Showing posts with label ohana. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ohana. Show all posts
22 Feb 2025
9 Feb 2025
9 Feb 2025T14:43
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Ohana Custom Shop DT-RCW Tenor Ukulele - REVIEW
Another ukulele this week I have been seriously looking forward to writing about. This is the Ohana Custom Shop DT-RCW Tenor.
9 Jul 2023
9 Jul 2023T15:09
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Ohana Custom DTK-2 Deluxe Tenor Ukulele - REVIEW
Well here's a ukulele I didn't see coming in 2023, and an exclusive first independent review! This is the brand new Ohana Custom Shop DTK-2 Deluxe Tenor.
1 May 2023
1 May 2023T14:15
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Ohana TK-260GCE Cedar Acacia Tenor Ukulele - REVIEW
A return this week to a ukulele brand that was one of the first I encountered, but hasn't featured on the site for a while. This is the Ohana TK-260GCE Cedar Acacia Tenor Ukulele.
10 Oct 2021
10 Oct 2021T13:49
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Ohana TPK-25G Short Scale Sopranino - REVIEW
A return for a very long standing ukulele brand and one featured many times before on Got A Ukulele. This is the Ohana TPK-25G Short Scale Sopranino Ukulele.
22 Apr 2018
22 Apr 2018T13:27
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Ohana SK-39 Soprano - REVIEW
There is something of a collection of Ohana brand sopranos building on Got A Ukulele now and it's time to look at another new release from the US musical instrument brand - the SK-39 Solid Mahogany Soprano.
6 Jun 2017
6 Jun 2017T09:32
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Ohana SK-35 Soprano - REVIEW
Time for another look at an Ohana Ukulele, with a long established model of theirs in the SK-35 Soprano uke.
4 Feb 2017
4 Feb 2017T12:38
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Ohana BK-70 Baritone Ukulele - REVIEW
Always good to redress the balance a little in favour of baritone ukuleles on the Got A Ukulele reviews page. So it's nice to be looking at a brand for which i've never seen one of their baritones up close before. The Ohana BK-70.
14 Jan 2017
14 Jan 2017T15:49
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Ohana SK-14 Soprano Ukulele Review
Another Ohana Ukulele review for you, and back to their entry level range with this one. Their new SK-14 Soprano ukulele.
11 Dec 2016
11 Dec 2016T12:41
I'm also pleased to be looking at a pineapple shaped body on Got A Ukulele as I realise I haven't featured many of them at all. Personally speaking, I love this shape of ukulele and would like to see more of them. For the tone geeks out there, we could debate endlessly about how the shape affects the tone, but I side with the camp who find they have a fuller and more rounded tone. Some will disagree though! Anyway, pineapple, boat paddle, whatever you want to call them, I like them. There is something very traditional about them, and the fact that you don't see huge numbers of them means that you will also be playing something that is a little bit different.
The PKC-50G is is in the upper end of the middle of the Ohana range, signified by the model number. With most Ohana ukuleles you will get a number code (50 in this case) which signifies where it stands on the ladder. Generally speaking, the higher the number, the higher the grade of instrument. The numbers go quite a bit higher than 50, but equally they go a bit lower too. Oh, and the P naturally stands for Pineapple and the G for gloss.
In this model we have a gloss finished ukulele made from all solid woods in the body. The top of this is made from solid cedar, with a beautifully straight and typical grain. The back and sides are made from solid mahogany. Sure, mahogany is not the most glamourous looking wood in the world, but it works well on ukuleles and these pieces are also nice and contrast very well with the paler top. Unlike something like spruce, whilst cedar is pale it also has some colour to it and this piece is very yellowy orange. The mahogany on the other hand is a deep warm orangey red.
The top and back appear to be made from single pieces, as do the sides, which is surprising for a concert. Saying that, the pineapple shape means that it's not a complex bending job to get the sides like this. The back is very slightly arched and the grain in the mahogany looks great.
I suspect the mix of woods here was more about visual contrast rather than tone contrast, as both cedar and mahogany have a warmer, richer tone than many tone woods, so they should serve to combine on this one nicely.
For decoration we have very nicely applied abalone inlay adjoining the rosewood edge binding, and a similar abalone inlay around the sound hole. It certainly looks very classy and together with the gloss gives you a feel that this ukulele is something more special.
We have a rosewood tie bar style bridge plate housing an uncompensated bone saddle which all looks very neat and tidy. A look inside also shows a decent level of quality control that I usually find with Ohana. Neat, notched kerfing, braces not over-done and no glue drips. In fact the whole body feels well put together. The gloss isn't quite perfect, but it's pretty good with no orange peel look or drips that you see with poorer applications.
The neck is made from mahogany and is in 3 pieces with a joint at the heel and a very well hidden joint at the headstock. It's also finished in gloss, and I would prefer satin on a neck. Saying that, it doesn't feel overly 'grippy' on the hands, so that's just my personal preference.
Topping the neck is an evenly coloured rosewood fingerboard with 19 nickel silver frets with 14 to the body. That's a good number for a concert, as you normally get 18 or even less. I am pleased with that, and also pleased that they are all dressed well. It's also in pretty good condition, but I did spot some rough finishing at the end of the board.
We have pearloid position markers on the face of the fingerboard at the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 10th and 12th spaces, but sadly these are not repeated on the side. I have said it before and will say it again... I really don't see the point of a position marker at the 3rd space, and I'd rather they moved that one down to something like the 15th.
The edges of the fingerboard are bound with rosewood, hiding the fret ends, and the nut width is pretty standard for a China made ukulele, but perfectly comfortable for me.
Past the bone nut we have a really attractive headstock in the typical Ohana curved shape, faced in rosewood and decorated around the outer edge with more abalone inlay to match the body. Add to that the inlaid pearloid Ohana logo and the whole thing looks really classy. In fact the whole look of the instrument hangs together well I think and it was certainly one of those that made me say 'ooh!' when I first opened the box.
Flipping it over and I am just as impressed with the choice of tuners. These are open gears from Grover with vintage shaped chrome buttons. Being a concert, I can just about allow a lack of friction pegs on the instrument, but when they are as good a set of gears as these, I will definitely allow it!
Completing the deal are (what else) Aquila brand strings and you should be able to pick one of these up from an Ohana dealer for about £300 or under But.. Ohana are one of those brands that do something that really irritate me on price. They list these at $479 on their website, but I suspect they NEVER sell for that in dealers. So it gives a false saving to buyers that was never actually there in the first place. Ugh..
(Incidentally - the gig bag that you see in the pictures doesn't come with the ukulele, but it is from Ohana and fits this model. It's the UCS-24BK).
So as I say - a really nice build quality throughout and great looks. It's also very light and nicely balanced in the hands, making it a very comfortable ukulele to hold. Set up on this review model saw it come to me pretty much perfect for my tastes.
What surprised me the most with this one was the tone. Despite the choice of woods and the body shape I was expecting this to sound much mellower than it does. It's actually got a really chimey bright tone that took me aback (in a good way). I suspect the better term to use here is 'rich' as it really is a very full and clear tone, with lots of volume.
Strummed it has percussive sound that is very pleasing and, for want of a better term, very 'Hawaiian'. Sustain isn't the longest I have heard, but it is there, and I think that adds to the percussive nature. The range is good too, with all of the strings taking their place in the mix when strummed.
Fingerpicking is really pretty, helped by that rich tone and in your face projection. It's also easy to get some vibrato from your fretting hand which is usually much less noticeable on smaller and cheaper instruments.
But for me it's all about that projection and volume. This is a powerful little ukulele and immensely fun to play for that reason. You never feel like you are working harder on the strings than you think you should to get some sound. I hate to use the cheesy old comment, but it almost plays itself. It's just very resonant and punchy.
Richness, power, good looks... there really isn't much not to like here, assuming you can get it for a fair price.
http://www.ohana-music.com
UKULELE PROS
Great looks
Good build quality
Classy feel throughout
Excellent tuners
Excellent projection and rich tone
UKULELE CONS
Glitches in finish and on neck
No side position markers
Odd pricing
UKULELE SCORES
Looks 9 out of 10
Fit and finish - 8 out of 10
Sound - 8.5 out of 10
Value for money - 8.5 out of 10
OVERALL UKULELE SCORE - 8.5 out of 10
UKULELE VIDEO REVIEW
© Barry Maz
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Ohana PKC-50G Concert Pineapple Ukulele - REVIEW
Next up in a series of ukulele reviews for Ohana Music, this week in the shape of their newly released PKC-50G Pineapple ukulele.
I'm also pleased to be looking at a pineapple shaped body on Got A Ukulele as I realise I haven't featured many of them at all. Personally speaking, I love this shape of ukulele and would like to see more of them. For the tone geeks out there, we could debate endlessly about how the shape affects the tone, but I side with the camp who find they have a fuller and more rounded tone. Some will disagree though! Anyway, pineapple, boat paddle, whatever you want to call them, I like them. There is something very traditional about them, and the fact that you don't see huge numbers of them means that you will also be playing something that is a little bit different.
The PKC-50G is is in the upper end of the middle of the Ohana range, signified by the model number. With most Ohana ukuleles you will get a number code (50 in this case) which signifies where it stands on the ladder. Generally speaking, the higher the number, the higher the grade of instrument. The numbers go quite a bit higher than 50, but equally they go a bit lower too. Oh, and the P naturally stands for Pineapple and the G for gloss.
