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Original Post By:
drum4Him
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Date: 1/3/2009 7:37:34 PM |
Compared to othe concerts in the same price range, reviews or comments of the KALA KOA CONCERT elec cutaway KA-KCE-C. I'm interested in a cutaway, and yes I know it is not solid koa. MMM has them on his sight. Other than his store, I do not see many for used for sale. So I take that as a sign of satisfaction.
d4H |
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Posted By:
ScooterUke
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Date: 1/14/2009 10:20:25 PM |
I sell them and they are nice. List on a KA-KCE-c is$450 but they can be had for around $300 with Aquilla strings.Kala makes very nice Ukes. The laminates are really excellent, They will be getting solid koas in about 2 weeks. I also carry solid koa ukes from Big Island Ukulele they make the Honu ukes. The parent co. is Winkler Woods who supply major guitar and ukulele makers.Both brands are so great. I am located in Atlanta
ga Ukerepublic.com I ship
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Posted By:
Noel-lele
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Date: 1/14/2009 11:29:27 PM |
Hi - I carry the KALA ukes too and recently supplied one to Mickey Maguire for a review in his online magazine. In addition to the Koa and cedar top models, I really like the all solid mahogany tenor cutaway. Here is the magazine link - http://www.tricornpublications.com/uke_player.htm
my website is www.UkeLadyMusic.com
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Posted By:
BeachBumTom
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Date: 1/15/2009 1:07:00 AM |
| They sure ain't custom ukes. They ain't KoAlohas, Kanile'as, Koolaus or Ponos. But the many Kalas I've played (mainly around Island Bazaar in HB, CA) are surprisingly good ukes. For the bucks Kalas, Lanikais and Ohanas are consistently workable instruments. They have pretty true intonation, clarity, sustain and bark. I currently have the tenor Kala F-Hole Sun-burst with pick-up which is a lotta' fun for some things...and it can be had some places for less than $300. For twice the money you mentioned (and a lot more!) you can get a noticeably better uke, but the Kala you wrote about should be a good serviceable (and FUN) ukulele. Enjoy. BBT
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Posted By:
Ed B.
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Date: 1/15/2009 1:10:58 AM |
| Kala ukes are nicely made, and the laminate koa sounds very good for the price. The cutaway is great to have -- I wish more makers would offer this option. The main downside to the Kala ukes is their narrow string spacing (my experience is with the tenor models, but I believe the concerts have the same problem). Kamaka, Koaloha, Martin, Ko'olau... all are wider. Don't know why Kala decided to buck the established design parameters here. It will limit you if you're into fingerpicking styles unless you have small fingers.
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Posted By:
BeachBumTom
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Date: 1/15/2009 2:45:42 AM
(Updated: 1/15/2009 2:48:05 AM)
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| Dear EdB - I always hate to get into disagreements here on the BB, but your statement caused me to check something out out of sheer curiosity. I, with my pretty long fingers, have had no appreciable difficulty with the Kala tenor I mentioned I have. So I checked the spacing between the G string and the A string on the first fret. I measured the Kala and my precious KoAloha Pineapple Sunday (which has a tenor neck) and my equally loved KoAloha tenor Sceptre. I could see no appreciable spacing distance difference among the three...although the KoAlohas MAY have the slightest of one millimeter more room. (By the way I believe that Pineapple Sunday has the easiest to play fingerboard of any uke I've ever laid hands on.) I also checked an older Kamaka tenor 6-string I picked up a while back and allowing for the variations of the six strings I contend the spacing is almost identical.....with once again maybe only one millimeter difference. All that being the case I would in no way dissuade anyone (like drum4Him) from a Kala based on string spacing. There may be other reasons for not buying an inexpensive Kala, but I don't think that issue is one of them. Humbly, BBT
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Posted By:
Ed B.
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Date: 1/15/2009 4:00:39 AM
(Updated: 1/15/2009 5:01:11 AM)
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No controversy intended, Tom. It's good to get all perspectives here. I've always appreciated your contributions to the bulletin board, and I certainly don't take a difference of opinion to be a problem at all.
My Kala and my Pineapple Sunday measure the same string spacing at the nut, but the Pineapple Sunday's strings are considerably wider at the bridge, which makes it a lot more comfortable for me. Lots more room for the right hand work, and more room, though less markedly, for the left hand as well.
Here are some measurements I made on ukes at hand. I've put all the dimensions in 32nd of an inch to make comparisons easier. The first column is the spacing G-to-A at the nut, the second column is the spacing G-to-A at the bridge.
..Nut....Bridge..
1-2/32 1-13/32 Kala tenor
1-2/32 1-21/32 Koaloha tenor
1-2/32 1-21/32 Koaloha Pineapple Sunday
1-2/32 1-19/32 David Gomes tenor
1-3/32 1-17/32 Risa Uke-stick
1-3/32 1-22/32 Martin tenor
1-5/32 1-18/32 Beltona resonator soprano
1-6/32 1-31/32 Morena soprano
1-6/32 1-21/32 Kamaka soprano
1-8/32 1-17/32 Kamaka tenor
1-8/32 1-21/32 Pono tenor
As you can see, some of the instruments are the same as the Kala at the nut, but most are wider and none are narrower. And they're all considerably wider at the bridge. Of course, what may make a difference to one person may not make a difference to another person. I do really like a wider string spacing, but I understand that it might not matter to someone else. When I'm just strumming first position chords, the Kala is just fine, but when I'm working the instrument, the wider strings really help.
