and then there were four... Kiwaya KTS-5

janeray1940

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I wasn't exactly in the market for a new ukulele, as I've been really content with the three I have for quite some time. But when a Kiwaya KTS-5 popped up in the Marketplace from a local seller, I had to check it out. I haven't seen too many Kiwayas in the wild, although I almost bought one some years back during my quest for "a modern instrument with a vintage Martin sound." Longtime UUers here may recall that I passed on that particular Kiwaya due to intonation issues, and went for a custom from a reputable builder, and - was sadly disappointed. I gave up on that particular quest and settled in to being content with my koa Kamakas.

Turns out I should have kept looking for another Kiwaya! From the very first few seconds when I heard my-dog-has-fleas ring out loud and clear from it over the traffic noise on a busy Santa Monica street, I was smitten.

The build quality is truly as amazing as Kiwayas tend to be known for. This is the lightest-weight, most flawlessly finished ukulele I've ever owned. I've tested the intonation all the way up to the 17th fret and can find no issues. Compared to my koa sopranos, it's much louder and has a very different sound quality, with a lot more sustain.

While I still love my koa Kamakas, in a week the Kiwaya has quickly become my main reentrant player. It's loud enough that I can be easily heard alongside my tenor-playing uke-mates, and the sustain surpasses that of any of my koa ukes.

This really makes me wish there were more Kiwayas out there on the shelves of uke stores. Those who know me know I'm a big fan of try-before-you-buy. Knowing that the Kiwaya I passed on some years back had intonation issues (it still does, I know the buyer!), yet the KTS-5 I bought does not, really underscores my belief that not all ukes are created equal - even if the same builder, size, and wood.

I consider myself really, really lucky that this one came to me when it did and I was able to try it out and give it careful consideration - thanks Eddie for being a great seller to work with!
 
Great to hear. Kiwaya instruments are terrific. I had a KTS4 a few years ago and for some reason sold it. It is probably the only instrument I regret selling. It had a great sound with terrific projection, was well balanced and well in tune.

Enjoy!
 
Great to hear. Kiwaya instruments are terrific. I had a KTS4 a few years ago and for some reason sold it. It is probably the only instrument I regret selling. It had a great sound with terrific projection, was well balanced and well in tune.

Enjoy!

Thanks! Now I'm in the early stages of UAS for a KTC-2 concert Kiwaya. It just never ends, does it...
 
Always a pleasure to see a uke re-homed to somebody who truly cherishes the instrument.

It was really fun for me that you and Steve stopped by yesterday to see some of the other ukes. I'll have to see if I can squeeze some time to get in a few lessons with him.
 
Thanks! Now I'm in the early stages of UAS for a KTC-2 concert Kiwaya. It just never ends, does it...

Uh Oh! Janeray you were our rock of sensibility, content with just the 3 Kamakas! If you have given in to UAS is there any hope for the rest of us? We will have to look to Rollie. UAS keeps trying to tempt him by throwing free Watermans his way (heaven help us if he wins/is gifted a high quality uke!).

Congrats on your 4th. I have been very intrigued by Kiwaya for awhile. They look and sound great.
 
That is quite the surprise! :)

Congratulations, it definitely sounds like a keeper!

(I nearly bought a Takumi, twice ...)
 
You mean... welcome BACK to UAS :)

Oh no....the sky is falling, the sky is falling. Janeray with flaming UAS, surely the Apocalypse is near.

Just teasing. I am so happy you found something that you really love and are excited about. Congratulations
 
I'm glad you found a good one, Jane. I didn't know there were bad ones. I wanted the KTC-5 till I got my KTS-6. I've played them side by side and like the soprano as much as or possibly more than the concert, so I'll just keep my money. I don't play anything else with this one around, nothing sounds quite as good or comes close to playing as easily.That neck! It feels so nice.

Your talk of your Kamaka sopranos had made me wonder if I should have one of those instead. I have never seen one, so I can't know. I don't think I could resist a Takumi, even if I were flat broke. Congratulations on your new uke.
 
Always a pleasure to see a uke re-homed to somebody who truly cherishes the instrument.

It was really fun for me that you and Steve stopped by yesterday to see some of the other ukes. I'll have to see if I can squeeze some time to get in a few lessons with him.

Or a Takumi. ;-)

Seriously, keep me in mind if you ever choose to re-home that one. It sounded so good and was really comfortable to play. And Steve and I enjoyed the visit - quite the treat to play such a variety of hard-to-come-by ukes.

Uh Oh! Janeray you were our rock of sensibility, content with just the 3 Kamakas! If you have given in to UAS is there any hope for the rest of us? We will have to look to Rollie. UAS keeps trying to tempt him by throwing free Watermans his way (heaven help us if he wins/is gifted a high quality uke!).

Congrats on your 4th. I have been very intrigued by Kiwaya for awhile. They look and sound great.

*hangs head in shame and passes the torch to Rollie*

(I nearly bought a Takumi, twice ...)

Mivo, I'd be curious to know what stopped you?

Oh no....the sky is falling, the sky is falling. Janeray with flaming UAS, surely the Apocalypse is near.

Just teasing. I am so happy you found something that you really love and are excited about. Congratulations

Maybe not quite flaming, but... I'm entertaining the idea of keeping one koa concert and one koa soprano, and having one sop/one concert in mahogany. Maybe. BIG maybe!

I'm glad you found a good one, Jane. I didn't know there were bad ones. I wanted the KTC-5 till I got my KTS-6. I've played them side by side and like the soprano as much as or possibly more than the concert, so I'll just keep my money. I don't play anything else with this one around, nothing sounds quite as good or comes close to playing as easily.That neck! It feels so nice.

