The Ko’olau Tenor Deluxe is THE ukulele to get when searching for the most professional, serious sound and feel available. This Tenor model is used by Lyle Ritz, Abe Lagrimas Jr., Led Kaapana, and other amazing uke players. Over here at our shop, Corey recently got his Tenor Deluxe and Aaron is working out the options for his. Tracy Terada, a.k.a Dr. Trey, is a great player and teacher that has bought a number of Ko’olau Tenor Deluxe models through the past 15 years for his studio and enjoyment. He has been behind the scenes for many years helping the ukulele reach a higher level of perception in the music world. Tracy was a very influential teacher for Jake Shimabukuro and went on to record and produce his first four albums. I am hoping to film him one day soon so you guys can see how great he is.
This is a Tenor Deluxe, Spruce top and Myrtle wood back and sides. It is framed off with curly koa binding giving it an elegant look without being too “fancy”. It still retains a woody, natural look. Most importantly it has a fantastic tone and perfect intonation. Noa Bonk custom builds these and is adamant on solid construction that will last hundreds of years. He builds with a solid foundation of instrument making from years of warranty repair for Martin, Taylor, Gibson and others. One of the things that makes Ko’olau different is that they strictly use Hyde glue. This glue was used on early Martin’s and Gibson’s and is still used by a few high end guitar makers going for the ultimate tone. For more info on this instrument and the Ko’olau company check out our website!