Tenor Ukulele Comparison -Kamaka, Kanile'a, KoAloha, Kala, Sigma, Pono, Brunswick, Snail etc
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- Опубліковано 18 жов 2024
- Alex takes a look at Tenor Ukuleles across different price points.. Whether you are a beginner, improver or just somebody in need of a bit of advice; we hope we have you covered.
Brunswick BU4T
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Snail SUT-M1
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Kanile'a Islander MT-4
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Sigma SUM-2T
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Snail SUT-M3
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Kala SA-TE (ASAC-TE)
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Pono MTDC
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Opio KTO-10S Spruce Tenor
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Pono Pro Classic ET5-PC(C)
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Kanile'a K-1TE Tenor
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Kamaka HF-3D
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Alex, really enjoy your excellent demos for SUS. Just enough narration and plenty of playing examples. Great idea to always play the same strum or melody to make comparison easier. Can I suggest a few ideas for future uploads?
(1) Using a good make of instrument compare a baritone tuned DGBE with the same one tuned GCEA which has been fitted with the appropriate strings. (I know you sell several different GCEA sets as I've just ordered a few). Perhaps comment on the possible use of classical guitar strings to achieve GCEA.
(2) Demo whatever range of Baritone ukes you sell which come-as-standard with GCEA tuning.
(3) Compare a tenor and baritone uke by same maker with each tuned GCEA to show what difference there might be in tone, resonance etc.
Keep up the good work and thanks to all at SUS for such outstanding helpfulness whenever I've asked for advice. Am looking forward to news of the latest shipment of Pono ukes - especially the BE-ST.
I just got a Kala KA-SMHT It's so cool it even smells great I've been looking for the Sweet spot, where is the best Value? Seems like as much as you can afford I've been investigating the Kala line but I bought the Laminates off Amazon (TD & TEMB) & they were not so good needing a setup but every time I spend more I like the Uke more. It's important for me to get a uke from a store not drop shipped from a dry warehouse in PHX that makes the ukes shrink & the Frets stick out.
JodyM2 the SMHT is a fine Uke!
Definitely the KoAloha!!
The Sigma surprised me with it’s apparent long sustain. I wonder what the KoAloha Opio would sound like with reentrant High G and different strings or fluorocarbon-it sounded muddy, I thought the Spruce top would sound brighter. The Cedar top Pono and the Kamaka were exceptional...they should and better be at that price point! Question please, what was the name of that demo song you used for each Tenor? It’s my birthday 🎂 in three days and I am going to seal the deal 🤝 on an Ohana CK-28-5 vintage Nunes inspired solid mahogany 5 string Concert from my local Ukulele shop. Mahalo 🤠 from Ventura, California! 🌴
Hi Paul,
Happy Birthday for later in the week!!
I didn't use a particular song sadly, just an improvisation loosely based around 1st position chords rather than trying to play something fancy that will overshadow the Uke I am playing.. Sorry buddy.
I agree about the Opio, had I had my wits about me I would have strung it up High G in the morning but alas, I wanted to for a large quantity of Ukuleles and as one of the more popular Ukuleles we sell I couldn't leave the Opio out.
The Cedar Top Pono and Kamaka are excellent and have very specific sounds unlike other Ukuleles around. I love the Sigma too and I think the best value for money Uke in that list is the Snail SUT-M3 which holds its own against the Pono and Opio.
Enjoy your Nunes
Alex
Southern Ukulele Store Hey 👋 Alex. I did a little research on Sigma and thanks to Barry Maz & his Sigma Soprano review, I now know a little something about the interesting history of Martin guitars and Sigma (Japan, China & Germany)...fascinating stuff. I like KoAloha as I recently scored a Thailand built Opio Guitalele...it is distinctly KoAloha in tone and projection. I am looking out for and will wait till the cows come home for a spectacular / drop dead gorgeous example in Spalted Mango of the Daniel Ho/Pepe Romero Jr. Tiny Tenor...how such a powerful sound comes out of a diminutive little body astounds me. Blessings to you!🤙🏽. Oh, are you a natural left hander strumming left handed or just enjoy a good challenge? 😆
Love that sigma , sounds great , solid mahogany :)
Love these videos ! Thank you so much
What are the 2020 tenors you would recommend for under or around US$200 ??
Kala Caramel, Chocolate or Bamboo Tenors are very nice. Also, Kai and Islander stand out to me...
I really enjoy your comparisons. Two I would like to see would be 1. The different Romero Creations Ukuleles if you carry them.
