Incredible Californian Luthier Built Ukuleles... with a twist!

[@OhanaUkuleles]

Another excellent video, Alex. 😄Ohana is really excited about this newest adventure. Mahalo, everyone!

[@lindacarolinerye-andersen4391]

Doesn’t matter to me who built it, where it was built or what it says on the headstock. A good instrument will always speak for itself❤

[@thomascrevenna8015]

Alex another great video, thanks. As an Ohana dealer I'm also very excited by the direction Louis is taking Ohana. I'm also a dealer for KoAloha and Kamaka and Ohana seems to have taken the best from all worlds. Tradition and innovation. I am anxiously awaiting where they will go with these. Ohana's owner is deeply passionate about Ukulele's and the community and has a deep insight into what it takes to make a great instrument. More than anything else he truly cares about his customers and his dealers and that is rare today. The future looks bright indeed.

[@UkesWithAlex]

I would happily play that DTK-2 as my main uke over any modern Martin Ukulele.

[@juliaredifer2904]

All Beautiful Instruments, sound over brands, names

[@gerigolway1723]

Gosh, that "Georgia" gets me every time! Fantastic sounds! 👍

[@susankahabka4034]

Thank you so very much for this glowing review. It means more than you know to us, Brad's parents and to Bradley himself. You would be even more amazed if you knew Brad's story. We are beyond proud of our son, Brad. Thank you.

[@SouthernUkuleleStore]

Tell us Brads story! Get him to reach out to me at [e-mail] I'd love to interview him... Thanks Alex

[@susankahabka4034]

I passed your request along to Brad. You should be hearing from him soon.

[@susankahabka4034]

Wow! Gorgeous!!

[@elliemayormaynot]

Beautiful instruments all.

[@judih.8754]

I have no qualms with a manufacturer moving upscale. I would look for quality woods and workmanship. These certainly have it! Thanks Alex!

[@marimaeabreu]

I won't lie, its hard not to associate them. I kept an open mind and ears, closed my eyes and really the series 2 was the one that stood out the most in terms of sound (the first strum got me) and from an aesthetic stand point. I could be swayed if they keep building more of these models. Thanks for sharing as always.

[@SouthernUkuleleStore]

Loving your honesty... they are facing a bit of a battle to change how they are viewed in the Ukulele world but dammit, I hope they do it. They have the right vibe... heres' hoping it carries over.

[@davidconnell3867]

That Series 2 does sound pretty fantastic……

[@deniseforbes2332]

I would be happy playing any of them. I do see what you mean thought. I hadn’t even considered an Ohana on my wish list for my next uke. As always enlightening and entertaining video. Thanks Alex !

[@mifamilyrocksart8834]

Brand is not important to me. Sound and feel. Those have got to be one of the sweetest mellow sounding ukes i have heard lately!

[@pixpusher]

Boy, there are quite a few excellent Luthiers in California. The 2 best ukes I own were made by Luthiers based in California.

[@brunorosa2227]

They could always add a acronym ! Raleigh bicycles, plain ordinary, actually at the cheap end of ordinary, bicycles that get you to work or the odd weekend adventure. Raleigh SBDU, well they won the Tour de France several times with funky state of the art stuff. (Specialist Bicycle Development Unit)

[@GenghisDaniel]

For the price they sound really really nice for sure ! The wood used is also stellar, even on the non deluxe koa model. Not sure I like every design choices but it is something deeply personal and it is just the beginning of the journey so they might come to present different models in the futur ! It is good that they have tried it. it seems that it is much more difficult for lower end brand to try to propose high end models at some point, than for an high end level brand try to diversify itself by presenting a second branding for an import line, but it might be possible to achieve.

[@chriskizziah4497]

I played a Martin recently and it felt like it was made from laminate flooring, the plastic stuff. It had good projection but didn’t feel good in the hand.

[@mikek4708]

Wanted to hear these when I saw them on your site. Real interesting concept, look real nice and workmanship does show through. If these were a Mercedes, then they would be a Brabus. A well known brand having a bespoke product, what’s not to love, a great Uke is a great Uke, just out of my price range🫣. Appreciate the run through as always, have a great week.

[@CasparHarmer]

They sound really fantastic. Also... any chance you can get in touch with Ohana and get them to give one of their ukes to Al Wood? He's been playing that same uke for years and he really needs a new one. What better than an upgrade from the same manufacturer?

[@paul_mitchener_ukulele]

I really like the “twang” in the koa models (drat the lack of words to describe tone - hopefully it’s clear what I mean), and it’s something that stands out as different. I hope Ohana find their niche at the high end of the market. If I was looking for something at that price range I’d consider it, I think - the lovely twang wins me over, and the name doesn’t put me off. I would come to the shop and compare to the K-brands though for a koa instrument. And the top end Kiwayas and ANueNues and Kala Revelator. Okay, I’d be in the shop all day!

