Custom KoAloha Tenor Ukulele

C.2016. Beautiful Custom KoAloha ‘Black Label’ Tenor Ukulele handcrafted on the island of Oahu, Hawaii by luthier Paul Okami and Alan ‘Griz’ Tagama. Paul was actively involved in the build on this one and Griz was working closely with him to make this remarkable full custom KoAloha ‘Black Label’ Tenor Ukulele for both the professional musician and the recreational player in mind. The ‘Black Label’ model ukuleles are the premiere model instruments at KoAloha and remain amongst the most sought after ukuleles in the world due to its fine craftsmanship, playability, and tone.

This beautiful Custom KoAloha ‘Black Label’ Tenor Ukulele boasts a gorgeous set of Hawaiian Mango wood on the soundboard, with a stunning quilted Maple wood back and sides of the instrument.  The body shape of the ‘Black Label’ is uniquely designed and fully customized in contrast to the production based tenor models. These body designs can be distinguished from the production model tenors by the slightly smaller waistline and overall compact body profile, making this instrument appealing to both men and women players even at the tenor size. The slightly more compact body design is strictly reserved for Black Label customs and those handcrafted for KoAloha sponsored musicians. The neck of the instrument is hand-carved rather than machine tooled and made of Honduran mahogany wood for added stability and increased sustain. The advantage of a hand-carved neck allows the luthier to add a personal touch in shaping the neck contours accordingly and adds comfort to the overall profile and feel for the player as s/he moves up and down the fingerboard.

In addition, this gorgeous ‘Black Label’ tenor ukulele also incorporates an elegant Macassar Ebony wood fingerboard, bridge, and matching headstock veneer with a classic KoAloha black label inlay on the headstock of abalone shell.  The natural figure in the wood showcase the beauty and diversity in the grain itself. The KoAloha team truly captures the essence and beauty of Hawaii with this beautiful and rare full custom KoAloha tenor ukulele.  Top and back Hawaiian Milo wood binding with Top, side, and back accent / purfling lines for an elegant appeal. Abalone shell side position markers on the neck for quick top-down reference with matching crown inlay of abalone shell on the fingerboard in keeping with the theme of the instrument. Professional HipShot open geared tuners have been employed on the build to reduce the overall footprint and weight of the tuner at the headstock without compromising the function of a professional 18:1 gear tuning ratio for smooth and precise tuning. Another unique feature of this instrument is the high gloss finish, which is not found on the production line models.

In terms of tonal qualities, this Custom KoAloha ‘Black Label’ Tenor Ukulele can be characterized with a rich and bold tone with wonderful sustain, exceptional clarity, and great tonal range. These instruments have perfectly set intonation and offer precise and definitive note separation in both the lower register and higher positions on the neck. The customized neck and overall weight distribution of the instrument along with a slightly more compact body design allows for extended ease of play and free-flowing mobility to the player.

Custom KoAloha ‘Black Label’ Ukuleles are handcrafted with all the expertise and commitment to the highest level of craftsmanship with all the warmth of true ‘Aloha’ in every build. Indeed, these are the ukuleles that many people dream of playing but few have the opportunity to even see in person. A highly recommended piece that rarely appears on the grand landscape of ukulele luthiery.

Price: SOLD