Ko’olau CS – Sinker Redwood/ Hawaiian Mahogany

Today we were handed a new tenor from Noa at Ko'olau and it's quite impressive. The refinement of a Ko'olau really sets them apart. This is one of the lightest Ko'olau ukes I have played, partly due to the Madagascar rosewood and bridge. This wood is very light yet dense and has become Noa's favorite for the bridge and fingerboard. ...
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New Deluxe Kamaka Models

These are deluxe models just made available in the concert and tenor size. We got the concert HF-2DC, cedar top. The HF-3D & 3DL (long neck), both super beautiful. Actually all of them have totally amazing koa and sound and feel great. The tenor comes in a Spruce Top and Cedar Top also. Besides a few NAMM customs these are ...
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The Art of Moore!

Aloha friends! Here's a look at two Moore Bettah's that just arrived. Absolutely stunning masterpieces! Gorgeous koa, creative inlay, and Moore Bettah tone make these the best! They're completely handmade and completely one of a kind. This is some of Hawaii's finest art, but Chuck builds for musical qualities as much as aesthetic. Both are vibrant in tone, have perfect intonation, ...
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Two KoAloha Tenor Bodies Compared

KoAloha is a wonderful group of craftsman and artists making killer ukes here on Oahu. They began in the mid 90's when Alvin Okami, engineer, inventor, musician that he was, designed a unique instrument with a voice like no other. Because Alvin came from other fields of study, he had an entirely different approach to the support and resonance of ...
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Acacia or Mahogany?

That's a common question and I find it hard to take sides. Pono is very consistent at this point. On top of that, these woods are a similar density. Both have a .54 specific gravity. The Mahogany is slightly lighter at 34lb/ft while Acacia is 42 lb/ft, and both are close to Hawaiian Koa which is approximately 41lb/ft and .55 ...
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Moore Bettah Ukulele – 2 Tenor’s

Feast your eyes on two heart stopping tenors custom made by Big Island Luthier, Chuck Moore. They look amazing and sound even better. Huge, lively, warm, clean, and just a beautiful sound from both the spruce top and the all koa. Both instruments belong to my friend Stan. Not 4 Sale. Just a review, but  words won't do justice.  In ...
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The Godin Ukulele- MultiUke Review

Robert Godin began making guitars in 1972 in Quebec Canada. By the eighties he had a successful factory of talented craftsman and was doing great work, but for other major manufacturers. Never publicly acknowledged, but I believe the Martin Shenandoah Series guitars were made by Godin. Eventually he focused on his own brands with Godin being the most innovative. As ...
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HMS Listening Booth – Pono Tenor in Various Tonewoods

This is part of a new series of videos that we will offer for your comparison purposes. These are recorded with a Earthworks QTC-40. It is known for it's flat frequency response and for being accurate and uncolored. It is brought to level with an Earthworks ZDT preamp that is also known for it's exceptional transparency.  It is then recorded through a Apogee interface ...
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Better than Koa?- A Look at the Ko’olau CS Redwood/Milo Tenor~

Once in a great while Ko’olau will get their hands on some of this precious wood indigenous to the Hawaiian Islands. MILO has been highly valued for many years here in Hawaii. To the ancient Hawaiians it was the most valuable wood used for furniture, paddles, and bowls, and was and was used by the Kings more than any other tree. This dazzling Hawaiian wood is in VERY limited supply and has the most wonderful deep tones you could wish for. The dimension of colors is truly a testament to the beauty of gods creation! And the sound…wow! Of course it doesn’t hurt that it has a Redwood top. If you did not already know, Redwood has an astounding resonance and is arguably the best soundboard wood money can buy. It sounds how it looks, warm and rich, with beautiful harmonic overtones; a perfect match to the natural bright tones of the tenor ukulele. Ko’olau finishes with a striking nitro cellulose finish taken to under three thousandths of an inch so as not to hinder the open tone of the wood…

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Islander Ukulele by Kanile’a -Video & Review

It can get overwhelming at times, trying to make the right decisions.  When buying an ukulele, considering it, or even looking at the market for friends, there are many choices in the 1 to 300 dollar range to consider. So where do you go to to find out the real scoops. Duh, Ukulele Underground. But often people’s recommendations are based …