Showing posts with label anuenue. Show all posts
Showing posts with label anuenue. Show all posts
21 Jan 2024
10 Sept 2023
10 Sept 2023T14:44
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aNueNue UT100 Sitka Bird Tenor Ukulele - REVIEW
Here's a ukulele from a brand that's always done very well on here, but caught me a bit by surprise during my summer break. This is the aNueNue UT100 Sitka Bird Tenor Ukulele.
16 Oct 2022
16 Oct 2022T14:50
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aNueNue UT10 (UCT10) Color Series Tenor Ukulele
In what I think is a first independent ukulele review for this brand new model - this week I am looking at the aNueNue UT10 Color Tenor.
13 Mar 2021
13 Mar 2021T13:15
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aNueNue UC10 Color Series Concert Ukulele - REVIEW
And now on Got A Ukulele (as the TV show said) for something completely different. Say hello to the new aNueNue UC10 Color Series Concert Ukulele.
18 Oct 2020
18 Oct 2020T15:56
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aNueNue Lion Orange UT Tenor Ukulele - REVIEW
I'm delighted to bring this ukulele brand back to the reviews page as they have done nothing but impress me with their last few models. This is a uke with bedazzling looks. It's the Lion Orange UT from aNueNue.
28 Jul 2019
28 Jul 2019T13:07
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aNueNue ANN-UT5K Koa Moon Bird Tenor Ukulele - REVIEW
If there is a ukulele brand that has done nothing but blow me away in the last couple of years, it's aNueNue. They have consistently gained my highest scores so it stands to reason that I'd want to take another look and this week it's something really quite special. The aNueNue ANN-UT5K Solid Koa Moon Bird Tenor.
28 Oct 2018
28 Oct 2018T13:21
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aNueNue UT140 Light Bird Tenor Ukulele - World Of Ukes Exclusive - REVIEW
A little while back I reviewed a ukulele which went on to be one of the highest scored instruments on this site. It really was a marvel and was called the 'Moon Bird' from aNueNue. A very serious ukulele in every single department, including of course, the price. So it was with huge anticipation that I learned about an exclusive stripped down version that will be exclusive to World Of Ukes in Carlisle. So here is a pre-look at the forthcoming 'Light Bird' Tenor from aNueNue.
19 Nov 2016
19 Nov 2016T13:51
I featured the first aNueNue ukulele on the site only fairly recently in their African Mahogany model (and it was a excellent). It was strange that it was the first, as when I started out writing, aNueNue were pretty widely available on these shores. Then they became next to impossible to find in the UK, and at the time of writing that last review I had to also explain that there wasn't a UK dealer I was aware of. Well things have changed as you will read further on. But first, let's take a closer look at it.
The UT200, or 'Moon Bird tenor' is right up there at pretty much the top end of the current aNueNue ukulele line up. It's an intriguing name for sure. I believe the 'bird' element in the name is because it is based on their M200 Bird series guitar, and as for the moon,.... well you will see in the details. Either that or it sings like a bird and makes you howl ... We shall see.
It's a fairly (and I stress 'fairly') standard shaped tenor ukulele in that it is in a double bout shape. But a common tenor template this is not. For a start, that lower bout is super rounded and chunk which I really like - reminiscent of grand auditorium guitars. At the top of the body we have something that people may call a 'cutaway'. But it's less a cutaway and more of a 'staggered shoulder' on the top bout. It does the same thing as a cutaway (ie gives easier access to high frets), but there is nothing 'cut away' as such. I know some people think cutaways affect tone and get seriously stressed about it. I say 'life is too short' and there are far too many other variables to affect sound to make a fair comparison. Either way, with that large lower bout, it's hardly like the UT200 is short on soundboard material! Whatever your views, I think the shape is beautiful. Clearly a ukulele shape but refreshingly 'different'.
The top of the instrument is made from a beautifully pale and even solid Swiss spruce and it looks fabulous. The grain is dead straight and it's impossible to tell apart the two pieces that make the top. The top edges are bound in rosewood, but in a way that is really quite different. Rather than a straight uniform strip of binding with the typical black and white detail strip, the visible binding on the top kind of flows in a variable wave around the edge. I think it's really effective and different. You may be forgiven for thinking it's part of a comfort edge chamfer, but it isn't - it's just a different take on binding and I applaud them for that.