Don't get me wrong -- I like the Kalas, and have recommended them to many people. Almost any instrument has some drawback, either workmanship, or sound, or string spacing, or durability, or price, or... You need to know what those tradeoffs are when you're buying a new axe. And, in my opinion at least, the Kala string spacing hurts its playability, and it would be a much better instrument if the spacing was more in line with those of other makers.
Even though we may not feel the same way about the Kala, Tom, we line up pretty good about the Pineapple Sunday. It is a terrific instrument, isn't it? Great sound, easy to play, and a beautiful looker. That tiny body gives you easy access all the way up the neck -- too much fun!
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Posted By:
Chris C
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Date: 1/15/2009 9:22:16 AM |
I'm thinking about a workhorse concert with electronics, mostly for plugging in for amplified performances. I've had experience with undersaddle pickups in ukes, and they sure seem to jump on the sound of my strumming nails on the strings.
Here's what I'd like: Sound samples of the various acous/elect ukes plugged in.
Anybody have some?
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Posted By:
Allison's R
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Date: 1/15/2009 10:04:21 AM |
| Have a look at youtube. I liked MGM's Mango Tenor sound a lot that Kala makes. Have no idea as to how the spacing etc is? Hope it helps?
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Posted By:
BeachBumTom
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Date: 1/15/2009 11:20:25 AM |
| Dear EdB - See, now this is why I don't like getting in disagreements on this BB..........because I can be (yikes!) WRONG! As the late Gilda Radner used to say on SNL, "Well, never mind." When you wrote about the differences in spacing I just looked down at the nut (actually 1st fret). That's where there is little or no difference. But with your new facts before me I rechecked the two tenor KoAloha necks and you are absolutely right. See, although I've been playing since 2001 I have become a "master" of the first position and live most (actually "all") of my life there. Certainly if one is playing way up the neck (God bless those who do) the spacing variations would make a difference. So for players like me and possibly the questioning "drum4Him" the Kala neck would suffice (at least for a while); but James Hill, Jake and those aspiring to travel up the neck would definitely appreciate the extra finger room. I stand corrected ....and educated. Mahalo and aloha. BBT
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Posted By:
lecky
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Date: 1/15/2009 11:49:34 AM |
| As primarily a soprano / concert player I really like the narrower string spacing of the Kala tenors, it makes them more playable to me, so that at least is a matter of preference. The Kalas I've tried sound fine for the money - not really exciting to me, but really fine.
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Posted By:
drum4Him
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Date: 1/15/2009 12:06:30 PM |
Wow, thanks for jumping on this thread. I thought it was going to die. Anyway, I did find a store to try the Kala concert cutaway w/electronics. A good value for the $. The one thing I liked least was the neck profile, which felt smaller in my hands than the tenor fluke I have. I was satisfied with everything else. Aquila strings I would hope bring more life into the sound. The string spacing is something I did not consciously consider as I was barring at the upper frets. I'm trying to recall, but I think ED B might be correct about the string spacing as playing up the neck occurs. It did seem a little hard to form some chords compared to my other uke. This might be a combination of the spacing & neck profile? I also saw online an Oscar Schmidt concert cutaway in about the same price range, but have not been impressed with their other ukes that I have tried. Any comments on that model? Also, Namm may bring out new models?
Are the Nut/Bridge measurements made above an implication of a bigger or smaller neck profile? If not, how is neck profile quantified in uke descriptions?
Thanks,
d4H
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Posted By:
BeachBumTom
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Date: 1/15/2009 12:40:04 PM |
| Drum4Him - Boy I hate to get negative but I personally would steer clear of Oscars, but there are those who would counsel otherwise. My first ever uke was a Fluke and I also have a Flea. Therefore I know what you are saying about the feel of the neck. Actually I now believe it is "thick" whereas the Kala is more "grabbable" in my humble opinion. If the issue EdB brought up (string spacing) is no deal breaker for you I sincerely believe that for your criteria that Kala would fit your needs well. Ciao! BBT
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Posted By:
drum4Him
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Date: 1/15/2009 4:12:37 PM |
Are better ukulele makers like Kanilea, Kamaka, etc willing to customi$e the neck profile?
d4H
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Posted By:
BeachBumTom
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Date: 1/15/2009 7:36:36 PM |
| Dear drum4Him, most of my experience is with my friends at KoAloha. I know that there the necks are standard particularly for that company. If you are talking about the thickness and width, etc.I think most makers use necks they have made up for routine attachment. But as you know with enough MONEY one can customize anything. But that might take a couple years to receive and should greatly add to the custom price. Thus one has to check out various manufacturers and see their particular specs. But a custom neck sounds a bit much at this point. BBT
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Posted By:
franulele
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Date: 1/15/2009 10:47:54 PM |
Ed,
Thanks for the measurements.
My Pono Tenor neck has always felt gigantic compared to my comfy Lanikai Tenor. It's the string spacing. The measurements also confirm why the KoALoha (the uke I'm saving my pennies for) seems perfect for me. It's nice to have some empirical evidence to support the warm fuzzy feeling I have when I play a KoAloha. Important when spending over $600 on a teacher's salary!
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Posted By:
BeachBumTom
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Date: 1/16/2009 12:52:34 AM |
| Franulele, keep savin' those nickels and dimes. You have a fine goal in mind. There isn't a finer family and staff running a ukulele factory and they stand by their work. Remember that the journey of a thousand miles is made of one step at a time (or an airline ticket :-) ) You'll gradually fill that piggy bank. The quality is discernable. BBT
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