Lichty Red Cedar Top Tenor Full Review

March 7, 2012 at 1:34 am | Posted in General, Lichty, Reviews, Tenor | 8 Comments
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Every so often I am asked to review ukuleles that are out of my normal price range ($400-$500 ukuleles), this one is only about $2000 above my $300 or less that I usually review. I could have said “No thank you”, but that would be irresponsible of me to do, right?
A little history; I had never heard of Lichty Guitars until I read an article on UkuleleReview.com, when he made a uke for Julie, who runs the site. From what I could tell the uke that Jay Lichty made for her was a super high end beast of a ukulele. The sound and build quality was out of this world high end . I never would have thought I would ever play one. Jay, of Lichty Guitars, contacted me not to long ago, just before I went to NAMM, and wondered if I would be interested in being a stop on a special ukulele’s tour around the country. I calmly said “Are you kidding me?!?! Hell yes I will review a high end uke!” Needless to say, I was excited that I would have the opportunity to review, let a lone to play a ukulele of this caliber. Then reality set in when someone pointed out that it is a $2300 ukulele. Am I able to be objective of a uke in that price range? Will I just be writing nothing but 5 for everything and basically be gushing over it like a schoolgirl at a Justin Beiber concert? So, I put on my big boy pants, told myself that I have played ukes that cost three or four times more than this, and I have had countless conversations with people who love, make, and obsess about ukuleles and what makes a “perfect” ukulele. I had high hopes that this ukulele would meet my every expectation of a high end ukulele.
Read on to see what I thought.

Specs:
Tenor: 19 Frets
Tuners: Closed Gear Grover
Nut & saddle: Bone
Top: Solid Western Red Cedar
Sides: Solid Granadillo
Back: Solid Granadillo
Neck: Mahogany
Fretboard: Ebony
Bridge: Ebony
String Attachment: String Through Body
Finish: Gloss
Full Specs:
http://lichtyguitars.com/2011/12/29/granadillo-tenor-ukulele/

Looks

First look: (5) Upon first inspection everyone has the same reaction that I did.The ukulele is beautiful and it draws you into it, and you have no choice but to grab it and say “Mine?” with a little glimmer of hope that maybe you get to keep it, at least for a little while before someone else sees it.
The wood used is very pretty and it has binding for the binding. If you look at the side of the neck it has binding under the bound fret board. The sides and back blow people away with the two tones of the granadillo.  The fretboard goes past the sound hole with a sexy swoosh, and the little squares that adorn the sound hole make it sparkle. This ukulele looks custom and you know it is handmade with love. To top it all off it has a really luxurious wet looking high gloss finish. I would have to say that it has most of the bells and whistles of a high end uke.

Fit and Finish: (3) Let us start with the high points of this fine steed of a ukulele. As noted before the ukulele looks like a piece that may be at home hanging on the wall as a piece of art as much as it would be in someones loving arms as they played it. The finish is top quality. Not too thick or thin, just right, and a good choice for an instrument that may have to bare the abuses of a life on the road with a professional musician. With that the choice of woods set the stage for every other piece to shine. Working with a two tone wood can be tricky and getting them to match is sometimes impossible. Instead of man handling the colors to match Jay seemed to accentuate the beauty of the granadillo sides and back, then outlined every detail with layer after layer of binding and inlay, sparing almost no corner or seam. The Fretboard is bound like any other fretboard you see on higher end ukes, but he goes a step further by adding a few delicate lines where the fretboard meets the neck. This is a small detail, but shows a lot of style and craftsmanship. the amount of small detail work is something that I keep looking at and finding new things that blow me away. Over all the design and decoration is very subtle, but it can take your breathe away with one look.
Now, why did I give it a 3? Keep in mind this is a $2300 ukulele. Many of the issues I have I would forgive if it was an $1100 ukulele. Let us start with aesthetics; The L on the headstock is off center, and the little dots on the bridge are not lined up with the string holes making it look off. Some of the binding did not want to bend around the hip on the front and needed to be filled in and now it looks off and very noticeable, along with the tail block stripe, it is a little wonky with one side missing some gold and it goes crooked at the end.


What about the build? One big no-no in building a wood instrument is that you do not finish the inside. I asked several builders to confirm this. By putting finish on the inside it will seal the wood completely and not let it breathe. Along with that the headstock is so thick that it weighs the uke down and I had an issue when changing the strings with one of the collars around the tuners coming undone and I had a hell of a time getting it to screw in since the head stock is way too thick (1/2” thick!!). Along the lines of thickness, I think the top could be thinned by 1/3 of what it is. It is a ukulele, not a guitar, and that is a common thing for guitar makers to do. The over braced top could benefit from it being thinned and it would sound even better if he could trust that it will not crack if he goes thinner. My last issue is the fact it has a bolt on neck. Yes it is a mechanical joint and it helps keep it together. Many builders like to glue and screw. a bolt on neck is the kind of thing I expect of a builder who does not trust that they have made a good enough joint to hold the neck joint.

Sound:

Sound Type:  Mellow with a lot of mid and lows. The cedar top tends to give it the mellow tones. It can be a little cutting with the highs, they seem crisp, but the mid-tones, and lows win by coming forward more than anything else.

Intonation: (5) Perfect. Jay has a slightly askew saddle to help with the intonation and as expected it is perfect all the way up and down.

Volume: (4) louder than most ukes in part because it is a tenor. There is more sound coming out of the side sound hole than the front, and with a pickup that could be a good thing. Over all it projects and gets the sound out. it could be better with a thinner top and less bracing.

Sustain: (5) One thing I was amazed with was how long each note could just sing. Has to be the longest sustain I have ever witnessed on a ukulele. Maybe it is the glass beads that are tied to the ends of the strings, or that it is a very resonate piece of red cedar. I have found that when the builder lets the top float, instead of being anchored down to the sides with glue, it creates more sustain. Playing this uke it is evident that Jay knows how to make an instrument sing.

Feel:

String Height: (medium-low) Nothing crazy..It is where it should be. I think it could have been lower, but that is a preference.

Neck Radius Depth: (7/8″) C shaped neck. A very thick neck for a ukulele, but that can be good if you want to put higher tension strings on. Also the thicker neck can be more comfortable for people with bigger hands

Frets: (4) You can feel some of them from the sides. Nothing sharp, but still there. One of the advantages of binding a fretboard is that you can hide the frets in them if done right.