In this model we have a gloss finished ukulele made from all solid woods in the body. The top of this is made from solid cedar, with a beautifully straight and typical grain. The back and sides are made from solid mahogany. Sure, mahogany is not the most glamourous looking wood in the world, but it works well on ukuleles and these pieces are also nice and contrast very well with the paler top. Unlike something like spruce, whilst cedar is pale it also has some colour to it and this piece is very yellowy orange. The mahogany on the other hand is a deep warm orangey red.
The top and back appear to be made from single pieces, as do the sides, which is surprising for a concert. Saying that, the pineapple shape means that it's not a complex bending job to get the sides like this. The back is very slightly arched and the grain in the mahogany looks great.
I suspect the mix of woods here was more about visual contrast rather than tone contrast, as both cedar and mahogany have a warmer, richer tone than many tone woods, so they should serve to combine on this one nicely.
For decoration we have very nicely applied abalone inlay adjoining the rosewood edge binding, and a similar abalone inlay around the sound hole. It certainly looks very classy and together with the gloss gives you a feel that this ukulele is something more special.
We have a rosewood tie bar style bridge plate housing an uncompensated bone saddle which all looks very neat and tidy. A look inside also shows a decent level of quality control that I usually find with Ohana. Neat, notched kerfing, braces not over-done and no glue drips. In fact the whole body feels well put together. The gloss isn't quite perfect, but it's pretty good with no orange peel look or drips that you see with poorer applications.
The neck is made from mahogany and is in 3 pieces with a joint at the heel and a very well hidden joint at the headstock. It's also finished in gloss, and I would prefer satin on a neck. Saying that, it doesn't feel overly 'grippy' on the hands, so that's just my personal preference.
Topping the neck is an evenly coloured rosewood fingerboard with 19 nickel silver frets with 14 to the body. That's a good number for a concert, as you normally get 18 or even less. I am pleased with that, and also pleased that they are all dressed well. It's also in pretty good condition, but I did spot some rough finishing at the end of the board.
We have pearloid position markers on the face of the fingerboard at the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 10th and 12th spaces, but sadly these are not repeated on the side. I have said it before and will say it again... I really don't see the point of a position marker at the 3rd space, and I'd rather they moved that one down to something like the 15th.
The edges of the fingerboard are bound with rosewood, hiding the fret ends, and the nut width is pretty standard for a China made ukulele, but perfectly comfortable for me.
Past the bone nut we have a really attractive headstock in the typical Ohana curved shape, faced in rosewood and decorated around the outer edge with more abalone inlay to match the body. Add to that the inlaid pearloid Ohana logo and the whole thing looks really classy. In fact the whole look of the instrument hangs together well I think and it was certainly one of those that made me say 'ooh!' when I first opened the box.
Flipping it over and I am just as impressed with the choice of tuners. These are open gears from Grover with vintage shaped chrome buttons. Being a concert, I can just about allow a lack of friction pegs on the instrument, but when they are as good a set of gears as these, I will definitely allow it!
Completing the deal are (what else) Aquila brand strings and you should be able to pick one of these up from an Ohana dealer for about £300 or under But.. Ohana are one of those brands that do something that really irritate me on price. They list these at $479 on their website, but I suspect they NEVER sell for that in dealers. So it gives a false saving to buyers that was never actually there in the first place. Ugh..
(Incidentally - the gig bag that you see in the pictures doesn't come with the ukulele, but it is from Ohana and fits this model. It's the UCS-24BK).
So as I say - a really nice build quality throughout and great looks. It's also very light and nicely balanced in the hands, making it a very comfortable ukulele to hold. Set up on this review model saw it come to me pretty much perfect for my tastes.
What surprised me the most with this one was the tone. Despite the choice of woods and the body shape I was expecting this to sound much mellower than it does. It's actually got a really chimey bright tone that took me aback (in a good way). I suspect the better term to use here is 'rich' as it really is a very full and clear tone, with lots of volume.
Strummed it has percussive sound that is very pleasing and, for want of a better term, very 'Hawaiian'. Sustain isn't the longest I have heard, but it is there, and I think that adds to the percussive nature. The range is good too, with all of the strings taking their place in the mix when strummed.
Fingerpicking is really pretty, helped by that rich tone and in your face projection. It's also easy to get some vibrato from your fretting hand which is usually much less noticeable on smaller and cheaper instruments.
But for me it's all about that projection and volume. This is a powerful little ukulele and immensely fun to play for that reason. You never feel like you are working harder on the strings than you think you should to get some sound. I hate to use the cheesy old comment, but it almost plays itself. It's just very resonant and punchy.
Richness, power, good looks... there really isn't much not to like here, assuming you can get it for a fair price.
http://www.ohana-music.com
UKULELE PROS
Great looks
Good build quality
Classy feel throughout
Excellent tuners
Excellent projection and rich tone
UKULELE CONS
Glitches in finish and on neck
No side position markers
Odd pricing
UKULELE SCORES
Looks 9 out of 10
Fit and finish - 8 out of 10
Sound - 8.5 out of 10
Value for money - 8.5 out of 10
OVERALL UKULELE SCORE - 8.5 out of 10
UKULELE VIDEO REVIEW
© Barry Maz
27 Nov 2016
27 Nov 2016T15:15
This is not the first sub-soprano scale ukulele I have looked at on the site, and nor is it the first sub-soprano for Ohana, as this follows on from their earlier SK21 series. The difference with the O'Nino however is that it even smaller than the 21 series. Call it a sopranino, call it a sopranissimo, call it a sub-soprano, call it what you like. It's a very small ukulele! And like a lot of the Ohana line, it is made in China, but brought back to the USA for quality control before distribution. I must say, their QC is pretty good too, as I have rarely (if ever) seen a truly bad Ohana.
With a scale length of 11 inches and an overall length tip to tail of only 17 inches, this is certainly a tiny ukulele. Not the smallest out thre by any means as ukuleles like the Tiny Tangi and the Nano Ukes built by Andy Miles are smaller, but it's still smaller than a soprano, and the smallest yet from Ohana. Readers will know of my love for the John Daniel Pixie Sopranino instrument and this O'Nino is very slightly smaller than that!
Size apart though, this is a standard double bout instrument made from all solid mahogany. I really like the shape, and that narrower upper bout which exaggerates the small scale to the eye even further.
The whole body on this review model is flawless and finished in a semi gloss coat that is neatly applied all over the instrument. I've commented on these finishes before on the likes of Kala ukuleles. They are a way apart from a hand rubbed finish which I prefer, and can sometimes look a little synthetic. Saying that, it doesn't look all that artificial and the wood grain shows through the top very nicely. It looks like a solid wood Ohana!
Decorating the edge of the top is a strip of well applied cream binding with black and white stripe detail and a similar cream and black inlaid rosette around the sound hole. It all looks classy and traditional and I like it a lot. The top is a single piece of wood, which is not surprising considering the size of the body.
The bridge is a slotted rosewood affair, meaning straighforward string changes with a white uncompensated saddle that looked to me like plastic, but specs tell me is made of bone. The bridge plate is mounted low down on the top of the instrument to keep the scale length without making the ukulele overly large. I like the look of that too.
The sides are made of a single piece of solid mahogany as is the back which is dead flat. Where the back meets the sides we have more edge binding but this time in straight cream with no detailing.
I like the whole look of the body and it screams ukulele whilst also looking typically Ohana. A look inside the soundhole shows a typical Ohana tidy build, with notched kerfing and no mess or glue spots. All very nice so far.
The neck is made from mahogany and finished in the same satin, meaning it's nice on the hand. It's made from three pieces with a joint at the heel and one near the nut. I'll come on to the width and profile of the neck in a moment.
Topping the neck is a rosewood fretboard with some colour variation near the upper frets which I think actually looks quite nice. It is fitted with 12 nickel silver frets, so a standard soprano number really. They are all dressed very nicely and are of the more jumbo style in width. The end of the fingerboard is also nicely shaped adding another detail to an instrument that already looks quite classy.
We have pearloid position markers at the 5th, 7th and 10th spaces, but none on the side. I usually consider the lack of side markers to be a gripe, but thinking about it on a sopranino, I consider it less of an issue. The small nature of the uke, and the way you need to hold it means that it's probably hard to see the side of the neck in any event, and certainly your fretting hand will hide a lot of it.
Up to the nut, and this is an area that is always of great interest to people wanting a sub-soprano scale instrument. You see, reason suggests that as you go down in overall size, the nut will get narrower too, and if there is one thing that makes a ukulele harder to play it's a narrow nut. In some cases the nuts get too narrow, as was the case with the iUke, but the John Daniel shows that they can be made wider. I measure the nut on the O'Nino as 33.5mm, so very slightly (0.5mm) narrower than the Daniel, but still bigger than the iUke Piccolo by several millimetres. I think it could do with being wider still, but then I think the John Daniel would benefit from that too (and neither are as bad as the iUke in that respect). Talking in millimetres may not seem like much to sniff at, but trust me - nut width is really noticeable when playing and despite the endless myths, has far more impact on space for large hands than the scale of the instrument does. So, thankfully, even with big hands, I can manage this one (wheras I struggled with the iUke). The O'Nino also has a fairly shallow neck profile so it does kind of feel bigger than it is when in the hands anyway. That nut incidentally is also made of bone.
