It literally took me years to warm up to the shape but meanwhile I not only respect but kinda dig it! Wonderfully quirky! And for folks w\ a certain physique I imagine it might even be much more comfortable to play than a traditional ukulele shape! And Oak! I would be VERY interested in finding out how Pete came about and why he decided for oak … 😮 The fact of the matter is: it sounds good! To my surprise but it does!
I have the homestead tenor in cherry. I changed out the strings to Martin fluorocarbons and scrapped the low G I originally had on it. I love the sound of it, especially for strumming, and the tone keeps getting better and better.
Wow. Another great review. Thanks to the owner for sending it for review. Love the Oak natural look. Actual like the shape, but how on earth it sounds as it does, baffling. Pete is a genius and I would never have known about these without you. Should be renamed the Tardis, definitely breaking some sort of relative distance with its space and construction👌. Have a great week.
Thanks for reviewing this one! I had been wondering about the Oakridge line. I have two Bonanza ukes - a cherry tenor and a walnut baritone. The wood in both of them is beautiful. I did change the strings on my cherry, but that’s a personal choice. I also lowered the action a bit, as I find Pete and I differ on what constitutes low action, and I have small arthritic hands. That said, Pete and Shelly are a delight to deal with, and his instruments are beautifully made. Highly recommend checking them out!
So I had decided I was good on ukuleles for awhile, nothing else had caught my eye or peaked my interest, but now I watched this review and you have ruined my streak! I want this one! It looks awesome and fun and also super great quality for a good price! If you can get excited playing it, which let's be honest, you don't excite easily, then I know it's fun to play! 😁
Although it's difficult to judge the sound of your recording over a mobile phone speaker, it does seem to have an excellent all-round tone! I've lost count of the reviews I've viewed, listened to. This seems well worth the money! If I didn't have so many competing things on my 'bucket list', I think I'd go for this straight away!
I am amazed at the quality of volume and tone that thinner bodies produce. But after thinking about it, violins have thin bodies and are unquestionably boisterous. And thinner bodied mandolins are louder and more projecting than bowl backs, so . . .
Think there is a lot at play here - the top routing is also extremely thin (as you can see when I tap it), but the sides are thick due to the construction. I have a uke coming in a couple of weeks that also uses thick sides for the same reason - contributes to tone - there are some guitar makers making double walled sides on instruments for that reason. All very clever, and all very above my knowledge!!
@@GotAUkulele yes, Jose Ramirez lined his primo Brazilian Rosewood sides with an extra veneer to stiffen them and Chris Alvarado, the luthier of Driftwood Guitars which sell in the $20,000+ range has gone exclusively to heavier laminated sides. He swears by the improvement.
Not a huge fan of the shape but I could live with it. I AM a huge fan of just about everything else and if he makes his cabinets to the same standard, I wouldn't mind some of those either 😉 Can't believe the price tbh and would love to hear how the soprano sounds. Great review Baz, as usual, thanks mate! 👍
I wonder if the lower price comes down to the ease of sourcing oak rather than (say) mahogany or koa. Though this is just empty speculation. Anyway, I love it. And it sounds like Bonanza has experience with UK imports - I should take a good look!
This is really amazing for the price. I live in Minnesota. Maybe I should take a summer trip to check these out ! I really like the shape. I have been wanting a thin line
This is a unique ukulele. I am not a big fan of the shape but it does look well made. The price is right for a real hand made solid wood. Oak is a surprise. I like the sound. Maybe just a tad flat sound for me sustained wise but that could be my speaker because I rather like it overall. Thanks as always Baz…. DOC
Great review. I don't like the shape, but wow, I love the look of the wood grain and finish. Most of all, I love that it's 1-1/2"! Too bad the nut is too wide for me.
These are not your traditional ukuleles, and they're not meant to be. What a wonderfully gifted Craftsman. As for side dots, I could care less about them because I can not see them anyway. Now if i had enough vision to where the dots would be useful to me, then i would probably miss them, but I do not miss what I've never used or seen. It's muscle memory and ear training for me. I love when you feature these unique and fascinating ukes. 🙂
@GotAUkulele hopefully it's something that can be easily fixed in case the buyer depends on those side dots. Hmm! This makes me wonder if a visually impaired or blind ukulele player ever used tactile dots to learn on their uke. Even one tactile dot could be helpful. So weird I didn't think about this before. 🤔
I thought other than spruce, cedar, koa etc, etc. other woods wouldnt be used because not so resonant, least of all oak. Unsure of non standard shapes, but certainly like the finish and its matt finish and this one is quite attractive. It stands up to a real quality little instrument though. Nice review
Hello from north wales, What a beautiful looking instrument, don’t know why but I thought You would have gone for the shape, I think it makes it look medieval. It’s a talking piece before you play it, another no nonsense review! The logo on the headstock spoils it, it should be smaller and not capital letters, just saying. Great channel you’ve helped me a lot.
