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Original Post By:
Rob Uker
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Date: 4/24/2015 4:07:22 PM |
I just got my Kala Waterman ukulele in the mail this week. It took 11 weeks to arrive.
I wanted an all plastic ukulele to leave under my back yard tent and the aqua color worked with my wife's color scheme. Happy Wife...
I think the color choices make the Waterman the best looking of the three companies that make all plastic ukuleles.
It looks great. The only aesthetic issue I found was the chrome plating on the frets didn't last an hour. It wore off immediately. but it looks fine with out it.
As for tone I'd give it a 6.5 out of ten. That's not bad for a piece of plastic.
The intonation is a 8.5
Value- At 39.99 including shipping a solid 10. |
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Posted By:
Ukulele Rob
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Date: 5/7/2015 2:41:36 PM |
Twin Uke Brother Separated at Birth:
Luckily I didn't have to wait for 11 weeks. Well, actually I did wait that long ... before buying mine on the spot from Stu Herreid at The Strum Shop's booth at this past weekend's Reno Ukulele Festival: http://www.ukulelerob.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/plasticuke.jpg
The orange swirl color on the back and sides goes with absolutely nothing I wear. Which is great!
My thoughts are about the same as yours. It plays well, has decent intonation, not much volume, pretty shallow "plinky" tone, etc. But who cares? It's a $40 plastic ukulele. The really neat things that Kala has done include designing and manufacturing it so that it holds its tune really well, and so that the neck has pretty nice playability. The proof in the pudding is that I brought one of my MyaMoes to the Fest, but ended up leaving it in its case most of the time, playing the new Waterman at the various workshops I attended. And I'm looking forward to mic'ing it and using it at an upcoming open mic slot where I plan to sing nothing but beach and surfing-related tunes.
You're right about the frets. I think they're just painted, and soon the fretboard will look just like a Flea or Fluke polycarbonate one, i.e., all black. Not a big deal. Perhaps Kala paints the frets because players don't care, but folks out there who collect plastic ukes for show can just not touch them, and 20 years from now sell them as "untouched original." (Sort of like the folks who get high prices for Barbie Dolls because the plastic shrink-wrap on the doll's box has never been opened.)
With the level of playability and intonation (not to mention short soprano scale) I wouldn't necessarily recommend this instrument to someone just starting on uke, and who'd never played another stringed instrument before. (AS you know, lots of manufacturers, including Kala, have great models for beginners at prices under $100.) But for someone who has played for a while and really enjoys uke'ing, the Waterman is great! Play it in the bathtub or shower! Take it to the beach! (Or to a wild party where beer-spilling might threaten your wooden uke.) Amuse your friends when you pull out a tiny plastic uke --- and start playing Bach. Or your cover of one of Jake's tunes.
Of course, I'm prejudiced. I started this whole adventure on a plastic uke, nearly 60 years ago: http://www.ukulelerob.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/rob6.jpg . Now I can die happy.
-Rob
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Posted By:
Rob Uker
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Date: 6/2/2015 2:19:40 PM |
I'm still having Fun with the Waterman. I re-painted the fret markers with a silver Sharpie and so far it's holding up better the the original paint. some how I like it even more now then when I first got it.
A friend of mine bought one for his daughter. I'm teaching her some chords. She's a lefty.
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Posted By:
singndance
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Date: 6/2/2015 5:48:18 PM |
| I'm tempted. One more uke. ........................but can be played in a kayak. Tempting.......
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Posted By:
Ukulele Rob
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Date: 6/7/2015 10:28:19 PM |
| Per Kala's cool video: Can be played not only in a kayak, but also in the water after you've fallen out. (Use a uke to help do an Eskimo roll?)
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