Around the sound hole we have an inlaid rosette in spalted maple, and this gives your first clue to the 'moon' motif with the instrument. The rosette is kind of offset giving a kind of crescent shape on one side. Again, really different and really effective.
The bridge plate is made from ebony in a shape that is again different to most standard ukuleles and is a tie bar style. The saddle is made from buffalo bone.
Moving to the other parts of the body, the back and sides of the instrument are made from solid East Indian Rosewood. It's a striking contrast to the pale top wood and has been used as combination by some of the worlds highest end guitar makers. The rosewood is deep in colour with plenty of stripe to provide interest which is nicely book matched on the back pieces. The joint between the back and sides is bound in rosewood, but without the wave as it would be lost against the rosewood back. The back is only very slightly arched. The sides are in two pieces with a joint at the base. People sometimes assume that a ukulele 'must' have a massively arched or curved back. Not true. Many manufacturers do that to assist in projection where other elements of the build may be limiting it - to compensate if you like. You don't need a significant curve to the back if your ukulele already projects well. We shall see how this one gets on when we play it.
The whole body is finished in gloss, and it really is quite a gloss. Certainly one of the best I have seen without a single flaw I could find. On that dark wooden back, it really is like a mirror. A serious fingerprint magnet though!
Looking inside and things are impressively tidy. The kerfing is notched. aNueNue specs suggest that this instrument is braced using a 'Mount Fuji voiced brace design' designed by luthier Mitsuta Morihiko. I will level with you to admit that I have NO idea what that means. If the bracing pattern is different (which it may be), it's impossible for me to see it... The back braces are visible and to me look pretty standard.
The neck is made from mahogany with a joint at the heel and a hard to spot joint at the headstock. It's finished in satin meaning it doesn't feel sticky and has a pretty slim profile (that is to say, slim in depth not in width). I really like the shaping of the neck heel on this which seems different enough from the norm to warrant a mention. For those interested, that nut width is actually 1.5 inches or 38mm, putting it on the wider end of the scale alongside Hawaiian K brands. That's another thumbs up for me.
Topping the neck is a deep black ebony fingerboard that is flawless. The edges are bound which hides the fret edges too.
We have 20 nickel silver frets in total, with 14 to the top shoulder and 17 to the lower shoulder. They are all dressed perfectly and the edges hidden by binding on the edge of the fingerboard. The frets are what I would consider in guitar circles to be of the more vintage jumbo style. That isn't to say they are high (quite the opposite) but that they are fatter than most you see on ukuleles which seem nothing more than thin fuse wire. These are immensely comfortable. The sort of frets that do their job but your fingers don't really know they are there. Wonderful.
Fret markers are provided on the face of the fingerboard at the 5th, 7th, 10th, 12th and 15th spaces. They are made from what look like more of the inlaid spalted maple and are wonderfully shaped as moon phases as you move up the neck - the moon getting progressively more full as you go up. What a nice touch. Even better, the position markers are repeated on the side in small white dots for the player.
Past the bone nut we have what I think is now the generic aNueNue headstock. I like that it differs from lazier designs like three pointed crowns, and I like how it is finished (ebony facing cap, aNueNue logo inlaid in pearl)... but, is it wrong of me to say this? Compared to the rest of the instrument it kind of looks a bit plain to me. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this headstock, but I just thought it perhaps needed more of the moon or bird logic applying to it. Minor gripe!
Flipping the headstock over and all that is forgotten when you see they have provided Gotoh UPT planetary tuners. These are SERIOUSLY good tuners, and provide all the benefits of gears in a form factor similar to friction pegs. I was so pleased to see these and the black metalwork also looks a treat. Elsewhere on the headstock we have the holographic sticker of authenticity.
Completing the deal are what aNueNue call 'Black Water' strings (which I assume are black flurorocarbon, they certainly feel like it) and what is probably the best hard case that is included in a deal I have EVER seen in my reviews. It's finsished in a dusky blue leatherette tolex that is padded and soft to touch everywhere. The hinges and clasps are superb quality and finished in aged brass and also lockable and all the edges are stitched. The handle is amazingly padded and the velour inside is just beautiful. At the top of the case is a stamped aNueNue logo. I really REALLY love this hard case. In fact if I could get away with filling this review with pictures of the case I would!