[@UkuleleSolos]

I think that's a really interesting discussion. From this video there's no doubt that these are incredible instruments in every way but if I was buying online today I think if I'm honest I probably would pass these up for a K brand ukulele. I don't think it's necessarily the Ohana name either. It's clear that these are a far cary from their Chinese import line but I guess they just don't have that reputation at the top table yet. Hopefully they will in time as they are clearly wonderful instruments. Having said all that if I was in your store and had one in my hands I may very well chose one over a K brand (except I can't afford any of them so in reality I'd probably leave with a set of strings and maybe a free sticker 🤣)

[@helenafelicia4389]

It's interesting hearing you say "Because these are Ohana they're not going to be seen by the people that are most likely to buy this kind of instrument". I really don't know how Ohanas ukes are seen in the world by any kind of person who loves ukulele, but beeing a brazilian and basically having access to lower level brands, it's like heaven having an Ohana dealer in Brazil. Imported brands are very well regarded and very welcome here. There are dealers from aNueNue, Ohana, Leolani, Kumu and Flight in Brazil. There was a Kala dealer, but recently they stopped importing the brand. And I have to say that I own a Koaloha KCM0-00 and a Ohana CK 450 QEL and I like the Ohana better than the Koaloha. But I also have to say that I dream about a Kanilea, lol. Maybe one day... What I like about Kanilea, is the sustainable proposal that the brand has (and the ukueles, of course, lol).

[@bobo_momchillovich]

This seems like an interesting concept. Ohana gets something high end, hand made. The luthier gets a steady job, and I hope a fair compensation for their work. Personally, I don't really care where it was made or what is the brand. I look for nut width and the wood combinations I like. It can be a Mahalo for all I care, if it hits the spot. 😆

[@SouthernUkuleleStore]

Great attitude Bobo. I always have an open mind... I'm hoping the limited reach we have here at SUS helps them establish what could be an amazing thing for decades to come.

[@jimsatola4971]

The clunky headstock logo is even more of a sad choice with the DTK-2. The whole “dark island” corner bit is a “swing and a miss” - but even that design would be improved by a less-jarring lighter brown “stamp” than the black. A hope for a change in future models.

[@e21steverino]

Will these models be available in a showroom? Or will they be so rare that auditioning them will be difficult? Great and honest content. Love your chord progressions in the playing examples.... always 😊

[@SouthernUkuleleStore]

We have them in our showroom. I can't speak for other Ohana dealers whether they would take the plunge but I hope they do.

[@raymondstebbins5904]

The sound and looks speak for them self but I think using the ohana name is going to be a speed bump time will tell

[@Tonknado]

I honestly don't care about brands. When I bought my current ukes I spent 2 hours playing practically every uke in the shop and choose the ones I liked the sound of and feel of.

[@stefangaude7331]

I prefer a luthier or a small team of luthiers working independently of a mass production company. I would be a bit worried that the luthiers approach to building instruments would be diluted by the marketing department of a major brand. If Ohana would be just a distributor, that would be somehow different. But I am aware, that this is purely based on feeling not rational thinking. I hope I made myself clear - I struggle with English, when things get beyond "yes" or "no"

[@SouthernUkuleleStore]

Your English is fantastic and you convey a very complex series of thoughts there very well so don't worry. In this instance, Ohana are a much smaller company than you are probably imagining from your description and the builds are a collaborative process between a luthier and Louis the owner of Ohana. Whilst that doesn't make it one person's vision, it doesn't necessarily mean anybody is working towards something that doesn't excite them. Ohana have employed this luthier since 2016 and they are only now unveiling US made instruments so I feel like it's pretty safe to assume the luthiers approach to building falls under the same umbrella of thinking as the brand on the headstock.

[@mikeocchuizzo]

Not sure where to begin….overall the ukes sounded very nice and appear well-made, but, personally, I think Kala and now Ohana are getting the approach wrong. They have a well established reputation and their mass market ukes share generally similar build characteristics within their lines. From the specs you described, the necks and nut widths for these luthier-built Ohanas are very different from the mass market versions. While I prefer the wider nut width, if the goal was to keep players in the “Ohana” as they moved up, then it seems odd to substantially alter the feel/string spacing. At that point, you’re playing an entirely different uke and the only connection is the name. Given that, I’d prefer to see Ohana use the aNueNue approach to the Singer line where they are labeled differently.

[@57raytay]

it doesnt really its sound and playability I think

[@jimsatola4971]

The Ohana DTK-1 Koa Tenor looks wonderful, . . . until one gets to the simply awful headstock design (the somewhat jarring and “clunky” big black corner element with a script “O”). A literal “black eye.” A design turd. I hope the designer in future models changes it to something more graceful, to match the rest of this fine looking instrument. (The headstock of the redwood/walnut tenor at the end looks miles better).

[@Studio42dotCom-Real]

While my "holy grail" ukulele will be a solid Hawaiian Koa by a Hawaiian brand, in the meantime, I'm looking for models made by reputable brands that looks amazing and sounds great. Ohana sure is hitting the marks on these ones and the price seems reasonable. Plus, the made in USA/California is a good thing.