Moving up to the headstock, and we find the first things that I was not too pleased with. Firstly, the headstock is finished nicely, and employs the traditional Ohana curved top. The logo is not screen printed, rather is inlaid in pearloid and looks good. The size however really stands out to me. In fact it looks no different to the headstock on a standard Ohana soprano. I think it's just too big and would have loved to see it smaller. Take a look at the headstock on the John Daniel to see that it is tiny in comparison.
And flipping it over we see another change from the SK21, and the reason for that large headstock. Whilst the 21 was fitted with decent quality Gotoh friction pegs, Ohana have reverted to unbranded open gears on the O'Nino. They are good enough quality in themselves with small white buttons, but you know me.... On small ukuleles I just think they look better with friction pegs to get rid of the 'ears' look. I know why they will have done it, as many beginners reject instruments with friction pegs off hand, but I'd have a couple of things to say to that. First, the SK21 pegs were not the worst friction pegs and shouldn't be rejected, and secondly, I think the O'Nino appeals to more than just beginners. I suspect more seasoned ukulele players may be agreeing with me on the lack of friciton tuners here. Yes, beginners will welcome gears, but what about the rest of us? All things considered, I just think the headstock is out of keeping with the rest of the instrument - big headstock / big tuner / Tiny uke... Will that affect the way it plays?
Completing the deal is a set of Aquila strings, and the O'Nino carries an RRP of $219. In reality you will find them at much more competitive prices online with Ohana dealers like Mims Ukes stocking them at about $140 at the time of writing and about £120 in the UK at somewhere like SUS. You will have noticed a gig bag in the pictures. That doesn't come included, but this is the Ohana UB19 bag they recommend for this model, and will set you back a few dollars more. So be honest though, you could carry this in a sock!
So all in all we have an instrument that will appeal to those in want of a sub-soprano fix. It's well made, looks classy and has a pleasing nut width. Shame about the headstock and tuners... but on to the playing!
First of all, in the hand it is very comfortable. Sure, being so small I wouldn't recommend any sub soprano as a first timer's ukulele, but if you know the ropes, you will not struggle with this one. It feels nice on the finish and it's light and well balanced to despite the gears and large headstock. And that body size has other advantages too of course - travel with one of these would be a breeze!
Tuning wise you have a number of options, but I tend to work on the basis that a sopranissimo is something you buy knowing that you will tune it differently from standard. Yes, you could get away with tuning it to standard C tuning (though the strings would be too floppy for my liking and it may cause intonation issues). You could go C tuning but one octave higher like the iUke (with different strings!), but I seriously dislike that shrill sound. Come on, the ukulele is already very high pitched and I find that 'even higher' C tuning is like nails on a blackboard to me. I saw Mim's recommendation was to try D tuning, but found that the intonation was a bit off with the 3rd string. If this were my ukulele I would however experiement and probably try F tuning like I usually use on the John Daniel which I find works well at this scale. SUS recommend Eb tuning which is somewhere between those two and that's what I chose for the video review. So lots of options really. And yes, I know, some will be reading saying 'but I don't know the chords for that tuning' and may be put off. You really do know how though, and working them out is far simpler than you may think. Have a read of this! (Seriously, don't be afraid of alternate tunings - you know the shapes!).
But, for now, Eb tuning it is (ie Bb, Eb, G, C), and it actually feels quite comfortable that way and intonates well. String tension is ok too. Your mileage may vary of course, but you know - no rules. Your uke - tune it how you are comfortable.
Setup on this one was very good, and I am pleased about that for good reason. The smaller you go with a ukulele scale the more necessary it is to have good intonation setup on the instrument. In other words, the larger ukuleles hide such innacuracies better, but if you are only a tiny bit out on a sopranino, you WILL notice it. For that reason I would certainly recommend you buy this from a specialist dealer who will offer a setup (somewhere like Mim's, HMS or SUS). I know I bang on about the big box shippers not doing setups, and I know many of you risk it, but trust me - this is an instrument for which you will definitely want the setup to be exact. Some say that it's impossible to get a sopranino perfect, and when you understand that all ukulele tuning is something of a 'fudge' in any case, I can understand why. This one is close enough for me though, and it's hardly and instrument for playing orchestral pieces right up at the dusty end of the fretboard in any case I suppose.
Sound wise, I find that people tend to fall into two camps when it comes to ultra small ukuleles. Those that love them and those that don't... (Well duh!).. But in that 'don't' camp, the dismissers tend to be those who don't like them for the simple reason of the staccato sound they have. To me though that is exactly the point of them. The soprano ukulele itself was designed to be a staccato, almost rhythmical instrument and not one for long sustain and massive resonance. That is the point of a soprano in my book. So if you go even smaller it stands to reason that the sub-soprano ukuleles are going to sound even more rhythmical. Of course, you are free to like what you like, but personally I like the range of all sizes of ukulele. If I want sustain and resonance I will go tenor or baritone, if I want something that is more rhythmical, I go soprano. And that's what you get with a sopranino - in spades.
This one is certainly playable, and unlike the neck on the iUke, for someone with my sized hands, enjoyable too. It's certainly staccato as I say, but great fun to strum fast. The sustain is short, but really not much different from that on my much loved John Daniel. Tone wise, it's far, far brighter from the Daniel, which is also made from solid Mahogany. Whether that is down to the strings or the build I am not wholly sure, but it doesn't make one worse than the other - just different. Like many things it will come down to personal taste, and at this size I have to say I like the John Daniel tone quite a bit more, but maybe that's just me. Saying that, I do recall playing an Ohana SK21 and I much prefer the O'Nino tone. It also beats the tone on the Kala Pocket for me and certainly that of the iUke. Volume wise, with a body this small, you are never going to wake the neighbours, but it's as loud as the John Daniel (just in a different way) and great for home use. If you wanted to perform with it - hey, that's why they invented microphones!
All in all, a very well made, nice looking instrument from a reliable brand. No, I don't like the tuners, but I know many of you will and think I am crazy for not wanting gears. I suppose I could always swap them out though. Tuners aside, I think the headstock is just all out of proportion, but that's a personal gripe and it doesn't affect the play in any way. A sopranino is never going to have massive sustain and killer tone, but as I say, that's not the point of them. As sopraninos go though, this is one of the better ones around.
At the deals on price I am seeing, I think it's something of a no brainer as a fun addition to your ukulele collection.
With many thanks to Ohana Music for the loan of the instrument
http://www.ohana-music.com
UKULELE PROS
Great classy look
Great build quality
Decent price (if you shop around)
Wide enough and comfortable neck
Light and balanced to hold
UKULELE CONS
Overly large headstock
Geared tuners
UKULELE SCORES
Looks - 8.5 out of 10
Fit and finish - 8 out of 10
Sound - 8 out of 10
Value for money - 9 out of 10
OVERALL UKULELE SCORE - 8.4 out of 10
UKULELE VIDEO REVIEW
© Barry Maz
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Ohana 'O'Nino' Sopranissimo Ukulele - REVIEW
A welcome return for the Ohana brand on Got A Ukulele with their latest tiny uke in the form of the "O'Nino" model.
This is not the first sub-soprano scale ukulele I have looked at on the site, and nor is it the first sub-soprano for Ohana, as this follows on from their earlier SK21 series. The difference with the O'Nino however is that it even smaller than the 21 series. Call it a sopranino, call it a sopranissimo, call it a sub-soprano, call it what you like. It's a very small ukulele! And like a lot of the Ohana line, it is made in China, but brought back to the USA for quality control before distribution. I must say, their QC is pretty good too, as I have rarely (if ever) seen a truly bad Ohana.
With a scale length of 11 inches and an overall length tip to tail of only 17 inches, this is certainly a tiny ukulele. Not the smallest out thre by any means as ukuleles like the Tiny Tangi and the Nano Ukes built by Andy Miles are smaller, but it's still smaller than a soprano, and the smallest yet from Ohana. Readers will know of my love for the John Daniel Pixie Sopranino instrument and this O'Nino is very slightly smaller than that!
Size apart though, this is a standard double bout instrument made from all solid mahogany. I really like the shape, and that narrower upper bout which exaggerates the small scale to the eye even further.
The whole body on this review model is flawless and finished in a semi gloss coat that is neatly applied all over the instrument. I've commented on these finishes before on the likes of Kala ukuleles. They are a way apart from a hand rubbed finish which I prefer, and can sometimes look a little synthetic. Saying that, it doesn't look all that artificial and the wood grain shows through the top very nicely. It looks like a solid wood Ohana!
Decorating the edge of the top is a strip of well applied cream binding with black and white stripe detail and a similar cream and black inlaid rosette around the sound hole. It all looks classy and traditional and I like it a lot. The top is a single piece of wood, which is not surprising considering the size of the body.
The bridge is a slotted rosewood affair, meaning straighforward string changes with a white uncompensated saddle that looked to me like plastic, but specs tell me is made of bone. The bridge plate is mounted low down on the top of the instrument to keep the scale length without making the ukulele overly large. I like the look of that too.
