NUD! Kiwaya KTS-4 ... K? Is it real?

Xochi

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It's my birthday and my fiancee got me this fantastic uke! Actually, she just gave me permission to get it ... heh heh. Ahem, anyway, I was very patient for weeks in my searching and research. I already have a Kala solid mahogany SMHT tenor and an Ohana CK-35G concert, and I wanted a solid wood soprano to complete the trifecta. I was on the verge of getting a Mainland or Islander when I stumbled on this beautiful Kiwaya on Guitar Center's website, the Used Gear section. Which is where I had found my Ohana -- for around half of what they usually go for.

This uke was listed at $275 in "excellent" condition. A little Googling told me that it usually sells for $550-650. My heart rate leapt. I was a couple of drinks in, and before I knew it, I had pulled out my card and clicked Buy.

That was a week ago. I picked it up today at the local GC. The sound on this thing is incredible. It just leapt out -- almost startled me. But when I got it home I studied it some more. For one thing, on the interior label it says KTS-4K. My heart leapt again when I wondered whether the K might stand for koa? But it looked kind of like mahogany, and I still can't find any references online to anything other than KTS-4. So I don't know what's up with that.

Second thing is the saddle is uncompensated, and I had read in reviews about how Kiwaya is persnickety about compensated saddles and intonation perfection. So ... I wonder about that too.

The action was also pretty high, which is not what I had read about this uke, although it might explain why someone sold it to GC. I sanded down the saddle and we are good now.

I hated the strings that came on it. Not sure what they were but they were black and sounded more awful the more I played it. I replaced them with a D'Addario Pro Arte classical guitar D string for a low G (sorry, I don't think I can ever go back to high G) and a set of Southcoast fluorocarbons for the other three. Now it sounds .... amazing.

BUT ... is it real? Or is it an incredible knock-off, which would explain the suspiciously low price...IMG_6275.jpg?IMG_6273.jpgIMG_6277.jpgIMG_6278.jpg
 
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So let's see. It sounds incredible, the action is now good, and with the new strings it sounds ...amazing. And you got it for a steal. And you ask is it real? The answer is: why does it matter? :p
 
Good point. It's not going anywhere, no matter what it is!
 
Yes, it's real. My label looks just like that, with lettering on top in same locations. K suffix means koa. Some did come without compensated saddles. Nice score!

Wow, just wow. Really? What a birthday. Thanks for the info!
 
Sorry, double post. Yes, you scored bigtime! That's koa, as the K suffix denotes. A new mahogany KTS-4 goes for $675.00 at HMS; I imagine that a koa version would be at least $150.00 more. That's a low serial number, probably before they started using the compensated saddles. I know another member here who has a Kiwaya with dark, non-compensated saddle. Your label is just like mine (below). Mine is from the less expensive laminate Eco Series, notice how mine has no back braces or center strip. I love it when GC blows it on pricing!

Label.jpg
 
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Looks like Koa wood grain to me! Very Happy Birthday to you! :)
 
What a score! Happy birthday!
 
HAPPY birthday!
and you really got it at a great price
 
Daaang that's a good deal. If you look on the HMS Ukulele Site link, it looks like a much-higher serial number than yours. Also, interesting with the TOKYO stamped on the back. Maybe you got an early one / or one that was sold in Japan (not the US) and brought over to the States later.
 
Thanks, everybody. I'm reeeeeal happy with my new koa Kiwaya.
 
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