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Showing posts with the label NAMM

The NAMM 2017 UKE Republic Experience

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2017 Winter NAMM Impressions and NEW Items at Uke Republic Always a fun time going to southern California and attending the 2017 NAMM show but it's also serious work going over all the new products, trying them out and choosing new things to introduce at Uke Republic . Some of these items are available now and others will be made available throughout the year. To start off, there was plenty to see and try. New ukuleles were abounding, so here are some highlights. First, let's start with Blackbird. Blackbird Guitars and Ukuleles Blackbird continues to impress us with their innovations using their own Ekoa material to produce their new tenor -Farallon and concert Clara. The sound is so sweet and it's nice to know it's made from a sustainable and green material.  Joe Luttwak (L) of Blackbird Guitars and Mike McQueen of UKE Republic Kala Brand Ukulele Kala introduces an eight string baritone from their cedar/acacia line. It has a big full sound

All NEW KoAloha Opio Ukulele Series for 2016

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It was January 2016 at the winter NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) show when I found out about the new KoAloha Opio. I was very excited to find out KoAloha was using solid acacia and were implementing a satin semi-gloss finish on these. Surely this would be a winner. Well fast forward into spring 2016 and we received our first shipments of these new KoAloha Opios and I must say we are very impressed. The first look and play on these ukuleles said it all! KoAloha Opio All Solid Acacia Concert Ukulele The fit and finish are top notch. KoAloha is making these in Thailand but with trained luthiers building the KoAloha way with KoAloha's molds and jigs. The tonewood is solid acacia which looks and sounds very close to its Hawaiian koa relative but priced at a fraction of the cost. The KoAloha Opio Series Features: Signature Musubi Soundhole, Signature Orange Etched Friction Tuners, Etched Headstock Logo, and Signature KoAloha Embossed Rosewood Bridge. Th