And for all of that you are looking at a dealer price of around £1,148 in the UK. You can push that price up as aNueNue offer it with a couple of pickup options, but this is the base acoustic price. A serious price for sure, setting it alongside high end tenors like Kamaka and Kanile'a, but does it play like a serious ukulele? And yes, I can hear traditionalists falling to the floor saying 'that much for a non US instrument?', but I hope we can deal with that myth too.
First up, I think you have probably gleaned from my description and the pictures, that this ukulele is flawless in its construction. Seriously, I cannot find anything wrong with it at all. It feels comfortably solid and well made and whichever angle you look at it it's warm, classy, smart and just wonderful.
Thankfully, in the hands it doesn't disappoint either. It's not heavy, but doesn't feel flimsy or overly delicate either. It's also wonderfully balanced to hold.
Without a doubt, the first thing that strikes you when you play this is the stunning volume and projection. This is a loud and strident ukulele. In fact one of the most forward ukuleles I have ever played and up there with something like the Blackbird Clara. It's staggering in fact and really surprising. Maybe there is something in that bracing, but certainly that large lower bout is assisting here. That isn't to say it's a one trick pony on volume though, as it is just as easily played softly. But if you give it a heavy strum you really will rattle the windows. Marvellous!
But as I always say, volume is nothing if the tone then disappoints. Thankfully the quality shines through here also. It's a complex and varied town that reacts wonderfully depending on how you play it. For a start it has bass if you need it. This is strung in re-entrant G so that surprised me too, but what is coming through here is the range it has. It's a rich, rounded tone when you strum or pick more pronounced on the C string or lower positions. But it's balanced out perfectly (to my ears) by the soaring ring of the higher strings, particularly if you move up the neck. It's quite remarkable really as it never seems to miss a beat no matter what you ask of it. Want soft and sweet? It can do that. Want punchy staccato? ? It can do that. Want wonderful lingering sustain? It can do that. Want both together? It can do that.
Never do you play this one, whether strummed or picked and find that some of the notes are lost in the mix. They all sit there bright and clear.
It's all about the clarity of tone and dynamic range with this one. A ukulele that can be as soft as a kitten if you want it to be, but equally can turn into a wild tiger with the right treatment. I suspect part of it is down to the size of the body, but also it's the natural brightness of spruce mixed with warmth provided by the rosewood back and sides. Whatever it is, it works.
Let's cut to the chase...this instrument is an absolute delight and hands down one of the best instruments I have EVER had the pleasure of featuring. And from China too... Yes China have made some shockingly bad instruments at the cheap end, but things have moved on at the higher end massively. This is a stunningly good ukulele and I don't care where it came from.
Boy... this has been a hard review to write. Am I really giving this the best score on Got A Ukulele ever? Well, yes, I am. It's close, but it IS the best. I have played a LOT of ukuleles but not all of them, so perhaps there is a better one out there. But I can only write as I find and this ukulele is wonderful. I want this ukulele!
And as I also said - i'm delighted that since my last aNueNue review to learn that my home country now has a dealer where you can buy these direct. Just head over to World Of Ukes and speak to Matt who has had these exact models in store!
http://www.anuenue-uke.com/en/
UKULELE PROS
Body shape which is traditional yet different
Superb (and I mean superb) finish
Nice theme with moon motifs
Excellent build quality
Staggering volume, projection, sustain
Bright / deep / firm / delicate - it can be all those things - excellent dynamic range
Wide nut and comfortable frets
Marvellous hard case
UKULELE CONS
None, seriously..
UKULELE SCORES
Looks - 9.5 out of 10
Fit and finsish - 10 out of 10
Sound - 9.5 out of 10
Value for money - 9 out of 10
OVERALL UKULELE SCORE - 9.5 out of 10
UKULELE VIDEO REVIEW
© Barry Maz
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aNueNue UT200 Moon Bird Tenor Ukulele REVIEW
I was absolutely thrilled to have the chance to review another aNueNue musical instrument on the site, this time in the form of the UT200 Moon Bird Tenor ukulele.
