Ko'olau CS-O Lutz Spruce/ Macassar Ebony Tenor
Noa has been building custom ukes full time for over 20 years and the culmination of his efforts is exemplified here. It features a Lutz spruce top, which is a natural occuring hybrid of Sitka and White spruce. Lutz spruce trees have the size and stiffness of Sitka, and the lower density of White/Engelmann spruce. The combination of high stiffness and low density can yield a superior tonewood and this instrument sounds exceptional. Some of that can be attributed to this great spruce for the soundboard but it also has a fantastic tonewood for the sides and back. I've described Macassar ebony's tone as clean and crisp, rich with overtones and singing sustain. This tenor shows those qualities as well as I've heard. Plus it looks great and is accented beautifully with premium curly koa bindings and a perfect gloss finish. It's finished by the other phenomenal luthier at Ko'olau, Ryan Condon, and truly has a gorgeous nitrocellulose gloss finish body and satin nitrocellulose neck for smooth sliding.
Take a look and listen to a raw sound sample from Corey. This is with the stock Ko'olau nylon strings with a high G.
Picture and video specific to this listing. This is a custom CS-O tenor from Ko'olau with the finest tonewoods, impeccable build quality, an awesome sound, and a host of upgrades making us especially happy to share it with you.
This exquisite custom tenor was conceived and built by Noa Bonk. It's the first to be listed as a CS-O. The CS is the contemporary series with a more rounded body shape and radius fretboard. The O stands for Omakase which is a Japanese term which is usually used in restaurants where the customer wants to leave the choices to the master chef. So CS-O is an instrument that Noa has made all the choices on. I find these type of builds where the luthier makes what they want and chooses all the materials to often be the best and this instrument is certainly one of the finest ukes we've ever experienced.
Noa has been building custom ukes full time for over 20 years and the culmination of his efforts is exemplified here. It features a Lutz spruce top, which is a natural occuring hybrid of Sitka and White spruce. Lutz spruce trees have the size and stiffness of Sitka, and the lower density of White/Engelmann spruce. The combination of high stiffness and low density can yield a superior tonewood and this instrument sounds exceptional. Some of that can be attributed to this great spruce for the soundboard but it also has a fantastic tonewood for the sides and back. I've described Macassar ebony's tone as clean and crisp, rich with overtones and singing sustain. This tenor shows those qualities as well as I've heard. Plus it looks great and is accented beautifully with premium curly koa bindings and a perfect gloss finish. It's finished by the other phenomenal luthier at Ko'olau, Ryan Condon, and truly has a gorgeous nitrocellulose gloss finish body and satin nitrocellulose neck for smooth sliding.
Take a look and listen to a raw sound sample from Corey. This is with the stock Ko'olau nylon strings with a high G.
Our sound samples are recorded for true reference and have no alteration or enhancement. Use quality playback for the most accurate listening. Let us know in the special instructions if you would like low G or another string setup.
The CS (Contemporary Series) has the more rounded body shape, radius fretboard, and this one has the slotted headstock and Waverly tuners upgrade with Ko'olau's curly koa buttons. It is built using only hide glue, is light in weight and super vibrant and warm sounding. This is the finest quality wood and craftsmanship.
This light weight tenor has an extra rich and lively sound with plenty of volume and perfect play-ability. It's one of the finest ukes to ever come to us and we are proud to offer this level of quality and inspiration from one of Hawaii's top custom builders.
Comes with hard wood case and Oasis humidifier.
| Specs | * Lutz spruce top/ Macassar Ebony body |
|---|---|
| Options | Every Ko'olau comes with a deluxe wooden Ko'olau case and Oasis humidifier. Extra Options * Put a note in the Special Instructions if you would like to let our setup or shipping department know anything (e.g., “Please setup low G”). * Under the Accessories tab you can also customize this instrument by adding strap button(s) or your choice of pickup for plugging in. We recommend either the MiSi or the LR Baggs pickup for this ukulele. * After adding this instrument to your cart, you can shop further to create your own package by adding other accessories from the website. Aloha! |
| Brand | Ko'olau |
Shipping Information
For more even more details and FAQ visit our Shipping Page under the Company Info tab at the header menu.
SHIPPING CARRIER OPTIONS:
FedEx is our primary shipping carrier, all orders that qualify for free domestic shipping will be sent using FedEx. UPS and DHL can also be chosen as alternative options upon checkout, USPS is only used for smaller accessory orders.
As soon as the shipping label is created you will be automatically notified via email with tracking information. All packages will be shipped with a signature requirement by default. If you do not wish to have a signature requirement you will need to notify us, either by leaving a note in the “special instructions” when adding the item(s) to your shopping cart or by emailing our shipping department directly. Any shipping related requests (hold/delay/address change) should also be directed to our shipping department ( [email protected]).
