Ukulele For Dummies (66 page)
Read Ukulele For Dummies Online
Authors: Alistair Wood
Spruce:
Spruce is the most in-your-face wood for ukuleles. The sound is very punchy and seems to ping straight out of the ukulele. Spruce is commonly used for mandolins and gives you that sort of immediate sound.
This list contains the most common woods, but certainly not the only ones. Mango wood â similar to koa and having an even more exuberant look â is becoming popular. And ukulele makers are experimenting with all sorts of other woods, such as an all-bamboo ukulele.
Recognising ukulele brands
This sidebar lists some of the most popular makes and manufacturers of ukuleles.
Mahalo:
Almost every ukulele player in the UK has had a Mahalo ukulele pass through his or her hands at some point (and they're starting to spread to the USA). Mahalos are cheap and cheerful ukes, which makes them a very popular choice for people buying job-lots for schools and groups.
Lanikai LU-21:
Lanikai's LU-21 range comes in all sizes and is massively popular with beginner ukulelists. The instrument is nicely put together, plays well and is very reasonably priced. And not only beginners love it, pros do too. Zach Condon from Beirut and tUnE-YaRdS play tenor LU-21s.
Makala:
Makala is a budget ukulele made by the Kala company. You can choose the natural wood look or the dolphin ukuleles that, with bright colours and the dolphin motif, are a big hit with kids. Despite the fact that it's made of plastic and looks toy-like, the Makala sounds good and has some very enthusiastic fans.
Ohana:
Ohana makes solid wood ukuleles that are well designed but manufactured in China, and so won't break the bank. Ohanas make a great second ukulele.
Pono:
Pono ukuleles are the cheaper range of ukuleles from the prestigious Hawaiian brand Koâolau. Don't be fooled by the âcheaper' part: they're only cheaper in comparison to Koâolau's Hawaiian-made ukuleles and still make a big dent in your wallet. But they're very nicely made and are a big hit with the current indie ukulele players such as Dent May, Amanda Palmer and Sophie Madeleine.
KoAloha:
KoAloha is my personal favourite brand of ukuleles. They're made in Hawaii and a great deal of care goes into them. They sound great and play beautifully. Not only the instruments themselves, but everything around KoAloha is fun, too. The head of the company is the charismatic Alvin âPops KoAloha' Okami, who's full of stories and loves to weave yarns. So much so that an entire film,
The KoAloha Story
, has been built around his anecdotes.
Kamaka:
Kamaka is the oldest surviving make of ukulele. Their founder, Samual Kamaka, was an apprentice to one of the original ukulele makers, Manuel Nunes. Today these ukes are highly respected, with their most high-profile supporter being Jake Shimabukuro.
Martin:
The Martin guitar company was the most successful ukulele maker on the US mainland. They leapt on the ukulele trend in 1916 and made some of the best ukuleles of the era, even winning over Hawaiians such as Israel Kamakawiwoâole (who played a Martin koa). Their vintage instruments are collected by many fanatical ukulelists, with their most sought-after ukulele (the Martin 5K) fetching tens of thousands of pounds.
Plugging In: Electric Ukuleles
Electric ukes are useful for two very different occasions: when you want to play very loud and when you want to play very quietly. They come in two types:
Electro-acoustic:
These ukuleles are like standard ukuleles but have a pick-up in them. Pick-ups detect the sound and turn it into electrical impulses which can then be amplified.
Electric:
These solid-bodied ukuleles (which are just a single plank of wood) produce hardly any sound unless they're plugged in.
