ʻEkolu Vintage Soprano
ʻEkolu is the Hawaiian word for “three.” The ʻEkolu Vintage Soprano is an homage to world music instruments that also use three strings, like the sanshin of Okinawa and the balalaika of Russia. The 3-string design makes it the easiest possible entry point for learning to play the ‘ukulele. Conceptualized by GRAMMY® Award winning ‘ukulele virtuoso Daniel Ho and master luthier Pepe Romero.
Tuned C, E, A (highest pitched strings on an ʻukulele)
Designed by Pepe Romero & Daniel Ho
13” soprano length scale
12 frets to the body (17 frets total)
Saddle is carefully compensated for accurate intonation
Comes with an end pin for attaching a strap
Laminate mahogany top, back, and sides
Walnut fingerboard and bridge
High quality Gotoh 4:1 Planetary Tuners
Daniel Ho logo
Made in Japan
★ Comes with a soft gig bag
Also Available!
instruction books especially for The ʻEkolu ʻUkulele
For both students and teachers!
Since the ‘Ekolu Tiny Tenor debuted at the NAMM show in January 2024, it has become my new passion. It is comfortable to play in any key so it is great for jamming, and I love discovering new ways to take advantage of this musically concise instrument - three notes is all you need to play most chords.
The ‘ukulele is a wonderful introduction to the joy of making music as it is one of the easiest instruments to learn. However, the Bb chord is usually a stumbling block for beginners. The ‘Ekolu simplifies the fingering of this chord so it is as easy to play as any other chord.
While new for the ‘ukulele, the concept of a three-stringed instrument is anything but. The Mongolian doshpuluur, Thai phin, Japanese shamisen, and Russian balalaika are all traditional three-stringed instruments.
~ Daniel Ho
“The 3-string ‘Ekolu ‘ukulele is a great way to get children and adults making music within five minutes of picking the instrument up for the first time, with all chords lying easily under the fingers. It’s even extremely simple and quick to tune. The ‘Ukulele At School - ‘Ekolu lesson materials explain things very clearly, and within one class students can start accompanying themselves while singing well-known songs. The fact that students can see such fast progress will build musical confidence; it’s also a great way to learn some music theory organically, as the chords fall under the fingers naturally and students will learn chord progressions intuitively as they go. Later, they’ll be able to apply this knowledge to other music classes and music-making. Teachers who already know the basics on guitar will find it easy to gain some proficiency almost immediately, making this an “easy lift.” There would certainly be great interest in workshops on the part of college and university students majoring in a variety of musical areas, such as music education, music performance, ethnomusicology/global music, and jazz.”
“I fully endorse and support the use of Daniel Ho and Stephen Sano’s ‘Ukulele at School - ‘Ekolu. As a music teacher in the Torrance Unified School District, I have used the ‘Ukulele at School books since their publication in 2014. Currently, I teach ‘ukulele to approximately five hundred students across five of the north area elementary schools. I also teach two levels of ‘ukulele with the North Torrance Youth Musicians Ensemble (nTyme).
The new three-string ‘Ekolu ‘ukulele will make it possible for a much broader range of clientele. Students with smaller hands (second grade and younger) will be able to play this instrument because the neck is twenty-five percent smaller. Students and seniors lacking left-hand dexterity, will find this instrument easier to manage and maneuver. Furthermore, I believe these resources will enable students with special needs to participate in instrumental music programs.”