Lanikai QM-BLCET
The blog is nine years old today! Wow — nine years ago I would never have guessed what would grow out of that passing thought to start the Hungaria Ukulele Blog . The last two years have probably been the busiest: you have been able to see and hear a huge number of instrument reviews. This year we were also on Retró Rádió , and we organized several ukulele meetups (first, second, third). At the end of the year we also held the first course I organized, and the first event of the following year — Saturday, January 11, 2020 — will be the continuation of that course . I am also planning another meetup for the spring . Nine is not such a satisfyingly round number, so I will save a more detailed retrospective for the 10th birthday a year from now.
We close the 2010s with a look at a beautiful Lanikai ukulele. Although I have had it for several months, to this day I still cannot remember its exact model designation — and let anyone who finds that easy cast the first stone . This stunning Lanikai has become my number-one ukulele. No surprise there: it is one of Lanikai's absolute top models, a flagship instrument, and it is not only beautiful but a joy to play as well.
For those who enjoy decoding model names, back to the designation: "QM" stands for quilted maple, "BL" probably refers to blue (there is a red version too), I am still wrestling with the "C", and ET most likely stands for electro-acoustic and tenor. The body, the back of the neck and the open-style headstock glow in all kinds of fantastic shades of blue. Like almost every Lanikai, this one of course also comes from the factory with two strap buttons.
The electronics include a tuner. Its display is not exactly the type I personally prefer, but I quickly got over that minor detail because tuning is still fast and easy. I think the black binding looks fantastic — very elegant — and I like that it is not the same color as the inlay around the soundhole. What else can I say about it? It is a flawless instrument, clear and beautiful sounding, and I absolutely love it. It comes with a factory "almost" hard case (there is an even more rigid type, hence the "almost"), which is only right for a premium instrument like this. I warmly recommend the video introducing the ukulele, and at the same time wish everyone a happy new year filled with music and ukulele playing !
