Lanikai ZR-CET Ziricote with Cutaway & Electronics Review

Couldn't be happier

There isn’t anything I don’t like about this lovely tenor ukulele! As always, Sweetwater processed my order, set up my ukulele and shipped it quickly and well packed. I decided to purchase a this tenor so I could put bari tuned to tenor strings on it. My other tenor has a slotted bridge that prohibits it without modification. The Lanikai ZR-CET has an 8 hole bridge, which… read more is great for projection. The string break angle improves projection on my classical guitar and likewise oh this ukulele. At the opposite end, the tuners are not enclosed but move very smoothly. Once I stretched the strings I replaced the stock ones with, the tuners have maintained tuning well, during normal playing, without the necessity to retune often. An unexpected plus, for me, is that the neck profile is a bit flatter than that of my Alvarez. The Alvarez is wonderfully playable but I favor a flatter curve and this ZR-CET has one. It arrived with 2 strap buttons installed. I was particularly happy the heel button is on sole of the heel, rather than the side of the heel. With the button there, the instrument hangs very naturally and I’m not inhibited, no matter where along the neck I play. The tone wood sounds like the best qualities of Rosewood and Ebony. Not only does it sound good, warm and round, but it’s a beautiful wood - very rich and dark. The smooth, natural finish is great for moving unimpeded along the neck, and isn’t right forearm sticky when playing with short sleeves. The frets are neatly finished and there are markers at the usual frets. The Fishman electronics are the same as on one of my guitars, and when I plugged into my little Loud Box Mini, the amplification was just right for a ukulele. It’s balanced with all knobs set to center. The gig bag Lanikai sends along with the ZR-CET is not basic. It’s protective and well made. I would have like a semi-hard case, but I’ll make that an additional purchase in future.

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