This model is not a regular stock item. If you would like one, I can contact the supplier to see if I acquire one for you. To do this, just fill in the quick form to ask about this model - stock enquiry form.

This all solid acacia Pono AT-8 is a lovely instrument full stop, but in the field of 8 strings - these instruments are up there with the best. The reason isn’t the looks, though it looks good, or the sound, though it is gorgeous in that regard. The thing that makes it stand out for me is the playability. In the case of many 8 strings, the jangling mandolin-esqe sound might be great, or the wood beautiful, but regularly they’d be a lot more difficult to play. Now, for chords and playing along at the ukulele club these ukes would be ideal, but anyone wanting to get into some more complex playing and they’d have to put down their 8-string and pick up a ‘normal’ ukulele. Not with the Pono AT-8 which requires an extremely light touch to play.

The Ko’Olau Mahana strings are nylon based and different pitches can be achieved without the string gauge being vastly different. I’ve often played an 8 string and struggled to sound out the high C, simply because it is so thin and paired with a chunky regular C string; my finger would strike the lower string and miss the high. That problem just doesn’t seem to occur with this model. The strings also provide a lovely, soft-edged and balanced tone too – even with the low G being wound, it doesn’t drown out the others, but rather offers a rich backdrop for the treble strings to shimmer and shine against. Surprisingly this acacia model sounds very similar its mahogany brother, the MT-8, despite the different materials use. No matter though, both are lovely.

The Pono ZT-8 is tuned like a regular ukulele, GCEA. At each position, instead of one string, there are two. First there’s a high G and a low G, an octave apart. Then a regular C and a high C, the highest note, an octave apart. The two pairs, E’s and A’s. These combine to give a fuller sound, quite simply as more sounds are made from more notes! You get the benefit of a full tone from the low G, and added sparkle from the high C, with lots of good stuff going on in between.

This Pono 8-string is made from all solid acacia which is nicely patterned with dark and light streaks and a strong grain.. There’s a nice bit of wood grain visible and an understated rope-style soundhole rosette. Decorative but robust tuners make tuning easy (although technically, still twice as difficult as a 4-string with the same tuners!), while the ebony fingerboard and bridge, bone nut and saddle help contribute to some very effective sustain.

If you’re looking at buying an 8-string, there are two realistic alternatives. Go for a cheap one and experiment a bit, or invest in something serious like the Pono AT-8 for a really enchanting, enriching experience. This is a lovely instrument for picking (picking pairs of strings is hard, but easier on this uke than many), so is right for someone with some good uke-skills, or the desire to acquire some!