Saturday 23 January 2016

Sigma SUM-2T Tenor ukulele ALL SOLID Mahogany Construction New in OZ.

SIGMA SUM-2T TENOR UKULELE
RRP $550 in OZ with gig-bag.
Solid Mahogany Top Back and Sides

SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY PRICE 
SAVE $100
$449 (3 units only at this price)

Includes:
FREE Set-up
FREE Clip on Headstock tuner
FREE Ukulele Lesson from USA tutor Jeffrey Thomas

Obviously it pays homage to proper USA made Martin ukuleles in terms of the design, looks, tone and overall performance. Given its price and that its made in China (like the Gretsch' ukulele reissues) its build quality and tone is really remarkable at the price in the market.

The Competition in the Australian Sub $600 Solid Wood Tenor Ukulele Market just got very competitive indeed.

HISTORY
Guitar maker C.F. Martin & Co., based in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, created a line of inexpensive guitars in 1970 to compete with the increasing number of imported guitars from Japan and elsewhere. The result was Sigma Guitars.

In addition to the ongoing Martin inspired guitars, Sigma has now launched a range of all-solid mahogany ukuleles, in soprano, concert and tenor sizes and it’s those that we look at here.

There is no mistaking the heritage of these instruments; everything about them is supposed to make you think Martin, see Martin, and expect Martin, but without the price tag of course.

ABOUT 
When I heard that the Australian Importer/Wholesaler  fo Sigma Guitars had imported a batch of Sigma ukuleles I was genuinely excited to get some in and try them out.  Sigma are a brand with a long history of making quality instruments, licensing designs from the Martin Guitar company

You see I owned and love a Sigma guitar, it was my first really good acoustic.  I used that old sigma acoustic in recording, it always held its own against the pukka Martin guitars we had available to use in the studio. I always go that 'double take' look from engineers and producers when they heard it.  So I had high hopes that the Sigma ukulele would be similar.

RESULT
Well I am very happy to say that I am not disappointed at all, and have no hesitation recommending the Sigma SUM-2T Tenor ukulele to my customers, its a cracker!

LOUD LOUD LOUD is the tone, really punchy tone from this all solid Mahogany wood tenor ukulele. And the build quality and the sound certainly match up to the expectations that I had of the Sigma brand.

REVIEW FROM ACOUSTIC MAGAZINE
http://www.acousticmagazine.com/reviews/gear-reviews/sigma-sum-2s-sum-2c-sum-2t-ukuleles/

"It’s a nicely put together instrument for the price point; the nut and saddle are bone, not plastic, the assembly is excellent, and frankly, it looks nice, in a traditional sort of way. We were particularly impressed with the appearance of the wood on this instrument, ... it even comes with a free gig bag...

... no doubting that at the £200 price point, these represent excellent value in terms both of materials and construction...

Mahogany guitar tops tend towards a warm, dark chocolatey tone that emphasises the mids and low notes ... The result is that the wood takes the potentially shrieky edge off the sound coming from that tiny top, and leaves you with something loud but still palatable, which we’d describe as “punchy”.

... the tone more nuanced, and there is notably more sustain. This combines nicely with both the longer scale, and the easier top fret  access provided by the 14th fret join to greatly encourage more complex playing.

These are not vintage Martin ukuleles, but they are lovely little ukes, and great value for money at the £200 price point ($550 in OZ) ... are good

players, well made, and very well appointed. Indeed, seeing all-solid ukes delivering well at a price that normally only gets you a solid top may well rattle the competition.

...The tenor ... shines brightest when sweetly picked. ... If you’re ready to move from budget models on to your first really decent  instrument, you should give these Sigma ukuleles a try"

SPECS
Model: Tenor SUM-2T
Retail Price: $550
Body Size: Tenor
Made In: China
Top: Solid mahogany
Back and Sides: Solid mahogany
Neck: Mahogany
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Bridge: Mahogany
Frets: 20
Tuners: Nickel w/black buttons
Nut width: 36mm
Scale Length: 432mm
Machine Heads: Nickel / White & Black Buttons
Gig Bag/Case Included: Gig bag.































































Wednesday 20 January 2016

Ohana TK-20CE Electric Acoustic Tenor ukulele fitted with an under saddle Pickup and battery powered Pre-Amp

$335 Tenor Electric Ukulele
Ohana TK-20CE


PICKUP ... PLUG IN ... POWERRRRRR
The TK-20CE is fitted with a pick-up and that mean you can plug it into an amplifier or PA system ...Powerrrrrr.

MAHOGANY SOLID WOOD TOP
The solid mahogany top is a great addition to a ukulele in this Price range.  The solid top vibrates with a clear and strong sound, and being solid the wood will age and sound better and better every year.



ELECTRIC PICK-UP
You get a full featured battery powered Pre-amp system working in tandem with the under saddle pick-up so you can use the bass and Treble sliders to craft your desired tone. You can adjust your tone from a bright rock tone to a smooth Jazz tone with the treble backed down.  Plenty of output volume too because of the battery preamp.