Tuning: (4) The tuners are high end, but nothing special. If I were to spend the money on this uke I would expect PegHeds or super blinged out friction tuners with wood buttons. A closed gear tuner is bulky and not needed and takes away form the look and adds unneeded weight.

Comfort: (4) The only downfall of this uke is that it is heavy. Every other part makes it comfortable to play.

Sound Hole Smell: Like a Martin. I mean that in the best way. I would wear a cologne that smelled like that.

Final Thoughts
My job is to be critical of the ukuleles that people send me and to be honest. To be honest if I bought this uke I would have sent it back. I have played Moore Bettahs in this price range and they had beautiful inlay and played with such ease, and weighed half as much as this one does.
That being said, all artists are trying to make the best thing they can, and also learning as they go. I am hoping that this all can be taken in the spirit of a critique of the instrument and not of the person. I know that with a few changes that Lichty ukuleles could be one of the premiere uke builders. The wood choices,sound, craftsmanship, and the wow factor are all there.
Thank you so much Jay for letting me play this lovely instrument, and I hope to see more in the future.

Jay Lichty Response:

“I respect a man who writes as he sees it, however I would like to defend a couple of points that are up for debate. As you know there are more ways to skin a cat and just because one builder does it another way does not always make it wrong. I speak of the finish on the inside. That is up for debate and my studies show that there are benefits to this practice, hence why I do it. Here are two links to a discussion on this very topic. http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-202066.html and http://theunofficialmartinguitarforum.yuku.com/topic/88630#.T1bDkZghxWg  Regarding the bolt on neck…most of the high end guitar builders are doing this now. I’m not sure about the uke folks. I think it makes a great joint and so does Taylor guitars among a bunch of others. http://www.taylorguitars.com/global/pdfs/bolt_on_neck.pdf“

All Rating on a scale of 1-5
Click here for an explanation of reviews

First Look 5
Fit and Finish 3
Sound Type Mellow with a lot of mids and lows
Intonation 5
Volume 4
Sustain 5
String Height Medium -Low
Neck Radius Depth 7/8″
Frets 4
Tuning 4
Comfort 4
Sound Hole Smell Like a Martin guitar

Places to buy on the web:
http://lichtyguitars.com/

HD Audio Samples:

Gallery:


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NAMM 2012 Wrap-up

January 24, 2012 at 4:07 am | Posted in Events, General, Shows | 7 Comments
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As I sit here on the last day of the winter NAMM 2012 show trying to make sure I have all the information I need to write the wrap-up, I have had 3 trips back in to confirm stuff, It is all such a blur. So many people, so many products, they start to blend over time.

I am so happy I had Colin and Nick with me on this trip. Colin took 99.999% of the pictures that I have posted (About  1000 shots), while Nick seemed to know every uke person out there and was key in getting some of the vendors warmed up so I could talk to with them. Also Nick and Colin are awesome uke players, so that was an added bonus to have them around to play the ukes and made wondering the halls a ton more fun.

Colin rocking out at Kamoa

I truly credit my current surge in visitors (60,000 in the past 3 days) to them being around and helping me get all the ukes and other fun stuff out to you.  On our first day we walked a little over 11 miles, and day after day they were very excited and willing to follow me aimlessly. For their hard work I am eternally grateful.

Nick at Mahalo

The show was absolutely insane. So many people trying to walk around and get information, make deals, and figure out what they want to do.  Covering the show from the perspective of the ukulele player to some would seem very limiting, but those are not ukulele players.  If I had to say what  the hot instrument of the show was, it would be the ukulele, but I may be a little biased.

I am going to break this down into a few sections: New and exciting,  Weird, and WTF?. I figured that a long drawn out article would get boring. I also have some pics that I am not going to talk about, but put captions on them so you know what is in them.

NEW and Exciting

I would have to say that the biggest story would have to be the Taylor Uke (Story). I was lucky to be able to play it before the show started, and as expected it was really nice. A lot of uke players thought it was nice, but maybe not worth the price tag of $9000 for the uke and guitar.

Rob playing the Taylor

Kamoa Electics

Kamoa would have to have my top new ukulele for NAMM. The Steel string electric ukes are just out of this world, along with all their other ukes. I was standing outside the hall before they let us in and caught a glimpse for just a second and I knew they were my first stop. It is a tenor hollow body steel string uke and Kamoa does it better than anyone with the multiple bridge configurations and choice of colors. They also came out with a steel string uke bass, it is cool but I am not in love, some of my friends think it is the bee’s knees.

Beard Reso uke

Over in the Gold tone booth they had a small builder called Beard guitars. They had a really cool Reso-Uke that sounded so nice. I happened to be sitting in the press area when the daughter of the guy that made it was sitting at the same table and told me they used a bass baffle to give it a much deeper tone, and I would say it does for sure.

Kiwaya Sopranano (super small uke), honestly I have no idea what to call it be side crazy small. At the Kiwaya booth they had 3 tiny ukes and they all played!! I really like the Hello kitty one. As you can see I look like a giant holding it. It is so small they had to use custom tuners on it. Don’t expect them to come to market any time soon. They range from $1100 – $1600 to make, Still on my list of ukes I would love to have.

From Flea market Music we saw 3 new things. The first being the polycarbonate fretboard on the firefly banjo uke. Not super new, but still… I like it. Another new option for the fire fly is a skin head option. It just gives it a little more punch. Also they just announced that they can do custom laser etched designs on the flea and Flukes. They showed one with a custom sound hole and also some custom flames. I may have to make an Ukeeku.com Fluke someday.

L.R.Baggs uke pickup

With the popularity of the ukulele it sometimes takes time for technology to catch up. There have been a few ukulele pickups on the market, but for the most part they are just acoustic guitar pickups with the wire wrapped up so it does not get all wrapped up. Now there are a couple pickups made specifically for the Ukulele. Mi-Si has one that is nice and small and can have volume and tone added, it uses L.R.Baggs new element that they use for their ukulele pickup.  Both are pretty cool. Not sure which one is better. The only real difference is that the Mi-Si uses a rechargeable element, while L.R. Baggs uses a small watch battery.

Mi-Si Uke pickup with volume and tone

Would love if PegHeds made tuners like this

The last really interesting product that I ran into was PegHeds. I love mine on my Boat Paddle uke. He will be offering the tuners with real wood buttons and looking into really pretty hand carved tuner buttons. I hope that more makers would use them since they are so much lighter and I also think they look so classy.

