Cellist's decision: Kala SMHC or Pono MC?

wherahiko

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I'm a professionally-trained cellist, and have fallen in love with the ukulele. It's small, light, and plays in the treble register—the opposite of the cello (though they go well together!).

I have a Mahalo U/LTD2 (see review here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZ_C4ZsIt-E), very generously given to me, and am now looking to get a good concert ukulele. I'm trying to decide between the Kala KA-SMHC or Pono MC. I could get the Kala reasonably soon, or save up for a few months for the Pono while practising on my Mahalo. Which would you recommend? I would like to be able to keep the instrument for a long time, and play it (for enjoyment) together with other professional classical musicians. I would be buying from HMS, and won't have a chance to try either of these beforehand as they're not widely available in my country.

(In getting this far, I've ruled out the solid spruce or cedar top (with laminate back and sides) ukes from Kala, but if there's a reason they may be a better option, do let me know!)

If there are other options in the under $400 range, feel free to share too. I would like to buy from HMS, which rules out Mainland and Martin.

Thanks!
 
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But the best you can afford. You'll save money in the long run.
 
Seems you have your mind set on all mahogany, nothing wrong with that. In your price range I think you have hit on the two best choices. The Kala has a shallower neck (top of fret board to bottom of neck), nut width is the same. The Kala might also be a bit lighter in weight. Both will have a nice sound, a friend has the Kala you listed and I was very impressed with the sound. I own Ponos and they are well made with a nice sound as well. I'm a tenor fan though that prefers a soft wood top ie. spruce, cedar or redwood, it's all personal.
 
They're both good ukes, and you really can't go wrong. Close your eyes when you listen to them. Which one sounds best to you? Like Bill1 said, if cost wasn't an issue, which would you pick?
 
To me, it would clearly be the Pono. An honest instrument without any distraction.
 
I would think that a loud voice on a ukulele would be important to you as a cellist. As such, don’t overlook the KoAloha line...ether the full Koa models or the Opio lines of Acacia or Spruce/Acacia. And whatever model you choose—consider a pickup installed—because of you do any recording, that ukulele (regardless of voice) is going to need some support against the volume of the cello.

Incidentally, Ken Middleton has a wonderful duet for cello/ukulele of Dona Nobis Pacem on his site...not very difficult, but still beautiful to listen to. I had Notion generate the cello sound so I could play with it (I’m an operatic tenor and a tube player by training, not a string player by any means).
 
Pono... Keep it Pono. They are solid, well-built, exquisite tone, no nonsense, not trying to be all things to all people.
I purchased my Mahalo upgrade from HMS and the experience was great. At the time Koaloha was producing sapele/mahogany and my ear preferred mahogany. I was debating between that and the Pono. I spoke to music guy Mike and then Andrew. Talking over my preferences Andrew said "get the one that's in your heart." Aloha spirit all the way. I still love Pono but for me I preferred the lighter build of Koaloha. I think for a cello player you will really appreciate the substantial feel of the Pono. The neck is thick but that shouldn't be an issue for you. Come back and tell us what you decided. We love to live vicariously here.
 
Thanks everyone for your comments and thoughts. I really appreciate the support of this community! After reading through the comments, I very much had my heart set on the Pono.

Then just now, I've discovered that shipping a uke to from HMS to New Zealand will cost $80; with import duty on top of this, it means that the Pono will cost nearly double the Kala (which, I've just discovered, is available locally after all)! I think I'm going to defer this decision for a while, and in the meantime, get a Kala Travel Uke to practise on (I can get one of these locally for around $200 USD, and it will be useful too whichever other uke I decide on in the long run. Ah, UAS! ...

Your opinions would be appreciated on this. Considering I can get a Kala ASAC-C here for around $300 USD, would this be a better option than paying around $555 USD to have the Pono shipped to NZ from HMS??

[Yes, it's the acacia Kala, rather than the mahogany, which is available here at the moment; intriguingly, on HMS this costs considerably more than the mahogany, and is nearly as much as the Pono ...]
 
I bought the Pono concert mahogany about 6 months ago after doing much research. Pono seemed like the best choice for me in that price range, and when I listened to the different wood options I went right for the mahogany. I'm very happy with my choice, it's a keeper.

I recently bought a concert MF Flea for taking to work, and using during our no humidity winters. I spent the money to get hardwood fretboard and peghed tuners and I'm basically a cheapskate. But this is my hobby, it makes me happy. I say if you really want the Pono, just bite the bullet and pay the $80 shipping. It'll hurt once and then you'll forget about it and just be happy with the uke you really wanted. Just my opinion.
 