I don't understand this. Here in California I once ran into an ukulele made of oak (of conventional construction techniques). It sounded like it was made of stone or concrete. Very dead, very quiet, poor tone. Not this Bonanza, WOW what volume!
What a delightful tone. Someone is in for a treat. Love this. Thanks Barry
Yep, really surprising!
It literally took me years to warm up to the shape but meanwhile I not only respect but kinda dig it! Wonderfully quirky! And for folks w\ a certain physique I imagine it might even be much more comfortable to play than a traditional ukulele shape!
And Oak! I would be VERY interested in finding out how Pete came about and why he decided for oak … 😮 The fact of the matter is: it sounds good! To my surprise but it does!
Loads of people love it - i'm just a boring traditionalist!!
I have the homestead tenor in cherry. I changed out the strings to Martin fluorocarbons and scrapped the low G I originally had on it. I love the sound of it, especially for strumming, and the tone keeps getting better and better.
Nice
Cherry is a fun choice. I did a naritone in aspen
Wow amazing sounding uke.
Yep - dead laid back
Wow. Another great review. Thanks to the owner for sending it for review. Love the Oak natural look. Actual like the shape, but how on earth it sounds as it does, baffling. Pete is a genius and I would never have known about these without you. Should be renamed the Tardis, definitely breaking some sort of relative distance with its space and construction👌. Have a great week.
That's a good way of describing them - I don't get it either!
That was a lovely sound from an instrument that appearance wise compliments. I like it !
Thanks
I'm always impressed with Bonanza ukes, I really need to get me one someday. Great review!
You should!
Engagement! So cool to see and hear an oak instrument. Also, I dig that the corian is grey. Because, of course it can be any color you want. Why not?
Agreed!
Oh I have a thing for thinline ukes.... now I want to check out Bonanza's website again. Thanks for the review!
You should! The Homestead is another great choice I think
Lovely review and the sound was a revelation. Really pretty and as Barry said "laid back" somehow in a good way.
Easy listening uke!
Thanks for reviewing this one! I had been wondering about the Oakridge line. I have two Bonanza ukes - a cherry tenor and a walnut baritone. The wood in both of them is beautiful. I did change the strings on my cherry, but that’s a personal choice. I also lowered the action a bit, as I find Pete and I differ on what constitutes low action, and I have small arthritic hands. That said, Pete and Shelly are a delight to deal with, and his instruments are beautifully made. Highly recommend checking them out!
Both very nice people!
So I had decided I was good on ukuleles for awhile, nothing else had caught my eye or peaked my interest, but now I watched this review and you have ruined my streak! I want this one! It looks awesome and fun and also super great quality for a good price! If you can get excited playing it, which let's be honest, you don't excite easily, then I know it's fun to play! 😁
Go for it!
Great review, Baz! Sounds great and a super price, too! Oak really projects!
Yes it does!
Thanks!
Thanks again Bonnie!
Love the 'woody' tone!
Very mellow isn't it?
I like it. Lovely tone.
Yep - very easy on the ear
The shape reminds me of a Giannini Craviola guitar I used to have. I wish more makers of guitars--and ukes--would use that shape. I love it.
Interesting
This sounds so beautiful!!!! Thank you for the review. :)
Thanks for watching!
Very cool I like to see a solid black walnut one and a 5 string at that I think they offer both options thanks
They do offer 5 strings - but the Oakridge series is only Oak - you'd need a different series altogether to get a walnut body
That shape really tickles my imagination. I love the non traditional ukes. Lovely review again as always!
Many thanks!
Although it's difficult to judge the sound of your recording over a mobile phone speaker, it does seem to have an excellent all-round tone! I've lost count of the reviews I've viewed, listened to. This seems well worth the money! If I didn't have so many competing things on my 'bucket list', I think I'd go for this straight away!
Absolutely worth it!!
What a beautiful instrument....and the tone...maybe the best tone out there..
Certainly delivered more than I expected it to!
What a nice tone! Good review, thanks...
My pleasure!
I've got a 6 string baritone on order from them. My Zachary Taylor has completely shat the bed for the third time and I'm replacing it
The only fault I found on the bari I bought from Pete was the way he cut the nut slots for the strings. This looks much more professional.
His earlier ones were a bit agricultural!
Okee dokee, that's awesome! I'm not opposed to the shape, but really enjoyed how it sounds!
The ultra thin ranch hand is the lowest priced uke I saw.
Ah yes, forgot the ranch-hand - but then there's really not much to those at all!
@@GotAUkulele Yeah, those are shockingly thin! From their demo video, they have an interesting sound to them too.
Che suono fantastico
Sì, molto sorprendente!