PLAYING SOLOS ARE A BREEZE.
The Neck is a nice contour and dimension.  Personally I like the Ukes with wider fatter necks, they are just more comfortable.  


That's part of why I like Ohana Ukuleles, their necks are just right, not too thin or too shallow,  generous with the shape of the rear of the neck full and round in your left hand.  Very comfortable. And the cutaway body style makes access to the top frets easy for soloing.




SPECS
Solid Mahogany Top with Cutaway
Belcat active EQ system with built in tuner
Laminate Mahogany Back Sides
Rosewood Fingerboard and Bridge
Top and Back Body Binding
Quality geared machine heads
Aquila strings










Saturday 9 January 2016

NEW BARITONE UKULELE Kala KA-SMHB Solid Mahogany Top Back & Sides KASMHB Uke

GUITARISTS THIS IS FOR YOU.
Hands down the easiest way for guitarists into the 'Ukulele World' is via a Baritone Ukulele.  


The tuning is DGBE, the same as the four high strings of a regular guitar. 

EVERYTHING you already know can be transferred right to Baritone ukulele ... your familiar scales, riffs, chord shapes,  it's all there waiting for you! 

ADD BARITONE TO YOUR UKULELE BAND FOR A FAT SOUND
Being tuned like a guitar it makes a fantastic addition to any ukulele band.  


Nothing fills out the bottom end and gives your songs that 'omph" like adding a Baritone ukulele to the mix.

KA-SMHB Baritone Ukulele From the Solid Mahogany Series.

$455 retail in OZ.
Hardcase is $100.

As always it comes with
FREE Setup.
FREE Tuner

FREE Postage inside OZ.
Paypal or Direct Deposit.
ChrisFromUkuleleTrading@gmail.com
Phone 0432 306 920



There is a traditional, vintage look and sound to these all solid wood Mahogany ukulele. They are trimmed with faux tortoise shell binding and have a Mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard.

These ukes have a very simple satin finish that keep the look and sound, nice and clean with excellent projection.

SOLID WOOD SOUNDS BETTER WITH AGE.
The great thing about a solid wood instrument is that it gets better sounding with time and play.

Within a few years a solid mahogany instrument like this one sounds noticeably better. And this one already has a vibrant sound.

SPECS  
20-1/4 Baritone Scale (Distance from Nut to Saddle)
30-3/4 Overall body length
13-3/4 Body length
7-1/2 Upper Bout
10 Lower Bout
6-3/8 Waist
2-3/4 To 3-1/4 Arched-Back Body depth
1-1/2 At Nut
Solid Mahogany Top, back and sides
Satin Finish
SyntheticTortoise Shell Binding with Black and white purfling
18 Silver-Nickel Frets
Rosewood Fingerboard and Bridge
Mahogany neck
Fret position Marks at 5th,7th,10th and 12th frets on neck and top of fingerboard
Chrome Die-Cast Tuners
Simulated bone nut and saddle
Aquila Nylgut Premium strings.













KA-SMHB Baritone Ukulele 

From the Solid Mahogany Series.



$455 retail in OZ.

Hardcase is $100.


As always it comes with 
FREE Setup.
FREE Tuner


FREE Postage inside OZ.


Paypal or Direct Deposit.

ChrisFromUkuleleTrading@gmail.com
Phone 0432 306 920



Thursday 7 January 2016

Ohana Concert Solid mahogany top Acoustic Electric CK-20CE

Rawk n Roll people.
The Ohana CK-20CE has an active battery powered pick-up and EQ for when you need to be amped up. 


This is an electric acoustic version of one of Ohana Ukuleles best selling acoustic instruments, the Ohana CK20.
CK-20CE
$295
FREE Set-up
FREE Postage

FREE Tuner.

Paypal or Direct Deposit.
Chrisfromukuleletrading@gmail.com
Phone 0432306920


MAHOGANY SOLID TOP.
The solid mahogany top is a great addition to a ukulele in this Price range.  The solid top vibrates with a clear and strong sound, and being solid the wood will age and sound better and better every year.

PICKUP ... PLUG IN ... POWERRRRRR
The CK-20CE is fitted with a pick-up and that mean you can lug it into an amplifier or PA system ...Powerrrrrr.

You get a full featured battery powered Pre-amp system to go with thwe pickup so you can use the bass and Treble sliders to craft your desired tone from a bright rock tone to a smooth Jazz tone with the treble backed down.  Plenty of output volume too.

PLAYING SOLOS ARE A BREEZE.
The Neck is a nice contour and dimension.  Personally I like the Ukes with wider fatter necks, they are just more comfortable.  That's part of why I like

Ohana Ukuleles, their necks are just right, not too thin or too shallow,  generous with the shape of the rear of the neck full and round in your left hand.

Very comfortable. And the cutaway body style makes access to the top frets easy for soloing.

SPECS
Solid Mahogany Top with Cutaway
Belcat active EQ system with built in tuner
Laminate Mahogany Back Sides
Rosewood Fingerboard and Bridge
Top and Back Body Binding
Quality geared machine heads
Aquila strings