One of the most fun things about the NAMM show would have to be all the “Famous” people that you meet. I stumbled in to the Taylor booth and saw the winner of the voice, Javier Colon, sing a few songs. On the ukulele side I was able to see Aldrine from UkuleleUnderground.com play a few times at the Kanile’a booth, also Rick Turner from Compass Rose was making a ukulele at the show. I also met Mike DaSilva and Tiki King. One of the biggest celebrities that we ran into was Mya walking around with her friends.

Aldrine

Weird

China Ukes

One of the things that blew our minds while walking around was the crazy amount of no-name ukes that are available from china. We kept running into so many weirdly named ukes from china. Many of the companies are looking for American distributers. My favorite named one was Strong Wind. For the most part they reminded us of the different ones that we know under different names. I wonder if the slow economy has driven them to try to up their sales or is the community so hot that these companies are trying to cash in on it. I found that a lot of them are just cheap crap-a-leles that you find in department stores and being peddled online as real ukes.

China Uke, ripped off from http://www.derekart.com/

A really fun uke was the Fishuku. The body is shaped like a fish. What I could hear it was OK. Maybe a little expensive, but the novelty of it may be worth the extra money. Hoping to get a review one some time.

Fishuku

lanikai Tuna Uke bridge

The weirdest uke would have to be the Tuna Uke from Lanikai. The idea is that the nut and bridge are adjustable. Not sure if it is such a good idea. I figure that if you buy a uke it should be right from the get go. They will offer the ukes in both the tuna uke and the regular bridge. Time will tell if it will be something.

A few people have commented on the new Mahalo surf ukes, a set of ukes and a lap steel all with the same surf board look and color scheme. I like the look and the fact that one is a nylon string and the other is a steel string uke. Not sure why they decided to do the lap steel, but hey, maybe a group could buy it and look the part at least.

WTF?

Stagg Crap-o-lele

Not that many crazy things that I thought were totally out there at this show. I saw a few ukes that are just toys, and I find that kind of stupid to have at a show with musicians. The other product that I would give the WTF award to would be the iPhone holder that looks like a uke. The neck does not do anything, it is just there for show. You use whatever app you want.

The last thing that made me do a double take would have to be an ad from Eddy finn, it just seems wrong coming from them. They are not that kind of company. By no means would I say they are some wholesome Christian company, nothing wrong with that, they are just a company that sells instruments that people buy as a first ukulele, not some hard core rock shop.

WHAT?

Non-Uke

The NAMM show covers a lot of instruments like drums, guitars, violins, kazoos to name a few. We saw a few products that we liked and thought ukulele people would think are cool.

The first new product comes from Blue Mics, it is there new higher end Mic called the Spark Digital. It can be plugged into an iPad (or iPhone) or USB. It has both connectors. It is a step above the Yeti that many of us love and currently use. The stand also has some isolation to help reduce noise when it is on a desk with a humming computer.

Blue Spark Digital

Another product that I have been receiving a few e-mails on was the footdrums. Very cool foot  operated drum kit. It has a snare, tambourine, shaker, and a bass drum. You control it all with your feet so you can be a one man band. They also have individual items too, like a tambourine or shakers. Just a really fun idea.

There were many other things that were cool, just not cool enough to stick in my brain after 3 days of walking around

Over All

I would have to say that there were a few things that we saw that seemed to keep recurring, the first would have to be that there were a few more steel string ukuleles. Some were good, but mostly they were bad. Kamoa is the only one that I thought got it right. The other thing that we saw where all the Chinese ukes from so many companies that we never heard of. One would not let us take pictures, it looked like an Ohana without a label on the heads stock.

The last thing would have to be the dude that seemed to be everywhere. He played at every booth it seemed like and ended up in a few shots that Colin took, It was just weird. Guy seemed nice, just kind of strange.

The Dude

If you are looking for more NAMM 2012 coverage Head over to UkuleleUnderground.com’s coverage

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NAMM 2012 Taylor Builders Reserve Ukulele

January 19, 2012 at 6:50 pm | Posted in General, Taylor, Tenor | 10 Comments
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The first thing that I had to see at NAMM this year was the Taylor Guitars ukulele. I had heard so much about it that I had to see it first, and I brought some better players than I to play it.


Specs:
Tenor: 20 fret
Tuners: Geared (We will find out who made them)
Nut & saddle: Bone
Top: Solid Koa
Sides: Solid Koa
Back: Solid Koa
Neck: Mahogany?
Strings: Bridge Pins
Finish: High Gloss

I am not going to write a whole review on it since you know it is awesome. Just know that it is super light, very responsive and what a high end uke should embody. I am very privileged to be able to have seen it and played one since only 30 have been made as a set (A matched guitar comes with it)

I will be updating this as we get more information after we meet with Andy Powers (If we can find him). Say tuned

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Ohana SK-70MG Soprano Ukulele Full Review

January 10, 2012 at 4:57 am | Posted in General, Ohana, Soprano | 1 Comment
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I have a deep dark secret….I am attracted to blondes, SHHH, don’t tell my wife, she is a brunette.

I realized the other day that the two main ukes I actually own are spruce top ukes, I think it may have something to do with loving my first guitar, a Guild D4 (Spruce top). It seems that I review a lot of them lately. Are the spruce tops not getting a lot of love or what? I see them a lot and I know some people feel they are not traditional, but I say “Screw them”. I think they are another extension of what people are playing. Most folk guitars are made with spruce tops, so why would that not happen in the uke world as more people are playing folk type songs and want a punchy clear sound?

Read on to see what I think of this slim wasted blonde, and see if you maybe want to ask her out on a date some time.

They say blondes have more fun, and they may be right.

Specs:
Soprano : 15 Fret
Tuners: Gotoh Friction Tuners
Nut & saddle: Bone
Top: Solid Spruce
Sides: Laminate Flamed Mahogany
Back: Laminate Flamed Mahogany
Neck: Mahogany with a Rosewood fretboard
String Attachment: Knot in a slit
Finish: Gloss
Case: Not included. Reviewed with a hard case
Full Specs:
http://www.ohana-music.com/index.php?dispatch=products.view&product_id=29796

Looks

First look: (5) From the first look it looks like a regular glossy soprano. You may not pick it out of a crowd. It is the fine details, like the flamed mahogany and modified rope binding, and the flamed mahogany sides and back, that you notice this is a really nice ukulele. One of the things that I did not notice for a while, but knew something was different, was the bridge. It is not just some cheap squared off bridge. It has round sides that tapper down, not leaving some hard edge like other cheaper ukes. Although I wished they would have used the flamed mahogany as the headstock veneer, it is still very nice with the shinny Ohana logo and black and white binding.

