Review Details

Kala Solid Acacia Tenor (KA-SA-T)

Product Rating:

Product Rating
Price
100%
Quality
80%
Value
100%

Product Review (submitted on February 7, 2012):

This review is from a newbie that's only been playing for 8 months with a starter Makala.

Pros:

Having watched many Youtube reviews of this product, I must say it looks so much better in person. It is really is a stunning uke. The decorations are very tasteful. I especially like the slotted headstock which is made from two layerings of wood so you can see the contour.

The uke is noticeably heavier than my Makala- which by comparison now feels like it's made of paper.

The uke is so much more resonant than the Makala. I've read numerous times on the Internet how a solid wood uke sounds "fuller" than a plywood uke but I was really surprised at how much of a difference there was.

Cons:

Even after setup I find the saddle to be high. As a result notes low on the fretboard are much more difficult to control. On the other hand I can imagine that if the action went lower there is an increasing chance that the upper frets will develop buzz over time, which is something my Makala started developing in 6 months. I'll update this review in a month to see if I get used to the setup.

The chrome tuners are bit too chromy (blingy) for me given how all the other decorations look kind of "folksy".

There are some glue issues so the joint between the neck and the body isn't perfectly smooth.

Other thoughts:

I've read in numerous books and online resources that it's important to get a uke that you really like to look at AND sounds great, because it will motivate you to keep playing it. Well for the first time in 8 months I finally understand why. This thing is so attractive you can't help but want to pick it up all the time. And once you pick it up you are rewarded with really sweet tone. I really wish I had purchased this uke from the start!

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