Kala KA-KCGE-C vs Oscar Schmidt OU5LCE

peonies2h

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Hi, I am new to this forum. I did not know this forum existed until today!
I am so glad I found it !

I have a question for you:
if you had to choose between the two, what would be your choice?

1. Kala KA-KCGE-C $299

2. Oscar Schmidt OU5LCE $199



Thanks!
 
Welcome to the forum! Between these two ukuleles, I would choose the Kala. I had some Oscar Schmidt ukes when I first started playing, and they are nice, but they are solidly built (some would say over-built), and they do not have a lot of volume or projection. I'm sure the Kala would have a bigger sound than the OS.
 
Thanks for the quick reply.
What does it mean by 'solidly built' or 'over-built'?
 
My experience is that Kala is more consistent. I have an Oscar Schmidt concert that sounds and plays better than any Kala I've tried (and I've tried dozens). But, a bad Oscar Schmidt can be pretty insufferable.

My question to you is this: Do you want the concert or the tenor scale? (Did you know you were looking at two different scale-lengths?)
 
In my experience (I've had both), yes, Kala is better.

Thank you for your input !


My experience is that Kala is more consistent. I have an Oscar Schmidt concert that sounds and plays better than any Kala I've tried (and I've tried dozens). But, a bad Oscar Schmidt can be pretty insufferable.

My question to you is this: Do you want the concert or the tenor scale? (Did you know you were looking at two different scale-lengths?)


I see. Can I ask you which OS concert you have?
When you say a bad OS can be pretty insufferable... Is it by the model, or by each instrument?

As a beginner, would I be able to tell whether ou5lce is a bad one or not, by playing it for a few days?

Yes, I know ou5lce is a long neck (tenor scale). I tried ou5lce already (Frets were wide.), but have not yet tried any standard size concert yet.
I guess I will have to try Kala myself and compare the two.


Another question;
I was looking at laminates because I live in a very very dry place. But, people were recommending me to get a solid one if I am spending $300.
eg. SOLID CEDAR ACACIA CONCERT KA-ACP-CTG.

Do you think it is better to get a cheaper one (OS is a bit more than $100 cheaper than Kala) if it is just a laminate?
 
Maybw this will help you make a decision; I started playing uke 5 years ago, in the first year I went through 14 ukes all under $200, towards the end of the year I decided I needed to step up and bought a Kala KAATP-CTG-CE for $379. Realizing how much better the Kala was than any other, I culled down my collection to 4 of the best sounding and feeling ukes. I used that group for the next few years, then picked up a few more in the $300-$400 range, all much better than any of the under $200 ones.

So what I'm saying is, spend the extra money now for a better uke so you don't have spend more later. I was thinking I should buy something lower priced until I get better, but now I don't believe in that thinking. Buy something better and you don't have to keep buying.


8 tenor cutaway ukes, 3 acoustic bass ukes, 8 solid body bass ukes, 8 mini electric bass guitars

• Donate to The Ukulele Kids Club, they provide ukuleles to children's hospital music therapy programs. http://www.theukc.org
• Member The CC Strummers: https://www.youtube.com/user/CCStrummers/videos
 
Maybw this will help you make a decision; I started playing uke 5 years ago, in the first year I went through 14 ukes all under $200, towards the end of the year I decided I needed to step up and bought a Kala KAATP-CTG-CE for $379. Realizing how much better the Kala was than any other, I culled down my collection to 4 of the best sounding and feeling ukes. I used that group for the next few years, then picked up a few more in the $300-$400 range, all much better than any of the under $200 ones.

So what I'm saying is, spend the extra money now for a better uke so you don't have spend more later. I was thinking I should buy something lower priced until I get better, but now I don't believe in that thinking. Buy something better and you don't have to keep buying.


Thank you! I am looking for one that I can keep for long term.

I was wondering if KA-KCGE-C is a better/step-up ukulele compared to ou5lce given the price difference.
Or, are they just in similar range/level with Kala being more expensive for 'nothing.'


