I really like this one. I also like the idea of having the banjo uke format in tenor scale. If you put low G strings on it... it'd be kinda like a mini Irish tenor banjo. I like the way you compared the concert and tenor models. I have to say... I do like those fret markers on the concert.
Hey Steve - I like the look of this new tenor banjo uke. I also prefer the longer scale length. I've had a couple of different banjo ukes - concert scale but have always thought it would be good to have a tenor. The concert scale has a bit more of a "plinky" kind of sound which can be desirable in some ways - but that extra room of the tenor scale looks pretty appealing...they both look like nicely appointed instruments with the inlayed position markers, binding etc too. Kelly
Thanks so much for the review! It’s a little disappointing that Kmise didn’t go with a larger rim on the tenor version as opposed to the concert, which is how most makers would approach it. The larger rim along with the longer neck and truss rod would really set this apart more as a separate model from their other offerings.
Good morning. I love banjo ukuleles, but I want a soprano-sized banjo-uke. If Kmise/Aklot offered one for less than $100, I would probably buy it. Thank you for another excellent review. Rick
I enjoyed your review Steve. I already have a Concert Kmise banjolele but have ordered a Tenor as I play a Tenor Uke. Whereas the Concert is readily available at various price points, the Tenor only seems to have become recently available to buy online in the UK and there are only a few sellers. You said that your Concert has no truss rod well the one I bought does have a truss rod and the fret markers are in the form of a skull and crossbones. I ordered my Tenor from Kmise direct which turns out to be a company called 'Miaoyin Technology Industry Limited'. I ordered over a month ago, they took the payment, there has been no communication whatsoever from the company despite a couple of emails. I wait to see if it will turn up before I set the PayPal police onto them. Also you point out that the only difference between the Concert and the Tenor model is the length of the neck. The Concert is available to order online in the UK for £56 but the Tenor is at least twice that price. That's quite pricey for an extra 3"" of neck. Brass neck or what?
I’m glad you enjoyed my review. I’m sorry to hear about your purchase experience. I’m surprised there’s such a price difference between the two instruments. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Nice comparison, Steve. They sound quite similar to me. It is strange to see the direction of the figured veneer back run across the instrument rather than following the line of the strings. Do the screw holes look like they line up if the back is given a quarter turn?
Thanks, John! I thought the same thing about the grain on the back. I haven’t removed the back yet. When I do, I will probably change the grain orientation. Thanks for watching and commenting!
It sounds like you have it tuned the same as a soprano or concert ukulele with that reentrant high G for your fourth string (often tenor ukuleles have the 4th string tunes to “low G”) Is this how it came or did you retune it that way?
The piezo typically goes on the resonating surface. So it could be on the top, or on the inside if you take the back off. Guitars typically have them on the underside of the soundboard. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Are you sure it's a real bone nut? Those usually require shaping which increases labor costs. And they're expensive. They make bone alternatives now. Maybe it's that? Also, .2 something millimeters? So a small fraction of a single millimeter? That also doesn't sound quite right. Do you mean .2 something centimeters?
This instrument has 20 frets. Yes, you can tune it to DGBE, but it might be an octave higher than a baritone ukulele. Check out Aquila New Nylgut AQ-11 Tenor Ukulele Strings - High D & DGBE. You can find them on Amazon. Thanks for watching and commenting!
I've just bought a 4 String banjo for my grandson. Can't work out why the third string is thicker than the fourth string. Can anyone explain this please
If it’s a banjolele, like this one, it is tuned gCEA. The g string (4th) is tuned higher than the C string (3rd), so it has to be thinner. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Thanks for pointing that out! Since it's obvious that it does not have an arm rest, I did not feel I needed to point it out. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Definitely! It has a truss rod in the neck so it should also be able to handle the tension of steel strings for either standard CGDA tuning or Irish tuning. Thanks for watching and commenting!
@@marvinthemaniac7698 Yes. Necks under tension from steel strings tend to develop an under bow without reinforcement. The truss both decreases the probability of this and enables some adjustability to flatten an under bow.