The UT200, or 'Moon Bird tenor' is right up there at pretty much the top end of the current aNueNue ukulele line up. It's an intriguing name for sure. I believe the 'bird' element in the name is because it is based on their M200 Bird series guitar, and as for the moon,.... well you will see in the details. Either that or it sings like a bird and makes you howl ... We shall see.
It's a fairly (and I stress 'fairly') standard shaped tenor ukulele in that it is in a double bout shape. But a common tenor template this is not. For a start, that lower bout is super rounded and chunk which I really like - reminiscent of grand auditorium guitars. At the top of the body we have something that people may call a 'cutaway'. But it's less a cutaway and more of a 'staggered shoulder' on the top bout. It does the same thing as a cutaway (ie gives easier access to high frets), but there is nothing 'cut away' as such. I know some people think cutaways affect tone and get seriously stressed about it. I say 'life is too short' and there are far too many other variables to affect sound to make a fair comparison. Either way, with that large lower bout, it's hardly like the UT200 is short on soundboard material! Whatever your views, I think the shape is beautiful. Clearly a ukulele shape but refreshingly 'different'.
The top of the instrument is made from a beautifully pale and even solid Swiss spruce and it looks fabulous. The grain is dead straight and it's impossible to tell apart the two pieces that make the top. The top edges are bound in rosewood, but in a way that is really quite different. Rather than a straight uniform strip of binding with the typical black and white detail strip, the visible binding on the top kind of flows in a variable wave around the edge. I think it's really effective and different. You may be forgiven for thinking it's part of a comfort edge chamfer, but it isn't - it's just a different take on binding and I applaud them for that.
Around the sound hole we have an inlaid rosette in spalted maple, and this gives your first clue to the 'moon' motif with the instrument. The rosette is kind of offset giving a kind of crescent shape on one side. Again, really different and really effective.
The bridge plate is made from ebony in a shape that is again different to most standard ukuleles and is a tie bar style. The saddle is made from buffalo bone.
Moving to the other parts of the body, the back and sides of the instrument are made from solid East Indian Rosewood. It's a striking contrast to the pale top wood and has been used as combination by some of the worlds highest end guitar makers. The rosewood is deep in colour with plenty of stripe to provide interest which is nicely book matched on the back pieces. The joint between the back and sides is bound in rosewood, but without the wave as it would be lost against the rosewood back. The back is only very slightly arched. The sides are in two pieces with a joint at the base. People sometimes assume that a ukulele 'must' have a massively arched or curved back. Not true. Many manufacturers do that to assist in projection where other elements of the build may be limiting it - to compensate if you like. You don't need a significant curve to the back if your ukulele already projects well. We shall see how this one gets on when we play it.
The whole body is finished in gloss, and it really is quite a gloss. Certainly one of the best I have seen without a single flaw I could find. On that dark wooden back, it really is like a mirror. A serious fingerprint magnet though!
Looking inside and things are impressively tidy. The kerfing is notched. aNueNue specs suggest that this instrument is braced using a 'Mount Fuji voiced brace design' designed by luthier Mitsuta Morihiko. I will level with you to admit that I have NO idea what that means. If the bracing pattern is different (which it may be), it's impossible for me to see it... The back braces are visible and to me look pretty standard.
The neck is made from mahogany with a joint at the heel and a hard to spot joint at the headstock. It's finished in satin meaning it doesn't feel sticky and has a pretty slim profile (that is to say, slim in depth not in width). I really like the shaping of the neck heel on this which seems different enough from the norm to warrant a mention. For those interested, that nut width is actually 1.5 inches or 38mm, putting it on the wider end of the scale alongside Hawaiian K brands. That's another thumbs up for me.
Topping the neck is a deep black ebony fingerboard that is flawless. The edges are bound which hides the fret edges too.
We have 20 nickel silver frets in total, with 14 to the top shoulder and 17 to the lower shoulder. They are all dressed perfectly and the edges hidden by binding on the edge of the fingerboard. The frets are what I would consider in guitar circles to be of the more vintage jumbo style. That isn't to say they are high (quite the opposite) but that they are fatter than most you see on ukuleles which seem nothing more than thin fuse wire. These are immensely comfortable. The sort of frets that do their job but your fingers don't really know they are there. Wonderful.