Fit and Finish: (5) I gave it a 5, and I have one issue with it. Does Ohana not put their label in the middle of the headstock? The vita uke was the same way. Beside that this thing is made superbly. I found no issues at all. What I really like is the string attachment at the bridge. Sometimes with a slit style bridge you will eventually blow out a slit since they are so thin. They made a very beefy bridge with very thick walls to hold the strings and not let the knot pull out, chipping a piece with it. Beyond that it is pretty light, not the lightest, and it all is straight and good. Basically it is a well made instrument that people actually took their time with and made sure it was right, not just some quick factory build.

Sound:

Sound Type: Punchy and Clear. I have read several reviews and some places that say they sell it, but are sold out, that this is the loudest soprano they have heard. It is really loud, but it has tone too. I would say it is walking the line of a sharp sound like the Ohana Vita-uke, but does not cross over. It is not the loudest, just an FYI.

Intonation: (5) Perfect. Not a single issue to be found. The Nut is low, and it is dead on up and down the fretboard.

Volume: (5) Loud, Yes. Loudest ever, no. The loudest would be the Big Island Honu or the Bradford Donaldson. But those are 2-3 times more expensive.

Sustain: (5)  Long since it is so loud.

Feel:

String Height: (Medium) Setup really well. Just where it should be.

Neck Radius Depth: (3/4″) Basic C shaped neck,

Frets: (5) No binding and it is still smooth as butter. You can see some of the slot that were made from the sides but they filled in and you can not feel a single fret on the sides. They are also well dressed and tapered off as they should be. Same thing I said about the Vita uke. Seems to be an Ohana thing.

Tuning: (5) Nice friction tuners. They are nice and easy to tune with and stay in tune.

Comfort: (5) Not the lightest soprano, but by no means a brick. Very easy to hold since the nice binding was rounded off. The balance is also really nice with the lighter tuners. it just feels right.

Sound Hole Smell: Glue with a hint of musk.

Final Thoughts

I like this ukulele. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a spruce top soprano, and at below $200 it is an amazing deal for the sound and looks. Although not a solid wood uke, it is pretty awesome. I really don’t buy into the solid wood uke idea as much, and this uke is an example of why. I think a good solid top, and nice sides are a great combination. One of my favorite guitars (I still have a couple) is a Guild D4, and it is amazing and blows a lot of $1200 guitars out of the water on sound and the low tones.

I found this uke hard to find on the interwebs. I hope more people will carry it. I know that if people could get these in their hands they will be blown away.

All Rating on a scale of 1-5
Click here for an explanation of reviews

First Look 5
Fit and Finish 5
Sound Type Punchy and Clear
Intonation 5
Volume 5
Sustain 5
String Height Medium
Neck Radius Depth 3/4″
Frets 5
Tuning 5
Comfort 5
Sound Hole Smell Glue and Musk

Places to buy on the web:

Hard time finding places that sell this uke. Found one lace that has a case just like it, but I know Ohana does not put their name on the cases.

Brindley’s $179 Shipped for the Ukulele

Uke Republic $65 for the case

HD Audio Sample:

Gallery:

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Ohana CKP-70 Vita-Uke Full Review

January 8, 2012 at 4:10 am | Posted in Concert, General, Ohana | 6 Comments
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What is a vita-uke? I understand how a normal uke looks and why a pineapple is called a pineapple, but what is a vita? According to Frets.com “They were called “Vita” after the famous Vitaphone movie shorts in which Roy Smeck appeared.”. In short it is one of the most famous ragtime uke styles. If you know about ragtime you know about Roy Smeck and all the stuff he did. In my opinion he was one of the best uke players in the world and did great things with it musically and also did not make it seem like a toy but a fun and real instrument. If you click on the Frets.com link up above you can see what an original vita-uke looks like. It is basically the same as the Ohana CKP-70, except for some small thing like the more defined seal sound holes and the tuners and head are very different. I have had the pleasure to play a few real vita ukes over the years. They are super light and really loud. One of the hard things to see in the pictures is that the old ones had an arched back, where the Ohanas don’t. Not a big deal, it is just different. The reason you don’t see a lot of the old ones is mainly because they were super fragile and broke easily. They were made to play, not to last.

Read on to see what I thought of this crazy big butted thing.
Didn’t Freddy Mercury have a song that went “Fat bottom ukes you make the uke world go round”?

Maybe not.

Specs:
Concert : 12 Fret
Tuners: Open Geared
Nut & saddle: Bone
Top: Solid Spruce
Sides: Laminate Mahogany
Back: Laminate Mahogany
Neck: Mahogany with a Rosewood fretboard
String Attachment: Knot in a slit
Finish: Satin
Case: Not included. Reviewed with a hard case
Full Specs:
http://www.ohana-music.com/index.php?dispatch=products.view&product_id=29790

Looks

First look: (5) Are those seals for sound holes? No they are not, but close. I think this is a beautiful uke. the light wood top with a ton of grain that you can actually see is really nice. The binding on the top and bottom really makes this a nice looking ukulele and something that has a lot of workmanship and detail. From across a room you either know what it is or you are scratching your head, either way you smile.

Fit and Finish: (4)although it is a looker, it has some small cosmetic issues. The build

Glue On the neck

over all is really good with all the structural thing being spot on when it comes to straight bridge and neck and the frets are all perfect, there are none sticking out. Where I found issue is in minor things such as a little glue mark under the bridge, fret board on the body, and some at the neck joint can be seen. Also there are sanding marks on the fretboard, most noticeably where it meets the body. To be extra picky, the Ohana label is not centered on the headstock. All non-issues overall and do not have any effect on the playability or sound. For a sub-$200 (Street price) uke it is really well built.

