If you had the choice between a Kala Baritone uke (the one with the cedar top & slot head everyone raves about) for £210 or Pono Mango Baritone for £355 now, which would you go for? Or would you wait until you'd saved some more so you could afford a Mele Redwood top baritone (which will be around £750 after crazy UK import duty tax)?
Kala Pono Mele Baritone choice
- Thread starter wayward
- Start date
Perhaps look at Toby Chennells Jazzboxuke.com for one of his handcarved archtop baritones. I'm in line for one due to be finished around Christmas.
He's located in the UK.
He's located in the UK.
That cedar topped gloss Kala is gorgeous and sounds like it costs more than it does. I think that if you could get a sale price on a Mele, the all solid mahogany body and top would save you some real money. Same with the Pono. A refurbished Pono could save you 200 quid or so.
This Kala solid mahogany bari is a great buy for $265: http://www.theukulelesite.com/kala-all-solid-mahogany-baritone.html
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This Kala solid mahogany bari is a great buy for $265: http://www.theukulelesite.com/kala-all-solid-mahogany-baritone.html
=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f3cdbb1c7[/url]
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Thanks folks, sounds like I have even more in the way of options than I thought I did, so now I'm even more confused 
I'll be able to try the Pono Mango baritone & a mahogany tomorrow, and hopefully the Kala too, so we'll see how that goes first - then I might look at a few of your other suggestions (I looked up Jazz box ukes on the web and they're only a short drive from where I live so that's very tempting) if the ones I originally mentioned don't produce the tone I think I'm after.
I'll be able to try the Pono Mango baritone & a mahogany tomorrow, and hopefully the Kala too, so we'll see how that goes first - then I might look at a few of your other suggestions (I looked up Jazz box ukes on the web and they're only a short drive from where I live so that's very tempting) if the ones I originally mentioned don't produce the tone I think I'm after.
coolkayaker1
Well-known member
I have a Pono baritone on order, and it'll be the fourth Pono I have owned.
Your resale on a Pono will be better than a Mele or Kala.
Eddie Vedder plays a Pono, but not a Mele or a Kala (that I've ever seen). And remember: he's the best ukulele player in the entire world. Maybe even the entire galaxy.
Your resale on a Pono will be better than a Mele or Kala.
Eddie Vedder plays a Pono, but not a Mele or a Kala (that I've ever seen). And remember: he's the best ukulele player in the entire world. Maybe even the entire galaxy.
strumsilly
Well-known member
they are all good choices. The cedar top Kalas sound like a much more expensive instrument. The glossy Ponos are real lookers. Mele uses nice wood and accents. buy what sounds best to you.
Thanks again for your contributions. I am now the owner of a Pono Mango baritone - it sounded luscious, so it was love at first play. It's my first baritone, which means I'm going to have to put in some practice to do it justice, but I think I'm going to find it difficult to put down anyway & I'm very happy with my choice
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