Alden Tokuzato

 

Alden Tokuzato playing with the Abe Lagrimas Quartet

Dear Friends at the Koolau ukulele and guitar company,

I wanted to write you in appreciation of the wonderful guitar that you have made available to me.  I feel it is the finest instrument in the world.  If not, it's pretty close to it.  As a working musician in Hawaii,  something that I have found that was absolutely surprising, is that having this particular instrument has profoundly improved my abilities as a guitar player.  Interestingly what is inherent to all Koolau instruments is it's timbre.  When I had brought the instrument home and had a chance to actually listen closely to the intricicies of the it, I noticed that even as I had played just one note, that one note was peculiarly ripe with overtones. I do not know how to discribe the effect had when playing that one note. Maybe this will help you to understand.  The sound that came from that string I liken to biting into a BIG FAT JUICY MANGO. I can rightfully say is that my koolau guitar is an incredible instrument.  Although primarily an electric player I have had the privilege to play many acoustic guitars I had still gravitated to playing electric guitars since the electric guitars that I have used over the years were extremely well crafted instruments.  The first time I got to jam around on a Koolau guitar I knew that I could actually love to play acoustic guitars as much as playing the electric guitar.  The sound and the playablility was condusive to expresiveness.  I had gotten the idea that perhaps there was almost nothing that was impossible to do on this instrument.  This idea had soon become a fact when I made the decision to purchase my first professional quality koolau acoustic guitar.  The instrument at work has proved to be powerful yet delicate, percussive yet melodic.   This guitar is truly a security blanket at my gig at a reknowned upscale resort on the north shore of Oahu.  As I had mentioned, not only does it have a sound that is exqiuisite but it has also tremendously improved my playing.  The euphoric sound of the instrument was inspirational to my practice. The expert craftsman Mr. Noa Bonk set the action perfectly so that it I could glide my fingers with ease from string to string and up and down the fret board.  Yet that setting was perfect for the FAT tone that I would need so that my single line solos would sing out.  On the other hand the percussive quality of the instrument causes me to no longer be timid when accompanying myself or others singing.  My practice with this instrument has enabled me to be more assertive, more confident than I have ever been.  This assertiveness and confidence I have been searching for in my practice with other instruments both acoustic and electric for years and years and iroincally after purchasing this guitar these things I have been painfully searching for came naturally with this special instrument in my hands. 
My personal feeling is that every professional musician MUST have one Koolau instument in their arsenal.  Koolau instruments are distinguished and distinctive. Song writers need an instrument like this to get the creative juices going.  I am a player not a writer.  Yet because of this instrument I strongly believe that I will be writing very shortly.  Unless someone actually holds one in hand and plays one everything that I have said would be completely meaningless to that person.  anyway, thank you all at the Koolau ukulele and guitar company and congratulations for the many years spent making superior instruments and changing the lives of musicians and music lovers alike worldwide.

                                                                                    Sincerely,

                                                                                    Alden Tokuzato