Glue under the bridge

Sound:

Sound Type: Clear but sharp. When I say sharp I do not mean the notes. the sound cuts. it is not mellow or real warm like a mahogany. Since it is a spruce top it would be expected to be sharp, This one is the sharpest sound I have heard. Another key note is that since it is a 12 fret the sound is different from strumming above the fretboard compared to where I think it is meant to be strummed, between the top of the sound holes and the point of the fretboard. Roughly the 14-16th frets.

Intonation: (4) it is pretty good, could be better. If you are sensitive to intonation then this may not bother you so much. I could see someone going in and changing the saddle to have the E be a little more forward than the rest and it might be better. Also the nut is a little high making some first fret chords a little sharp if you press to hard. Plenty of room to get it perfect if the person knows what they are doing. It is very playable up and down, it goes noticeably off at the 7th fret area.

Volume: (5) Between the spruce and the huge butt on this uke it is loud, maybe annoyingly to some. I play spruce top most of the time and this one does not disappoint. I would not say it is banjo uke loud, but when you hit it, it screams

Sustain: (5)  Long since it is so loud.

Feel:

String Height: (Low-Medium) Setup really well when it comes to string height except the nut could be lower.

Neck Radius Depth: (3/4″) Basic C shaped neck,

Frets: (5) No binding and it is still smooth as butter. You can see the slot that were made from the sides but they filled in and you can not feel a single fret on the sides. They are also well dressed and tapered off as they should be.

Tuning: (5) It tunes, stays in tune, does not get bound up. Nothing to complain about. Wished they would use friction tuners..

Comfort: (5) With its fat end to hold on to it is easy to hold. Also that sweet backend can be rested on your leg to hold it up. The edges are nice with the binding, so that is also a plus on long playing sessions..

Sound Hole Smell: Glue.

Final Thoughts

If you are a ragtime nut, then you should have one of these in honor of Roy Smeck. Or you want a solid spruce top ukulele, then this would also be a good choice. With it being extra loud and very different, and we know uke players like to be different, this can be a real winner. I would change the strings to something warmer like Worth browns to mellow out the sound and cut some of the sharpness.

If I ever own one I would also buy the case for it since it is made for it. If Ohana stops making the cases then you will out of luck and have a hard time finding a hard case for it. I tried putting it into my Fremont case and it did not fit. The butt was to wide.

All Rating on a scale of 1-5
Click here for an explanation of reviews

First Look 5
Fit and Finish 4
Sound Type Clear and Sharp
Intonation 4
Volume 5
Sustain 5
String Height Low-Medium
Neck Radius Depth 3/4″
Frets 5
Tuning 5
Comfort 5
Sound Hole Smell Glue

Places to buy on the web:

Elderly – $149
Ukuleleworld.com – Just the case $73

HD Audio Sample:

Gallery:

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McNally StrumStick Ukulele Full Review

November 3, 2011 at 3:26 pm | Posted in Concert, General, McNally, Reviews, StrumStick | 13 Comments
Tags: , , , , , , ,

This is one of those reviews that I hate to write. I did ask the company to send me this uke to review, and they had no issue doing it. My problem is that in short this uke is a good idea gone wrong. I don’t fault McNally since they make instruments that are in a diatonic scale, meaning that if you hold down one string and strum that it will sound good. That being said they are not really ukulele builders, more of a rustic mountain dulcimer maker.

Just read on to see what I mean.

As a side note, they are made pretty well and care was taken in making it. It just is not a good form for a ukulele. Also please take a look at their site for a blast back to early 90’s web design
http://strumstick.com

Specs:
Concert: 15 fret
Tuners: Geared
Nut & saddle: Plastic
Top: Solid Spruce?
Sides: Solid Spruce?
Back: Solid Spruce?
Neck: Solid Spruce?
Strings: Steel, attached with a loop on a post
Finish: Matte
Case: Fitted Gig Bag
Specs:
http://strumstick.com/html_pages/Ukelele%20Strumstick.htm

Looks

First look: (4) Although it is weird looking, I have to not totally knock it for how it looks. It looks fun and like nothing you will see normally. That being said, yes it is not the prettiest thing in the world either.

Fit and Finish: (2) My guess on how this thing is made is that they get a 2 X 4 cut a notch down the center, spread the sides a part and stick a piece of wood between then to make the sides and neck. Then fit some pieces of wood on the top and back and trim it down to the body, then sand liberally. The next step would be to slam some frets on the “neck” and call it done.

Now to be fair, it is not sloppy or done without care. Everything is straight, and there is a really nice laser cut sound hole. The action is really good and all that, but the wood choice is weird and the neck is 2” thick??  Also the finish on the “Fret Board” makes it impossible to bend the strings at all. It is just done quick and cheap.

Sound:

Sound Type:  Tinny and shallow. There is no sound box, I would have to say I would put a pickup in it.

Intonation: (4) Pretty good. Not really off and it seems good up and down the fret board.

Volume: (4) If it had nylon strings there would be no way to hear it. The steel strings make it be heard.

Sustain: (2) It is not like I am muting it with my sleeve, but it dies super quick. I expect more out of steel strings

Feel:

String Height: (medium-low) The strings are where they should be.

Bridge

Neck Radius Depth: (2″) Cut a 2 X 4 in half long ways, round the edges. That is what it is like

Frets: (2) The frets are good, they are not the issue. The fret board as whole sucks, too wide, cannot bend and dents since it is so soft

Tuning: (3) I am not sure the pictures do it justice, but the tuners are, as I can tell, cheap classical tuners that have the 3rd tuner cut off.

Classical guitars have tuners that come in 3s on each side.

Comfort: (3) Like a Risa Solid, this uke requires that you use a strap to play it. I find that the one that they included is really uncomfortable and ugly to boot. Also the super thick neck makes it extra weird to play

Sound Hole Smell: Woodshop

Final Thoughts

Ukuleles are compact enough; there is no reason to make them smaller. I have to commend them on a good try since they did pay attention to things like a nice case, and the nice laser cut sound hole inlay. Beside those things it is a total disaster from the tuning pegs to the posts that hold the custom strings that you can only get from them. The floating bridge looks nice, but is really weirdly placed, and trying to play this thing is really strange. I might be the fact it has steel strings that confuses my fingers or the tension of them, but I found this thing a bear to play. I also did not care for the sound either. Playing with others you get really dirty looks, worse than playing a reso-banjo uke in a crowd of “Normal” uke players.

I would say this thing is not for me. I think I could spend my $200 on something a little nicer.