Fret markers are provided on the face of the fingerboard at the 5th, 7th, 10th, 12th and 15th spaces. They are made from what look like more of the inlaid spalted maple and are wonderfully shaped as moon phases as you move up the neck - the moon getting progressively more full as you go up. What a nice touch. Even better, the position markers are repeated on the side in small white dots for the player.
Past the bone nut we have what I think is now the generic aNueNue headstock. I like that it differs from lazier designs like three pointed crowns, and I like how it is finished (ebony facing cap, aNueNue logo inlaid in pearl)... but, is it wrong of me to say this? Compared to the rest of the instrument it kind of looks a bit plain to me. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this headstock, but I just thought it perhaps needed more of the moon or bird logic applying to it. Minor gripe!
Flipping the headstock over and all that is forgotten when you see they have provided Gotoh UPT planetary tuners. These are SERIOUSLY good tuners, and provide all the benefits of gears in a form factor similar to friction pegs. I was so pleased to see these and the black metalwork also looks a treat. Elsewhere on the headstock we have the holographic sticker of authenticity.
Completing the deal are what aNueNue call 'Black Water' strings (which I assume are black flurorocarbon, they certainly feel like it) and what is probably the best hard case that is included in a deal I have EVER seen in my reviews. It's finsished in a dusky blue leatherette tolex that is padded and soft to touch everywhere. The hinges and clasps are superb quality and finished in aged brass and also lockable and all the edges are stitched. The handle is amazingly padded and the velour inside is just beautiful. At the top of the case is a stamped aNueNue logo. I really REALLY love this hard case. In fact if I could get away with filling this review with pictures of the case I would!
And for all of that you are looking at a dealer price of around £1,148 in the UK. You can push that price up as aNueNue offer it with a couple of pickup options, but this is the base acoustic price. A serious price for sure, setting it alongside high end tenors like Kamaka and Kanile'a, but does it play like a serious ukulele? And yes, I can hear traditionalists falling to the floor saying 'that much for a non US instrument?', but I hope we can deal with that myth too.
First up, I think you have probably gleaned from my description and the pictures, that this ukulele is flawless in its construction. Seriously, I cannot find anything wrong with it at all. It feels comfortably solid and well made and whichever angle you look at it it's warm, classy, smart and just wonderful.
Thankfully, in the hands it doesn't disappoint either. It's not heavy, but doesn't feel flimsy or overly delicate either. It's also wonderfully balanced to hold.
Without a doubt, the first thing that strikes you when you play this is the stunning volume and projection. This is a loud and strident ukulele. In fact one of the most forward ukuleles I have ever played and up there with something like the Blackbird Clara. It's staggering in fact and really surprising. Maybe there is something in that bracing, but certainly that large lower bout is assisting here. That isn't to say it's a one trick pony on volume though, as it is just as easily played softly. But if you give it a heavy strum you really will rattle the windows. Marvellous!
But as I always say, volume is nothing if the tone then disappoints. Thankfully the quality shines through here also. It's a complex and varied town that reacts wonderfully depending on how you play it. For a start it has bass if you need it. This is strung in re-entrant G so that surprised me too, but what is coming through here is the range it has. It's a rich, rounded tone when you strum or pick more pronounced on the C string or lower positions. But it's balanced out perfectly (to my ears) by the soaring ring of the higher strings, particularly if you move up the neck. It's quite remarkable really as it never seems to miss a beat no matter what you ask of it. Want soft and sweet? It can do that. Want punchy staccato? ? It can do that. Want wonderful lingering sustain? It can do that. Want both together? It can do that.
Never do you play this one, whether strummed or picked and find that some of the notes are lost in the mix. They all sit there bright and clear.
It's all about the clarity of tone and dynamic range with this one. A ukulele that can be as soft as a kitten if you want it to be, but equally can turn into a wild tiger with the right treatment. I suspect part of it is down to the size of the body, but also it's the natural brightness of spruce mixed with warmth provided by the rosewood back and sides. Whatever it is, it works.
Let's cut to the chase...this instrument is an absolute delight and hands down one of the best instruments I have EVER had the pleasure of featuring. And from China too... Yes China have made some shockingly bad instruments at the cheap end, but things have moved on at the higher end massively. This is a stunningly good ukulele and I don't care where it came from.