The sides are made of a single piece of solid mahogany as is the back which is dead flat. Where the back meets the sides we have more edge binding but this time in straight cream with no detailing.
I like the whole look of the body and it screams ukulele whilst also looking typically Ohana. A look inside the soundhole shows a typical Ohana tidy build, with notched kerfing and no mess or glue spots. All very nice so far.
The neck is made from mahogany and finished in the same satin, meaning it's nice on the hand. It's made from three pieces with a joint at the heel and one near the nut. I'll come on to the width and profile of the neck in a moment.
Topping the neck is a rosewood fretboard with some colour variation near the upper frets which I think actually looks quite nice. It is fitted with 12 nickel silver frets, so a standard soprano number really. They are all dressed very nicely and are of the more jumbo style in width. The end of the fingerboard is also nicely shaped adding another detail to an instrument that already looks quite classy.
We have pearloid position markers at the 5th, 7th and 10th spaces, but none on the side. I usually consider the lack of side markers to be a gripe, but thinking about it on a sopranino, I consider it less of an issue. The small nature of the uke, and the way you need to hold it means that it's probably hard to see the side of the neck in any event, and certainly your fretting hand will hide a lot of it.
Up to the nut, and this is an area that is always of great interest to people wanting a sub-soprano scale instrument. You see, reason suggests that as you go down in overall size, the nut will get narrower too, and if there is one thing that makes a ukulele harder to play it's a narrow nut. In some cases the nuts get too narrow, as was the case with the iUke, but the John Daniel shows that they can be made wider. I measure the nut on the O'Nino as 33.5mm, so very slightly (0.5mm) narrower than the Daniel, but still bigger than the iUke Piccolo by several millimetres. I think it could do with being wider still, but then I think the John Daniel would benefit from that too (and neither are as bad as the iUke in that respect). Talking in millimetres may not seem like much to sniff at, but trust me - nut width is really noticeable when playing and despite the endless myths, has far more impact on space for large hands than the scale of the instrument does. So, thankfully, even with big hands, I can manage this one (wheras I struggled with the iUke). The O'Nino also has a fairly shallow neck profile so it does kind of feel bigger than it is when in the hands anyway. That nut incidentally is also made of bone.
Moving up to the headstock, and we find the first things that I was not too pleased with. Firstly, the headstock is finished nicely, and employs the traditional Ohana curved top. The logo is not screen printed, rather is inlaid in pearloid and looks good. The size however really stands out to me. In fact it looks no different to the headstock on a standard Ohana soprano. I think it's just too big and would have loved to see it smaller. Take a look at the headstock on the John Daniel to see that it is tiny in comparison.
And flipping it over we see another change from the SK21, and the reason for that large headstock. Whilst the 21 was fitted with decent quality Gotoh friction pegs, Ohana have reverted to unbranded open gears on the O'Nino. They are good enough quality in themselves with small white buttons, but you know me.... On small ukuleles I just think they look better with friction pegs to get rid of the 'ears' look. I know why they will have done it, as many beginners reject instruments with friction pegs off hand, but I'd have a couple of things to say to that. First, the SK21 pegs were not the worst friction pegs and shouldn't be rejected, and secondly, I think the O'Nino appeals to more than just beginners. I suspect more seasoned ukulele players may be agreeing with me on the lack of friciton tuners here. Yes, beginners will welcome gears, but what about the rest of us? All things considered, I just think the headstock is out of keeping with the rest of the instrument - big headstock / big tuner / Tiny uke... Will that affect the way it plays?
Completing the deal is a set of Aquila strings, and the O'Nino carries an RRP of $219. In reality you will find them at much more competitive prices online with Ohana dealers like Mims Ukes stocking them at about $140 at the time of writing and about £120 in the UK at somewhere like SUS. You will have noticed a gig bag in the pictures. That doesn't come included, but this is the Ohana UB19 bag they recommend for this model, and will set you back a few dollars more. So be honest though, you could carry this in a sock!
So all in all we have an instrument that will appeal to those in want of a sub-soprano fix. It's well made, looks classy and has a pleasing nut width. Shame about the headstock and tuners... but on to the playing!
First of all, in the hand it is very comfortable. Sure, being so small I wouldn't recommend any sub soprano as a first timer's ukulele, but if you know the ropes, you will not struggle with this one. It feels nice on the finish and it's light and well balanced to despite the gears and large headstock. And that body size has other advantages too of course - travel with one of these would be a breeze!
Tuning wise you have a number of options, but I tend to work on the basis that a sopranissimo is something you buy knowing that you will tune it differently from standard. Yes, you could get away with tuning it to standard C tuning (though the strings would be too floppy for my liking and it may cause intonation issues). You could go C tuning but one octave higher like the iUke (with different strings!), but I seriously dislike that shrill sound. Come on, the ukulele is already very high pitched and I find that 'even higher' C tuning is like nails on a blackboard to me. I saw Mim's recommendation was to try D tuning, but found that the intonation was a bit off with the 3rd string. If this were my ukulele I would however experiement and probably try F tuning like I usually use on the John Daniel which I find works well at this scale. SUS recommend Eb tuning which is somewhere between those two and that's what I chose for the video review. So lots of options really. And yes, I know, some will be reading saying 'but I don't know the chords for that tuning' and may be put off. You really do know how though, and working them out is far simpler than you may think. Have a read of this! (Seriously, don't be afraid of alternate tunings - you know the shapes!).
But, for now, Eb tuning it is (ie Bb, Eb, G, C), and it actually feels quite comfortable that way and intonates well. String tension is ok too. Your mileage may vary of course, but you know - no rules. Your uke - tune it how you are comfortable.
Setup on this one was very good, and I am pleased about that for good reason. The smaller you go with a ukulele scale the more necessary it is to have good intonation setup on the instrument. In other words, the larger ukuleles hide such innacuracies better, but if you are only a tiny bit out on a sopranino, you WILL notice it. For that reason I would certainly recommend you buy this from a specialist dealer who will offer a setup (somewhere like Mim's, HMS or SUS). I know I bang on about the big box shippers not doing setups, and I know many of you risk it, but trust me - this is an instrument for which you will definitely want the setup to be exact. Some say that it's impossible to get a sopranino perfect, and when you understand that all ukulele tuning is something of a 'fudge' in any case, I can understand why. This one is close enough for me though, and it's hardly and instrument for playing orchestral pieces right up at the dusty end of the fretboard in any case I suppose.
Sound wise, I find that people tend to fall into two camps when it comes to ultra small ukuleles. Those that love them and those that don't... (Well duh!).. But in that 'don't' camp, the dismissers tend to be those who don't like them for the simple reason of the staccato sound they have. To me though that is exactly the point of them. The soprano ukulele itself was designed to be a staccato, almost rhythmical instrument and not one for long sustain and massive resonance. That is the point of a soprano in my book. So if you go even smaller it stands to reason that the sub-soprano ukuleles are going to sound even more rhythmical. Of course, you are free to like what you like, but personally I like the range of all sizes of ukulele. If I want sustain and resonance I will go tenor or baritone, if I want something that is more rhythmical, I go soprano. And that's what you get with a sopranino - in spades.
This one is certainly playable, and unlike the neck on the iUke, for someone with my sized hands, enjoyable too. It's certainly staccato as I say, but great fun to strum fast. The sustain is short, but really not much different from that on my much loved John Daniel. Tone wise, it's far, far brighter from the Daniel, which is also made from solid Mahogany. Whether that is down to the strings or the build I am not wholly sure, but it doesn't make one worse than the other - just different. Like many things it will come down to personal taste, and at this size I have to say I like the John Daniel tone quite a bit more, but maybe that's just me. Saying that, I do recall playing an Ohana SK21 and I much prefer the O'Nino tone. It also beats the tone on the Kala Pocket for me and certainly that of the iUke. Volume wise, with a body this small, you are never going to wake the neighbours, but it's as loud as the John Daniel (just in a different way) and great for home use. If you wanted to perform with it - hey, that's why they invented microphones!
All in all, a very well made, nice looking instrument from a reliable brand. No, I don't like the tuners, but I know many of you will and think I am crazy for not wanting gears. I suppose I could always swap them out though. Tuners aside, I think the headstock is just all out of proportion, but that's a personal gripe and it doesn't affect the play in any way. A sopranino is never going to have massive sustain and killer tone, but as I say, that's not the point of them. As sopraninos go though, this is one of the better ones around.
At the deals on price I am seeing, I think it's something of a no brainer as a fun addition to your ukulele collection.
With many thanks to Ohana Music for the loan of the instrument
http://www.ohana-music.com
UKULELE PROS
Great classy look
Great build quality
Decent price (if you shop around)
Wide enough and comfortable neck
Light and balanced to hold
UKULELE CONS
Overly large headstock
Geared tuners
UKULELE SCORES
Looks - 8.5 out of 10
Fit and finish - 8 out of 10
Sound - 8 out of 10
Value for money - 9 out of 10
OVERALL UKULELE SCORE - 8.4 out of 10
UKULELE VIDEO REVIEW
© Barry Maz
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5 Sept 2015
5 Sept 2015T14:43
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Soprano Ukulele Shootout - Ohana SK-10s vs Lanikai LU-21 vs Kala KA-S - REVIEW
A ukulele review with a slight difference this time on Got A Ukulele. Three musical instruments that are so similar in almost every way that I thought it would be fun to pit them head to head in a single review. A soprano shootout! The fact that they are three household names should also make it interesting. The Ohana SK-10s, the Lanikai LU-21 and the Kala KA-S.
