NUD... a few days ago! My first uke review contribution here, but before that, I want to go over my purchase experience, as a mini seller review. If you're only interested in the uke, scroll down!
=== Background ===
I go to this uke group class every other week to play with others. The group plays low-G. I have been using a concert scale Fluke that I got second hand, and while it is great for taking around, the action is a bit high up the neck on this older Fluke. I have two other all-solid ukes, but the Canadian weather is sometimes too much even for me; I wouldn't subject an all-solid instrument to that kind of exposure. Recently one person in our uke class had a crack on the back of her K-brand uke! And so I was on a quest for a take-anywhere laminate or solid-top.
=== The Seller ===
I used to own several laminates, bought locally, and they all had uncomfortable action, sharp fret ends or other issues. On the other hand, my two all-solids came from HMS with perfect setup. We happened to have a business trip to the US, so I could bring back a uke and avoid all the CITES complications with import/export. But I needed a seller who would work with my schedule: the uke had to arrive at our hotel within a tight window of a few days.
I had been eyeing the Romero Creations Tiny Tenor or ST Concert solid spruce top with laminate back and sides. I sent HMS an inquiry... no replies I sent Eldery an inquiry; I won't go into details but the communication did not leave positive impressions on me. I also messaged Mim, who does not carry Romero Creations, but she replied very quickly advising when I should place the order for my desired delivery date, and offered to keep a uke on hold for me until then. Winner! While I still harbored thoughts about a Romero Creations, I was willing to shelve them and pick from what Mim had.
I combed Mim's Reverb store looking at concerts and tenors, and was this close to picking an Ohana spruce top, when the Kala SLNG popped under my radar. I already have concert and tenor, so the addition of this longneck soprano would make a pretty family portrait. I also did a ton of research, thanks to other SLNG owners on this forum, and the uke seems positively reviewed.
The order process with Mim was painless and smooth. She put the uke on hold for me for a month. I ordered it a few days before my trip, she shipped it the next day and the uke arrived on the exact date I asked for. Impeccable timing! Thanks, Mim!
=== The Uke ===
First impression: pretty! The gloss finish highlights the beautiful wood grain and makes the instrument appear more expensive than it really is (to me, since all the cheap ukes I used to have were satin/matte). I also like the new walnut fretboard, brought to you by CITES restrictions. The lighter color is a nice contrast against the mahogany, and is eye-catching because it's different from the old option of darker rosewood fretboard.
Second impression: a surprise about the neck. Having owned Kala entry-level soprano, concert and tenor, I expected the typical Kala thinner neck. This one is a bit chunkier, almost like my Pono concert. This is not a complaint, since I don't have a preference either way. Just pointing it out, in case it is a dealbreaker for others.
Another design change I noticed is the missing arched back that was favorably mentioned in several reviews on this forum. I guess it is no longer affordable for Kala to maintain this feature at this price point. A bit of a bummer for me, as I was looking forward to my first arched back. If you have the older version of this uke with the arched back, lucky you!
Playability is great, unsurprisingly as it was set up by Mim. The action is about 2.5mm at the twelfth fret, no sharp fret ends, no cosmetic flaws that I can discern. The sound with stock Aquila strings was, unfortunately, disappointing. On this uke, the strings sound boomy on the low notes and muddy on the high notes. (Disclaimer: I am not a string snob, and I like Aquila on my Fluke.)
At the earliest opportunity, I swapped out the Aquila for Worth CM. I tried a new stringing method that I came across, tying the string around a bead instead of the bridge. It is easier, and I quite like the look. The strings are still settling in, but I am much happier. The high notes are clear and bell-like, the sound I was hoping for from a soprano body. Sustain is surprisingly great; I somewhat accidentally did a pull-off and was suprised it worked, loud and clear. Pull-offs and hammer-ons don't work well for me on my old Fluke, now I am pleased to have the option on my Kala. There are a couple of frets up the neck where the sustain is slightly diminished, but it is acceptable considering the price point.
Low notes with new Worth strings sound great and warm but only from C up -- that's right, I put low G on this soprano. Before anyone cringes, I plan to take this soprano to a low-G uke group, so I have no choice. The notes below C are ok, not bad, but not a deep resonating bassy sound. I am using unwound Worth CM low G, and at some point will try higher tension Worth, or a wound string as recommended by other Kala SLNG owners on this forum. But the good news is the thicker unwound low G fit into the nut and bridge slots without modifications -- the nut certainly looked as though it would not fit.
=== The Verdict ===
Excellent value as a beginner's uke or a take-anywhere beater. Personally I prefer this Kala SLNG to the Kala KA-S and KA-15C that I owned when I first started playing. The small size is convenient for travel or lugging around the house; I leave mine on the sofa or random surfaces to play any time. Build quality is great, but get it from a seller who offers setup - Mim is highly recommended. Upgrade to the solid spruce top Kala SSLNG might be a good option if the uke won't be exposed to extreme weather conditions.
My hope with this long review is to help others who are considering the same uke, as this forum has helped me in my research.
*Update: I swapped out the unwound low G string and put on Oasis bright low G; the tension is much better with the wound string. Now that I've played with it a bit more, the sound from this soprano is warm, much warmer than what I can remember of the Kala KA-S. The SLNG seems to have a more substantial voice. The KA-S was more plinky, producing a happier tone for strumming; the SLNG has a relatively darker, moodier sound (perhaps partly due to the concert scale) especially when strung low G.
