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Original Post By:
bookbinder
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Date: 4/29/2008 9:44:01 PM |
| I'm brad new to forum! Thanks for having me! I'm ready to upgrade from the cheapo laminate uke I bought in Maui. I love highly figured Koa (who doesn't?!) -- but I can't really spend more than a few hundred. any recommendations on where I could get some highly figured koa uke? |
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Posted By:
Kirbster
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Date: 4/29/2008 10:35:44 PM |
If you are looking for a soprano, MusicGuyMic has a couple on his eBay site that are in your price range. The Tangi he has on auction should go for around $200. He also has some Koa Pili Koko sopranos that are made of acacia that is very similar to koa in look and sound. They also are around $200. One of them has some real nice curl on the face of it.
Other than that, most of what you will find in that price range will be laminate koa and some solid mahogany.
Good Luck and welcome to the board.
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Posted By:
Joe Silver
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Date: 4/29/2008 10:52:04 PM
(Updated: 1/15/2009 12:17:52 PM)
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You might also consider the Kiwaya KS-5. Although it's made of laminated koa, Kiwaya's laminated ukes are in a totally different class from those of most other brands. They're very nice looking and sounding instruments, with careful attention to detail.
Joe Silver
joesilver(at)hotmail(dot)com
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Posted By:
mLKauai
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Date: 4/30/2008 5:32:46 AM |
Kala is not a bad uke; and the woods Kala is coming up with are unreal these days.
Just make sure it has a good "setup" before you buy; other wise you will spend time/money getting it right.... string height, intonation.
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Posted By:
Aaron Oya
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Date: 5/1/2008 11:54:27 AM |
Realistically, if you want curly koa, it'll cost you (retail) over a hundred just to get the wood, then the instrument has to be built.
Unless, of course, you get a laminate.
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Posted By:
Allison's R
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Date: 5/1/2008 1:00:51 PM |
On what Kirbster wrote..... Maybe you've seen it already... Pity the reserve price is not published..... Not sure what happens when the "sell by date" has been reached. Does one just remove their product off E-Bay??
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-TANGI-of-Hawaii-KOA-Soprano-Solid-Mango-Ukulele_W0QQitemZ230248077652QQihZ013QQcategoryZ16224QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
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Posted By:
hoaryhead
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Date: 5/1/2008 1:40:00 PM |
Are you Roy Bookbinder, the famous guitar player?
As for a highly figured instrument, Kanile'a has some nice ones every so often.
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Posted By:
Joe Silver
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Date: 5/1/2008 2:05:45 PM
(Updated: 1/15/2009 12:18:03 PM)
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"Not sure what happens when the 'sell by date' has been reached. Does one just remove their product off E-Bay??"
Yes, that's what happens, unless the seller lowers the reserve price while the auction is in progress, or re-lists the item after the original auction expires.
Joe Silver
joesilver(at)hotmail(dot)com
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Posted By:
William
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Date: 5/2/2008 12:20:59 AM |
| When I got my Pacific Ukuleles uke, I began a search to find out about Blackwood. The koa tree is Genus Acacia species koa. Acacia Melanoxylon translates out as black wood. It is an invasive species without all of the ritual heritage connected with koa. It is probably only a matter of time until it is called Asian Koa by unscrupulous or ignorant makers and/or sellers. It has figure and tonal qualitites of koa. It will be difficult for Joe Sixpak to tell a difference. There are many tone woods as good as or better than koa. It wouldn't surprise me to discover a Period Blackpowder Rendezvous mentality about koa ukuleles exists.
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Posted By:
Teletodd
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Date: 5/2/2008 11:38:50 AM |
| Kelii has nice figuring and is a lot of bang for the buck. Kanilea also has nice figuring but costs more. I also like Koaloha but they dont seem to have much figuring, go figure?