2 Mar 2014
2 Mar 2014T12:02
I have actually had this ukulele since late last year, as I won it at the raffle at the Grand Northern Ukulele Festival. It's not a uke I had played before or even knew much about, but I must say, I rather like playing it. The TKS is a thin line body uke, sometimes called 'travel ukes' by other manufacturers (a name I have never quite understood, as the ukulele for me is naturally travel friendly), and part of a thin range by Ohana that also includes a concert (naturally called the CKS).
The uke is pretty standard looking in shape, with a traditional double bout body, and is made from laminate wood with a mahogany outer finish. It's made in China and like all Ohana ukes I have played, its extremely well put together and very neat and tidy. The top is very plain, with no detailing or sound hole rosette, but does feature cream plastic binding where it joins the sides. The grain is not all that special to look at, but it does have a more 'natural' look to it that some laminates. Inspection at the sound hole shows that the laminate is pretty thin, which for me is a good thing when not using solid wood. (Check my review of this Kiwaya to understand how good laminate can actually be). Laminate is a real divider with people, and often you will face the snobbish response that only solid wood matters. Not so. Cheap laminate can indeed be awful, but it is possible to make an instrument with good laminate too. In fact, top end guitar makers have been working with quality laminate for years.
Looking inside, all is nice and tidy, with flat kerfling holding the top and back to the sides and the distinctive Ohana label. The bracing looks a bit heavyweight to me for such a thin instrument, and one that is made of laminate (that is naturally stronger than solid wood), so I hope that doesn't kill the volume and tone.
It is when you turn this instrument on its side that you see just how thin it is. The sides themselves are made of a single piece of wood with no join at the base which is a little unusual for a tenor scale uke. The sides are joined to the back with the same cream binding which adds a (much needed in my opinion) bit of detail to the uke.
The back is also very nicely arched to help with sound protection, but is otherwise fairly plain looking and like the top, made from a single piece of wood.
Back to the top and we have a standard tie bar bridge in rosewood, and a bone saddle which is nice to see.
On to the neck and this is very nicely finished. It is smooth to the touch and has a slightly chunky profile to it that I like. Topping the neck is a rosewood fingerboard which is extremely nicely finished, smooth and evenly coloured. The edges of the fingerboard are slightly rolled too which surprised me for a laminate uke of this price and feels great in the hands. Top marks Ohana. There are 19 nickel silver frets, with 14 to the body and they have no rough edges and also feel great. Fret markers are inlaid mother of pearl circles at the 5th, 7th, 10th, 12th and 15th frets. Sadly, there are no side markers. The neck itself is made of three pieces with a joint at the headstock and the heel. It is nice to see a chunky joint at the heel, meaning this should stay put. Kala's original travel uke was plagued by a small neck joint, and necks easily snapping from the body.
Up to the headstock, its an unfussy affair in traditional Ohana shape with the Ohana logo silk screened on in silver. Tuning is provided by silver, sealed geared tuners that are stable and work very well. No complaints with these.
But what about that electric connection? Well the TKS-15E is fitted with a passive spot pickup (i.e. not an under saddle) underneath the soundboard which is connected to a jack socket just off centre on the base of the uke. Firstly, full marks to Ohana for going with a passive system and not installing an awful cheap active system. This does really require the use of a pre amp box that an active may not, but I find passive systems give a far more authentic uke tone when plugged in. You also don't need to rely on batteries! I would however have preferred an under saddle system as I find they are better at reducing body noise. Another observation though - why oh why not fit the pickup to a tail block at the base and include an integral strap button? I worry about jack sockets fitted in this place as they are connected to a fairly thin piece of wood. I have seen examples where people have snagged cables and literally ripped a hole out of the side of the instrument. There is far more strength at the base 'assuming' there is a tail block fitted. I can't actually tell if there is one, so the whole affair may be a little fragile.
The package is completed by the usual Aquila strings and there you have it.
Before we get on to playing it, a word about the price. These are listed on Ohana's website at an RRP of just over $300. You read that right and I honestly wondered if it was a typing error. $300 for a laminate uke (albeit one with a pickup and a nice neck). I think that is crazy. Thankfully, they seem to be available on the inter web at at anywhere between $180 and $200. I still think that is a little expensive myself, but it lines it up alongside the similarly priced Kala travel ukes. More on that comparison later.
The uke is very comfortable to play and hold and is nicely balanced. The thin body makes holding it without a strap a breeze and I like how thin body ukes seem to get you closer to the sound in that you can really feel the resonance through the back and into your chest. The neck and fingerboard I referred to above is really, really comfortable, smooth and a joy to play. It also has a slightly wider nut (also made of bone) than many tenors which I also like. This one has become a uke I don't like to put down!
Unplugged the sound is not hugely complex, but it does have good volume and a nice voice. It isn't up there with some premium laminate ukes I have played, but it is a mile above cheap laminates. Notes are very clear, across all strings, but it does lack a bit of sustain. I actually swapped out the stock strings to La Bella Uke-Pro strings as I thought the Aquilas made it bark a little. I'm pleased with the La Bella strings and its a very pleasurable instrument to play.
Through an amplifier, well, I have a problem, and I knew it was likely to manifest itself before I plugged it in. Body noise. The advantage of an under saddle pickup is it minimises noise from handling the instrument itself. The use of a soundboard pickup means everything that vibrates the uke, and not just the strings gets heard. As such, when you plug this in, even the uke rubbing on your arm, or your chest gets amplified. It's a nice sound from the strings, but you really need to hold it very carefully and steady to avoid it picking up everything else. Sat down and playing gently, its just fine, but I could never use this on stage and jig around without other noises being amplified too. The video below demonstrates that quite clearly for you. (I knew it would likely be an issue as I fitted a similar pickup to a Fluke and have the same problem). Perhaps I am just clumsy though, but I find it very hard to play it and move around without picking up all sorts of noise.
Before we finish, let us go back to that hard to ignore comparison to the similarly priced Kala. With the Kala travel you get a solid wood top ukulele which, to some people, will matter. You also get a very nice embroidered padded gig bag that the Ohana doesn't have. On the other hand, the Ohana has a far nicer neck than the Kala for me and has a pickup fitted. So I suppose the choice is yours - do you want solid wood and a gig bag, or can you live with laminate and get a pickup as part of the deal. I think it is a close call, but the Ohana really doesn't sound all that different to the Kala for me, so I guess it just wins. That said, I think both the Ohana AND the Kala are overpriced for what they are!
But price aside, I still rather like it. It's a very playable instrument acoustically with a wonderful neck. For me though, I could not live with the transducer pickup on stage and would prefer to have one of these either without a pickup for a lower price, or with a pickup mounted under the saddle. Your mileage may vary on the pickup, but for me it will remain an acoustic only uke.
FOR
Ohana build quality
Wonderful neck
Great comfort to play
AGAINST
Plain looks
Price
Noisy soundboard pickup
SCORES
Looks - 7.5
Fit and Finish - 9
Sound - 7
Value for money - 6.5
OVERALL 7.5 out of 10
Take a look now at the video review and better audio sound sample!
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Ohana TKS-15E 'thinline' Electro Tenor Ukulele - REVIEW
I have been long overdue writing this review, but here we have the Ohana TKS-15E tenor ukulele. It's a thin line model and comes complete with a pickup too. How does it fare?
I have actually had this ukulele since late last year, as I won it at the raffle at the Grand Northern Ukulele Festival. It's not a uke I had played before or even knew much about, but I must say, I rather like playing it. The TKS is a thin line body uke, sometimes called 'travel ukes' by other manufacturers (a name I have never quite understood, as the ukulele for me is naturally travel friendly), and part of a thin range by Ohana that also includes a concert (naturally called the CKS).
The uke is pretty standard looking in shape, with a traditional double bout body, and is made from laminate wood with a mahogany outer finish. It's made in China and like all Ohana ukes I have played, its extremely well put together and very neat and tidy. The top is very plain, with no detailing or sound hole rosette, but does feature cream plastic binding where it joins the sides. The grain is not all that special to look at, but it does have a more 'natural' look to it that some laminates. Inspection at the sound hole shows that the laminate is pretty thin, which for me is a good thing when not using solid wood. (Check my review of this Kiwaya to understand how good laminate can actually be). Laminate is a real divider with people, and often you will face the snobbish response that only solid wood matters. Not so. Cheap laminate can indeed be awful, but it is possible to make an instrument with good laminate too. In fact, top end guitar makers have been working with quality laminate for years.
Looking inside, all is nice and tidy, with flat kerfling holding the top and back to the sides and the distinctive Ohana label. The bracing looks a bit heavyweight to me for such a thin instrument, and one that is made of laminate (that is naturally stronger than solid wood), so I hope that doesn't kill the volume and tone.
It is when you turn this instrument on its side that you see just how thin it is. The sides themselves are made of a single piece of wood with no join at the base which is a little unusual for a tenor scale uke. The sides are joined to the back with the same cream binding which adds a (much needed in my opinion) bit of detail to the uke.
