Quote:
Originally Posted by Earl49
I don't know that builder, but it looks like a wonderful koa instrument. Do you like the sound? That is always the #1 question, followed by playability, with pretty wood and bling a distant third. What a nice souvenir of your Hawaiian trip that ukulele would be.
As for sharp frets, that is usually a sign of low humidity -- wood necks and fingerboards shrink laterally whey they dry but metal frets don't - so I wonder if it isn't a bit too dry from being in air conditioning. If it was built in a non-conditioned shop at full local humidity, or during the wet season, or on the wet side of the island, it could be a little dry.
That shop décor looks familiar, like I've been in there, but I cannot place it. In the Waikiki Grand Hyatt mall?
|
Thanks - yes I thought the sharp frets were odd given the humidity but the shop owner is taking it to the builder to answer some of my questions and get his thoughts on minor set up issues. I've never played Uke's but have always been intrigued and Hawaii seems like the right place to buy one...so tone and playability are easy for me to assess on a guitar but not on this.
The shop is called Hawaiki Art in Hanalei Bay in Kauai. Amazing stuff in there!