2. If you do carry them also a comparison between the different Romero Creations Tenors (Tiny & Grand, different woods.) And the Hawaiian brands of Tenors and their different woods.
Thanks.. We did a comparison of all of the Tiny Tenor models just last week. We haven't had a massive amount of stock to compare but hopefully it will help.
ua-cam.com/video/_JT066FxbEw/v-deo.html
Alex
Southern Ukulele Store I saw that after I posted this and enjoyed the video. What I cannot find online are comparison videos of the Romero Tiny Tenor and Grand Tenor with other well known brands of Tenors. They nearly always seem to be compared with themselves. I know they are unique and that is what would make a sound comparison with "regular" size Tenors so valuable.
Daniel Flores I understand now.. it’s not the most obvious choice because they are so unique. We have only had the Tiny Tenors so cant yet do the Comparison you are after with the grand Tenors but certainly will look to include something relevant in the future
I did not hear much of a difference until you played the Pono Pro Classic, which sounded much better than the cheaper models. When you pulled out the Kamakas I was amazed at how much better they were than all the rest including the Pono. I know what I want to play. Now all I need is a spare $3,000 for a uke.
I get where you are coming from David. Good luck saving your pennies.
Echo. So, that daily meal could, perhaps shift to every OTHER day? We are saving for a Kamaka. Lovely demo here, thank you.
Kamakas are traditionally the best and very old school, kala are the next best. If you find something koa wood, that's also somewhat traditional. If you find any kamaka that are from the 1970s or earlier, especially with certain types of wood, keep them, they worth something. Especially 1950s or earlier.
Kylez McGee kala are the next best?? What on Earth are you talking about? ‘Best’ is very subjective but other than one line kala recently brought out that are us built, they are essentially a half decent Far East made low to mid price uke. Koaloha, Kanilea, Collings, kiwaya and anuenue are all superior to kala and just to point out, kamaka may be the oldest and one of the best production instruments but there is a whole other teer above them in terms of quality in hand built ukuleles from builders such as chuck Moore (Moore bettah ukes) and Eric Devine. Devine for me are the best you can buy.
I’m surprised how good that snail m1 sounds!
So useful. I have a much-loved Pono concert but am now in the market for a tenor with low G tuning. Wish you were closer! No good stores like yours anywhere near me.
Sorry 🤷🏻♂️
So I am trying to figure out which tenor to pick up to add to the collection and I'm a little stuck. Does anyone know of a video that just has the sound samples back to back without knowing which is which? I'd love to be able to just listen to 10 ukes in a row and narrow it down solely on the sound. Maybe something you could swing Alex?
Sadly I can't see myself ever having the time to go back through the older videos just to carve them up. Lots of people told me they just open the video in different tabs on a computer and switch through.
Best of luck.
@@SouthernUkuleleStore That is completely fair! I just wish I had a way of not knowing what I was listening to make an unbiased decision. Either way, loving all the videos you’ve been putting out! Can’t ever get enough ukulele in my life :).
I've a Kanilea K-2T, and I simply don't believe that any other uke can sound more beautiful, nor be more playable.
Purchased new for $990 USD, I believe that every penny was very well spent. I treasure it (along with my new 2018 Kawasaki Ninja 400 ABS KRT Edition)!
Good comparison but it could have been so much better if you had used good quality recording kit and that does not include an iPhone.
I agree, check out the progression of the audio quality over the last year...
Once past the Sigma and Kala, they all sound the same to me. The high end seems just snob value to me.
Kamaka
Just purchased an HF-3 for my daughter. Kamaka makes amazing ukes. Your video solidified my decision to pick on me up. Thanks.
The first one looks like Lanikai Lu21c I thought it is made of nato wood
Alan W Nato is more or less a fast growing Mahogany. Brunswick advertise it as Mahogany.
Maybe don't use the microphone on an iphone? A proper high end mic is more useful for comparing high end instruments.
Dave Anderson you’re right - in the month that’s followed I’ve changed to a set of condenser mics. Check out the later videos and hopefully you will hear a difference.
I like your video a lot but the sound is pretty bad. I have a $25 amazon mic that sounds better. Would probably be an easy fix and raise your views quite a bit. Thanks for your videos. Have a good one.
In the months that has followed this video we have invested in better audio equipment 👍
I genuinely appreciate the polite way you raise your point - some UA-cam comments are needlessly aggressive. I urge you to check out any of the videos from the past 4 months on the channel... we have gone from using basically the same $25 Amazon mic you have to two clip on condensers to just this week using a Zoom H6.
Southern Ukulele Store
Great news. Thank you for the reply. I will definitely check out your new vids. Take care.
Kamaka