Boy... this has been a hard review to write. Am I really giving this the best score on Got A Ukulele ever? Well, yes, I am. It's close, but it IS the best. I have played a LOT of ukuleles but not all of them, so perhaps there is a better one out there. But I can only write as I find and this ukulele is wonderful. I want this ukulele!
And as I also said - i'm delighted that since my last aNueNue review to learn that my home country now has a dealer where you can buy these direct. Just head over to World Of Ukes and speak to Matt who has had these exact models in store!
http://www.anuenue-uke.com/en/
UKULELE PROS
Body shape which is traditional yet different
Superb (and I mean superb) finish
Nice theme with moon motifs
Excellent build quality
Staggering volume, projection, sustain
Bright / deep / firm / delicate - it can be all those things - excellent dynamic range
Wide nut and comfortable frets
Marvellous hard case
UKULELE CONS
None, seriously..
UKULELE SCORES
Looks - 9.5 out of 10
Fit and finsish - 10 out of 10
Sound - 9.5 out of 10
Value for money - 9 out of 10
OVERALL UKULELE SCORE - 9.5 out of 10
UKULELE VIDEO REVIEW
© Barry Maz
12 Mar 2016
12 Mar 2016T11:54
When this one arrived it was one of those 'intake of breath' moments as I opened the case. It's not often a ukulele does that to me, and I do see a LOT of ukuleles. On occasion though one just looks really rather beautiful on the first lift of the case lid. This one did that to me, because I think it is, frankly, rather lovely. But let's get down to the specifications before I gush too much.
It's a Concert scale model, and a fairly standard one at that. I make that point as aNueNue also offer this in a jumbo bodied concert size as well as a concert. The instrument is made from all solid tone woods, with this one having a body made from African Mahogany. I say it's fairly standard, but the shape for me has enough uniqueness about it to make it stand out. That lower bout is wider than most common concert shapes and the butt of the instrument is not flat but curved. Little things like that can give an instrument that certain something.
The top is made of two pieces as is the unarched back and the sides. The wood is really rather splendid. Mahogany is not always recognised for its beauty but the choice of wood coupled with the gloss finish on this really creates an instrument that glows in the light. It's a warm brown orange with some stripe and flame that I think is absolutely delightful. That gloss is another star of the show here as it really is mirror flat and flawless. There is no finish pooling or bubbles on the instrument anywhere.
Setting off the rest of the body is dark (possibly ebony) edge binding to the top and back an and inlaid abalone sound hole rosette. It all goes together I think to create an instrument that looks fancy but classy at the same time. Regular readers will know that I don't go in for bling and often even class gloss as bling. I could happily live with this one though - as I say - it's a combination.
We have a bridge plate that is an unusual shape that I think works well complete with a bone compensated and arched saddle piece. It's a tie bar style and is finished very well.
Looking inside I note a very tidy build, with notched kerfing and delicate braces. The top is clearly not overly thick so I expect good things from the sound.
The neck is fairly standard in profile and width and appears to be made from three pieces of mahogany. It too is finished in gloss. Topping the neck is a rosewood fingerboard that is even in colour and nicely finished. The edges of the fretboard are unbound, but you don't see the fret edges as they are stained dark under the gloss.
Frets are nickel silver and we have 20 in total with 14 to the body join. These present my first (and only) gripe about the instrument - I would prefer them to have a softer crown to their tops. This is something I am seeing more of in ukuleles these days and it may just be personal opinion. It's a more traditional style of fret work but for me I find these jar the fingers a little when you slide up the neck. I prefer frets to be smooth. That isn't to say they are rough (they are not) or unfinished (no sharp edges here). Just that I find the crowning a little angular. Minor point.
We have position markers in pearloid inlays at the 5th, 7th, 10th and 12th spaces and thankfully these are repeated on the side.
Past the bone nut we have a headstock that thankfully isn't a common crown shape, faced in what looks like rosewood or possibly ebony (or darker mahogany!) with the aNueNue logo inlaid in pearl.
Tuning is provided by open gears that look very like open geared grovers, but are actually stamped 'aNueNue'. Either way, they are high quality and work great - trust me, I can tell. They are finished with black plastic buttons which are not overly large.
Completing the deal are strings that appear to be clear fluorocarbon. I think they are aNueNue own brand choice, so could be anything really. They work well though.
