Lanikai LU21-CE
...or: the neighbours must have loved it . For a few weeks I had the chance to put a Lanikai LU21-CE electro-acoustic ukulele through its paces. The Lanikai did not disappoint; they have made a very good little instrument.
Although the LU model designation represents Lanikai's entry-level range, do not let that mislead you. A beginner buying an instrument can confidently choose an LU, whether acoustic or electro-acoustic. Naturally, electro-acoustic instruments always cost a little more because of the electronics inside them. If we spend the extra money, however, we are compensated by the opportunity to make an appalling amount of noise. Connected to effects and an amplifier, we can delight the neighbours with some enthusiastic string abuse and even produce sounds that would make a heavy-metal guitarist take notice. For that I needed an effect pedal; I tried this one:
...and an amplifier:
(Umm... this is actually a bass-guitar amplifier, but it did the job ).)
Back to the instrument itself. The Lanikai LU21-CE is a concert-size ukulele with a mahogany body, rosewood fretboard, Aquila strings and the good-quality tuning machines I like so much. It was easy to tune and, despite being a new instrument, held its tuning reasonably well. Because electronics are built into the body and a battery has to be fitted, it is slightly heavier toward the rear than an acoustic ukulele, but you get used to the weight distribution in a few minutes. One small thing bothered me a little, though it was hardly serious: the amplifier socket is positioned exactly where I normally like to rest the instrument on my leg. So I had to hold it slightly differently from my usual position, but that too is simply a matter of habit and is easy to adapt to.
By the end I was only a step away from performing the classic heavy-metal move and smashing the ukulele against the amplifier. Of course I would never do such a thing. In any case, I had enormous fun trying out the different sounds. Overall, if you can spend a little more on a ukulele and decide to buy an electro-acoustic model, you are unlikely to be disappointed by this Lanikai either.
UPDATE (1 October 2020): This ukulele model has been discontinued. In its place we recommend the Lanikai MA-CEC as the successor to the LU21-CE, which you can find in the webshop .