=== Background ===
I go to this uke group class every other week to play with others. The group plays low-G. I have been using a concert scale Fluke that I got second hand, and while it is great for taking around, the action is a bit high up the neck on this older Fluke. I have two other all-solid ukes, but the Canadian weather is sometimes too much even for me; I wouldn't subject an all-solid instrument to that kind of exposure. Recently one person in our uke class had a crack on the back of her K-brand uke! And so I was on a quest for a take-anywhere laminate or solid-top.
=== The Seller ===
I used to own several laminates, bought locally, and they all had uncomfortable action, sharp fret ends or other issues. On the other hand, my two all-solids came from HMS with perfect setup. We happened to have a business trip to the US, so I could bring back a uke and avoid all the CITES complications with import/export. But I needed a seller who would work with my schedule: the uke had to arrive at our hotel within a tight window of a few days.
I had been eyeing the Romero Creations Tiny Tenor or ST Concert solid spruce top with laminate back and sides. I sent HMS an inquiry... no replies I sent Eldery an inquiry; I won't go into details but the communication did not leave positive impressions on me. I also messaged Mim, who does not carry Romero Creations, but she replied very quickly advising when I should place the order for my desired delivery date, and offered to keep a uke on hold for me until then. Winner! While I still harbored thoughts about a Romero Creations, I was willing to shelve them and pick from what Mim had.
I combed Mim's Reverb store looking at concerts and tenors, and was this close to picking an Ohana spruce top, when the Kala SLNG popped under my radar. I already have concert and tenor, so the addition of this longneck soprano would make a pretty family portrait. I also did a ton of research, thanks to other SLNG owners on this forum, and the uke seems positively reviewed.
The order process with Mim was painless and smooth. She put the uke on hold for me for a month. I ordered it a few days before my trip, she shipped it the next day and the uke arrived on the exact date I asked for. Impeccable timing! Thanks, Mim!
=== The Uke ===
First impression: pretty! The gloss finish highlights the beautiful wood grain and makes the instrument appear more expensive than it really is (to me, since all the cheap ukes I used to have were satin/matte). I also like the new walnut fretboard, brought to you by CITES restrictions. The lighter color is a nice contrast against the mahogany, and is eye-catching because it's different from the old option of darker rosewood fretboard.
Second impression: a surprise about the neck. Having owned Kala entry-level soprano, concert and tenor, I expected the typical Kala thinner neck. This one is a bit chunkier, almost like my Pono concert. This is not a complaint, since I don't have a preference either way. Just pointing it out, in case it is a dealbreaker for others.
Another design change I noticed is the missing arched back that was favorably mentioned in several reviews on this forum. I guess it is no longer affordable for Kala to maintain this feature at this price point. A bit of a bummer for me, as I was looking forward to my first arched back. If you have the older version of this uke with the arched back, lucky you!
Playability is great, unsurprisingly as it was set up by Mim. The action is about 2.5mm at the twelfth fret, no sharp fret ends, no cosmetic flaws that I can discern. The sound with stock Aquila strings was, unfortunately, disappointing. On this uke, the strings sound boomy on the low notes and muddy on the high notes. (Disclaimer: I am not a string snob, and I like Aquila on my Fluke.)
At the earliest opportunity, I swapped out the Aquila for Worth CM. I tried a new stringing method that I came across, tying the string around a bead instead of the bridge. It is easier, and I quite like the look. The strings are still settling in, but I am much happier. The high notes are clear and bell-like, the sound I was hoping for from a soprano body. Sustain is surprisingly great; I somewhat accidentally did a pull-off and was suprised it worked, loud and clear. Pull-offs and hammer-ons don't work well for me on my old Fluke, now I am pleased to have the option on my Kala. There are a couple of frets up the neck where the sustain is slightly diminished, but it is acceptable considering the price point.
Low notes with new Worth strings sound great and warm but only from C up -- that's right, I put low G on this soprano. Before anyone cringes, I plan to take this soprano to a low-G uke group, so I have no choice. The notes below C are ok, not bad, but not a deep resonating bassy sound. I am using unwound Worth CM low G, and at some point will try higher tension Worth, or a wound string as recommended by other Kala SLNG owners on this forum. But the good news is the thicker unwound low G fit into the nut and bridge slots without modifications -- the nut certainly looked as though it would not fit.
=== The Verdict ===
Excellent value as a beginner's uke or a take-anywhere beater. Personally I prefer this Kala SLNG to the Kala KA-S and KA-15C that I owned when I first started playing. The small size is convenient for travel or lugging around the house; I leave mine on the sofa or random surfaces to play any time. Build quality is great, but get it from a seller who offers setup - Mim is highly recommended. Upgrade to the solid spruce top Kala SSLNG might be a good option if the uke won't be exposed to extreme weather conditions.
My hope with this long review is to help others who are considering the same uke, as this forum has helped me in my research.
*Update: I swapped out the unwound low G string and put on Oasis bright low G; the tension is much better with the wound string. Now that I've played with it a bit more, the sound from this soprano is warm, much warmer than what I can remember of the Kala KA-S. The SLNG seems to have a more substantial voice. The KA-S was more plinky, producing a happier tone for strumming; the SLNG has a relatively darker, moodier sound (perhaps partly due to the concert scale) especially when strung low G.
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