RISA Ukuleles

Though the moniker “axe” is generally reserved for guitars—and for those guitars played by rock and blues players, specifically—there are probably few instruments that more closely resemble that implement than to RISA ukuleles. These instruments have an innovative design that may put off some traditionalists but, just as one should not judge a book by its cover, one should not be too hasty to judge these instruments by their having a rather distinctive design. In fact, for some players, this departure from the norm may be enough to win them over by sight alone!

RISA Ukuleles have a design that could also be described as resembling a spoon or a spatula. They haven’t a traditional headstock and the tuning pegs are located at the top of the instrument. On a traditional instrument, it would be accurate to describe this location as the top of the body but this would imply that a RISA ukulele has a body in the traditional sense, which it does not. These are one-piece instruments. This one-piece construction does make them impressively sturdy. The components used in their manufacture are high-quality including Grover tuning pegs being employed as a standard feature.

Before one dismisses the RISA line of ukuleles as merely novelty items, one would do well to remember that many individuals make that same mistake with ukuleles in general. These are fully-playable and well-tempered instruments manufactured to high standards. They are electric instruments and the lack of a resonator or a true body on the instrument has an obvious diminishing effect on their volume capabilities in an acoustic scenario. The best adjective for these instruments, perhaps, is “modern” as they rather necessitate the use of an amplification device for the audience to realize the full character of their sound.

These ukuleles are available in all of the standard sizes. The absence of a headstock tends to reduce the size of the instrument a bit which may be convenient for those who do a lot of travelling with their ukulele in tow. The lack of a headstock may be something which requires some adjustment for most players but it shouldn’t prove so radical a departure from the norm that it causes any real difficulty. The instruments can be tuned in several different fashions, including mandolin tuning, provided that they are fitted with the appropriate strings for that range.

For a player who is looking for something different than the standard ukulele there are few choices which offer so radical a difference as do the RISA ukuleles. These instruments are serious enough for the professional and constitute a good upgrade option for beginners. For those whose lifestyle is a bit to rugged for a traditional instrument and for those who tour with their instrument and worry about the conditions to which it is exposed such as changes in humidity and rough handling, this instrument provides a durable alternative. Concert and soprano scale instruments are widely-available and both are up to professional standards.

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