Which soprano? Kiwaya or Koaloha

So, 8 years later... which one is the best choice for playability for a beginner, Kiwaya KTS-7 (36 mm at the nut) or Kanilea Super Soprano (38 mm at the nut)?

I'd prefer Kanile'a premium or master-grade because of looks, but if Kiwaya outperforms Kanile'a & Koaloha in terms of playability, intonation, easy to learn -> then I am sold! I already have Kanile'a Tenor, I want also Soprano size for fun, it is so small! My hands are "Large" size, but thin fingers, I am big enough guy.

Also, this topic started 8 years ago... any updates?

Thanks!

Hi, Funtick! I prefer 36mm nut. 36mm nut is easier than 38mm for short barre.

Funtick said:

So, 8 years later... which one is the best choice for playability for a beginner, Kiwaya KTS-7 (36 mm at the nut) or Kanilea Super Soprano (38 mm at the nut)?

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It happens with my big hand friend too.

zztush said:

36mm nut is easier than 38mm for short barre.

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Wow ZZ Tush, very interesting viewpoint, I didn't think about it, and thank you so much for the pictures! Then I partially agree with Bill1 because for each Uke I can find proper fingering for sure. I can even play on one string as Paganini but then, which one has better playability if we remove 3 strings and leave only one?

And another viewpoint: check videos of our senior member GeorgeUke - George Elmes

This is what I click with; I want to play like him; and my question is not "which one is best for strumming"... here are videos at YouTube for your convenience, https://www.youtube.com/user/GeorgeUke/videos

Bill1: "toss a coin" does not work here. I have $100 Uke with super bad intonation, and I have $2200 Uke (Tenor) with $5 Aquila strings (manufacturer supplied) with wrong intonation at 1st and 3rd strings. So I want to know exactly which one can I trust.

You can say Kiwaya (Kanile'a, and so on) has compensated bridge for example. And you will add that you enjoy low-G tuning. And I'll be crazy with compensated for high-G string and low-G setup. I have perfect pitch. I cannot rely on coins.

You can also say that Oasis are better than Clear Waters. And I'll ask: did you tune radiuses of the nut accordingly? Did you retune your compensated bridge? So, all these strings comparisons are fake and not objective. For example, Aquila strings on $2200 K-series Uke were probable incorrectly stretched (this technique is copy-pasted from one guide to another, but it causes uneven stretch of strings). Or maybe Aquila strings are bad? Uneven stretch-quality-tension? Did anyone test this specific? Many enjoy writing "I replaced strings to another brand and it rings better now" but did you try to replace with strings from the same brand?

And also... weight plays role. Balance. Which one will feel like feather in your hands? Heavier weight, but properly balanced, will feel like feather. But for example disbalanced will feel heavy even if it is super light.


Again... https://www.youtube.com/user/GeorgeUke/videos prefers Japanese brand for his style of playing because of real reasons, and it is not "You could toss a coin to decide".

Update: for example, new Kanile'a KCS series: UV High Gloss body, and silk neck, they are definitely care about us, players. Silk neck is smooth. Ebony fingerboard is heavier and even more expensive than rosewood, and I believe it transforms overtones spectrum better than soft rosewood. Just an example of points to consider. Different instruments differ by subsets of overtones indeed. Steel strings vs. nylon, and so on. Don't tell me steel has better playability for beginner

Maybe you could talk to George about it. My feeling, however, is if you want to play like George, get the Kiwaya. It's classic mahogany and will give you that classic mahogany sound that his playing embodies. Kanilea is Koa. Furthermore, I have a feeling if you get anything else you'll just be wondering if you should have got the Kiwaya. As far as playability goes, I don't think you can do better than Kiwaya, but from my experience with playing their tenor, I suspect Kanilea is about equal to the Kiwaya. As far as sound, they are quite different. I like them both.

I know this is a very old thread, but I am struggling with choosing between a Koaloha Pikake soprano and a Kiwaya KTS-4.

That is what this thread is about. Not Kanilea, nor Koaloa (a different brand than Koaloha), nor is it about strings.
So if any reply to my post, please tell me of your experiences with these two, if you’ve had them.

Dionysis said:

I know this is a very old thread, but I am struggling with choosing between a Koaloha Pikake soprano and a Kiwaya KTS-4....

So if any reply to my post, please tell me of your experiences with these two, if you’ve had them.

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I had a Kiwaya KTS-4 a few years ago. It was one of the best instruments I have played- great sound, action, intonation, balance, lightly built with lots of resonance. I cannot compare the two, but if you bought one of these I don't think you could go wrong.

They are both fantastic ukes, both play well, etc. Aside from obvious differences of appearances, they sound entirely different. Only you can decide which you prefer. Or you may end up wanting both. They are each classic in their own way.