The back is also very nicely arched to help with sound protection, but is otherwise fairly plain looking and like the top, made from a single piece of wood.
Back to the top and we have a standard tie bar bridge in rosewood, and a bone saddle which is nice to see.
On to the neck and this is very nicely finished. It is smooth to the touch and has a slightly chunky profile to it that I like. Topping the neck is a rosewood fingerboard which is extremely nicely finished, smooth and evenly coloured. The edges of the fingerboard are slightly rolled too which surprised me for a laminate uke of this price and feels great in the hands. Top marks Ohana. There are 19 nickel silver frets, with 14 to the body and they have no rough edges and also feel great. Fret markers are inlaid mother of pearl circles at the 5th, 7th, 10th, 12th and 15th frets. Sadly, there are no side markers. The neck itself is made of three pieces with a joint at the headstock and the heel. It is nice to see a chunky joint at the heel, meaning this should stay put. Kala's original travel uke was plagued by a small neck joint, and necks easily snapping from the body.
Up to the headstock, its an unfussy affair in traditional Ohana shape with the Ohana logo silk screened on in silver. Tuning is provided by silver, sealed geared tuners that are stable and work very well. No complaints with these.
But what about that electric connection? Well the TKS-15E is fitted with a passive spot pickup (i.e. not an under saddle) underneath the soundboard which is connected to a jack socket just off centre on the base of the uke. Firstly, full marks to Ohana for going with a passive system and not installing an awful cheap active system. This does really require the use of a pre amp box that an active may not, but I find passive systems give a far more authentic uke tone when plugged in. You also don't need to rely on batteries! I would however have preferred an under saddle system as I find they are better at reducing body noise. Another observation though - why oh why not fit the pickup to a tail block at the base and include an integral strap button? I worry about jack sockets fitted in this place as they are connected to a fairly thin piece of wood. I have seen examples where people have snagged cables and literally ripped a hole out of the side of the instrument. There is far more strength at the base 'assuming' there is a tail block fitted. I can't actually tell if there is one, so the whole affair may be a little fragile.
The package is completed by the usual Aquila strings and there you have it.
Before we get on to playing it, a word about the price. These are listed on Ohana's website at an RRP of just over $300. You read that right and I honestly wondered if it was a typing error. $300 for a laminate uke (albeit one with a pickup and a nice neck). I think that is crazy. Thankfully, they seem to be available on the inter web at at anywhere between $180 and $200. I still think that is a little expensive myself, but it lines it up alongside the similarly priced Kala travel ukes. More on that comparison later.
The uke is very comfortable to play and hold and is nicely balanced. The thin body makes holding it without a strap a breeze and I like how thin body ukes seem to get you closer to the sound in that you can really feel the resonance through the back and into your chest. The neck and fingerboard I referred to above is really, really comfortable, smooth and a joy to play. It also has a slightly wider nut (also made of bone) than many tenors which I also like. This one has become a uke I don't like to put down!
Unplugged the sound is not hugely complex, but it does have good volume and a nice voice. It isn't up there with some premium laminate ukes I have played, but it is a mile above cheap laminates. Notes are very clear, across all strings, but it does lack a bit of sustain. I actually swapped out the stock strings to La Bella Uke-Pro strings as I thought the Aquilas made it bark a little. I'm pleased with the La Bella strings and its a very pleasurable instrument to play.
Through an amplifier, well, I have a problem, and I knew it was likely to manifest itself before I plugged it in. Body noise. The advantage of an under saddle pickup is it minimises noise from handling the instrument itself. The use of a soundboard pickup means everything that vibrates the uke, and not just the strings gets heard. As such, when you plug this in, even the uke rubbing on your arm, or your chest gets amplified. It's a nice sound from the strings, but you really need to hold it very carefully and steady to avoid it picking up everything else. Sat down and playing gently, its just fine, but I could never use this on stage and jig around without other noises being amplified too. The video below demonstrates that quite clearly for you. (I knew it would likely be an issue as I fitted a similar pickup to a Fluke and have the same problem). Perhaps I am just clumsy though, but I find it very hard to play it and move around without picking up all sorts of noise.
Before we finish, let us go back to that hard to ignore comparison to the similarly priced Kala. With the Kala travel you get a solid wood top ukulele which, to some people, will matter. You also get a very nice embroidered padded gig bag that the Ohana doesn't have. On the other hand, the Ohana has a far nicer neck than the Kala for me and has a pickup fitted. So I suppose the choice is yours - do you want solid wood and a gig bag, or can you live with laminate and get a pickup as part of the deal. I think it is a close call, but the Ohana really doesn't sound all that different to the Kala for me, so I guess it just wins. That said, I think both the Ohana AND the Kala are overpriced for what they are!
But price aside, I still rather like it. It's a very playable instrument acoustically with a wonderful neck. For me though, I could not live with the transducer pickup on stage and would prefer to have one of these either without a pickup for a lower price, or with a pickup mounted under the saddle. Your mileage may vary on the pickup, but for me it will remain an acoustic only uke.
FOR
Ohana build quality
Wonderful neck
Great comfort to play
AGAINST
Plain looks
Price
Noisy soundboard pickup
SCORES
Looks - 7.5
Fit and Finish - 9
Sound - 7
Value for money - 6.5
OVERALL 7.5 out of 10
To understand my review scoring and see this result in context - visit my review page at
8 Dec 2013
8 Dec 2013T14:08
That latter category is by FAR the biggest, and can often come in for criticism as being inferior to a significant degree. Whilst it is fair to say that there are many truly substandard instruments coming out of china - often just generic models to which a 'new' company simply just has their logo silk screened onto the headstock without a real care for the underlying instrument, there are those established makers who try to put care and attention to the process to ensure their standards remain high.
I was lucky enough to recently talk to one of those brands, Ohana, about their process and how they try to 'get it right'. So after an enjoyable coffee with Ken Middleton, he sent me on my way with a bundle of Ohana ukes to take a look at.
Ohana do not try to hide the fact that their instruments are made in the far east - they want to make the best quality instruments they can, but at a price that is affordable. It is a fact of modern life that most goods we want to buy these days that fulfil those requirements do tend to come from the far east. But it became clear as he explained their process that Ohana were certainly not one of the companies who were happy to slap their name on anything at all.
Ken explained that they still use a single factory in the main, and all uke development fits into their product range categories that have been long established. When they want to introduce something new, or a variation to a model, that takes some time to get right. Ken works closely with the Ohana owner in this process and together the team mull over ideas and undertake research on what to go for.
Take their homage to the Martin type 2 ukulele the SK21M. In view of the vintage Martin fan base out there, they needed to take care they got this as right as they could, so the start of the process will involve speaking with the factory and sending a new specification over and then receiving a prototype. I was delighted to take home the original (and only one in the world) prototype of this popular model to take a look at. It is an absolute delight, though discussion at Ohana did mean they wanted to change things and they did that with more variations before launching it on the market.
Below you can see the original prototype (called the SK38) next to the production model SK21M (in sopranino scale, but otherwise identical to the soprano in spec). Can you spot the differences?
Well, apart for the slightly obvious change in colour to an even more relic'd finish on the production model (Ken explained that the production model actually has a higher grade wood than the prototype) we may need to look a little closer. Ken explained that on the original they were not happy with the edge binding and wanted a more aged look, something creamier, so this change was made.
The ebony bridge saddle and nut stayed, but another major change was on the fretboard.
Ohana had specified original style rectangular brass frets on the prototype - exactly the same as the original Martin, but for anyone who has played one, they are extremely uncomfortable on the fingers, especially when sliding notes, so the production model reverted to more common nickel silver frets with a standard crowned shape (a positive change in my opinion!). You will also note the move to larger fret markers away from the more traditional tiny dots used by Martin.
Tuners were changed also, the prototype employing Peghed brand tuners to give the vintage look with a modern feel. The cost of these would have skewed the instrument out of the right price range, so these were changed to more common friction tuners. I for one agree, Peghed prices seem crazy as much as I do like them.
But otherwise the ukes are still quite similar and both sound great. One thing the photographs will not show you is that the prototype is extremely thin in construction and therefore very light. Knowing that such construction can be prone to cracks, Ohana decided to thicken that up a little, but they still play great. In fact Ken explained that the original was a full 2 ounces lighter than the production model, which in soprano ukulele terms is quite a lot. I must say I've been honoured to play that original though!
Another new uke that Ohana have launched recently is another homage to a vintage instrument, inspired by the instruments introduced to Hawaii by the likes of Nunes and Dias. Their SK-28 model is based on an original instrument made by cabinet maker Augusto Dias and is an absolute cracker.
This is the first prototype of that model in soprano form showing off it's classic figure 8 body style. In this case, the instrument that recently went into production though didn't change all that much.
You will note the headstock below bears the Ohana name..
So this has been a bit of an eye opener for me. When Ohana started there were only a handful of factories making ukuleles, and that number is now HUGE. Whether you like the far eastern way of production or not, it is pleasing to note that some brands are ensuring that they do take care in their process. It is not just Ohana that work this way, Kala do as well, but sadly it seems that with each month that passes a new brand name appears, and it is certainly the case that a lot of these are generic ukes with merely a change of headstock.
Thanks very much to Ken Middleton for his time and the loan of this bunch. Hope you found the background as interesting as I did.
