tkitki Custom-S All Solid Curly Mango Custom Soprano Ukulele made in Japan #0210

Today, I played the range of TkiTki ukuleles for the first time. I can say without hesitation that this collection of soprano, concert and tenor mango ukuleles are the most faithful replica or perhaps more of a homage to the early Martin ukuleles that I have ever seen.

It's barely a secret at this stage that Japanese brands and luthiers have been building 'Martin' style ukuleles better than Martin for many years, Kiwaya have after all been producing mahogany ukuleles for over 100 years themselves... Takumi, Imua, Kawakami, Seilen, TODA, Sumi and Naturel have one foot planted in tradition with each piece of useable art they produce.

The build quality of these TkiTki ukuleles is traditional and eerily reminiscent of some museum grade instruments we have had the pleasure of playing, the finish is open pore and lightly glossed in such a way that the instrument feels both immaculate and played in. Mango can be many things to many people as a tonewood but the sound of these ukuleles is best described as aged, smoky and a real top shelf whiskey of a uke.

The soprano in the range has the delicacy of a decades old Martin style 1, the concert retains that but is slightly throatier and has brighter highs and deeper lows, whilst still sounding traditional. The tenor is elegant, head of the table and the mango acts as the perfect speaker cabinet for a smoother, richer sounding tenor.

Specification:
All solid curly Hawaiian mango body
Light gloss finish, with no grain filler
Ebony fretboard and bridge
346mm scale length
36mm fretboard width at nut
Bone nut and saddle
Tortoiseshell effect binding front and back
Slotted bridge
Compensated saddle
High G clear fluorocarbon strings
Gotoh UPT planetary tuners
Curly mango faceplate
Mahogany neck, light gloss finish, shallow profile
Comes in TGI ABS hard case