Leolani Ukes are among the various ukuleles on the market that are good for the budget conscious musician looking for a “real” instrument. They have a slightly fatter neck than the Kala or Lanikai ukulele. This is because they are handmade rather than computer cut. With that said, it amazes me how consistent the feel is. These ukuleles, for the most part, have more bass in their frequency range than their competitors. For this price range ($50-$250), the Leolani Ukulele arguably has the “warmest” tone.
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Coolest Ukulele Straps Yet!
Jen Tabor and a few friends custom make some really great guitar and ukulele straps out of their small shop in Chicago. The fabrics are hand picked and the straps are hand sewn to perfection! This company really has a roots vision contrived out of an artistic endeavor as opposed to the corporate norm, the endeavor of mass production.
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The struggle with time….random thoughts and present ideas.
Like money, how we spend our time requires thoughtful consideration. Our habits of release and relaxation can be things that promote health and happiness, or they can be things that slowly deteriorate our body and mind. The attempt to master a musical instrument can lead you towards soul satisfaction that money never will. It has been well documented that money does not equate happiness.I know personally, our best sales days are not usually my happiest days. If I get time to enjoy playing music it makes a huge difference on how “settled” I feel. Just having the time is not enough, time can be used to worry about the future, or reflect negatively on the past. And you could spend all day being entertained with TV’s and computers but that leaves your creative mind dormant. Working on a piece of music, improvising, or even strumming and singing a tune brings you right here, now.
YOU can soon be enjoying the present tense with the sounds of a beautiful ukulele! Not because it’s gonna make you money, or because it will help “attract the ladies”. Haha, well maybe it could? But the point is, we play music because it is fun. We get better at it and that gives us a personal satisfaction.
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The Sonorous Union of Guitar and Ukulele – Kanilea GL-6
Kanilea has perfected the Guitarlele with their Koa GL6. It is a ukulele with two lower strings (ADGCEA). For guitar players this is like a capo on the 5th fret. In this new and exciting instrument Kanile’a has utilized their t.r.u. bracing system to give it that crystal clean tone Kanile’a is known for. As you get into the higher register, you get beyond the guitar in range, and bell-like tones ring out more like a piano than a guitar! As Kanile’a’s master luthier, Bill Griffin notes, “It’s like a guitar with a capo on the 5th fret, however instead of having 7 or 8 frets left to the body, you have a full 16 frets to the body to go, so it allows guitarists to expand, not only their scale, but their creativity as well.”
A visit to Kamaka and an original from Kalei Gamiao
In the past few years I have gotten to know Fred Jr, Casey, and Chris Kamaka, at least a bit, from the few occasions I have gotten to talk with them. I have seen Chris play upright bass and sing a few times and was really impressed with his musicality. Chris quality controls every ukulele that goes out from Kamaka. He is there every day making sure Kamaka’s look and sound just right. Casey I had met over 10 years ago at a Guild of American Luthiers convention (guitar building seminar and workshop). Casey does the custom shop work for Kamaka, and is truly a master luthier. His work can be seen and heard in this video. Fred Jr. runs the business side of Kamaka. He is who I deal with for the store, so luckily he is a fun and friendly guy. In fact all three brothers truly have aloha and it shows in the quality of their product.
What a cool uke for just over 100!!
We finally got in the brand new Luna “tattoo” model Concert ukuleles! I knew, based on the style and performance of it’s younger brother- the pineapple “tattoo”model, these ukes would be a great value! Value is factored by quality divided by cost, and these new Luna’s are way too cool for this entry level price range. The value is apparent when you strum them.
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10 ukuleles under $200 – Sound Sample and review
recently I have been amazed at how affordable a good ukulele can be. We took ten ‘ukulele, three under $100, and seven under $200, and gave you a video/audio sample of what can be yours for…..well lets just say you might not even have to ask your wife.
Four Hawaiian Made Soprano Ukuleles-KoAloha,Kanilea,Ko’olau,Kamaka-Sound Trial and review
In this review we took four locally made standard(soprano) ukes and tried them back to back. We had the 4 Ks, Kamaka, Kanilea, Koolau, and KoAloha. Ko’olau with Ko’olau Alohi Strings , Kamaka with Kamaka strings , KoAloha with Worth strings, and Kanile’a with Aquila strings.
Kala U-Bass – Koolau CE – and the Korg Kaossilator – A unique looping scenario~
The Kala U-Bass loops through the kaossilator along with a beat. Then I grab the Ko’olau CE tenor ukulele and play through the Redwitch pedals.
Kanilea Ukulele Shop Tour
In recent years Joe Souza and Bill Griffin have fused their skills and brought the Kanilea Ukulele company to a unique and wonderful place.