I am amazed at the quality of volume and tone that thinner bodies produce. But after thinking about it, violins have thin bodies and are unquestionably boisterous. And thinner bodied mandolins are louder and more projecting than bowl backs, so . . .
Think there is a lot at play here - the top routing is also extremely thin (as you can see when I tap it), but the sides are thick due to the construction. I have a uke coming in a couple of weeks that also uses thick sides for the same reason - contributes to tone - there are some guitar makers making double walled sides on instruments for that reason. All very clever, and all very above my knowledge!!
@@GotAUkulele yes, Jose Ramirez lined his primo Brazilian Rosewood sides with an extra veneer to stiffen them and Chris Alvarado, the luthier of Driftwood Guitars which sell in the $20,000+ range has gone exclusively to heavier laminated sides. He swears by the improvement.
Not a huge fan of the shape but I could live with it.
I AM a huge fan of just about everything else and if he makes his cabinets to the same standard, I wouldn't mind some of those either 😉
Can't believe the price tbh and would love to hear how the soprano sounds.
Great review Baz, as usual, thanks mate! 👍
Thank you!
I wonder if the lower price comes down to the ease of sourcing oak rather than (say) mahogany or koa. Though this is just empty speculation.
Anyway, I love it. And it sounds like Bonanza has experience with UK imports - I should take a good look!
You might be right - the homestead was the first 'value no frills' line, but the construction here is largely the same bar the wood difference.
This is really amazing for the price. I live in Minnesota. Maybe I should take a summer trip to check these out ! I really like the shape. I have been wanting a thin line
This is a unique ukulele. I am not a big fan of the shape but it does look well made. The price is right for a real hand made solid wood. Oak is a surprise. I like the sound. Maybe just a tad flat sound for me sustained wise but that could be my speaker because I rather like it overall. Thanks as always Baz…. DOC
Thanks Doc
Great review. I don't like the shape, but wow, I love the look of the wood grain and finish. Most of all, I love that it's 1-1/2"! Too bad the nut is too wide for me.
Fair enough!
Very sweet uke!
Indeed!
These are not your traditional ukuleles, and they're not meant to be. What a wonderfully gifted Craftsman.
As for side dots, I could care less about them because I can not see them anyway. Now if i had enough vision to where the dots would be useful to me, then i would probably miss them, but I do not miss what I've never used or seen. It's muscle memory and ear training for me. I love when you feature these unique and fascinating ukes. 🙂
Turns out it was a mistake by Pete rushing to get it finished and over to me!
@GotAUkulele hopefully it's something that can be easily fixed in case the buyer depends on those side dots. Hmm! This makes me wonder if a visually impaired or blind ukulele player ever used tactile dots to learn on their uke. Even one tactile dot could be helpful. So weird I didn't think about this before. 🤔
I thought other than spruce, cedar, koa etc, etc. other woods wouldnt be used because not so resonant, least of all oak.
Unsure of non standard shapes, but certainly like the finish and its matt finish and this one is quite attractive. It stands up to a real quality little instrument though. Nice review
Actually, my comments were being somewhat obtuse - there are some other oak instruments out there - just not many. Pete Howlett made one as I recall.
That uke tshirt logo looks familiar… what is it?
Uke Republic shop in Georgia!
@@GotAUkulele yes! I could not remember the name. I can now sleep in peace ✌️
Hello from north wales,
What a beautiful looking instrument, don’t know why but I thought
You would have gone for the shape, I think it makes it look medieval.
It’s a talking piece before you play it, another no nonsense review!
The logo on the headstock spoils it, it should be smaller and not
capital letters, just saying.
Great channel you’ve helped me a lot.
Thanks Cyril!
Oak. Well I never… It sounds great! 😃
It's so good!
Always gotta stop and check a Bonanza review.
He's a wizard!
My homesteader in spruce is so loud it doesn't make sense.
I am considering a walnut and Aspen mix in a five string of some variety. The ameba shape is funny, but appealing. Shame about the a string here.
The variety of choice with Bonanza is one of my favourite things about them.
I love Bonanza. I have the Oreo.
Yeah - great uke - glad to see he is back to building again
@@GotAUkulele I love watching your reviews and your playing. I haven’t watched for a couple years, but I’m back too.
Thank you@@ZabDevin ! - Lots more in the pipeline. If you like the quirkiness of this you will LOVE what is coming tomorrow!
I don't know; I like the amoeba shape. I have a pineapple and that's about as exotic as I get, so this is a welcome change.
This shape is incredibly popular for Pete - just not my thing
Quarter-sawn wood has the least tendency to warp
Indeed
I don't understand this. Here in California I once ran into an ukulele made of oak (of conventional construction techniques). It sounded like it was made of stone or concrete. Very dead, very quiet, poor tone.
Not this Bonanza, WOW what volume!
That's Pete for you!