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  #16  
Old 01-18-2012, 05:02 AM
Neal Neal is offline
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Originally Posted by wcap View Post
I seriously considered a Koaloha a few years ago that had simply lovely tone, but had intractable intonation problems that even my very competent guitar tech could not fix. It was selling for $600 used.

I recently played a few ukuleles in the $2K - $3K range that were fabulous in all respects. But that's more money than I can justify spending right now. I'm sure there are in fact less expensive ones that are also good, but the only lower priced ones I've encountered with good intonation were the Flukes and Fleas. (OK, I guess the Martin ones are OK, but did not move me sound-wise, and at the time they only were making sopranos - we were looking for a concert).
I'm sure you played the Mexican Martins. Their new line is USA and made like the ones of old. Concerts too.
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  #17  
Old 01-18-2012, 11:49 AM
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Interesting concept. I have not seen these. Resonator guitars have sort of fascinated me, though this is not my vision of what I was hoping for in a ukulele.
I AM a resonator guy! There is a steel one, at around $1400. the fancy nickel "type 0" with the hawaiian scenes is $1900 or so. Very tempting, but I'm going to try to be patient for a used one.

In this vid the playing starts at around 1:00 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9Ma5q-dND0
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  #18  
Old 01-18-2012, 01:34 PM
Battleman Battleman is offline
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Nice.

Would love to have one.

Be nice if anyone had a sound bite?
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  #19  
Old 01-18-2012, 01:41 PM
wcap wcap is offline
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I AM a resonator guy! There is a steel one, at around $1400. the fancy nickel "type 0" with the hawaiian scenes is $1900 or so. Very tempting, but I'm going to try to be patient for a used one.

In this vid the playing starts at around 1:00 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9Ma5q-dND0
That is indeed cool.
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  #20  
Old 01-18-2012, 03:04 PM
slopeshoulder slopeshoulder is offline
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Indeed cool, however out of the priced range of mere mortals....14K for the pair and only available as a set. Not Taylor's best move IMHO.
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  #21  
Old 01-18-2012, 03:44 PM
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Indeed cool, however out of the priced range of mere mortals....14K for the pair and only available as a set. Not Taylor's best move IMHO.
No move at all really. They aren't going to make a mint selling ukes even if they went full production, because the folks willing to spend over $1200 on a uke is a very small number. Larrivee proved that with their L10KKs which priced about $1500. So they put these out, almost just to say they did.

If there is enough clamor might they make a production model? Possibly. But they are probably smart enough to realize that for every 500 on the internet who SAY they would snatch one up, there's probably only 1 or 2 who actually would at the probably $2000 price tag.
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  #22  
Old 01-18-2012, 05:08 PM
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Idunno, Collings did, Martin does now, and put their semi-full old time line-up in the mix, without the baritone. Those can range from street prices of 950- 4500.

There is nothing quite like a quality ukulele. Too bad they didn't go soprano though for us "traditionalists", but I think more geetar players will want a bigger one.
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  #23  
Old 01-18-2012, 05:29 PM
the.ronin the.ronin is offline
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Originally Posted by blue View Post
No move at all really. They aren't going to make a mint selling ukes even if they went full production, because the folks willing to spend over $1200 on a uke is a very small number. Larrivee proved that with their L10KKs which priced about $1500. So they put these out, almost just to say they did.
Sort of like a concept car.

But I don’t think it’s due to the number of people willing to pay that kind of money for a uke. If that were the case, many Hawaiian companies would be bankrupt right now. I think it’s more because these Hawaiian companies have existed for so long having made only ukes. My sense is that they are so entrenched with a following so devoted that it would be very difficult for just any instrument manufacturer to barge in. As far as I can tell, $1200 is actually more on the mid- to low-end of the price range when it comes to high end ukes. The gorgeous Moore Bettah ukuleles come to mind.
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  #24  
Old 01-18-2012, 05:42 PM
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Sort of like a concept car.