Your talk of your Kamaka sopranos had made me wonder if I should have one of those instead. I have never seen one, so I can't know. I don't think I could resist a Takumi, even if I were flat broke. Congratulations on your new uke.

I'm not sure there are bad ones per se, but I do know the Kiwaya that I passed on some years back goes sharp as you go up the neck. Probably not so problematic for a first-position strummer but sticks out like a sore thumb with some of the ensemble playing I do.

I've seen some rather mixed reviews about Kiwaya concert size ukes, so I'm definitely not rushing into anything. I'm really curious to learn what a mahogany Kiwaya concert sounds like with a low G, since that's how I'd be playing it.

And yeah... Takumi! If one came up at the right time, I certainly would not say no :)
 
Oh, it was a concert with low g, slotted headstock and tiny, fancy, tuners that was my first ukulele crush. It was a dream.
 
Mivo, I'd be curious to know what stopped you?

The first time it was because I wasn't sure if it was "new old stock" as the color of the tuners differed from photos of recent product photos in Japanese stores. Plus the price and the uncertainty whether I actually needed it led me to wait. The second time (around now), with a different Takumi, it's a combination of being unsure if it's what I really want, still the price (I have good sopranos, so wouldn't make a concert more sense?), and indecision. If I buy another uke in that league right now, I won't be able to get a guitar upgrade this year, though I don't know if I want that even (unsure if I want to invest the tine to become a better guitar player, or if I have the ability to learn it, and I also like the guitar I do have). So until I have sorted out what I want the most, I figure it's not a good time to drop a grand+ on an instrument.
 
The first time it was because I wasn't sure if it was "new old stock" as the color of the tuners differed from photos of recent product photos in Japanese stores. Plus the price and the uncertainty whether I actually needed it led me to wait. The second time (around now), with a different Takumi, it's a combination of being unsure if it's what I really want, still the price (I have good sopranos, so wouldn't make a concert more sense?), and indecision. If I buy another uke in that league right now, I won't be able to get a guitar upgrade this year, though I don't know if I want that even (unsure if I want to invest the tine to become a better guitar player, or if I have the ability to learn it, and I also like the guitar I do have). So until I have sorted out what I want the most, I figure it's not a good time to drop a grand+ on an instrument.

Mivo, if you do later decide to add anohter uke in concert size, I will say that I think Takumi produces a phenomenal concert. When you factor in the price, I'd say it's an amazing value.
 
Mivo, if you do later decide to add anohter uke in concert size, I will say that I think Takumi produces a phenomenal concert. When you factor in the price, I'd say it's an amazing value.

Those are hard to come by in Europe. I think I only saw one once and it sold quickly. The sopranos are rare too, but a little easier to get without importing (adds a fifth at least to the price, plus a chunk for international shipping)). Right now I'd be more likely to get a concert than another soprano, or rather, I could justify it more easily. Would love to try one!
 
Janeray, congrats on your new Kiwaya! I have noted in the past your love for your Kamakas and have actually purchased a few based on your observations and they are all great! As great as they are I love my Kiwayas more. I currently have in my regiment of Kiwayas- ks5, kts6, ktc1, ktc2, KMC, ktc 95'th anniversary, famous (Kiwaya) fc5, ktc taropatch - all I purchased new without trying out first, not a bad one the bunch. The builds are light, the necks meet my preference and of course the sound is great to my ear. I think you will truly enjoy!
 
The first time it was because I wasn't sure if it was "new old stock" as the color of the tuners differed from photos of recent product photos in Japanese stores. Plus the price and the uncertainty whether I actually needed it led me to wait. The second time (around now), with a different Takumi, it's a combination of being unsure if it's what I really want, still the price (I have good sopranos, so wouldn't make a concert more sense?), and indecision. If I buy another uke in that league right now, I won't be able to get a guitar upgrade this year, though I don't know if I want that even (unsure if I want to invest the tine to become a better guitar player, or if I have the ability to learn it, and I also like the guitar I do have). So until I have sorted out what I want the most, I figure it's not a good time to drop a grand+ on an instrument.

Thanks, that actually sounds really wise and is more or less what I try to do as well - really do my research and figure out what I want the most.

Those are hard to come by in Europe. I think I only saw one once and it sold quickly. The sopranos are rare too, but a little easier to get without importing (adds a fifth at least to the price, plus a chunk for international shipping)). Right now I'd be more likely to get a concert than another soprano, or rather, I could justify it more easily. Would love to try one!

I think they're pretty hard to come by in the US as well - aside from Eddie's, the only time I've ever seen Takumis in person is at NAMM, regardless of size.

Janeray, congrats on your new Kiwaya! I have noted in the past your love for your Kamakas and have actually purchased a few based on your observations and they are all great! As great as they are I love my Kiwayas more. I currently have in my regiment of Kiwayas- ks5, kts6, ktc1, ktc2, KMC, ktc 95'th anniversary, famous (Kiwaya) fc5, ktc taropatch - all I purchased new without trying out first, not a bad one the bunch. The builds are light, the necks meet my preference and of course the sound is great to my ear. I think you will truly enjoy!

Thank you! And yes, this is not to say that Kamakas are lesser in any way - just different. I've actually always been kind of baffled by some players' need to have a "different sound" from their different ukes but maybe I'm starting to see the light. Not that I'm going to start collecting now, but if I find a mahogany Kiwaya concert that is as pleasing as my new soprano, I would seriously consider it.
 
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