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From Drawing Board To Store: A Look At The Ohana Ukulele Process
Most of my readers will know that ukuleles these days fall into about three main camps. The smaller number of private luthier built instruments, the high end factory / hand made ukes from places like Hawaii, and those from the Far East.
That latter category is by FAR the biggest, and can often come in for criticism as being inferior to a significant degree. Whilst it is fair to say that there are many truly substandard instruments coming out of china - often just generic models to which a 'new' company simply just has their logo silk screened onto the headstock without a real care for the underlying instrument, there are those established makers who try to put care and attention to the process to ensure their standards remain high.
I was lucky enough to recently talk to one of those brands, Ohana, about their process and how they try to 'get it right'. So after an enjoyable coffee with Ken Middleton, he sent me on my way with a bundle of Ohana ukes to take a look at.
Ohana do not try to hide the fact that their instruments are made in the far east - they want to make the best quality instruments they can, but at a price that is affordable. It is a fact of modern life that most goods we want to buy these days that fulfil those requirements do tend to come from the far east. But it became clear as he explained their process that Ohana were certainly not one of the companies who were happy to slap their name on anything at all.
Ken explained that they still use a single factory in the main, and all uke development fits into their product range categories that have been long established. When they want to introduce something new, or a variation to a model, that takes some time to get right. Ken works closely with the Ohana owner in this process and together the team mull over ideas and undertake research on what to go for.
Take their homage to the Martin type 2 ukulele the SK21M. In view of the vintage Martin fan base out there, they needed to take care they got this as right as they could, so the start of the process will involve speaking with the factory and sending a new specification over and then receiving a prototype. I was delighted to take home the original (and only one in the world) prototype of this popular model to take a look at. It is an absolute delight, though discussion at Ohana did mean they wanted to change things and they did that with more variations before launching it on the market.
Below you can see the original prototype (called the SK38) next to the production model SK21M (in sopranino scale, but otherwise identical to the soprano in spec). Can you spot the differences?
| L-R SK38 prototype, SK21M sopranino prodution model |
Well, apart for the slightly obvious change in colour to an even more relic'd finish on the production model (Ken explained that the production model actually has a higher grade wood than the prototype) we may need to look a little closer. Ken explained that on the original they were not happy with the edge binding and wanted a more aged look, something creamier, so this change was made.
The ebony bridge saddle and nut stayed, but another major change was on the fretboard.
| note brass frets and smaller markers on prototype |
Ohana had specified original style rectangular brass frets on the prototype - exactly the same as the original Martin, but for anyone who has played one, they are extremely uncomfortable on the fingers, especially when sliding notes, so the production model reverted to more common nickel silver frets with a standard crowned shape (a positive change in my opinion!). You will also note the move to larger fret markers away from the more traditional tiny dots used by Martin.
| The prototype Peghed tuners are the black ones. |
Tuners were changed also, the prototype employing Peghed brand tuners to give the vintage look with a modern feel. The cost of these would have skewed the instrument out of the right price range, so these were changed to more common friction tuners. I for one agree, Peghed prices seem crazy as much as I do like them.
But otherwise the ukes are still quite similar and both sound great. One thing the photographs will not show you is that the prototype is extremely thin in construction and therefore very light. Knowing that such construction can be prone to cracks, Ohana decided to thicken that up a little, but they still play great. In fact Ken explained that the original was a full 2 ounces lighter than the production model, which in soprano ukulele terms is quite a lot. I must say I've been honoured to play that original though!
Another new uke that Ohana have launched recently is another homage to a vintage instrument, inspired by the instruments introduced to Hawaii by the likes of Nunes and Dias. Their SK-28 model is based on an original instrument made by cabinet maker Augusto Dias and is an absolute cracker.
This is the first prototype of that model in soprano form showing off it's classic figure 8 body style. In this case, the instrument that recently went into production though didn't change all that much.
You will note the headstock below bears the Ohana name..
Yet on the model that went into production, Ohana decided to continue the inlay on the fingerboard up through the headstock and put the Ohana name on the back as you will see below.
That and a minor change to the sound hole rosette are simple and you might think insignificant, but they form part of the prototype process.
Ken explained that ukes can change further when the company otherwise think they are finalised. They have a large network of dealers who they work closely with, and often with a new instrument they will start with a small production run of say twenty or so instruments and send them to dealers for sale and feedback. This too can lead to minor changes down the line and seems to me a great way of taking stock of the market.
Finally, I was left to spend some time with a trio of absolutely stunning instruments from their '80' range, right at the top of the Ohana line.
| L-R SK80RW prototype, TK80RW prototype, SK80RW production model |
Here we have, from left to right the SK80 prototype, the TK80RW prototype and the production model of the SK80RW. With specs like those in this higher end range, it clearly pays to get things right. You will notice between the two sopranos that a decision was made to introduce edge binding in rope marquetry to the body binding and around the headstock facing that isn't there on the plainer prototype.
| Prototype on the left, production model on the right |
Flipping them over you see the quite beautiful backs that this range employ - made of solid Myrtle, and you will also notice a change in the neck colouring and that the production model moved from friction tuners to open geared Grovers.
But looking at the tenor model was where I really saw how the prototype process can show the manufacturer a thing or two. You will see from the picture above that the top on the tenor is really quite dark. It is a 'sinker' redwood and to me looks absolutely fabulous. When the prototype arrived though, the look of it clashed with the much paler Myrtle back as you can see.
| TK80RW prototype - note clash in colour between top and back |
It is purely an aesthetic thing, but I can see what Ohana mean. I think this prototype has one of the nicest looking tops you can imagine, and - wait til you see the back!
| WOW! |
Wow! But... judged together they didn't seem to work and for that reason the production model uses a far paler redwood top to give the instrument a better balance. On a model like this, Ohana source their wood in Oregon to ensure quality and ship that over for the construction process. When the product is launched they all go back to Ohana for checking and never direct from the factory to the shop. That is also encouraging!
So this has been a bit of an eye opener for me. When Ohana started there were only a handful of factories making ukuleles, and that number is now HUGE. Whether you like the far eastern way of production or not, it is pleasing to note that some brands are ensuring that they do take care in their process. It is not just Ohana that work this way, Kala do as well, but sadly it seems that with each month that passes a new brand name appears, and it is certainly the case that a lot of these are generic ukes with merely a change of headstock.
Thanks very much to Ken Middleton for his time and the loan of this bunch. Hope you found the background as interesting as I did.
26 Mar 2013
26 Mar 2013T19:35
The Chinese made TK-35-G-5 is essential pretty much identical to their very popular TK-35G series tenor, with the addition of one extra G string. The T in the name denotes the Tenor scale, the 35 is the model series, and the G denotes gloss, which this uke is finished with. These retail at a shade over $500, but a quick Google tells me they can be found for considerably less with many dealers.
Like all of the gloss model Ohana Ukes, it looks visually very classy indeed, with no finish flaws whatsoever. The wood is made from all solid mahogany, and kind of glows with a warm orangey brown tone which is very pretty indeed. The top of the uke is a single piece of mahogany, showing some nice grain. My readers will know that I am not the worlds biggest fan of gloss finishes, but I tend to gripe the most about ukes that are decked out like christmas trees. This on the other hand I could live with as it has a more classic feel rather than overtly showy. The gloss is deep and allows the underlying wood to really shimmer.
Taking a look inside, and things look fairly standard on the bracing front. The kerfling holding the sides to the top and back is flat and not notched, and I must say it's a little messy on the finish in there with some noticeable glue spots and wood shavings. Acontrast to the outside of the instrument.
The sides of the ukulele are a single piece which is somewhat unusual for a tenor ukulele and I would have expected to see a join at the butt. It's not a criticism however! The sides also show a more significant grain pattern than the top, though the grain does not run parallel with the sides and is on an angle pretty much all the way around. Despite that lack of a join, looking inside tells me there is still a tail block in the base meaning that if you wanted to add a strap button you have the strength to fix one.
On to the back, and that is another single piece of solid mahogany with a very slight curve to it. Finishing the deal on the body is the binding which keeps with the classy look of the instrument. It's brown rosewood on the sides, with some brown / cream / brown purfling on the binding on the top and back. The soundhole is trimmed with a similar rosette in cream with brown edging. It looks like it could be a transfer, but I can't quite tell under the gloss.
The bridge is a fairly standard designed rosewood tie bar, with a plain, uncompensated plastic saddle. Of course it is on inspection of the saddle that we see the first difference from it's stock tenor cousin. The fifth string. For any beginners reading this and not understanding how a five string ukulele works, that extra string is not designed to be played independently of the other four - it is tune in a pair with the normal G string. So we have two G strings in close proximity, one tuned as a high G and one as a low G (presumably to solve many nights of agonising for those who can't make their minds up whether to tune their instrument to high or low G.....!). Incidentally, the low G on this uke is unwound, but I see no reason why a wound low G wouldn't work if that is your thing. (it's not my thing...)
Moving on to the mahogany neck, it too is finished in gloss, and made from three pieces with a joint at the heel and at the headstock. The neck is topped with a rosewood fingerboard which is nicely finished and consistent in colour. The edges of the fingerboard are unbound, so you can see the fret edges below the gloss. Speaking of frets, there are 19 of them in nickel silver and they are also fairly chunky which I prefer. The fret edges are smooth and help make the playing experience extremely comfortable.
