Pono guitars - tell me about them please.

Silly Moustache · #1 08-05-2015, 05:53 PM

I've seen the name entioned here, and just checked out their website.

I see that they are made in Java- doesn't concern me. (I found their exaplantions very reasonable.

I don't think the guitars are avaiable in the UK, but would be interested to hear from ayone who has a Pono guitar and can compare with other better known makes tonally/qualty etc.

Thanks in advance.

JohnW63 · #2 08-05-2015, 06:00 PM

Just a list of recent Pono guitar threads

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...highlight=Pono

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...highlight=Pono

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...highlight=Pono

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...highlight=Pono

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...highlight=Pono

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...highlight=Pono

I'd love to try one out, after all the good reviews here.

Gitarre · #3 08-05-2015, 06:07 PM

I have the nylon Pono. My guitar experience is extremely limited and am not qualified to give an opinion on its comparison to others except to say that it sounded much better than a Cordoba GK PRO. I can say it is very well built and a beautiful guitar.

RustNeverSleeps · #4 08-05-2015, 06:29 PM

Silly Moustache, I have a Pono parlour, cedar top with acacia back and sides, I believe it's the OP-10D. I'll be back in the UK from 12 September and would be happy to let you play it for yourself if you're ever in London.

I use it as a travel guitar, possibly even what some here would call a "beater" - I take it out to the park or wherever and pass it round... Most people want to test it out!

The body feels quite deep and the scale length quite short. Sound-wise it is sweet and surprisingly full, especially tuned half a step down which is where I keep it. I bought on the recommendations of paul zoom (?), a poster here, and haven't regretted my decision.

John at Pono was very good to deal with and the attention to detail was a nice touch (nice inlay work, Pono tuners, lightweight but solid enough case, polishing cloth etc.). In fact, I turned to Pono again only yesterday to look at a potential ukelele purchase.

I may be wrong, but I think all sales are made directly through Pono, so there are no UK distributors. Given the lack of publicity and knowledge about the brand, as well as the shipping and import fees to the UK, you might not see such a great return on any resale.. but in my experience they're nice little guitars that you won't want to part with. Oh, really great set-up on arrival, too.

Rosewood99 · #5 08-05-2015, 06:50 PM

Fantastic guitars for the money. I owned this one but sadly had to sell it. But I do miss it.

Pippin · #6 08-06-2015, 02:27 AM

Hi SM,

I've bought multiple Pono guitars since 2013 and shared a few of my amateurish NGD experiences on this forum...so my opinion is obviously biased...

Anyway, I found Pono guitars of outstanding quality for the money, and I consider them as good as many "boutique" builder guitars. I've played a few and still own a couple of Santa Cruz from Richard Hoover. The build quality of Pono is comparable to SCGC, IMHO.

I once played my Pono GA30DC (Engelmann-Indian Rosewood 16" grand auditorium) side by side with a Goodall CJ of the same size and wood combination (even the bindings are the same - Koa!) owned by a professional player friend...and the two instruments are very comparable in sonic signature and quality (good news for those who've always wanted the "3-dimensional" sound quality of a Goodall!). The Goodall had richer and fuller bass at the time (but it was 6 years old, compared with less than one year of my Pono), and the Pono seemed to have crisper, louder treble.

All my other Pono guitars can easily hold their own in the respective design / woods combination categories against instruments of more well known builders that cost 2-3 times more, I would say.

Pip

P.S. And the Pono owner John Kitakis, as many had testified here, is a super guy to deal with.

boombox · #7 08-06-2015, 06:25 AM

They've been intriguing me too for some time. From all I've read and heard, they appear to be excellent sounding, very good value guitars and a good company to deal with. I've nothing against buying sight unseen (three guitars bought that way), but due to the shipping costs to the UK and our beloved HMRC taking their cut, they are just a tad too much to take a risk on when I could find something comparable used and try it out first for very little more.

LostDog · #8 08-06-2015, 07:24 AM

Hello Silly Moustache,

I have two Ponos, an OP-30DC and a L-40SP.

They are both wonderful guitars. The quality of the wood, the build and the tone greatly outweigh the price I paid for them (in my not so humble opinion). They really do exceed the expected, especially for the price range.

Moreover, John Kitakis has excellent customer service skills which made my experience with Pono better than positive.

