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KoAloha D6 Signature Tenor Ukulele
The KoAloha Signature D-VI was built by Paul Okami in July and August of 2006. I asked (I mean BEGGED) Paul to build this model for my Japan tour. He managed to finish it two days before I left for Japan. Without exception, this is the most beautiful sounding ukulele I've ever played (Paul also said it's the best one he's ever built!). It features rosewood back and sides, a spruce top, ebony headstock, special bracing, an LR Baggs pickup, Paul's new custom logo, and my signature on the 12th fret.  Click on the above image for a high resolution jpeg. Specifications: Indian rosewood sides and back Bear claw sitka spruce top (sound board) Curly koa binding Macassar ebony head plate, with my custom logo hand inlayed in gold mother of pearl Macassar ebony fret board with Daniel's signature hand inlayed in gold mother of pearl at the 12th fret position Macassar ebony bridge Sapele neck with bee's wings figuring Custom bracing Hand buffed high gloss finish L.R. Baggs Element active pickup |
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 6/7/07 Video Shoot with Tia Carrere Castle Oaks Studios, Calabasas, CA Photo by Lydia Miyashiro  MXTV with Shelly 8/17/06 Photo by Lydia Miyashiro  Photo shoot with Yamagishi Shin 8/17/06 Photo by Lydia Miyashiro Click on the above image for a high resolution jpeg.  Live Depot 8/10/06 Photo by Lydia Miyashiro Click on the above image for a high resolution jpeg.  Summer Sonic 8/12/06 Photo courtesy of Summer Sonic Click on the above image for a high resolution jpeg.  Summer Sonic 8/12/06 Photo courtesy of Summer Sonic Click on the above image for a high resolution jpeg. |
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Click on the above image for a high resolution jpeg. For information about the D6 please visit www.koaloha.com or call Alan or Paul at (808) 847 4911. |
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‘Slack-key ukulele’ makes its Hawaii debut An Oahu-born musician from Los Angeles will unveil a six-string tenor uke at Saturday’s Jam IV The ukulele, the original baby guitar, is growing up. Oahu-born musician Daniel Ho performs in Saturday's Ukulele Jam IV at the Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach, and will also teach anyone who wants to learn to play or improve their skills, while introducing KoAloha's new six-string D6 ukulele. Ho only recently took up the custom, six-string curly koa instrument with two extra strings he plays like a guitar. The uke is valued at $2,500. A commercial model by KoAloha is expected to sell for about $1,000. The company is located at 744 Kohua St. "I'm primarily a composer and a guitar player," says Ho, who lives in Los Angeles and has recorded 18 CDs as a solo artist. "The traditional (four-string) ukulele clearly does not have the ... range to cover the bass and melody notes ... at the same time like a guitar." So Ho wanted a ukulele that allowed him to play different chords. "With four strings you're able to suggest harmony, but a lot of chords have five or six notes that you cannot produce on a traditional uke," he said. "As a soloist, I wasn't able to play many pieces on a ukulele, so I had to have this other instrument made so I had a full range of options ... and realize the pieces as they are written." Ho also is trying to find what he calls "a more individual voice" for his music. "I can play slack-key guitar when I use this instrument, so I call it slack-key ukulele," he said. "Now everything I play on my guitar I can do on this ukulele." The actual construction took KoAloha about a month, although discussions between Ho and designer Paul Okami went on for "years," Ho said.Okami wanted more bass, so he made the instrument's base thicker; Ho needed the neck widened because his fingers were touching too many strings at one time. KoAloha didn't want to make "a small guitar," so that's why the instrument is made of koa in a tenor body, Ho said. The six strings do not all have individual pitches since there are two double strings. "Any acoustic guitar player could pick this up and play it like a little guitar," Ho said. "The highest four pitches are the same as a ukulele, so I don't have to use the other two strings," he said. Ho used the instrument on three songs on Ozzie Kotani's slack-key album scheduled to debut in May. |
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KOALOHA'S THE WORD:  Daniel Ho, left, celebrated with Outrigger Waikiki Vice-President Kimberly Agas, standing, Ho's fiancee Lydia, and Iva Kinimaka at the Outrigger Waikiki on Wednesday. The party marked the release of Ho's new CD, "KoAloha," and the public debut of his new custom-made KoAloha D-VI 6-string ukulele. Kinimaka's local hit, "He Aloha Mele," is one of the songs Ho included on the album. |
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