This is a Peerless brand ukulele, generally only available on the Japanese domestic market. They are produced by Kiwaya in very small numbers, with demand outstripping supply in Japan (so no need to send them elsewhere!) However, I have managed to beg and get this model in, simply as I saw some pictures and it looked so pretty I had to have it! (So, you see, I am no stranger to that impulse ukulele buy either!)

This Peerless PUK-T has a gorgeous sound, even, softly warm and delightfully sweet. It has a lovely resonance and feels almost like it has natural reverb. It really sings, with a beautiful voicing that combines the best of both worlds in terms of modern clarity and vintage style warmth. It's a uke to play individually and savour. It's not quiet but isn't a powerhouse - the solid curly maple top has typical maple characteristics, a bright projection that's soft around the edges. I have in the past described the sound of maple as a punch thrown in a boxing glove. I know what I mean... maybe you can get something from that?!

That maple has a beautiful pattern which has a blue / black stain - a finish they call 'denim', which actually suits it very well. They're exactly the same shade as the jeans I am wearing as I type this - but you can take my word for that - I don't think it's worth adding a picture! This is paired on the back and sides with the hardwood, ovangkol. This is also pretty, with nice grain and light and dark sections - although it has to be said, pretty as it is, the star of the show is the top, which almost vibrates under the gloss finish.

There is an abalone soundhole decoration and purfling - quite a lot of abalone really - but somehow that curly maple top still draws the eye, even framed as it is in all that iridescent shell. The headstock has a nice, modern and unique shape and is faced with more maple, while the ebony bridge is unusual too, and asymmetrical. In a classy touch, the Peerless emblem only appears on the fingerboard at the 12th fret, rather than emblazoned across the headstock.

This Peerless ukulele has Japanese made Gotoh UPT tuners. These rear facing units are absolute class. You wonder if there'll ever be any further developments in the tuner market as these things have surely perfected it! They've chosen Fremont Blackline strings, which are sweet and warm, and possess a more vintage tone. My own preference is normally for clear fluorocarbon for added punch... but the more I've tested this PUK-T, the more I see the sense in these. I sell these strings... and get good reports, but they've never been my cup of tea. Until now when actually, it all comes together. Perhaps I just needed the right uke to bring them alive.

You also get a black hard case with the Peerless uke, to protect your investment. And it is quite an investment to get one of these! The finish is gorgeous, the sound is divine, but it comes at a price - and a price that's hard to justify in terms of 'is it twice as good as a uke at half the price'. Of course, the answer is no - it doesn't work like that. But it is beautiful in every way. It's rare. It's special. Only you can answer the question of if you can afford one. You probably can't justify it... I know I couldn't. But it doesn't stop me wanting one!

At the bottom of this page are a number of options you can easily add as extras, like a low G or strap button. It comes with a hard case, so you're covered there. You'll also find a video demo of this Peerless PUK-T tenor, compared with another from the same stable, if you click additional information below.