To add to my two parlors I have a D-30SP coming my way this September. I am a happy repeat customer (not affiliated with Pono in any other way).

Of course nothing is like seeing/hearing for yourself. If you are able to play a Pono, by all means do so, I doubt you will be unhappy with what you find.

Kind Regards.

LostDog

sandy99 · #9 08-06-2015, 07:54 AM

I have the OP-10C, and it's just gotten better and better with age. It gets a lot of attention when I take it out to events... The 12-fret short scale and its small size all come together magically - a great guitar to support singing, without overpowering.

jaymarsch · #10 08-06-2015, 07:55 AM

Another happy Pono owner here. I have the OP-10CD - a cedar/acacia parlor cutaway. A delightful instrument in my experience. It does not sound boxy, very playable with a comfortable neck. 24.75 inch scale length makes it comfy to play but you can still put it in DADGAD and it sounds great. Very nicely built and finished. As others have already said - John is great to work with.

These guitars are a great value. I would not put this guitar in the same class as my custom built guitars, but Pono's are head and shoulders above other similar all wood guitars made by makers like Alvarez and Larrivee. But, I will say that my Pono plays and sounds better than both a Santa Cruz Firefly and a Collings baby that I have played. But not much can be derived from that beyond comparing those 3 guitars.

I hope this is helpful, SillyM.

Best,
Jayne

SOR · #11 08-06-2015, 09:04 AM

I had a OP-30DC a while ago and I was very impressed with the fit and finish which I felt it was on a par with Collings and remarkable for the price. I believe they now have, or soon will have, a 00 size which should prove interesting.

jaymarsch · #12 08-06-2015, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SOR

I had a OP-30DC a while ago and I was very impressed with the fit and finish which I felt it was on a par with Collings and remarkable for the price. I believe they now have, or soon will have, a 00 size which should prove interesting.

Great news about Pono making a 00 - that is pretty much my favorite sized guitar to play these days. I will be interested in hearing more about that. Thanks for the heads up, SOR.

Best,
Jayne

SOR · #13 08-06-2015, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaymarsch

Great news about Pono making a 00 - that is pretty much my favorite sized guitar to play these days. I will be interested in hearing more about that. Thanks for the heads up, SOR.

Best,
Jayne

I also like the 00 size. I just checked their sight and they list a 00-20 Concert but no info or photos. I'm sure John would supply more details if you emailed. Good luck.

Br1ck · #14 08-06-2015, 12:20 PM

I have two Ponos. I bought a MT tenor uke as an upgrade to my Fluke. When it came I was astounded at the build quality. Equal or better than some of the far more expensive Hawaiian ukes I tried.

That experience led me to buy a used OP 30-D in the classifieds here, and though used, I don't know how much it was played because the bass seems to be stronger than it was on arrival. Truly the best bang for the buck, and it can hold it's own with most any parlor I've played.

I took it to my luthier for a checkup. He played on it and asked me what I paid. He was very surprised, even when I told him the new price. In their cost range, Eastman would be the alternative competition, though I like Pono over the Eastman parlors I played.

I'm lusting for a slope dread, and I'd be hard pressed to pay double for a Gibson. If you are the type who buy a guitar for what it is and don't need the brand name, this coming from a Martin fan, Pono is worthy of your consideration. I bought my parlor because I thought I'd only play it once in a while, but in two months I've played it 80% of the time. Of course it's the new toy still.

The videos on their web site are true to what they sound like.

Don't ever ask anyone in a store what they think of them. They hate bypassing retail stores, but the combination of Indonesia manufacture and direct sales, added to some very inconsequential design considerations ( multiple piece necks ) provide a fine guitar at a very attractive price.

Pono is always asked if they could do this or that, and John Kitakis holds the line on anything that would add to cost. But, still, one of his parlors is ebony with abalone all over it and still around $1400. His guitars start around $800. That is a range that fits a lot of budgets.

Rosewood99 · #15 08-06-2015, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Br1ck

I'm lusting for a slope dread, and I'd be hard pressed to pay double for a Gibson. If you are the type who buy a guitar for what it is and don't need the brand name, this coming from a Martin fan, Pono is worthy of your consideration.

Are you saying you have played a Pono slope dread and it was comparable to a Gibson? I thought you only had a parlor?