 |
|
|
Original Post By:
Guest_michael
|
Date: 1/22/2006 |
| Just starting reading the post on the 5k since i just got back home to hawaiii a few minutes ago. I was not impressed by the quality of koa...they called it flamed but the flames only show up well in the photots but not when looking at it under normal condition. The diffrences from a real vintage 5k was an addition on a small black line in the bindings outer edges and improved tuners. That said... the one they choose to be a representative model did not show great care. According to uke luthier Mike da Silva and I also confirmed after he told me.. it's intonation was also out at the higher frets. (shouldn't be for 5,000) John Kitakis of Koolau said the sound was "okay" but the choice of Koa for such an instrument AA grade at best(to me) shouldn't justify its 5,000 + price tag. Maybe it would sound better without the horrible martin strings on it. Still i think they are just trying to cash in on the name and reputation of the vintage 5K's which sound much better. I have photos that once I figure out how to link them I will post it. Until then if you really want to see it email me and I'll send you the shots of front back and sides,.Will report on other interesting Namm uke news when I get some rest from the flight...Bye the way Jake S. stopped the show and brought the crowd to a standing ovation at the Namm conventions acoustic cafe concert. From the second he started playing he had the crowd mesmerized and you could hear a pin drop. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted By:
Guest_Aloha Dave Loftus
|
Date: 1/22/2006 |
Michael, the title of your posting suggests that you've got some photos that you'd trade for a Martin 5K. They'd have to be some pretty spicy pix to justify that kind of expense :)
Thanks for the quick review. I'd like to know if it was fun to play, was it light and punchy?
If the intonation's out of whack up high, there's little reason to have all those extra frets. A Model 2 will suffice. I actually think that the bling on the 5K is over the top, and that the Model 3 is much prettier in its relatively understated way. Sorta like an Audrey Hepburn/Pam Anderson comparison. Maybe Martin should have started their retro thing there and rebuilt their uke reputation slowly. The high rollers then could be teased for a while in anticipation. But 5 grand? The best outcome I think would be that this uke might take some price pressure off of the vintage ukes so that we who are income-challenged players could afford them. Meanwhile I'll continue to be a bottom-feeder and seek the hidden gems that are good players.
|
|
|
|
|
Posted By:
Guest_Jon
|
Date: 1/22/2006 |
For 20 years I owned a gorgeous Martin D-41 guitar, which I bought when I was 19 largely for its bling value. Ended up dumping it a couple of years ago after realizing that the late 1970s beat-to-hell Takamine (Japanese Martin) I owned was a much better sounding instrument.
Its cool if you have the bucks for this new 5k and want to own a Martin, but personally I would take the $5000 and buy two or three killer instruments from a couple of the many talented luthiers out there who put more care into construction for a fraction of the price of a top-end Martin.
|
|
|
|
|
Posted By:
Guest_david talsma
|
Date: 1/22/2006 |
| I'm getting tired of all the knocking of the new 5K, I think its great to see Martin getting back to making a serious uke. And if I had the money I would get one for sure.
|
|
|
|
|
Posted By:
Guest_bftd
|
Date: 1/22/2006 |
| And if I had the money, I'd own a Talsma.
|
|
|
|
|
Posted By:
Guest_ukewood
|
Date: 1/22/2006 |
| I agree with Dave, I said in another post that is was very noisy @ NAMM and how it sounds to one person may be different from another. As for being out of intonation,come on give me a break, if you heard it out of intonation on the floor of NAMM, then you could replace a parabolic microphone. There are a lot of beautiful Ukes with great sound,why can't Martin make one. I thing they are starting to do it again. The price is another issue. I doubt if the soundboard on the Martin 5K will warp or buckle like the "thin top" DaSilvas.
|
|
|
|
|
Posted By:
Guest_Pete
|
Date: 1/22/2006 |
| Yep - back off and let's wait and see what happens. This can only be good for us who build 5Ks at half the cost and besides, Martin have justifyably earned the right to charge what they want. You don't like it, go somewhere else; it's no value for money, go somewhere elese; the intonation is out, buy a uke that is Buzz Feiten fretted!
