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The one thing you should know before buying an ukulele…

….I understand why most companies manufacturing ukes do not do this themselves. In the market, price rules. Everyone has a price point. So these companies, just like most online music stores, end up simply moving boxes in and out the door hoping never to see them again. The bean counters won’t allow a worker to sit there all day making $100 ukuleles play better…….

4

3 Master-built Hawaiians!

Everyone knows we don’t need an ukulele this nice. But we love them! We dream of how awesome it would be to get them. The combination of beauty and what we can do with them makes us feel so alive. I will liken it to a beautiful woman, that also happens to be a Master Chef. She doesn’t have to be beautiful to appreciate her food, but it doesn’t exactly hurt. I personally LOVE taking ukes like these in the photo room. It’s glorious! My gratitude goes……

13

How hard is it to play Ukulele?

My wife and I have owned Hawaii Music Supply for about eight years now. For the first five years I did most of the in-store assisting of customers. At the time, Mike was running his eBay store and I used to think, he probably just sits in his boxers all day listing ukes and answering emails. He couldn’t handle helping people in a …

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Ukulele -The New Guitar! – A Pepe Romero Review

Here, Pepe Romero has shrunk a classical guitar! And, they would compete with guitars in the low mid frequency range where most ukes are non existent. Yet there is a crystal clean articulation, and even a reverberated sustain that comes out as you attack the higher range. It reminds me of the high notes on a grand piano.

Not many people can say they own a Pepe Romero ukulele. But within less than two years they have gotten a lot of notoriety. Some musicians owning a Pepe Romero ukulele that you may have heard of include, Daniel Ho, Jake Shimabukuro, Eddie Vedder, Paula Fuga, and Jack Johnson. Ever heard of them?

So, how do I feel about Pepe Romero’s ukuleles?

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Nedward Ka’apana caught in Action!

I say caught because Ned is one of those great players that you couldn’t find a video of online. You can learn some about Ned from his brother’s website   –

As teenagers, Led and his twin brother Ned and cousin Dennis Pavao formed the Hui Ohana, one of the hottest groups of the 70s and 80s and now legendary among Hawaiian musicians.

So Nedward is Ledward’s twin brother! They grew up in Kalapana on the Big Island of Hawaii. Playing music was what they did. There were no video games, there was no cell phones and iPads. They took music traditional Hawaiian music to another level. Ned left that ambition and now teaches ukulele to kid’s. Truly a nice man and I am glad to showcase him here at The Review.

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What Makes an Ukulele Good?

About 6 years ago, when Hawaii Music Supply was above Ko’olau Ukulele in Kaneohe, Mike Aratani would come by and do “blind” sound tests with our ukes. While keeping your eyes closed and back turned he would play the same thing on 5 or 6 different ones. We would have to guess which model was being played. Now, I can hear the difference in a Hawaiian Made ukulele and an import, usually. Recently, some of the Pono’s are amazing. But pretty much, Hawaiian ukes rule.
You just can’t get what we got in China. You can have a good value, a deal you will never see in a Hawaiian made uke. People ask if the $60 uke was made here. I can’t even fill up my tank for $60. But listen, in this video, to the difference of what is made here. Of course I know “tone is subjective”, but I think it just works out naturally. Because if you can’t hear the difference, then you don’t need to spend that much anyway.

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Pono Makes Super Big Ukes!

Ok, they’re guitars. Our most popular ukulele company is making guitars again! When I first got news of these coming I may have rolled my eyes. Not that I didn’t always like Pono Guitars, but it’s been impossible to keep their ukes in stock, especially the tenors. Their small team of builders don’t mass produce, but they do it right. With models like the AT or MT we can’t get enough. So the prospect of guitars seemed a little beside the point, if you know what I mean. BUT…

2

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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Which Tonewoods are Best?

was gonna do an article on this this last year, but it’s so abstract. I touched on it in the article- What Makes an Ukulele Good? but mainly pointing out that the design and skill of the maker is the first determinate of tone. Great builders adjust to the woods attributes.

Beyond all of those other considerations,  woods do make a difference. This is the material that is transmitting the vibration that makes the sound. The density and makeup of their cell structure in conjunction the other factors is what determine it’s tonality. Here’s my mix of facts and opinions on the most common woods used.