Only if Kala had KAATP-CTG-CE in concert version, I would have gone for it for sure!
As I mentioned it earlier in my post, they have one similar (KA-ACP-CTG) but this is not cutaway, and it does not have a pickup (I guess I can add one later). :(
 
Thank you! I am looking for one that I can keep for long term. I was wondering if KA-KCGE-C is a better/step-up ukulele compared to ou5lce given the price difference. Or, are they just in similar range/level with Kala being more expensive for 'nothing.' Only if Kala had KAATP-CTG-CE in concert version, I would have gone for it for sure! As I mentioned it earlier in my post, they have one similar (KA-ACP-CTG) but this is not cutaway, and it does not have a pickup (I guess I can add one later). :(
When i got the Kala, I had that Oscar Schmidt, and it did not come up to the Kala, I definitely would choose a Kala over that Oscar Schmidt. I thought Kala did make it in a concert size. I was not saying you should get a cutaway and electronics, I think a standard body without preamp is perfectly fine.


8 tenor cutaway ukes, 3 acoustic bass ukes, 8 solid body bass ukes, 8 mini electric bass guitars

• Donate to The Ukulele Kids Club, they provide ukuleles to children's hospital music therapy programs. http://www.theukc.org
• Member The CC Strummers: https://www.youtube.com/user/CCStrummers/videos
 
Thank you for your input !





Can I ask you which OS concert you have?
When you say a bad OS can be pretty insufferable... Is it by the model, or by each instrument?

I have 2 Oscar Schmidt OU3 ukuleles. One is very nice in every way. The other is pretty good. Both play and feel like top notch instruments. So, there is surely some inconsistency even in the one model. The one just sounds better than the other. I also bought a model OU5 and tried out another one of the same model. They were identical. Same set-up problem and (although I thought they sounded fine) both had a buzz at the bridge on the same string. So, there may be some issues common to specific models. That being said, I believe both the OU5's would have been very nice indeed with a set-up.
So, as I suggested in my previous post, I'd much rather have an Oscar Schmidt that I have tried out and liked than a Kala. But, I've found Kalas very consistently fairly good. But just fairly good.
 
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When i got the Kala, I had that Oscar Schmidt, and it did not come up to the Kala, I definitely would choose a Kala over that Oscar Schmidt. I thought Kala did make it in a concert size. I was not saying you should get a cutaway and electronics, I think a standard body without preamp is perfectly fine.

Yes, I know. Cutaway and pick-up is my preference ;)

I have 2 Oscar Schmidt OU3 ukuleles. One is very nice in every way. The other is pretty good. Both play and feel like top notch instruments. So, there is surely some inconsistency even in the one model. The one just sounds better than the other. I also bought a model OU5 and tried out another one of the same model. They were identical. Same set-up problem and (although I thought they sounded fine) both had a buzz at the bridge on the same string. So, there may be some issues common to specific models. That being said, I believe both the OU5's would have been very nice indeed with a set-up.
So, as I suggested in my previous post, I'd much rather have an Oscar Schmidt that I have tried out and liked than a Kala. But, I've found Kalas very consistently fairly good. But just fairly good.

Oh, I see. I think I misunderstood you. I heard that ou5lce has strings set up higher than usual out of factory. So without a proper set-up, it is not very good for a beginner. How much would it cost me to take an ukulele to a luthier....? I can get a Kala from a company who can do set-up before shipping. But, for ou5lce, I would need a luthier to set it up.
 
For a beginner, maybe the Kala is the better choice, unless you can actually lay hands on an instrument and assess it.

After trying the two, I think I am going with Kala.

They sound similar. (ou5lce sounded better at the very beginning, but they started to sound similar (to me anyway).

I like almost everything about ou5lce better except its set-up.
I like the longer neck (tenor scale) of ou5lce - I have long fingers.
I also like the abalone binding and rosette, and satin finish.
And, it is cheaper, too.
However, its set-up was not so good. It has a higher action. I asked a couple of people who has this exact model, and they all mentioned about its high action.

Playability was the key for my decision.
I like the slothead, which can compensate for abalone bindinga and rosette.
Just wished that it has a long neck, but I guess I can adapt to it as I practice and play more.


Thanks everyone for your help!
 
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