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Posted By:
Muttzukii
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Date: 5/2/2008 1:00:30 PM
(Updated: 5/2/2008 6:07:00 PM)
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| William's comments on Acacia Melanoxylon: It is already going by the monniker of "Portugese Koa"; I inquired to the mfg using this title but didn't receive a response as to what species this is, but believe I saw an authoritve attribution on BB that it was indeed AM grown in Portugal. AM grows all over the world and if you look at Koa from a Darwinian perspective, it is highly likely that Koa is a unique evolutionary adaptation of AM. Regarding "ritual heritage" & "Period Blackpowder Rendezvous" statements; depends on your world vision. Do you ever spend more than $4 on a bottle of wine? It is all just spoiled grape juice, right? Having soul searched on this issue [I am extremely fond of Koa], my personal opinion is that no tone woods are "as good or better" than any other wood. It is totally subjective. Working with Koa and AM are pretty similar, which means nasty compared to spruce or mahogany. Regarding Teletodd's going to figure: If you research this site, I believe there was a recent thread about figured vs unfigured Koa. I may not be citing the correct source, but my recollection is that Rick Turner said his experience was that plain Koa usually resulted in a [subjective] better sounding instrument. My personal experience is working with the highly figured wood is more stressful because if you mess up a piece you're out considerably more money than if you are doing the same thing with plain. It is easier to downplay errors in plain wood. Most people willing to shell out for highly figured Koa look at the wood so closely that a lot of extra time needs to be spent assuring finish holds up to close scrutiny. Also, notice that most Kamakas are plain Koa, but generally highly regarded, especially in Hawaii. My personal experience with the dozen or so Muttzukii conversions [Koa or AM top on tourist mahogany plywood body] is that a lot more people will choose to try out the highly figured instrument. The owner of a highly figured Koa ukulele gets the same kind of attention at events as does the parent of a beautiful happy baby. So, it does come down to taste and desire. Bookbinder, spend as much as you can afford and get the ukulele that makes your heart beat faster. If it is highly figured [true] Koa Acacia, it will certainly hold value.
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Posted By:
ToeBone
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Date: 5/2/2008 1:59:33 PM |
"a highly figured Koa ukulele gets the same kind of attention at events as does the parent of a beautiful happy baby"
Ha! I'll run screaming from any baby!
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Posted By:
Teletodd
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Date: 5/4/2008 12:31:44 PM |
| Just like with a 1958 Les Paul tiger top, the flame is the game.
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Posted By:
Muttzukii
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Date: 5/4/2008 3:23:49 PM |
| Just like a 58 Les Paul "da bucks is da crux"
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Posted By:
Muttzukii
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Date: 5/4/2008 3:25:14 PM
(Updated: 5/4/2008 3:27:03 PM)
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Posted By:
Ukeguy
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Date: 5/5/2008 7:40:36 PM |
| Eldelry Instruments has a nice Kamaka soprano for $450. Good luck!
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Posted By:
Bill1
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Date: 5/5/2008 9:23:16 PM |
I don't know why you want a koa uke.
If it is so you can own a traditional koa uke, then you should not look past the great Hawaiian makers. Kamaka has a hitory that can be traced back to 1916 and before, to the very origins of the instrument. The other Hawaiian makers also share in this heritage to varying degrees. Also when you read of child slavery rackets and theft of rainforests in other parts of the world, you can be sure that the workshops in Hawaii are not likely to be involved because they are regulated by US laws and are monitored by a relativel free media. You can also actually visit most of these workshops to check them yourself and meet the luthiers, if you fly to Hawaii. I do not think it is as easy to visit the East Asian workshops.
On the other hand if you just want a koa sound, check out the ukes that are not made in Hawaii and are sold at a lower price. If you ignore the long terms effects of using cheap labour in other countries while ignoring building your own industries, they really are good value for money.
I am amazed at the comments on Acacia Melanoxylon. It is native to the east coast of Australia and has been planted in many countries with varying success. It makes great musical instruments and can be grown in a sustainable way. "It is an invasive species without all of the ritual heritage connected with koa" is garbage to anyone who lives near or visits its natural habitat, I am sure the original inhabitants of eastern Australia would have used it in some practical and ritualistic ways. Of course now it is widely used in Australia and other countries. It is a wonderful rainforest tree, but if you plant it out of its natural habitat it may become a weed like any other plant that is not in its natural habitat.
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Posted By:
Teletodd
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Date: 5/7/2008 10:21:48 AM |
| I always wonder how many people who post questions like "which uke should i get-whether it be which wood, which size, which brand, etc-start out with good intentions of only owning one uke, and ultimately wind up getting the other 2 or three that they were pondering. Usually, all the ukes suggested are good, just differn't.
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