All Rating on a scale of 1-5
Click here for an explanation of reviews

First Look 4
Fit and Finish 2
Sound Type Tinny and Shallow
Intonation 4
Volume 4
Sustain 2
String Height Medium -Low
Neck Radius Depth 2″
Frets 2
Tuning 3
Comfort 3
Sound Hole Smell Woodshop

Places to buy on the web: You can find regular StrumSticks online, but not the Ukulele

Only place I have seen them is on their site LINK – $198
Currently the cart does not work, may have to call to order.

Response from StrumStick

“We make the Ukelele Strumstick strictly for fun and its unique sound. There are plenty of great regular ukes out there, we were not trying to make yet another  traditional Uke. This has steel strings, and a tiny soundbox, it has a banjo/mandolin kind of sound, and nobody needs it. But, it is a fun character sound, it is all handmade, and the Uke has a long history of interesting novelty varieties being made.  The woods are Padouk, Spruce, and Maple, all solid woods. (Not all spruce as listed in the review). This is an instrument made to be inexpensive (as handmade instruments go), simple, but well made of high quality materials, for a specific niche purpose. It is not supposed to sound like a regular Uke, and it is supposed to be as small as possible. I have no issue with anyone not liking the sound (or the looks), but I must say, no 2×4′s were slammed with frets in the making of this instrument.”

HD Audio Samples:

Gallery:

 

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Ukeeku’s Custom 5-String Concert Boat Paddle Uke

September 27, 2011 at 2:40 am | Posted in Boat Paddle, Concert, Family Photos, General | 4 Comments
Tags: , , , ,

It has been a while since I posted, Life and a new kitchen kind of got in the way, but I am back and I have a new ukulele that I own, sorry I will not be giving this one away any time soon.

In a nutshell I had Jerry of Boat Paddle ukes build me one of his new 12 Frets with some upgrades. I am lucky that I live only 3.5 hours away, so taking a day trip to his shop was not a big deal, and it was worth the trip. I was able to sit down with him and Thom, of the Flea Bitten Dawgs, to talk about what I wanted and what I wanted it to sound like. Jerry showed me a ton of samples and we thumped some wood. the Spruce just rang like a bell. I also gave him my logo to put on it and left it up to him to inlay it, I had a general location, but he sized it to look good. I also really like the thumb nail fret markers on a few other ukes he had pictures of so I went with those. Beyond that I contacted Mi-Si and PegHed to get those, Jerry can get them also, I just wanted to use this opportunity to review those awesome products to and see if I could work out a deal with them on those parts.

I think I calculated the price of the uke would be around $1200 (Keep in mind the pickup alone is $350)
In the near future I will be doing 3 separate reviews for this ukulele. The Uke itself, the pickup, and the PegHed Tuners. Give me about 3 months to really play it and digest what I have done.
But expect that if you see me at a ukulele event I will have it and you are more than welcome to play it.

Specs:
Concert : 12 Fret
Tuners: PegHed with Ebony buttons
Nut & saddle: Bone and metal nut, Bone saddle
Top: Solid  Sitka Spruce
Sides: Solid Walnut
Back: Solid Walnut
Neck: Walnut
String Attachment: Tied
Pickup: Mi-Si Cutless
Finish: Satin
Case: Fremont Tweed
Full Specs:
http://www.boatpaddleukuleles.com/instruments.php

Below is a gallery of the pics and two videos.


Little video show and tell

Me playing it a little

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David Gill Concert Cedar Fluke Full Review

May 22, 2011 at 9:08 pm | Posted in Concert, D.S.Gill, Reviews | 5 Comments
Tags: , , , , ,

In full disclosure I must tell you that I have been to David’s house/workshop a few times and consider him a friend, but when I purchased my Concert Pineapple he did not give me any kind of deal or discount. I paid the normal $350 (that was what he charged at the time, I think he might of raised his prices a little, like $10-$20 since then) and I may in the future ask him to build me a fluke tenor, but I will pay the normal price like everyone else, so on with the review!!

I think around Christmas David sent me a picture of this uke and asked me to review it and tell him what I thought. I was like “Hells yeah!!” I love my pineapple and figured that this would also be just as nice if not better. When I got it, my mind socks were completely blown off. Partly because of the smell when I opened the box. It smelled like cedar, not just a little bit either, with a hint of smoke (Yes, David gill smokes around the ukes, so they smell like smoke for a little bit if you get them from him directly, just so you know) The smoke smell went away in a week but the cedar is here to stay. When I show it to people I say “Smell my hole!!” most think I am crazy, but once they do it they light up and say “That is so awesome”.

NOTE: this uke is sold. After the Mighty MO, one of the people contacted David and bought it. I will send it out Monday morning. I hope it likes Kansas City Missouri.

Specs:
Concert : 18 Fret
Tuners: Open Geared
Nut & saddle: Bone
Top: Solid Aromatic Cedar
Sides: Solid Aromatic Cedar
Back: Solid Aromatic Cedar
Neck: Mahogany and Walnut with a Rosewood fretboard
String Attachment: Knot in a slit
Finish: Matte
Case: None
Full Specs:
He has No Webpage

Looks

First look: (5) When David sent me the picture of this, it had a mahogany version in it too, I was blown away. I thought the cedar one was the prettier of the two by far. When I got it I was just in awe of how it is just striking to look at. It is so different with the white lines of the cedar in the middle and the other two little lines. The back is equally as nice, he even left the little knots in. Most people would never use that part, but he did and it makes it so much cooler. I love the way he book matched the top, back, and headstock veneer. Also if you look the fretboard it is also really nice with its super tight grain and diamond shaped fret markers. I think the fact he leaves all his ukes plain, with minimal decoration is really his signature style, but never seem boring.

Cloudy finish with some scratches

Fit and Finish: (4) Yes, I love this uke, but it is not perfect. I see two issues with it. The first is the finish is a little spotty in parts. Near the fretboard on the body it is kind of dull and easily scratched and dented. I play all the review ukes like I own them, and sometimes that is a little hard, and my Concert Pineapple has the same issue, the finish is a little too thin and scratches easily. The other issue is that the top is not perfectly flat. I think the minimal H-bracing lets the bridge come up a little, making the top not perfectly flat. By no means will this effect anything with sound, intonation, or the setup. He sets up his ukes so low it is unbelievable, and there are no buzzes or issues. I have had my pineapple for years now and it has the same issue but has stayed super stable.

