Comments on: Kala Ukulele

By: Jay

Jay — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 23:44:45 +0000

I’ve got a Kala KA-JTE/2TS Archtop Tenor. It is my favorite uke to play.

It’s fairly well constructed and sounds great.

By the way I think this is the one that Kala refers to when they say Julia Nunes plays one.

She uses it in this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHhMbMdYjXE&context=C33ab97fADOEgsToPDskL-QY02wNk4VxLnowxe8IM-

and this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9A3fupyjsk&context=C350f396ADOEgsToPDskL0D5I6Y3YotgdZwbJBaY8s

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By: James Cook

James Cook — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 23:43:22 +0000

I’ve had my Kala-FMT for about 3 weeks now and it is fantastic. Thanks to the guys at Hawaii Music Supply and Music Guy Mic for the advice and set-up. My old arthritic fingers were getting a bit too stiff to comfortably play my guitar but the uke is just right! Rearranging some of my fingerpicking tunes for the uke has proved to be a real joy and learning clawhammer style a challenge, but also a thrill! Well done Kala. [PS: The uke LOOKS magic too]

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By: RONNIE

RONNIE — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 23:56:19 +0000

hi all bought my kala ka sstu -c no, 110 travel uke in waikiki may 2011 ..love it ….as a guitar player for the last 50 years ….was easy to pickup and self teach the uke. …the kala has a fantastic sound and very well made ..i have several ukes ..an old harmony ….a old regal. and a aria….. my next will poss be the kamaka hf 2 concert or the concert bell delux HB 2D NEED A PRICE ON ONE OF THESE … THANKS RONNIE GOLD COAST QUEENSLAND AUSTRALIA

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By: Diane

Diane — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 01:11:38 +0000

My first Kala was a KA-KB, a satin-finished baritone in Koa wood. I already had a soprano and a tenor from one of the high-priced brands but loved the tone of the Kala so much that I had to buy it. The baritone is a wonderful instrument that stays in tune and sounds great whether the humidity is high or low.
This would be the perfect “first stringed instrument” for anyone who finds most guitars too big.The change to a small guitar would be simple once a learner became comfortable with the baritone ukulele.
The next Kala was a total impulse buy. I saw a video of the tiny KA – PU – SSFM, a travel ukulele made of spalted maple in its own little gig bag with the embraidered Kala patch and decided that I needed a uke that could go with me anywhere because it was so little. It isn’t the loudest ukulele but it is perfect for times when I want to entertain myself “on the road”.
My third Kala is the one that sold itself to the kid in me. I saw a picture of the KA – WTML, a watermelon so cute and cheery that the one I bought almost never goes back in its bag.
It makes me smile – and not just because it is so cute. The Watermelon is very well made for such an inexpensive instrument and while I bought it so that kids visiting our home would feel comfortable enough to try to play it, I end up playing it because it has a lovely tone and needs only a quick tuning at the start of a session.
All my Kala’s are well made and give me excellent sound and playability for their price. I’ve been so pleased with the quality that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Kala Ukuleles to anyone who wanted to buy one – whether they were beginners or experienced musicians. Kala’s are like salted peanuts – it is very hard to stop at ‘just one’!

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By: Hoyanani

Hoyanani — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 09:41:02 +0000

Aloha everyone! I raved about my Kala Flame Maple Tenor earlier this year and just recently purchased a Mahogany concert (gloss finish). I go to the beach a lot with my tenor and worried about it being damaged or worse, stolen, ’cause it did attract a lot of attention. I also was having a tough time getting used to some of the trickier chords that required a bit more finger extension (Dbm or Gbm anyone?) So I decided to purchase a less expensive, smaller uke. I first tried a number of Kalas, then Mahalos, Lanikais, and even a few Ko’olaus and Kamakas just to compare. I chose a Kala that sounded incredible for a small price. And my best friend who first got me hooked earlier this year? He went out and bought a Flame Maple Tenor too!

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By: Carolyn

Carolyn — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 08:56:34 +0000

I just started playing the ukulele back in March, I bought a Makala MK-S from musicguymike on EBay, it already came with Aquila strings, and I just love it! For being a first time player I guess I don’t have much experience with other ukuleles’, but so far with the experience I have had with the makala I can bring nothing but joy! I bought it for $50 dollars, and for 50 bucks you really get something! I’m so surprised, I have accidentally dropped it several times, and there has not been a wear or tear at all, which is a big hooray for me!

I’ve grown to love my uke so much, I’ve named him Renaldo, and Renaldo does play beautifully, I’m just so happy with my purchase!

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By: Ray

Ray — Sat, 21 May 2011 18:04:48 +0000

I just bought my first Uke…A travel electric tenor with a EQ. I Love it so much I had given it a name…..It has such a nice solid sound for only being 1 1/4″ to 1 3/4″ thick. I use it primarily in electronic drum and bass ocean music.

I also am a employee at Kala and let me tell you how much love and quality control goes into each ukulele before it is even shipped out. You have to be a seasoned musician to even work there.

All of the back orders are now being shipped as quickly as possible. I love reading everyone’s feedback about this great brand of instruments.

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By: Joseph Daniels

Joseph Daniels — Fri, 13 May 2011 16:21:19 +0000

I completely agree with the high praise for quality but if you ever find yourself ordering a uke that’s not in stock and is back-ordered . . . pick your money up from the counter and walk away. After a 3-month wait I finally had to cancel the order. This is no reflection on the distributor that I ordered from but rather a complete lack of information from Kala on the Left Coast. After being told that I SHOULD have the uke by the end of May but would DEFINATELY have it by the end of June I had to cancel the order. Again – if you have to back order – think twice.

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By: Jan

Jan — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 11:33:38 +0000

I recently bought a Kala KA-FMT tenor with spalted flame maple back and sides and a solid sitka spruce top that came with a case for € 239. The instrument is well-made and looks and sounds great. I have no complaints whatsoever.

The uke sounds clear even when I play it loudly, something the Lanikai S-TEQ, which I had considered buying, did not. Even though the Kala is “Made in China”, which might lead one to expect some flaws, I did not find any yet.

Something that needs getting used to, perhaps, is the lightness of the instrument. Kala actually advertises how thin the wood is, which apparently is one of the reasons for the instrument’s great sound, but I still find it a little odd every time I pick up my new uke.

All in all, I too love my Kala.

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By: Bill Raddatz

Bill Raddatz — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 04:26:17 +0000

I bought a Kala U bass about a month ago and I really love it. I used it at a recording session with an engineer/bass player who said he loved its “deep, woody tone”. I highly recommend the U bass to anyone who wants a booming bass voice in a small light package. My Fender P bass is 40 inches long and weighs over seven pounds while the U bass is 30 inches and about two pounds. This well-built baritone uke is beautifully finished, and the urethane strings are easy on the fingers. It’s a great new way to play bass in any application.

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