Anyone own a Kala "Mike Aratani MGM" tenor? Thoughts?

Hi everyone. While perusing the HMS site, I came across the MGM commemorative tenor. I was immediately drawn to the spruce/rosewood combination, but I still think of Kala as a budget brand and was wondering if $400 for one of these ukes would be money well spent. I found an older thread about them, but nothing more recent. So, I thought I'd ask: Does anyone here own one? If so, what are your thoughts? Also, if you have other quality tenors, could you talk about how the MGM stacks up?

Thanks,
Tom

I have never seen one. I think $400 still qualifies as a "budget" price. Consider that a similarly equipped Pono would run around $800 or that the very bare and unfinished but good value Martin T1k sells for around $500. My experience with Kala is mixed. I recently bought a $250 Kala that I think is very nice. It's not the same as a $1000 uke, but it is very nice and certainly a good value for the price. The issue I've had with my own direct experience with Kala is that out of the box they are not always well set up. Sometimes they are, but it is luck of the draw. If you buy from HMS they will make sure that the set up is proper. I have seen a similar Kala to the Mike Aratani Model and it was quite nice. In some ways I think the $400 Kala is probably a lot more value for the money than a higher end uke. I think it is a very pretty and appealing uke. You would not be wasting your money.

I played one at HMS recently and it plays similar to other Kalas in the same price range. I tend to like the Kala brand...good "bang for the buck"...give Aaron a call at HMS and he'll give you his honest opinion.

(See you later today...)

katysax said:

Consider that a similarly equipped Pono would run around $800 or that the very bare and unfinished but good value Martin T1k sells for around $500. ... In some ways I think the $400 Kala is probably a lot more value for the money than a higher end uke.

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Thanks katysax. I was, in fact, thinking about the Pono ukes by way of comparison, and although they're a bit more money, I believe they come with a truss rod and possibly radiused fretboards. Those are two features that really appeal to me. Also, you make a good point about HMS's setup adding value; that can add a world of difference.

sonomajazz said:

give Aaron a call at HMS and he'll give you his honest opinion.

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Thanks Fred. I did talk with Aaron. He said they were good instruments. He also suggested a new Kala model featuring the spruce/rosewood combination, but with a strip of mango down the back panel. I thought this was just an aesthetic thing, but he said it actually colors the sound a bit. Here it is:

http://www.theukulelesite.com/shop-...on-all-solid-spruce-rosewood-mango-tenor.html

You need to check out my thread in the Ukulele Reviews section - "Konsidering a Kala?" just posted. I believe you deserve to hear of my experiences before you pull the trigger.

- Farp

Farp said:

You need to check out my thread in the Ukulele Reviews section - "Konsidering a Kala?" just posted. I believe you deserve to hear of my experiences before you pull the trigger.

- Farp

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Sorry you had a disappointing experience with Kala. But based on the few I've played and the cedar acacia-tenor I own, I wouldn't hesitate to buy one of their higher-end models as long as it came from a reputable dealer who does good setup and offers returns.