Cloudy Finish

Beyond that this is how an engineer would build a ukulele, because that was what David was before he retired. Everything has a purpose and is all centered around playability and sound. Notice how the perfiling is backwards, that is so the top can vibrate more. The bracing is the way it is and is not attached to the side so it can vibrate freely. Also the neck is attached with a dovetail joint to make it super strong and it also adds to the sound and feel of the instrument. The most amazing thing is the neck. Notice the dark walnut stripe? that is not for looks, it is sandwiched in the middle with the grain going the opposite direction of the mahogany to add a ton of strength to the neck without having a truss rod. The sum of these things, and many others I did not mention, make this one hell of a uke.

NOTE: Most, if not all of David’s ukes fit in regular cases. I have a Fremont Concert case for my concert pineapple and the cedar fluke fits perfectly.

Sound:

Sound Type: Mellow with a punch. Sounds weird but this is a mellow sound, and I figure through time it will change a little.

Intonation: (5) This is where he shines. I have never played a $350 uke that is as perfectly on as all of his ukes are. it can actually be annoying. If it is not in tune, you know it. When I play this one I kept the tuner on as I played. Every chord and note was spot on. When I play a G, both in the normal way and the barred at the 2nd fret, the tuner says G with the needle dead center.

Volume: (5) Loud and it projects. with the giant sound board it just sings. I had no issues hearing my uke when I played with others at the Mighty MO uke fest, so when I screwed up it could be heard J.

Sustain: (5)  Long and nice.

Feel:

String Height: (Low) Do I dare say too low? This is so low that it is like butter to play, and that is one of the many reasons I love mine and this one is no exception.

Neck Radius Depth: (5/8″) Basic C shaped neck but skinnier than “Normal” ukes,

Frets: (5) Not a bound fret board, but you will never feel a fret on the side. Also the frets are not super low, making every note super crisp.

Tuning: (5) I always wish for peg tuners, and if you ask David he can do that, if he has not already put the geared ones on. The open geared tuners that he uses are super light and do not make the uke head heavy at all.

Comfort: (5) When people pick up this uke they are amazed how light it is. it looks like a tank. The nice rounded edges and the shape of this makes it super easy to hold an play without a strap. The neck attached at the 15th fret gives you tons of room to play all the way down the neck.

Sound Hole Smell: Cedar Chest. Its aromatic cedar, what did you expect?.

Final Thoughts

I thought long and hard about buying this uke myself. I am glad someone bought it. I want a tenor version anyways, at least that is what I tell myself when I cry myself to sleep at night thinking about it leaving me soon. In reality, David makes awesome ukes and I think he is part of a small group of garage builders who have great ukes, that they make, well…in their garage in their spare time, or as a way to stay busy. Usually they are inexpensive and super well made. Basically they cover their costs of tools and wood, and a little more to buy more tools and wood to keep going and growing as ukulele builders. I have found a few other garage builders, Brad Donaldson is one I just started talking with, and he is sending me one of his this week. I think that some feel it is a risk to buy a uke from these types of builders, but really you get so much more for your money and they usually will go way beyond what other higher priced people would do. This is fun for them, not all about business and making a living. Please do not think I am knocking people like Chuck of Moore Bettah, or  Jerry Boat Paddle, it is their profession and they make ukes that are works of art and you know you are getting the best uke. All I am saying is that some of these guys that may put out 50 ukes a year tops are worth a try. I recommend David to anyone who is looking for a great uke below $400. He does not do massive inlays or use AAAAAA woods, but it is amazing how they sound for the price.

All Rating on a scale of 1-5
Click here for an explanation of reviews

First Look 5
Fit and Finish 4
Sound Type Mellow and Punchy
Intonation 5
Volume 5
Sustain 5
String Height Low
Neck Radius Depth 5/8″
Frets 5
Tuning 5
Comfort 5
Sound Hole Smell Cedar Chest

Places to buy on the web:

Weed Patch Music in Nashville, IN usually has them on hand

Contact David Gill to see what he has or to ask if he will make a specific one
Gill-David@sbcglobal.net

HD Audio Sample:

Gallery:

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Tall Grass TG-C and TG-CS Full Review

May 21, 2011 at 8:46 pm | Posted in Concert, Reviews, Tall Grass | 4 Comments
Tags: , , , , , ,

For 2011 I predicted that Banjo ukes and Bamboo ukes would be the big things, banjo ukes I would say happened, bamboo not so much. I am not sure why bamboo is not that hot of a material right now. I think it may have something to do with being new and untested for ukuleles, great for floors, but how well will it stand the test of time on ukuleles?

Last January someone on the Ukulele Underground forums asked if anyone had heard of Tall Grass Ukuleles. I had not, so I looked into them and found out that they are being sold out of Chicago! How cool is that? so I contacted Josh and asked if I may review one of his ukes and ended up going over to his apartment to pick 2 of them up. I wanted to get one before I went to NAMM so I could show it off to the other ukulele players, and I would have to say there was a lot of interest. Fast-forward 5 months and I still have not done the review. Where does the time go?

These are currently the only 2 models of Tall grass that they sell, the TG-C (concert) and the TG-CS (Concert with a side hole) and they were nice enough to let me review both. Since they are pretty much identical I will point out the slight differences I found in them as we go.

Specs:
Concert : 14 Fret
Tuners: Sealed Geared
Nut & saddle: Composite
Top: Solid Bamboo
Sides: Solid Bamboo
Back: Solid Bamboo
Neck: Mahogany with a Rosewood fretboard
String Attachment: Tie
Finish: Matte
Case: None
Full Specs:
http://www.tallgrassukuleles.com/

Looks

First look: (5) One of the things about other bamboo ukes I have reviewed (The Cordoba and Paulele) is that they are very monotone. Just that one yellow bamboo tone from top to bottom. My friend Alex Nailed it when he said “I think they would be so much cooler if they had some kind of contrast, like a rosewood fretboard or something” and I agreed. The Tall Grass ukes have tons of contrast with the rosewood bridge, fretboard and binding. Makes for a really nice looking ukulele. Wish it had something around the sound hole, but no big deal, still really pretty.

