Recent content by merlin666

Whatever kind of plastic it is it seems to have done the job well for decades and I would not consider a change.

Does it have a compensated saddle? If not you may be able to add some compensation to the C string as it is the thickest.

I have white label Kamaka and the nut and saddle sure look like some sort of plastic.

If you have time and skill to do this then sure go ahead and report on the outcome. Little changes like this are usually done to very cheap ukes in hopes to "improve" them but a high end Hawaiian uke can be expected to be quite optimized already. Also keep in mind that tone is produced by the...

Playing music is an evolving process and if you feel you get stuck it may just mean that it's time to move on to the next challenge. I got stuck many times and then some months or even years later revisited and all of a sudden what seemed difficult at one time came easy at a later time. So being...

Not sure what is meaning of super tenor but if it is longer than tenor scale then maybe use baritone strings for lower tension.

Thank you for sharing the experience. One of my music friends is in Japan and posting daily pictures, and now I am contemplating another trip as the one time I was there was years before I discovered ukulele.

If you have the rare ability to sing on key then you can try singing the 12 notes of a major scale and write them down to see if they fit into what you'd expect given the first and last note of the key you pick for your voice. Though given the widespread (ab)use of autotune among popular singers...

As mentioned before, this price range adds little substance to new ukes compared to cheaper ukes of similar brand but can be a sweet spot for used including white label Kamaka, KoAloha, and vintage Martin in decent shape which would all be several levels above modern Asia builds regardless of...

Most luthiers have one or more base models for which they have the moulds and tools etc and then offer customizations for these base models. Customizations can include wood choices, decorations, cutaway, bevel, soundport, types of bridges and headstock, multi string options and so forth. Not all...

The key is not really relevant, it's more the range between highest and lowest note that's important. And yes we can hear high notes better than low notes. That's why violin and fiddle are popular solo instruments, tenors and sopranos are the key solo voices, and many people can't sing along...

LOL that is a cheap solution.

Obviously for ease of playing use keys that include the open strings. So C G and also F and their inversions are easy candidates. I think that if you add another flat (e) or sharp (c) you will need to use fingers more.

Sounds like a great but very busy trip and I hope you will be able to visit again for more relaxed time. This looks like view from Outrigger Reef?

I change uke strings when they break or I can see or feel that they are worn and at risk of breaking. While I can hear a noticeable deterioration of sound quality for wound steel strings on my guitars and then I put fresh set on, I never heard an equivalent change on synthetic strings of my ukes...