If I understand correctly you own this uke now? How is it? Any opinions?
I love the Martin. Custom shop tenor It sounds great, it is easy to play, beautiful fit and finish I must comment though as this was not played much ( if at all) since it was built 10 years ago, I feel it has not opened up yet. I have a few tenors I bonded with one that cost me more to ship than to purchase It is a Sam Chang koa tenor made around 1940 It needed some work when I got it and since cleaning it up sealing a small surface grain flaw and dressing the frets and trimming a few frets that had started to sprout I started playing it and can’t put it down. It just has the right feel and sound for me It isn’t particularly loud but it has this very full earthy mellow sound It reminds me of the days I played guitar and I used to try out all the small bodied Prewar Martin guitars that were at Vintage instruments in Philly. There was just something about them that as a finger picker I resonated with. So I must play the Martin tenor until it opens up more to be able to judge it fairly. Martin made a total of only 23 tenors out of koa up until the custom shop produced them and only 9 that were the top tiered figured koa style 5ks. I did see one of the koa tenor 5k’s made in the 1920’s a number of years back and asking price was a staggering $80,000 It was likely the only one that came to market and the only one that ever will. I don’t expect another will ever surface. I thought that was an insane price for a ukulele but it sold I don’t know to who or for how much. So my thoughts are a Custom shop “special” ordered koa tenor that is a unique build will always be scarce. I fully intend to play mine I am not just going to let it sit. I seem to have accumulated more instruments than I can possibly play so I will be downsizing and letting things go which has become a pattern.For now having more than I can play allows me to learn and appreciate what to look for and as a retired hobbyist gives me pleasure so, I will just keep adding and subtracting until I get the right formula of instruments.If I understand correctly you own this uke now? How is it? Any opinions?
That one caught my eye, too -- it's a stunner.There’s a really nice looking Martin OXK concert with Gotoh UPT tuners going for $240 at Reverb right now. I know it’s HPL, but the “grain pattern” looks stunning. I wonder if Martin changes the “grain pattern” for every batch as I don’t recall seeing other OXK concerts with this look.
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Martin OXK Koa HPL Soprano Ukulele | Reverb
Shop New & Used Martin OXK Koa Soprano Ukulele on Reverb.comreverb.com
I suppose this would be good for outdoors being a ply type and Martin’s cheapest entry into the ukulele world. The UPT’s are a nice addition and costly. I am not a fan of the way these sound nor the quality of the frets which on a few I tried were not wonderfully finished and a tad sharp on the edges. I believe these go for $299 new with warrantee and I have seen several well under $200 over the past year or so so it may be nice to have one with UPTs but it is pretty much all the money in terms of price. If it were my choice I would look for a style O that is older and in good shape as they turn up in the $400 range.Yes, more expensive, but the solid mahogany just sounds better than these ply type instruments and the fit and finish is worlds above this budget model. I realize that this would be a substantial increase over the $270 this one would cost with the shipping but the “o”s sound better play better and hold their value.There’s a really nice looking Martin OXK concert with Gotoh UPT tuners going for $240 at Reverb right now. I know it’s HPL, but the “grain pattern” looks stunning. I wonder if Martin changes the “grain pattern” for every batch as I don’t recall seeing other OXK concerts with this look.
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Martin OXK Koa HPL Soprano Ukulele | Reverb
Shop New & Used Martin OXK Koa Soprano Ukulele on Reverb.comreverb.com
I believe the fretboard is sipo.It has a pretty fretboard, too, which I assume is wood? I haven’t heard one, but HPL is quite heavy, if that matters to you.
Yes I agree, if you're going for sound and build quality, it's hard to beat the classic Martin Style 0s. I'm a big fan of the Style 0 as well. It's amazing that a no-frills basic model uke made 60-90 years ago can hold its own against many of the contemporary ukes made today.I suppose this would be good for outdoors being a ply type and Martin’s cheapest entry into the ukulele world. The UPT’s are a nice addition and costly. I am not a fan of the way these sound nor the quality of the frets which on a few I tried were not wonderfully finished and a tad sharp on the edges. I believe these go for $299 new with warrantee and I have seen several well under $200 over the past year or so so it may be nice to have one with UPTs but it is pretty much all the money in terms of price. If it were my choice I would look for a style O that is older and in good shape as they turn up in the $400 range.Yes, more expensive, but the solid mahogany just sounds better than these ply type instruments and the fit and finish is worlds above this budget model. I realize that this would be a substantial increase over the $270 this one would cost with the shipping but the “o”s sound better play better and hold their value.
+1 in favor of wood laminate over HPL as the outdoor and couch ukulele.I suppose this would be good for outdoors being a ply type and Martin’s cheapest entry into the ukulele world. The UPT’s are a nice addition and costly. I am not a fan of the way these sound nor the quality of the frets ...
This looks vintage. Love the look of the "sideways" headstock and the wooden tuning pegs.a kamaka cigar box uke! 1 of 7, supposedly
Kamaka Samuel Kamaka Jr. Vintage Custom Cigar Box Concert Ukulele #4016 - Free World Shipping! | Reverb
VERY RARE! This is a museum piece, as there were only 7 ever made. Samuel Kamaka Jr.'s masterpiece! Every collection should have one of these... and Ukulele Mania now has TWO, so we're selling one. We'll probably never get another, as most collectors who have one would never part with it. So...reverb.com
I've seen two of these, new, in guitar center. Both had a belly developing behind the bride and the top was sinking a bit between the soundhole and bridge. IDK if it was just a fluke, or if they have a design issue with the bracing or top rigidity in that area. Either way, it made me leery of them.I suppose this would be good for outdoors being a ply type and Martin’s cheapest entry into the ukulele world. The UPT’s are a nice addition and costly. I am not a fan of the way these sound nor the quality of the frets which on a few I tried were not wonderfully finished and a tad sharp on the edges. I believe these go for $299 new with warrantee and I have seen several well under $200 over the past year or so so it may be nice to have one with UPTs but it is pretty much all the money in terms of price. If it were my choice I would look for a style O that is older and in good shape as they turn up in the $400 range.Yes, more expensive, but the solid mahogany just sounds better than these ply type instruments and the fit and finish is worlds above this budget model. I realize that this would be a substantial increase over the $270 this one would cost with the shipping but the “o”s sound better play better and hold their value.
I hope you told her you were in love with her, and not the ukulele.I have never even been a fan of Kanilea or pineapple ukes but Wow....This one sings like an angel. I told the wife I was in love but she said "No, you're not buying it" so I hope it sells fast so I quit dreaming.
Kanile'a Koa Gloss Pineapple Tenor (P-1 T PREM Tru-R S# 26710)
Holiday Special: Get an additional $300 discount this month! This new Kanile'a model gives you the full sweet tone of a pineapple-shaped tenor with a beautiful glossed finished premium koa body. Pictures and Video show the exact ukulele available here! For many years, the Kanile'a K-1 T has...theukulelesite.com
That is a really nice one. I won't be helping you out by buying it, though.I have never even been a fan of Kanilea or pineapple ukes but Wow....This one sings like an angel. I told the wife I was in love but she said "No, you're not buying it" so I hope it sells fast so I quit dreaming.
Kanile'a Koa Gloss Pineapple Tenor (P-1 T PREM Tru-R S# 26710)
Holiday Special: Get an additional $300 discount this month! This new Kanile'a model gives you the full sweet tone of a pineapple-shaped tenor with a beautiful glossed finished premium koa body. Pictures and Video show the exact ukulele available here! For many years, the Kanile'a K-1 T has...theukulelesite.com