Fit and Finish: (3) For a mass produced uke made in China it is OK, and for the price it is pretty darn good, but it does have some issues. I noticed the saddle on one is really low but the strings are kind of high. On closer inspection the top is being pulled a bit by the saddle. This has to do with the fact that it is not braced all that well. Since I have had them they seem to have not moved at all, and I have had them most of the winter, and now that  it is nicer they seem stable. Just don’t expect to be able to lower the strings all that much. Also it is built like a tank. The sides are pretty thick, along with the top. I hope that in time, as they are more use to the working with bamboo, they can thin it out and make it more light and add bracing and maybe they can stop screwing the bridge down to the body. All in all the finish is nice and the binding is done really well, but where are the fret markers? It is a small thing, but for a beginner it means the world.

HMMM, Screwed down Bridge?





Sound:

Sound Type: Clear and Mellow. I have to say that the one with the side sound hole is a little more open sounding.

Intonation: (3) Not sure why, but both have some issues with intonation. They are in perfect tune but as you go past the 5th fret the chords sound a little off. I checked it and they are pretty off at the 12th fret. I think a little work on the saddle might help, but if you are super sensitive, this will not work for you. I do have to say that it is on par with a Oscar Schmidt OU-2 and ukes like that. If these ukes were $50 less I would say that the intonation is what you would expect.

Side sound hole makes it look like a laminate, but it just has a piece that supports the hole.

Volume: (4) I don’t know if it is the side sound hole or what but the TG-CS is louder than the TG-C. They are both pretty loud, not screamers and no real booming sound like from a spruce top.

Sustain: (3)  Dies pretty quick.

Feel:

String Height: (Med-High) Kind of high, and not much room to fix it..

Neck Radius Depth: (3/4″) Basic C shaped neck,

Frets: (5) I would swear that the fretboard is bound. it is sealed so the frets are very well dressed and you can not feel them on the sides of the neck

Tuning: (5) Sealed geared tuners make it pretty easy to tune and they stay in tune. Wish they were peg tuners, or that it was an option.

Comfort: (4) This thing is heavy to hold and a bit head heavy due to the sealed geared tuners, other than that it has really nice rounded edges and a smooth finish so it is real easy to slide up and down the neck.

Sound Hole Smell: Glue.

Final Thoughts

Look how pretty the grain of the bamboo is with the nice dark binding

I commend Tall Grass for the eco-friendly angle they are going for. Bamboo is one of the fastest renewable resources in the world, and takes no pesticides to grow, and it does make a pretty good uke. I have reviewed a few others and have found that it is so new that many people are still not able to master it. You can tell that the builders are a little hesitant to make it too thin, especially in mass produced instruments like the Cordoba 25CB and the Tall Grass ukes. I have seen some that make it work, like the Paulele and one from Pono, but they are $200+. The 2 Cordobas I received were both cracked because I suspect they were too dry when they were made. The Tall Grass seems super stable and show no issues like that all, but they are a bit thicker and have a much thicker finish on them. As a testament to how tough they are, Josh actually dropped one on a hardwood floor and it was perfectly fine. Just a small blemish in the finish (It is the TG-CS I reviewed!)

I would say that they need to maybe do a little work on the design of this uke, but for $148 and $170, they are great ukes. I think that if they could charge $200+ if they improved the intonation and made the top a bit thinner with better bracing. I would buy one as a travel uke for the most part. It does not react to different humidity levels, and heat has no effect on it. The other  thing I would do is put a pickup in it. Since it is not a monster on volume it would make a great stage instrument, reducing the chance for feedback.

All Rating on a scale of 1-5
Click here for an explanation of reviews

First Look 5
Fit and Finish 3
Sound Type Clear and mellow
Intonation 3
Volume 4
Sustain 3
String Height High-Medium
Neck Radius Depth 3/4″
Frets 5
Tuning 5
Comfort 4
Sound Hole Smell Glue

Places to buy on the web:

Tall Grass Ukes TG-C $148  TG-CS $170

HD Audio Samples:
TG-C

TG-CS

Gallery:

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Brad Donaldson Build Part 1

April 27, 2011 at 8:38 pm | Posted in Brad Donaldson, Soprano | Comments Off
Tags: , , , ,

I am always out on the hunt for the best ukulele for your money, and I try to stay in or below $300 for the ukuleles I review. Every so often I find a true gem that blows my mind when it comes to quality, sound, and price. One of my favorite builders right now is David Gill, who builds awesome solid wood ukuleles in his garage and sells them for about $350. That is so cheap it is almost criminal to buy one. But that is what he wants for them, and I was happy to give him the money.

What does this have to do with the Brad Donaldson build? You see I am a talker, and I love to talk about ukuleles. When Uke chat had its first 2 shows I could not resist calling and putting my 2 cents in. One of the shows he asked people about their favorite uke and why, I had to call in about my lovely David Gill Pineapple concert and we got to talking and I said “I am always on the hunt for awesome ukuleles that real people can afford” fast forward a few weeks and I get a private message on the Ukuleleunderground.com forums from Brad asking me if I would like to review one of his ukes, I looked at his profile and his posts. I was amazed at some of his stuff (Fun Build, Mendel Build, Fun Build 2011) and thought there is no way he could be making these under $1200. I e-mailed him me deal about how I do reviews ($300 and under, I bring it with me everywhere, blah blah blah) and he responded with this:

“Thanks for getting back to me.  Your review process sounds like a very well considered plan and I like it.  So I’ll build you something that I would sell for less than $300.  That is in the low range for my custom ukes.  My lowest price sopranos sell for $189 in the stores that carry my instruments, and the custom pineapple that was just delivered to UU’s Shrink9 was $650.  The reprised Fun Build for mendel will be $375.  That will give you some idea of my prices.”

3 days ago I got this little e-mail and then pics a few days later:

“I’m going to try and get going on your review uke next week.  I’ve decided to send you one of my Vintage Model sopranos.  It is based on a 1920 Jonah Kumalae .  The two big differences are, I add a bridge patch and a raised fretboard.  It will be all solid koa, with PegHed tuners, normal retail price is $299.  I donated a similar uke to Uketoberfest in Eugene,OR, last October.  Everyone there loved it and they fly out of Dusty Strings in Seattle when I take them some.  I think it makes more sense for you to review a model I regularly make on spec, than something custom.”

The build has started!!! WHOO, already looks so cool. I will post other things as he sends them. When I get it I will play it for a month or two and do a full review of it just like all the others I get.

He does not have a Website…yet, hoping soon so I can point you to that.

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