We also have pearloid fret markers at the fifth, seventh, tenth, twelfth, and fifteenth frets. Sadly, there are no side fret markers (Grrrrrrr!)
Past the plastic nut (and incidentally, despite the fifth string, the nut width is pretty standard) we move on to the quite unusual shaped headstock. Clearly, it needed to be slightly bigger to incorporate the extra tuner, but I rather like it for the simple reason that I like any uke that diverts itself away from the usual Martin clone headstock shape. This one is long and distinctive, and is faced in what appears to be rosewood. The Ohana logo looks typically classy in pearloid finish under the gloss.
The tuners are particularly pleasing - like several Ohana ukes I have played, they are open geared Grover brand tuners (similar to those on my Kanile'a uke) with cream buttons. This tuner type works extremely well, so top marks to Ohana for picking them.
So there we have it - quite an understated yet classy and pretty ukulele with no real issues at all with the build. And it doesn't need to be over the top. On the whole its a fairly standard design, but that fifth tuner is enough to turn heads and have people questioning what it is. But how does it play and sound?
Well, to hold, its a fairly heavy ukulele ( no crass comments please about it being the weight of the extra string!!). It's not overly so, nor uncomfortable, but you know it is there - not a bad thing. It's nicely weighted too, and despite the large headstock, feels balanced in the hands.
The setup on the model I am testing is just how I would like it and it plays nice and evenly with no tuning issues.
Volume is excellent, not just helped by that fifth string, but on the other strings also. It really has a warm tone to it, without it barking when played hard. Best way to describe it, is that it has a lot of presence in a mix. The low G also doesn't take over the sound, and I found that the A string is just as clear amongst the notes. It doesn't have the tone or sustain of some of the highest end instruments I have played, but has more volume and shape to the sound than (say) the Kala Acacia Tenor I reviewed.
But on to that fifth string. It's a bit of an enigma to me I suppose - mainly because I have several ukes and don't find it a challenge to choose between low and high G tuning (I have some tuned one way, others the other!), so I am not sure of this 'best of both worlds' approach. Perhaps that is the wrong way to consider this model, and it would be better to just accept that this uke has a voice all of it's own. And I do like it, particularly when strummed. It's clear, resonant and means business. Picked however I was not quite so happy with it. That may be more an issue with my technique, but I found it not that easy to get a clean note from the G when picking with my thumb. That said, one of the players in our band can fingerpick an 8 string quite brilliantly, so it must just be me. Either way, I tend to strum more than pick, so could happily live with this sound.
In summary, well worth your attention if you can find one. It has that certain something that makes it 'different', especially if you are playing with a group of players. Go on - be different! At the RRP I think it is expensive for what it is, but if you can shop around and get a deal there are some bargains to be had.
PROS
Beautiful finish and build
Great tuners
Rich resonant tone with great volume
CONS
No side markers!
Little more difficult to fingerpick effectively.
SCORES
Looks 8.5
Fit and finish 8.5
Sound 9
Value for money 8
OVERALL 8.5
Read More »
Ohana TK-35G-5 5 string tenor Ukulele REVIEW
I like it when I have a 'first' on my Got A Ukulele reviews page, and this is a first. My first ukulele review for something with more than four strings. Say hello to the Ohana TK-35G-5, five string tenor ukulele.
The Chinese made TK-35-G-5 is essential pretty much identical to their very popular TK-35G series tenor, with the addition of one extra G string. The T in the name denotes the Tenor scale, the 35 is the model series, and the G denotes gloss, which this uke is finished with. These retail at a shade over $500, but a quick Google tells me they can be found for considerably less with many dealers.
Like all of the gloss model Ohana Ukes, it looks visually very classy indeed, with no finish flaws whatsoever. The wood is made from all solid mahogany, and kind of glows with a warm orangey brown tone which is very pretty indeed. The top of the uke is a single piece of mahogany, showing some nice grain. My readers will know that I am not the worlds biggest fan of gloss finishes, but I tend to gripe the most about ukes that are decked out like christmas trees. This on the other hand I could live with as it has a more classic feel rather than overtly showy. The gloss is deep and allows the underlying wood to really shimmer.
Taking a look inside, and things look fairly standard on the bracing front. The kerfling holding the sides to the top and back is flat and not notched, and I must say it's a little messy on the finish in there with some noticeable glue spots and wood shavings. Acontrast to the outside of the instrument.
The sides of the ukulele are a single piece which is somewhat unusual for a tenor ukulele and I would have expected to see a join at the butt. It's not a criticism however! The sides also show a more significant grain pattern than the top, though the grain does not run parallel with the sides and is on an angle pretty much all the way around. Despite that lack of a join, looking inside tells me there is still a tail block in the base meaning that if you wanted to add a strap button you have the strength to fix one.
On to the back, and that is another single piece of solid mahogany with a very slight curve to it. Finishing the deal on the body is the binding which keeps with the classy look of the instrument. It's brown rosewood on the sides, with some brown / cream / brown purfling on the binding on the top and back. The soundhole is trimmed with a similar rosette in cream with brown edging. It looks like it could be a transfer, but I can't quite tell under the gloss.
The bridge is a fairly standard designed rosewood tie bar, with a plain, uncompensated plastic saddle. Of course it is on inspection of the saddle that we see the first difference from it's stock tenor cousin. The fifth string. For any beginners reading this and not understanding how a five string ukulele works, that extra string is not designed to be played independently of the other four - it is tune in a pair with the normal G string. So we have two G strings in close proximity, one tuned as a high G and one as a low G (presumably to solve many nights of agonising for those who can't make their minds up whether to tune their instrument to high or low G.....!). Incidentally, the low G on this uke is unwound, but I see no reason why a wound low G wouldn't work if that is your thing. (it's not my thing...)
Moving on to the mahogany neck, it too is finished in gloss, and made from three pieces with a joint at the heel and at the headstock. The neck is topped with a rosewood fingerboard which is nicely finished and consistent in colour. The edges of the fingerboard are unbound, so you can see the fret edges below the gloss. Speaking of frets, there are 19 of them in nickel silver and they are also fairly chunky which I prefer. The fret edges are smooth and help make the playing experience extremely comfortable.
We also have pearloid fret markers at the fifth, seventh, tenth, twelfth, and fifteenth frets. Sadly, there are no side fret markers (Grrrrrrr!)
Past the plastic nut (and incidentally, despite the fifth string, the nut width is pretty standard) we move on to the quite unusual shaped headstock. Clearly, it needed to be slightly bigger to incorporate the extra tuner, but I rather like it for the simple reason that I like any uke that diverts itself away from the usual Martin clone headstock shape. This one is long and distinctive, and is faced in what appears to be rosewood. The Ohana logo looks typically classy in pearloid finish under the gloss.
The tuners are particularly pleasing - like several Ohana ukes I have played, they are open geared Grover brand tuners (similar to those on my Kanile'a uke) with cream buttons. This tuner type works extremely well, so top marks to Ohana for picking them.
So there we have it - quite an understated yet classy and pretty ukulele with no real issues at all with the build. And it doesn't need to be over the top. On the whole its a fairly standard design, but that fifth tuner is enough to turn heads and have people questioning what it is. But how does it play and sound?
Well, to hold, its a fairly heavy ukulele ( no crass comments please about it being the weight of the extra string!!). It's not overly so, nor uncomfortable, but you know it is there - not a bad thing. It's nicely weighted too, and despite the large headstock, feels balanced in the hands.
The setup on the model I am testing is just how I would like it and it plays nice and evenly with no tuning issues.
Volume is excellent, not just helped by that fifth string, but on the other strings also. It really has a warm tone to it, without it barking when played hard. Best way to describe it, is that it has a lot of presence in a mix. The low G also doesn't take over the sound, and I found that the A string is just as clear amongst the notes. It doesn't have the tone or sustain of some of the highest end instruments I have played, but has more volume and shape to the sound than (say) the Kala Acacia Tenor I reviewed.
But on to that fifth string. It's a bit of an enigma to me I suppose - mainly because I have several ukes and don't find it a challenge to choose between low and high G tuning (I have some tuned one way, others the other!), so I am not sure of this 'best of both worlds' approach. Perhaps that is the wrong way to consider this model, and it would be better to just accept that this uke has a voice all of it's own. And I do like it, particularly when strummed. It's clear, resonant and means business. Picked however I was not quite so happy with it. That may be more an issue with my technique, but I found it not that easy to get a clean note from the G when picking with my thumb. That said, one of the players in our band can fingerpick an 8 string quite brilliantly, so it must just be me. Either way, I tend to strum more than pick, so could happily live with this sound.
In summary, well worth your attention if you can find one. It has that certain something that makes it 'different', especially if you are playing with a group of players. Go on - be different! At the RRP I think it is expensive for what it is, but if you can shop around and get a deal there are some bargains to be had.
PROS
Beautiful finish and build
Great tuners
Rich resonant tone with great volume
CONS
No side markers!
Little more difficult to fingerpick effectively.
SCORES
Looks 8.5
Fit and finish 8.5
Sound 9
Value for money 8
OVERALL 8.5
To understand my review scoring and see this result in context - visit my review page at
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