Kiwaya KS-7 ???

I caught the soprano bug this weekend and decided to borrow a Kiwaya KS-7 from a friend's closet. It's a lovely instrument but there isn't much about this model on the web. I know that it is a laminate but I'm not sure if it is mahogany or koa. It has 17 frets which distinguishes it from the more common KS-1 and KS-5. Anyway, if anyone knows anything about this specific model I'd love to hear it. Thanks.

Mahogony
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPj2FQaQd8I

I have one. It's a fantastic instrument. Great sound.

It is sweet sounding. I wonder if the 17 frets turned out to be unpopular? Not sure anyone can actually play up on them, being so tiny, and they rather complicate fingerstyle play.

Edit: Just noticed that Martin sopranos have 17 frets so I guess that shouldn't be a problem.

I have never seen them on the Kiwaya web site, and don't see much about them as a US model. I got mine from Lucy's ukulele on ebay. It seemed to me they were pretty much the same as the KS-5. Wonderful instrument.

There doesn't seem to be a KS-7 on the Kiwaya website: http://takumiukulele.com/kiwayaukuleles.html

Is it possible your friend is loaning you a KTS-7 ????

The KTS-7's are beautiful ukes. Solid mahogany. Soundwise, they are the same as others in KTS series, but with more frets and elaborate binding. I played one that had intonation problems above the 10th fret, so I returned it. But I played a KTS-5 that sounded great. I eventually settled on my main player, a Kiwaya concert.

If you decide to get one, ask the seller to check the intonation with an electronic tuner. If it intones well, you'll be getting a great uke.

This gentleman has a number of amazing performances on a KTS-7:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_jxZNxJIdP4

I exchanged emails with the dealer that my friend got his KS-7 from. He wasn't very forthcoming with details but said that the KS-7 is a model that is built to order by the best builders in the factory. This would explain why it is pretty rare. The one that I have (borrowed) is identical to the one in the video so I am guessing that KS-7 has a fixed feature set, but who knows?

If I'm not mistaken, the KS-7 isn't being made any more, which explains its rarity. A friend scored one on eBay back in... 2011 or so?... for under $200, and at the time I was really impressed by it and wanted to buy one, but couldn't even find one then.