NOTE FOR INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMERS: You may also be required to pay import duties/taxes, this will vary depending on your location and the value of the item(s). To estimate these taxes, you can contact your local customs office. Fedex also offers a helpful estimation tool: https://www.fedex.com/en-us/shipping/international.html
UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE PERMIT: If your ukulele contains any amount of shell inlay (abalone or pearl) it will require a permit to be shipped internationally. The cost of this permit is $93.00 USD. We will handle the paperwork and file the permit for you, but the cost of all duties and fees are the responsibility of the customer.
SHIPPING COST will vary depending on the size dimensions and weight of the package as well as the destination. To get a quote, use the “Calculate Shipping Cost” link located next to the “Add to Cart button” on each listing.
This is made even easier when you are already logged in to your customer account. Follow this link to create an account if you don’t already have one go HERE.
FREE SHIPPING: All orders within the USA with a total over $500 will qualify for free FedEx 2-day air shipping.
SHIPMENT AND TRACKING NOTIFICATIONS are sent automatically via email as soon as the shipping label is created so please make sure your email address is accurate when placing the order. Outgoing shipments are picked up by our shipping carriers Monday through Friday.
ACCESSORY AND CASE ORDERS: While non-instrument orders for cases and accessories do not require the same processing time needed for instruments, they do require time for processing and packing. The typical processing time for accessory/case orders is (1-4 business days) depending on current order volume.
CURRENT SETUP PROCESSING TIMES AND DETAILS ARE LOCATED UNDER THE “SETUP OPTIONS” TAB.*
*If you would like to receive your instrument as soon as possible you can forego the full setup process by selecting the “Basic QC Only” option or by selecting the “Full Setup RUSH” option when adding instruments to your shopping cart. More details are available under the “Setup Options” tab.
Setup Options
Current Turnaround Time: Amount of time it takes before shipment-
Full Setup: 10-14 Business Days
Basic Quality Control: 2-3 Days
BASIC QUALITY CONTROL covers inspecting the instrument for any major defects that would have been missed by the factory and any faults in construction that could potentially damage or limit the functionality of the instrument over time. Any defective instruments are rejected and replaced. We make sure that each Ukulele meets the basic standard for a brand new instrument and will be ready to play once you receive it. A final cleanup is also included after inspection before packing and shipment.
Full Setup - FREE for all Ukuleles $399 and over / $20.00 for Ukuleles from $300-399 / $30.00 for Ukuleles Under $300
Includes:
-Overall QC evaluation: To find defects in construction as well as to get an overall view of the instrument and note the areas that need extra attention and adjustment during the setup.
-Saddle Adjustment: The height of the saddle is lowered to reduce the distance between the strings and the fretboard, making it easier to play than the factory setup, especially higher up the fretboard.
-Nut Slot Adjustment: The depth, width, and angle of the nut slots are adjusted to create a more comfortable playing experience especially on the lower frets.
-Fret Dressing: After adjusting the nut and saddle heights, high spots in the fretboard or uneven frets will potentially cause fret buzz, dead spots, or other unwanted problems. The frets are filed to create a more consistent level across the fretboard. We then crown the frets to return their rounded curvature back to the top of each fret creating a clear contact point for each string. We then smooth and polish the frets and condition the fingerboard to bring them back to new condition.
-Final Cleanup: We always do a final overall cleanup of the instrument to make sure it is in new condition and ready to play before it is prepared for shipment.
Rush Setup & Delivery - Additional $50.00
The RUSH SETUP AND DELIVERY service is for customers who would still like to receive everything included in the full setup but on a shorter time frame. One of our setup technicians will work overtime outside of normal business hours to complete the setup within 2-3 days of the order being placed and immediately hand it over to the shipping department for packing and shipment. The $50.00 rush charge is in addition to the cost of the full setup.
Additional services (see individual product listings to add these services to your order)
Re-stringing: We will replace the factory installed stock string set with a new set of your choosing. Select the “replace stock strings” option when adding your desired string set to the shopping cart.
Strap Button Installation: 1-2 buttons are installed to allow the use of a strap. Color options available.
Pickup installation: for players who would like the option to play or record with amplification.
Friction Tuner Upgrade (friction tuners only): We offer upgrade options for select instruments with friction tuners to be retrofitted with new geared tuners for better precision and comfort when tuning.
Left-handed Setup: Left-handed setups are also available upon request. Occasionally an additional charge may be added for compensated saddles on select models.