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Pono Guitars & 'Ukuleles back
to Pono Guitars & 'Ukuleles Note: A limited stock of factory cosmetic seconds are available, only at our facility in Wahiawa. Please call or email for an appointment. NEW: Pono P-5 Chromatic Clip-On Tuner (actually a revision of our original Intelli tuner). There are many clip-on tuners now available, but we feel the Korean made Intelli is the best. Accurate, well built, and easy to use. And now re-designed to our specs to elimate the vibration rattle, common to Intelli tuners. So we can rightly name it "Pono." See more info on our "merchandise" page. Mahogany O-Series:Our “O-Series” ‘ukuleles are made of beautiful grained solid Mahogany. Simply adorned, affordable, and yet retaining our high quality standards. The “O” series ‘ukuleles have become very popular, and are available in Soprano, Concert, Tenor, and Baritone sizes. All models are available with pickups, and the Tenor size is available in a cutaway model. Currently this model is available in both gloss and satin finish, however future production will be limited to satin finish only. PTO gloss (no pickup) and PTO satin (no pickup) out of stock. Estimated availability Oct 08
Mahogany Delux Series: Beginning 2009 the Mahogany Delux Series will be redesigned. All models, including Concert, Tenor, and Baritone size will have mahogany back and sides, and a cedar top.
New – Exotic Island Series:
#1 Mango Delux Series:
#2 Rosewood Delux Series:
#3 Ebony Delux Series: #4 Koa Delux Series: The Koa Delux Series will include our very limited stock of premium curly Koa, with extensive shell top and back purfling. This will be the Model PK-5. Available late 2008 A very limited quantity of Model PKC-500 with Pikake (Jasmine) flower and vine faceplate and fingerboard shell inlay is still available, to be replaced by the PK-5. Limited inventory of PKC-500 only.
Hawaiian Koa Series:
. This line is slightly different than the PTMS, PTMS-CE and PBMSCE, Mango Delux models. The Mango Series will have beautiful Mango wood, select grade (not as curly), and to be more affordable, there will be no top and back binding, only a simple "rope" rosette inlay. We have had a large demand for solid Mango, due to its unique "artistic" color and grain patterns, and also a tone similar to both Koa and Mahogany. Limited inventory of Tenor size only.
Hawaiian Stencil Art Series: Four models will be available for 2008. The first in our series is a young man on a beach, leaning against a palm tree, playing 'ukulele with the beauty of the setting sun, named "'ukulele mele" the second is named "hoe wa'a" (paddler) depicting a canoe paddler on a moonlit evening. The third is named "lawai'a" (fisherman). And the fourth is simply "i'a" (fish) from a beautiful woodcut painting of fish from the South Pacific oceans. Currently, all will be available in a Soprano size 'ukulele, and possibly other sizes in the future. Solid mahogany back and sides, solid spruce top, bone nut and saddle, and Grover tuners. Satin finish. **Note on Amplification: All Pono 'ukuleles are available with a custom "Pono" brand passive piezo saddle transducer. Sounding great alone, an enhanced tone and volume is possible by the use of what is termed an "outboard preamp" which is a relatively inexpensive device, a smal lmetal box, with volume, bass, and treble controls. The instrument is plugged into the box, and the bo xis then plugged into the amplifier. This outboard preamp, powered by a 9 volt battery, boosts the signal, and produces the same effect as having a guitar or 'ukulele with the "active" electronics that are often installed inside the instrument. Currently all Pono 'ukuleles have the optional "passive" system for two reasons, number one, it actually does sound good in its passive mode.... and number two, it's less expensive, and thus we can still provide an amplified 'ukulele at a reasonable price. And again, if an "active" system is desired or required for performance purposes, an outboard preamp is simple and inexpensive. We have experimented with several brands of Outboard Preamps, some good, some not so good. A new "Pono" Outboard Preamp is in the final stages of development, and specifically designed to be compatible with our Pono pickup (but also useful for any acoustic piezo pickup). Our Pono Outboard Preamp will be available by early summer.
Pono Guitars With the scarcity and difficulty in acquiring Hawaiian Koa wood, we are redesigning our line of Pono guitars. Future production will include one acoustic steel string guitar, a 15" concert size, cutaway guitar made of Macassar Ebony back and sides, and a cedar top. Our other model is a Thinline, semi-hollow body acoustic/electric cutaway, patterned after our Ko'olau I'O (pronounced ee'oh, with the accent on the ee). Available in both a natural finished mahogany/cedar top, and another model is mahogany/spruce with a black finish. Available late 2008
Please feel free to contact me for any suggestions or clarifications. Aloha, John Kitakis For further questions and inquiries: Ko'olau Guitar and 'Ukulele Company
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