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I don't see why you'd want to spend $200 USD for a Kala Travel uke and then later add the Kala ASAC-C for another $300 USD? When adding these numbers, you're right up there with a much superior instrument. Or go try that ASAC-C locally and if you like it, buy that one and never look back. Having the opportunity to try something locally is always safer than ordering something from the internet, only to find out later if you really like it or not.

This is probably not much help, but there's a Pono dealer in Australia: http://www.lorduke.com/pono/
 
I too am a cellist. I fell in love with ukulele last year.
I have both Pono and Kala. I am happy with both. You really have to try it to know. Each is different. Don't worry though, you will eventually get both, and more and more....UAS....

Have you heard about James Hill and his wife Anne Janelle? He plays ukulele (classically trained) and Anne is a cellist. There are videos on youtube.
 
I too am a cellist. I fell in love with ukulele last year.
I have both Pono and Kala. I am happy with both. You really have to try it to know. Each is different. Don't worry though, you will eventually get both, and more and more....UAS....

Have you heard about James Hill and his wife Anne Janelle? He plays ukulele (classically trained) and Anne is a cellist. There are videos on youtube.

Oh, and one more thing... I have an Uke tuned to CGDA, just like a cello. So when I want to play some cello music on an uke, there you go. Bach's cello suite is well suited for that.
 
I bought the Pono concert mahogany about 6 months ago after doing much research. Pono seemed like the best choice for me in that price range, and when I listened to the different wood options I went right for the mahogany. I'm very happy with my choice, it's a keeper.

I recently bought a concert MF Flea for taking to work, and using during our no humidity winters. I spent the money to get hardwood fretboard and peghed tuners and I'm basically a cheapskate. But this is my hobby, it makes me happy. I say if you really want the Pono, just bite the bullet and pay the $80 shipping. It'll hurt once and then you'll forget about it and just be happy with the uke you really wanted. Just my opinion.

Thanks! Glad to hear of your experiences with the Pono. From the sound samples online, I love the Pono most. But I've never heard one live, which is why I'm asking here :) Interestingly, getting a Flea or Fluke shipped to here costs as much as the Pono ...
 
I don't see why you'd want to spend $200 USD for a Kala Travel uke and then later add the Kala ASAC-C for another $300 USD? When adding these numbers, you're right up there with a much superior instrument. Or go try that ASAC-C locally and if you like it, buy that one and never look back. Having the opportunity to try something locally is always safer than ordering something from the internet, only to find out later if you really like it or not.

I'm going to try them all this weekend; thanks for suggesting it. I can try the Kalas locally here (but can't try the Pono to compare ...) The reason I thought of getting the Travel Uke now is so I'd have a reasonable instrument to practise on while saving up for the ASAC-C or the Pono. I could get the ASAC-C now instead I guess—though now, having gone down this route, there are things that in fact attract me about the Travel size ... the idea of always having a uke in my backpack ... about town, in the car, at parties ... is appealing! Decisions ...
 
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Oh, and one more thing... I have an Uke tuned to CGDA, just like a cello. So when I want to play some cello music on an uke, there you go. Bach's cello suite is well suited for that.

Ah, great to hear! I had thought about that ... a bari uke tuned CGDA, kinda like a nylon-string tenor guitar. (More UAS ...) Do you use a bari for the cello tuning? Is it easy to find strings in the right gauges?
 
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I don't see why you'd want to spend $200 USD for a Kala Travel uke and then later add the Kala ASAC-C for another $300 USD?

Point taken :) Question is, would it be a silly idea to try to learn to play well on just the travel uke (possibly keeping it for years, maybe getting a much better uke in the more distant future)? Or is it a much better idea to get the ASAC-C, all things considered?
 
I have a Kala travel soprano that I use for precisely the purposes you describe. It's easily transported in a large purse. It doesn't scream "hey everyone I'm an instrument," and I have taken it to parties where I thought I might want to do some entertaining but didn't want to be ostentatious about it. Or I didn't feel like carrying my concert size ukulele with the bulkier protective case. That said, it's not the uke I pick up in the house to work on music or practice my skills. It's more like a novelty Uke. It sounds great and if someone wanted it as their main player it can be done. But at this point you should get one that suits your ears, and is comfortable to play. You want to be one with the ukulele. You don't want to be thinking "I wish I had something different at this moment." Regarding tone I do not appreciate acacia. Mahogany is much more pleasing to my ear. It's a personal thing.

Speaking of traveling maybe someone here is planning to go to New Zealand for vacation and they could bring you a Pono. Or someone you know is planning a trip to Hawaii and can bring you one back. Ukuleles travel very easily.
 
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