GEAR 23_COVER - JHS

Sorry about the feature title, Mr McGarrett -
don’t book us, it’s just there are eight great
new ‘Laka’ ukuleles joining the Vintage
range of instruments! Ba-ba ba-ba baaaa
baaa, ba-ba ba-ba baaaaaa, etc. Aloha!
The ukulele resurgence continues
unabated, with bands like the superb
Ukulele Orchestra Of Great Britain
demonstrating very much the musical
potential and serious musical side of the
various versions of the ukulele, this new
‘Laka’ series by Vintage is a collection of
seriously pro-spec instruments, available in
both acoustic and electro-acoustic formats.
Adding extra value to this new Laka series
of ukuleles from Vintage is the fact that,
to aid instrument tonal resonance and
response, the ukes are finished in a
tone-friendly open pore satin finish.
Additionally, the Laka ukuleles are fitted
with premium grade Italian
Aquila strings for maximum
playing performance and an
even, balanced sound. Finally,
reinforcing the high-spec nature
of these Lakas, the electroacoustic
ukes are fitted with the
uke-friendly USA-made Fishman
Sonitone preamp systems, a
soundhole-mounted style of unit
which is totally unobtrusive both
visually and physically.
• VUS70 £99.00rrp
VINTAGE VUS70
SOPRANO UKULELE
Effectively the ‘standard’
ukulele and the smallest
bodied of
the family,
with the most
recognisable uke tone, the
soprano uke is the one on which
most novices learn. The Laka
Soprano Uke is an acoustic model
which features a solid mahogany
top, with laminated mahogany
back and sides. A rosewood
fingerboard carries 3mm ‘micro
dot’ markers, and check the
neat ‘rope binding’ rosette
on all the Laka ukes including
this soprano one. £99.00 rrp.
• VUC70 £119.00rrp
VINTAGE VUC70
CONCERT UKULELE
Physically slightly larger
with a 15” scale length than
the Soprano’s 13” scale, the Concert is also
• VUC80E £179.00rrp
referred to as an Alto ukulele, with
a correspondingly bigger uke sound.
The Laka Concert Uke is of an identical
spec to the Soprano with a solid
mahogany top matched to mahogany
back and sides. £119.00 rrp.
VINTAGE VUC80EA CONCERT
CUTAWAY E/A UKULELE
Again a Concert-sized instrument,
this version greatly expands the
versatility of the uke as an
instrument. Here, the solid sitka
spruce top is mated to koa
back and
sides for a
different tonal
variation from the
instrument. Features Grover
open gear tuners for improved
tuning stability. The cutaway
body offers improved upper fret
access and being an electroacoustic,
the VUC80EA is fitted
with a Fishman Sonitone
onboard preamp system.
£179.00 rrp.
VINTAGE VUT80EA
TENOR CUTAWAY
E/A UKULELE
The Tenor uke is a
larger bodied instrument
than the Concert,
and can sometimes be seen in a
variation of string format
layouts, with 6 and even 8
string versions available.
The cutaway-bodied Laka VUT80CE
also offers a solid sitka spruce top,
koa back and sides, Grover tuners
and Fishman Sonitone system.
£189.00 rrp.
VINTAGE VUC90
CONCERT UKULELE
Boasting a solid koa top
and laminated koa body
with a mahogany/nato
neck, the Groverequipped
VUC90 is a
Concert sized acoustic
which retails at £179.00 rrp.
• VUT80EA £189.00rrp
• VUC90 £179.00rrp
VINTAGE VUC90EA CONCERT
CUTAWAY E/A UKULELE
The same solid koa top/koa
laminate body construction, this
time in a cutaway body format,
with Fishman Sonitone preamp.
£189.00 rrp.
• VUT90 £189.00rrp
VINTAGE VUT90
TENOR UKULELE
Solid koa top,
laminate koa
back and sides,
the big-toned
acoustic Tenor-size
uke also retails at
£189.00.
VINTAGE VUT90EA
TENOR CUTAWAY
E/A UKULELE
The top of the
range Laka uke
features a solid koa
top, with laminate koa
back and sides, cutaway
body, Grover tuners and
Fishman Sonitone preamp.
£209.00 rrp.
• VUT90EA £209.00rrp • VUC90EA £189.00rrp
FISHMAN SONITONE
Designed to meet the needs of Laka
ukuleles, the new Fishman Sonitone
onboard preamp system features a
concealed soundhole-mounted preamp
with rotary controls for Volume and
Tone. The Fishman Sonicore pickup
comes standard providing solder-free
maintenance, with combination
battery box and
output jack.
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