|
|
|
|
|
Posted By:
Guest_northern uke
|
Date: 1/22/2006 |
| If I had the money, I'd own 2 Talsmas!
|
|
|
|
|
Posted By:
Guest_Koty
|
Date: 1/22/2006 |
| I played the 5K and didn't hear anything worthy of reporting. I played a DaSilva that was sitting right next to the Kamaka booth and a few Ukiyos, and wow, those were awesome. The difference between the 5K versus the DaSilva and Ukiyos were simply, to me, the difference between a dead sounding instrument and a lively and inspiring instrument.
|
|
|
|
|
Posted By:
Guest_Martin
|
Date: 1/22/2006 |
| C.F. Martin should gain our respect through what they make today, not what they have made in the past. Maybe they have "earned the right to charge what they want" but if their ukes are no better than ukes that cost half or even a third as much then some criticism is valid. Right now it sounds like the jury is very much undecided about the relative value and quality of the new 5k. The new Jake $6000 Kamaka should and will be subject to the same scrutiny.
|
|
|
|
|
Posted By:
Guest_Michael
|
Date: 1/22/2006 |
| Hey my point was to report on what I thought of the specific intsrtument there and others opinions (underline opinions) on the subject matter. It is not made to bash the ukulele but when you want to showcase a $5900.00 ukulele at a music convention I felt that this was a poor example. I am also not trading pictures but will email them to anyone interested. As for the sound. The above mentioned Ukiyo and Da silva and the martins my Nakanishi sounded better thanb the 5K in MY opinion. I never said that Martin cannot make a great sounding ukulele. Just remember my discussion is specific to this instrument at the show..
|
|
|
|
|
Posted By:
Guest_duane
|
Date: 1/22/2006 |
| The 5K is not about sound, its about bling and money as had been stated in other threads. To get a great sounding koa uke, all the extras are not necessary. To get a lot of money, you gotta have that bling. Thanks for you opinion Michael, it helps others to get a sense of what its all about.
|
|
|
|
|
Posted By:
Guest_Taco
|
Date: 1/22/2006 |
| ....I have to believe that three or four trusted luthiers that post here told us the truth. You can build a fine professional instrument for the $700-$1,000 range. The "ad ons", like inlay, heritage, association and so forth raise the price considerably. For those out there that need a fine professional instrument don't dispair. Save to around a $1,000 and you can commission something really nice. There, now I feel better...........
|
|
|
|
|
Posted By:
Guest_Dasher
|
Date: 1/22/2006 |
| The number of messages the Martin 5K has generated is now 137 in 48 hours.
|
|
|
|
|
Posted By:
Guest_michael
|
Date: 1/22/2006 |
| Hey while still on the subject of Namm saw a great guitar with two necks but each was slightly off angled and had their own side of the instrument with its own sound hole. One side stee. one side nylon.. How about a similiar design in ukulele one side 4 string one side six or eight?? Way easier and more comfortable than the trad. double neck. Play the 4 flip the instrument..play the eight. cool?? Sounded nice tooo even with the double holes...maybe a cover or sliding cover could be incorperated when using one side...
|
|
|
|
|
Posted By:
Guest_Howlin' Hobbit
|
Date: 1/22/2006 |
Michael -- go to http://www.josephbandy.com/guitar.php and scroll down to the second pic for a peek at the double ukulele (baritone/concert) that this guy built for Christina Marrs (of the Asylum Street Spankers).
HH
|
|
|
|
|
Posted By:
Guest_Howlin' Hobbit
|
Date: 1/22/2006 |
Oooops! Or even better, you can click http://www.josephbandy.com/uk.php and see some larger pics as well as some more text about it.
HH
|
|
|
|
|
Posted By:
Guest_michael
|
Date: 1/23/2006 |
| Thanks for the link..cool looking but it still has the two neck above neck feel where it just puts your hands out of normal position. The one I saw had only one body and a neck on the top and one on the back. Like building a two sided ukulele. Hands stayed in perfect position and it didn't weigh a ton.
|
|
|
|
