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Original Post By:
cfiimei
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Date: 1/21/2015 10:33:34 PM |
Woo hoo! Ohana TK-70 8 string on the way! I know it's an Asian uke, but it is solid wood and sounds good on YouTube. I have a Lanikai laminate 8 string that I bought cheap to see if I liked 8 strings, and I do. Can't wait for it to arrive. That makes the second uke added in 5 months. In September I bought a tenor Tiki Fluke at the D&D shack in Maui. Yes, a mainland mass produced uke in Maui! Why? I wanted something that sounded good and could survive a very hot humid week hiking around the Hana / Hamoa area. That dang thing is still my go-to for figuring out new tunes. Geez, they just play so much better than they should.
I'll probably be listing the Lanikai cheap soon for someone else that wants to give 8 strings a try. |
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Posted By:
cfiimei
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Date: 1/24/2015 1:55:30 PM |
| The Ohana 8 string arrived, and for the money I am not disappointed. It is not fancy, but it is very cleanly done and well finished. The finish is satin, and so thin I can barely tell it is there (a plus in my book.). The spruce top is very good grade and quite thin: about the same thickness as my Kamaka soprano. The back and sides are truly solid (not laminated) and are very good quality mahogany. I'm not sure what brand the strings are. They are black (except for the wound G,) smooth, and high tension. They feel like Worths, although I don't think Worth makes black strings. Not the least bit squeaky. When I received it the stringing was Gg cC E A. I think this was just a stringing error, as when I changed it to gG cC E A By swapping the position of the G strings they fit better in the nut. I fingerpick a lot, and strung this way it is easy to play the high g when I want or both together, depending on what I need. The cC arrangement lets me hit the high c alone with my thumb, both with my thumb or finger, or just the low C with my finger. For me this adds a lot of versatility to the instrument. The sound is clear and rings well, not unlike the concert Ohana I had some time ago. The only other setup issue I found were that the paired E strings sit too high on the nut, making the first fret take a bit more pressure to finger. I will fix that with a nut slot file in short order. At this point I can say I would recommend this model for anyone wanting a nice gig-able all solid wood 8-string on a budget. My cost with shipping was just under $400, and I think it was worth every dime. I'll post a link to a video soon.
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