And all of that can be yours for about $500... if you can find one (more on that later).
To hold, the instrument is not overly heavy and it's nicely balanced in the hands without a strap. That gloss finish is never sticky and it feels 'nice' in the hands. The setup on this example is spot on with an action that needs not adjusting at either the bridge or nut, and intonation very accurate right up the neck. No complaints so far.
I have to admit that I am not actually a huge fan of concert ukuleles. For me they are neither one thing or the other and I tend to go for either tenors or sopranos. This one though feels like there is more to it. Strummed this is immediately noticeable by the great projection and even greater sustain. I do love a ukulele where you can feel the vibrations in the body projecting into your chest where you cradle it and this one delivers that.
Clarity across the strings range is impressive and it has a nice balance of warmth coupled with brightness and chime that I really like. I find many mahogany concerts can be a bit 'plinky' but this has a more complex sound.
Fingerpicked it is divine on account of that sustain with notes ringing out far longer than many ukuleles would deliver at this price. As I say, the fret crowning is the only let down for me here, but it really is something I could get used to I guess.
So all in all I am rather taken by this one. It's about the sum of it's parts. No one thing is stellar and outstanding, but the various things (wood / finish / shape) seem to come together into a very pleasing whole.
If you are in Australia or the far east you will be lucky enough to find one of these in your area. Less so if you are in the UK or the US as I don't believe aNueNue currently have a distributor in these regions. I think that is a huge shame as based on the quality of this review model I'd love to see them more widely available.
Recommended if you can find one.
Many thanks to aNueNue and Alan Townsend for the loan of the instrument.
Be sure to read all my other ukulele reviews here
UKULELE PROS
Looks and shape
Wood choice
Wonderful gloss
Great sustain and projection
Not widely available
Fit and Finish - 8.5 out of 10
Sound - 9 out of 10
Value for money - 9 out of 10
© Barry Maz
Read More »
aNueNue Africa Mahogany II Concert Ukulele - REVIEW
Ukulele review time, and a brand name that I haven't yet featured on the site despite me having played a few for several years. It's a Concert model from far eastern brand aNueNue - their Africa Mahogany II Concert model.
When this one arrived it was one of those 'intake of breath' moments as I opened the case. It's not often a ukulele does that to me, and I do see a LOT of ukuleles. On occasion though one just looks really rather beautiful on the first lift of the case lid. This one did that to me, because I think it is, frankly, rather lovely. But let's get down to the specifications before I gush too much.
It's a Concert scale model, and a fairly standard one at that. I make that point as aNueNue also offer this in a jumbo bodied concert size as well as a concert. The instrument is made from all solid tone woods, with this one having a body made from African Mahogany. I say it's fairly standard, but the shape for me has enough uniqueness about it to make it stand out. That lower bout is wider than most common concert shapes and the butt of the instrument is not flat but curved. Little things like that can give an instrument that certain something.
The top is made of two pieces as is the unarched back and the sides. The wood is really rather splendid. Mahogany is not always recognised for its beauty but the choice of wood coupled with the gloss finish on this really creates an instrument that glows in the light. It's a warm brown orange with some stripe and flame that I think is absolutely delightful. That gloss is another star of the show here as it really is mirror flat and flawless. There is no finish pooling or bubbles on the instrument anywhere.
Setting off the rest of the body is dark (possibly ebony) edge binding to the top and back an and inlaid abalone sound hole rosette. It all goes together I think to create an instrument that looks fancy but classy at the same time. Regular readers will know that I don't go in for bling and often even class gloss as bling. I could happily live with this one though - as I say - it's a combination.
We have a bridge plate that is an unusual shape that I think works well complete with a bone compensated and arched saddle piece. It's a tie bar style and is finished very well.
Looking inside I note a very tidy build, with notched kerfing and delicate braces. The top is clearly not overly thick so I expect good things from the sound.
The neck is fairly standard in profile and width and appears to be made from three pieces of mahogany. It too is finished in gloss. Topping the neck is a rosewood fingerboard that is even in colour and nicely finished. The edges of the fretboard are unbound, but you don't see the fret edges as they are stained dark under the gloss.
