Chords for Kanile'a Ukulele NAMM 2017 - Interview with Joe Souza

We're here at Connie Leah's booth with Joe.
Thank [C] you, sir.
Hello Andrew.
[B] Hello.
Hello everyone.
Happy New Year
[E] So what's new [G] this year Joe?
Well for Connie Leo ukulele, we have some really [F#] new exciting models that we're introducing to the market and _ _
With the success [A] that we found with our [G] slotted headstocks.
We're adding to our slotted headstock arsenal
So this is our new
_ _ _ KCS
Model and what the KCS [B] stands for is Connie Leah crown slotted
[Em] So you'll notice it's a slotted headstock with our Connie Leah crown
this features the goto stealth [E] tuners with the 18 to 1 [D] gear ratio [Bm] at nice sleek profile in the [D] neck design and
Probably one of the most
[Bm] _ You know interesting components of this instrument is it's actually available in all sizes
soprano super [A] soprano
Concert super concert tenor super [E] tenor all the way up to the [G] baritone
We offer the KCS model so you can get a slotted headstock on whatever size instrument you're looking for
It also has an ebony fingerboard bridge ebony headplate and we did our sand logo with the sand position markers
Which we've seen is so successful with [E] our slotted instruments
_ _ now _ _ _
another component [Bm] that we're adding to [C#] with our
_ [E] Platinum models is you know, we found great success with the 2015 platinum the 2016 [G] platinum
So here's our
2017 platinum and with this instrument it allows us to really as a builder be as creative as we want to and
Realistically, you know if I stood here and said all we build from is coal wood
I'd be really shooting myself in the foot to [B] say that's the only wood that we build from because the reality is there's a bunch
Of great tone woods that we can build from and we [D#] wanted to feature them here on our
2017 platinum so [G] this instrument has [C#] a torrified spruce top, which [Bm] is really unique in sound
_ _ Exceptional warm tone [F#] and that's what we're doing what we are looking for with this instrument
It has a claro walnut back inside
[Em] So once again showing that there are some great [D#] alternative woods that we can build from
But [G] we did bring coal onto the instrument by doing a coal wood [A] inlay rosette
Coal binding [G] coal bound fingerboard coal bound headstock.
It has a core armrest
So what we really designed in this instrument is something [B] that's totally unique
Totally unique and unlike any other [A] instrument that we have you want to retake [G] that?
_ _ _ [C] _ _
_ [D] _ _ _ _ _ _ [F#] _
It [G] is so with our
2017 [Dm] platinum we've brought on some new [G#] bracing patterns and really I [E] went from the ground up and [G] redesigned our true bracing
_ Now with this bracing we're able to reduce [F] the mass by [G] 70% on the brace by including [A] these
[F#] Triangular or [B] what people will probably notice more as like a bridge
Style of lightening our brace because [E] ultimately that's what we're looking at how to [C] get the strength and weight ratio balance
[D] So, of course, it's still [Bm] a sitka spruce brace
But we went [F#] ahead and integrated these [B] triangles as our relief to allow for resonance [C] and of course to allow for strength
[Bm] _
Now this instrument also has an ebony fingerboard bridge ebony headplate
[G#m] We did a white mother of pearl logo white mother of pearl position markers
So that really pops up against [A] the ebony headplate and of course that curly [A] coal binding all the way up onto the headplate
And turning it around yeah, yeah
_ [G] Oh, [Am]
yes a core trim [G] side port
So we just got some really killer master [B] grade core and trim the instrument out and bringing the core onto the instrument in a unique
way for us
[Am] But [C] ultimately it's about the sound
_ _ _ [D] _ [C] _ _
_ _ _ _ _ You know, it's got [G] a big sound for a [F#] concert body
It's got the [Dm] playability of a [Gm] tenor because it is a super concert and it's just [A] a totally unique instrument _
_ This is Clara walnut.
Yeah, [Gm] so we did a [N] Clara walnut back inside
_ _ _ _ [D] _
_ _ _ _ _ [C] _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ [E] _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ Awesome thank you
And we can't wait to really get this [G#m] thing into the studio and get some really good [B] footage on the sound because the sound is
Amazing now as everybody [C] knows
Kanilea [E] ukulele has really set a [A] commitment to the restoration of our native Hawaiian forests and we see that as an important part [G] and
Important component to who we are as [E] an ukulele builder now [A] with that commitment
It allowed us some freedom and one of the things that we designed here in reference to our
Reforestation [D] project is our EEV honey core the EEV of [G] course is an endangered
Endemic [B] native Hawaiian bird and
We [G] wanted to show its relationship with core in the core forest because really the EEV relies on the core [B] as its environment
So [D#m] EEV honey core or the [Bm] EEV that is kissing the core is a instrument that we [F#] designed
[G] And we put some unique features.
We did some master grade core front back and sides
[A] We did EEV inlay on the soundboard
It also has a nice
[D#] Coal leaf inlay and all of the inlays on the instrument is actually made of wood [F#] and we did some coal leaf
position markers and of course
The coal leaf up on [Bm] the headstock, but it also has you know a nice trimmed out side sound port
It has our new [F#] designed bracing.
It also has
[G] _ [E] Ebony top and back binding with an [D#] armrest with a bevel and [C#] really what is probably one of the most [G#] unique
features of this instrument is
[C] It's not [F#] available
[E] It's actually [F#] only available through auction.
[B] So this instrument is actually [G] going to be donated from Kanilea Ukulele and
All of the proceeds from that auction is [C] actually going to go [G] right to
Reforestation [D] and that's why we're thinking creatively on how we can get something as big of a project of the restoration of our native forests [C] and
Use the creativity that we have [G#] as ukulele builders [C] to really help in aiding [D] the restoration of our forests
[C] So, you know, that's what's new for [Bm] Kanilea Ukulele Of course
We still offer our [G] Aldrin Guerrero model, our Mauli [D] Nō which is our all endemic ukuleles
[B] Our K1, our K2, our K3, our K4, you know
Our real [A] tried and true
Instruments [C] that we've seen [F] have been so successful and people [D] really embrace them because [C] they have a bunch of unique features that
[B] Really is unique to Kanilea Ukulele.
We hear back from customers almost every day, you know loving their Kanilea
So thank you [F#m] so much.
You guys are an integral part of our [B] business and
[E] Love what you're doing
You have some [B] amazing artists here this year and I really really hope we can get [E] them into the little
Studio thing we got going in our hotel room.
[F#] Yeah, you know
_ There's just no way to record acoustics at the NAMM [A#] convention and get a [D] good sound.
So hopefully
[B] _ We'll be [E] putting up some more recordings from Kanilea artists for you guys
[B] Along with this and we really appreciate your time.
We'll be catching up soon.
[F] I [C] love the new platinum
Yeah, thank [Bm] you so much
Yeah, yeah, awesome right [Em] on Andrew.
Thank you so much.
Hello everyone
[N] _ _