cyber3d
Well-known member
I have a fairly new Kala Spruce Soprano with Rosewood Fretboard. But, since Rosewood has been on the endangered list I wonder if it is dyed to look like Rosewood. Any way to tell if it really is Rosewood?
I would think that you can trust Kala to say what it genuinely is.
This Rosewood question prompted me to find a very interesting webpage on Brazilian Rosewood vs East Indian Rosewood. http://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/distinguishing-brazilian-rosewood-from-east-indian-and-other-rosewoods/
Took a magnified look at the fretboards and bridges on my Kala, Islander, and Romero ukes. The Romero has the finest woods of course. The Rosewood looks to be choice Brazilian and the Ebony is super fine too. The Kala does indeed have Rosewood. Brazilian Rosewood in fact. The finish is a bit haphazard perhaps. The original MSRP on this Kala is pretty high at $490 (though I got it for only $165 - thank you Walmart!). That's one of the reasons I posed the question. To the point, "Is it a knock-off?" I think not. The Islander is likely East Indian Rosewood. At least by the grain of the wood.
Does it matter? Not to me, in reality. But, curiosity got the better of me. I love each of my "children"