USED OHANA TK-35-10 MAHOGANY TIPLE

Strings, strings, and more strings! For the player who just can’t get enough of strings, the Ohana 10-string “Tiple” gives those fluttering fingers a proper workout. This vintage re-issue would not be complete without an extra-sturdy build to handle all of its strings, and all-solid mahogany in a satin finish rounds out the instrument’s classic look.

Ohana Music has a long and established appreciation for vintage and unique instruments. One of our most specialized is the Tiple, or TK-35-10, based on vintage Martin builds of the early 1900s. Those made by Martin were inspired in turn by instruments first taken on trans-Atlantic voyages to the Americas in the 1800s. The word “Tiple” comes from the spanish for “treble” as the many steel strings worked to produce a bright and cheery tone.   In its current form, the Tiple was especially sought after in the -30s and -40s, where its bright and full tone complimented current popular music. The chorus of the multi-tonal steel strings provided a truly unique voice that suited the upbeat and often humorous tunes of the time.   The Ohana Tiple is built in all-solid mahogany, with 10-steel strings across 4 courses. We chose a simple and stately cream rosette and wood binding to compliment the instrument’s vintage feel. The strings are paired in sets of  2-3-3-2; with the first top 3 string sets featuring an octave tone. The Tiple is most like a tenor scale ukulele in terms of size and build, with additional bracing and body mass to allow for the tension of 10 steel strings.

At Ohana, these Tiples have a suggested tuning in line with the ukulele.

Therefore starting from the top, they are: gG-CcC-EeE-AA, or G3G4-C4C3C4-E4E3E4-A4A4.

That many steel strings on a short scale put a great deal of tension on the bridge, so it is of great importance not to overtune the instrument. Doing so may cause damage to the bridge. It is also important to de-tune the instrument when not playing— again due to the great tension placed on the build by the steel strings.

This Tiple is in near-mint condition.

Learn more here: