expensive ukes a good set of friction tuners would be very nice.

Conclusion

This one is definitely a keeper. I have a lot of fun playing it. I bought it because I wanted a quality soprano (rather the el-cheapo bashers I had before) for strumming and it certainly fits that purpose. I’d certainly recommend it to anyone with similar requirements. I like the spruce/sexy wood combination so much I’ve now got my eye on an Ohana spruce/maple CK-70G.

Southern Ukulele Store Review

When I bought the ukulele I promised feedback on the UK’s new uke seller: The Southern Ukulele Store. I can tell you they certainly pass muster. They’re friendly and helpful, the uke arrived very quickly (although the strings I ordered at the same time took a few weeks) and everything was very well packaged.

The only downside was the ordering system. I went through their own site rather than eBay and the checkout looked very unprofessional. And once I’d paid I had an error message telling me I’d paid the wrong amount. A quick email to them sorted it all out.

But I’ll definitely be using them again in the future. I’ll be going through eBay, though.

Pineapple Ukes, Ukulele Amp: eBay Window Shopping

I don’t remember seeing a baritone pineapple ukulele before. And I definitely haven’t seen a 5 string baritone pineapple ukulele with the fifth tuning peg being bang in the middle of the headstock. Kamaka, being the originators of the pineapple, are keeping it more old school with the HP-1 soprano pineapple. Classiest of all is this Mike DaSilva pineapple.

These Aloha ‘Oe tube amps look fabulous. Ideal for a uker. But they do have a hefty price tag of $1,500 (mostly, I would guess, to cover the cost of bikini models). However, they do make an interesting proposition: “If you use the amp in a short video and post it on YouTube we’ll refund your Paypal account $300.” Seems like a great way to spread the word about your product – and I would expect a lot of ukulele companies would get plenty of takers for much less than a $300 refund.

Wallet busting uke of the week: Ludwig Crown banjo ukulele only £4,500 (or about $7,500 in funny money). But if I could choose any uke around, I’d go with this Kahiko ‘Concert Flyer’. Check out the koa on that one.

As if Kala’s slimline ukulele wasn’t gimmicky enough already, they’ve now put a compass in the headstock.

Mahalo are synonymous with cheap, basher ukuleles, so it’s always disconcerting when they come out with something posher like the solid cedar ULTD3.

Kala Acacia, Northern: Ukulele Window Shopping

After getting my hands on a Kala soprano, I’m now a complete Kala convert. So I’ve now got two Kalas on my shopping list: [Read more]

Southern Ukulele Store: Window Shopping

I, and many UK ukers, have been at a bit of a loss since the demise of The Ukulele Shop. But it looks like the Southern Ukulele Store is stocking up nicely with ukuleles from Kala, Ohana, Eleuke and Lanikai. Although the high end, Hawaiian makers obviously still don’t our funny foreign money. They don’t have much of an eBay feedback rating yet so I may have to test purchase a new ukulele. Damn! The Spruce top Kala looks quite tempting.

1920’s Martin 5K? Yes please.

Looks like eBay might be cracking down on annoying sellers who use ‘Martin 5K’ to attract eyeballs. This O.M. Tibbs ukulele, despite being a long way removed from a Martin 5K and having ‘L@@@@K’ in the title, is still worth a glance.

An Aaron Keim made Beansprout ukulele made from a salvaged train trestle and cast-off bits of porch.

This is how I should be spending my summer.

The photographer called her the ‘Hawaiian Butterfly’. The eBay seller was less kind.

Kala UBass, Pono ‘Ohai: Window Shopping

MGM has the new Kala UBass. It’s a collaboration between Kala and Road Toad to make a more affordable version of the RoadToad Bass ukulele.

I’m always a little suspicious when I see a ukulele made from wood with a very Hawaiian sounding name – it always seems like a marketing gimmick. Not being an expert on Hawaiian flora, I’ve been a little puzzled by Pono’s ‘ohai ukulele. I thought they meant ‘ohia wood, Google thought I meant ‘ohia wood. But, no, Ko’olau say ‘ohai wood is completely different. So that’s my new thing learnt for the day. On another note, those ukuleles are very cheap for a Pono.

One wood I do know exists is maple. And it sure makes for a funky looking back of a ukulele.

I’m also familiar with the existence of coconuts. But I’m not sure I’d want a ukulele made out of one.

Ukulele photo of the week: Three Chicago men.

Kala UBass, Gibson Baritone Ukulele

They’re not available yet, but I’m already uke-lusting for a Kala UBass. Rigk Sauer has put up a couple of clips: Stand By Me, Tiger Rag.

It’s not often you see baritone Gibson ukuleles up for sale but here’s a rather handsome Gibson UB-1. Good to see they went with the guitar-style headstock rather than the more clunky ukulele headstock.

On the subject of lesser-seen baritones, here’s a baritone banjo ukulele.

Leolani have combined three of most hated design features into one hideous ukulele: dolphins, writing ‘Hawaii‘ on the instrument and the half-pinapple-half-not shape. It’s turning into a arms race between companies to see how many dolphins they can fit on a ukulele. Stop the madness before it kills us all.

Shag ukulele postcard.

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