Frets are nickel silver and we have 20 in total with 14 to the body join. These present my first (and only) gripe about the instrument - I would prefer them to have a softer crown to their tops. This is something I am seeing more of in ukuleles these days and it may just be personal opinion. It's a more traditional style of fret work but for me I find these jar the fingers a little when you slide up the neck. I prefer frets to be smooth. That isn't to say they are rough (they are not) or unfinished (no sharp edges here). Just that I find the crowning a little angular. Minor point.
We have position markers in pearloid inlays at the 5th, 7th, 10th and 12th spaces and thankfully these are repeated on the side.
Past the bone nut we have a headstock that thankfully isn't a common crown shape, faced in what looks like rosewood or possibly ebony (or darker mahogany!) with the aNueNue logo inlaid in pearl.
Tuning is provided by open gears that look very like open geared grovers, but are actually stamped 'aNueNue'. Either way, they are high quality and work great - trust me, I can tell. They are finished with black plastic buttons which are not overly large.
Completing the deal are strings that appear to be clear fluorocarbon. I think they are aNueNue own brand choice, so could be anything really. They work well though.
And all of that can be yours for about $500... if you can find one (more on that later).
To hold, the instrument is not overly heavy and it's nicely balanced in the hands without a strap. That gloss finish is never sticky and it feels 'nice' in the hands. The setup on this example is spot on with an action that needs not adjusting at either the bridge or nut, and intonation very accurate right up the neck. No complaints so far.
I have to admit that I am not actually a huge fan of concert ukuleles. For me they are neither one thing or the other and I tend to go for either tenors or sopranos. This one though feels like there is more to it. Strummed this is immediately noticeable by the great projection and even greater sustain. I do love a ukulele where you can feel the vibrations in the body projecting into your chest where you cradle it and this one delivers that.
Clarity across the strings range is impressive and it has a nice balance of warmth coupled with brightness and chime that I really like. I find many mahogany concerts can be a bit 'plinky' but this has a more complex sound.
Fingerpicked it is divine on account of that sustain with notes ringing out far longer than many ukuleles would deliver at this price. As I say, the fret crowning is the only let down for me here, but it really is something I could get used to I guess.
So all in all I am rather taken by this one. It's about the sum of it's parts. No one thing is stellar and outstanding, but the various things (wood / finish / shape) seem to come together into a very pleasing whole.
If you are in Australia or the far east you will be lucky enough to find one of these in your area. Less so if you are in the UK or the US as I don't believe aNueNue currently have a distributor in these regions. I think that is a huge shame as based on the quality of this review model I'd love to see them more widely available.
Recommended if you can find one.
Many thanks to aNueNue and Alan Townsend for the loan of the instrument.
Be sure to read all my other ukulele reviews here
UKULELE PROS
Looks and shape
Wood choice
Wonderful gloss
Great sustain and projection
UKULELE CONS
Would prefer softer crown on fretsNot widely available
UKULELE SCORES
Looks - 9.5 out of 10Fit and Finish - 8.5 out of 10
Sound - 9 out of 10
Value for money - 9 out of 10
OVERALL UKULELE SCORE - 9 out of 10
UKULELE VIDEO REVIEW
© Barry Maz
17 Feb 2015
17 Feb 2015T19:47
I say 'blows you away' - this is not aggressive or overly energetic - it's just beautifully played. I first saw Tobias perform on stage at the Ukulele Festival Of Great Britain as part of Elof and Wamberg and was a total highlight of the festival.
Sure, this is an advert for aNueNue - but give the guy credit where credit is due. He plays wonderfully. Oh, and speaking to him at Cheltenham, I realised he is also one of the nicest, most humble players I have met.
And, yes, I also 'covet' his dreads too...
Read More »
Tobias Elof - Moon River
Amongst all the YouTube noise, it's always so nice to come across a new video that blows you away. Say hello to Tobias Elof
I say 'blows you away' - this is not aggressive or overly energetic - it's just beautifully played. I first saw Tobias perform on stage at the Ukulele Festival Of Great Britain as part of Elof and Wamberg and was a total highlight of the festival.
Sure, this is an advert for aNueNue - but give the guy credit where credit is due. He plays wonderfully. Oh, and speaking to him at Cheltenham, I realised he is also one of the nicest, most humble players I have met.
And, yes, I also 'covet' his dreads too...
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