But I don’t think it’s due to the number of people willing to pay that kind of money for a uke. If that were the case, many Hawaiian companies would be bankrupt right now. I think it’s more because these Hawaiian companies have existed for so long having made only ukes. My sense is that they are so entrenched with a following so devoted that it would be very difficult for just any instrument manufacturer to barge in. As far as I can tell, $1200 is actually more on the mid- to low-end of the price range when it comes to high end ukes. The gorgeous Moore Bettah ukuleles come to mind.
I agree with everything you said. I would expect the Taylor to be at the $2000 range. But it's a Taylor. As you said the great Hawaiians have earned their market share over time. $2000 on a new kid on the block Taylor? You're talking serious Taylor fans. Not serious uke fans.
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  #25  
Old 01-18-2012, 06:08 PM
franchelB franchelB is offline
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... I would expect the Taylor to be at the $2000 range. But it's a Taylor. As you said the great Hawaiians have earned their market share over time. $2000 on a new kid on the block Taylor? You're talking serious Taylor fans. Not serious uke fans.
When I went to the last Taylor Road Show in Dallas last year, the Taylor rep (I forget his name) said that the ukes would be selling for @ $3,000. And yes, it's custom-made at the moment. But I'm sure he also said that the price should come down once they tool up for the mass-production of the ukes...which might include some Mexican-made ukes.
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  #26  
Old 01-19-2012, 03:18 PM
steelerboy329 steelerboy329 is offline
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I just spoke to my dealer about it and he told me $10,000 for each pair (uke/guitar or amp/guitar). You can't get them separately yet.
I'm guessing that's retail?
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  #27  
Old 01-21-2012, 09:24 AM
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Taylor's Andy Powers at NAAM, showing a koa uke. Picture from Brian Swerdfeger, Taylor Sales.



Check out the K Series inlay!



cotten
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  #28  
Old 01-21-2012, 01:17 PM
Neal Neal is offline
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Originally Posted by blue View Post
I agree with everything you said. I would expect the Taylor to be at the $2000 range. But it's a Taylor. As you said the great Hawaiians have earned their market share over time. $2000 on a new kid on the block Taylor? You're talking serious Taylor fans. Not serious uke fans.
Gotta disagree on that one. Ever been to a uke festival? 2K on a uke isn't all that terrible for a great uke. And as much as I'm not a Taylor fan, I am a serious uke fan. There are quite a few small builders that command 2K and much more, depending on the materials. Oddly enough, they sell them. To serious uke fans.

But I'm a soprano player, so it's too big for me..
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  #29  
Old 01-21-2012, 01:46 PM
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Gotta disagree on that one. Ever been to a uke festival? 2K on a uke isn't all that terrible for a great uke. And as much as I'm not a Taylor fan, I am a serious uke fan. There are quite a few small builders that command 2K and much more, depending on the materials. Oddly enough, they sell them. To serious uke fans.

But I'm a soprano player, so it's too big for me..
I guess I'm not making my point clearly. I know what great ukes cost. I'm saying, with all due respect to Taylor, it's a Taylor. The first foray into uke building from a HUGE factory operation. Other than people who live on Forums (like me ), spending even $500 on a uke sounds crazy! It's like... Tiny! So the buyers are going to be Taylor "completionists", not uke-heads. And just to have something with the Taylor name on it to noodle on, $2000 to $3000 is a lot of money

I own multiple Nationals, including a baritone style 1 and a 1932 german silver squareneck, and my first uke was a Magic Fluke at $170. USA made, it's pretty much guaranteed to play well, and they pretty much all the sound the same. An incredibly narrow bell curve of performance if you will, with the Mean being pretty darned good! A great first step for a serious musician to see if it's something to get serious about. That's the audience Taylor needs to target. A good playing $300 to $500 MSRP model. A "Taylor Little Baby" for the Uke market.

The Taylor is an unknown quantity from a conglomerate. I haven't met many Uke players who are "conventional". They don't seem like Taylor types to me.
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  #30  
Old 01-21-2012, 02:53 PM
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Quote:
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So the buyers (of Taylor ukes) are going to be Taylor "completionists", not uke-heads... The Taylor is an unknown quantity from a conglomerate. I haven't met many Uke players who are "conventional". They don't seem like Taylor types to me.
There's truth in what you say, no doubt, but probably not the whole truth. Taylor Guitars is hardly an unknown quantity. True, the instruments that made them famous are the big brothers of ukes, but it's not like yesterday they were screaming at us to come on down to Crazy Eddie's Used Cars and Ballet Emporium. They earned a high place of respect in the guitar business by offering quality products at a price many people are willing to pay.

Oh, I realize that a guitar is different from a ukulele, but then acoustic guitars are very different from solid body electric guitars, too. Yet, somehow, Taylor's electrics are finding a good many buyers beyond just the Taylor "completionists." I cannot help but believe that their ukuleles will do the same. Like their electrics, and even their acoustics, some people will prefer something built by someone else. But if I were betting, I'd put money on Taylor ukes finding a ready market beyond just those who already play Taylor guitars.

Guess we'll have to wait and see. And no, I don't bet.

cotten
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