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DownUpDave

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I have wanted one of these for a long time. I am the proud owner of a new Kala KA-SSLNG. This is a super soprano with a solid spruce top and laminate mahogany back and side.

The build quality is excellent on this ukulele.....I mean really excellent, absolutely no flaws. The finish looks just a little thick (it's not a $3000 custom) but again it it flawless. It will give great protection. The solid spruce top is of excellent quality. Have a look at the grain and cross silking in the close up picture, primo stuff.

It is head heavy (many super sopranos are) but I am going to swap out the geared tuners for some very light friction tuners. That should solve the weight problem and I like the looks of rear facing tuners better. If you notice I have installed strap buttons and a thin leather strap. I'm not too proud and it makes a huge difference to me

Now for the most important part playability and sound. First order of business was to install some Martin M600 florocarbon strings. The action was good and playable but I lowered it a tad to make barr chords on first and second fret easier. This little thing is a canon with a great sweet clear tone. None other than SoloRule (check out her latest video in Links and Videos) played it and fell in love with it. To the point that she keeps emailing me questions about strings for it and sending me links from HMS showing it. For about $150 this thing is worth twice that in over all quality and sound. It is a winner!!!

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Sweet, Dave. Have you considered Pegheds which will achieve your goals of later weight and rear facing while also giving you 4:1 gearing.

I look forward to hearing about your adventures with strings. I would definitely recommend trying the CarbonBlacks. I am loving these strings.

Enjoy!!
 
Glad you're enjoying your long neck - I've had the Kala KA-SLNG since the end of 2015, & it's been one of my favourite ukes ever since I got it. :)

(I also have a variety of other concert & tenor scale 'long necks' - I love them. :D )
 
No doubt about it. Whatever one might think of Kala ukuleles, most of them are truly beautiful. Yours is no exception. Congratulations on a lovely instrument and a fantastic deal.

I agree with Eddie. If you must change the tuners, I always recommend against friction tuners. Always a step down in usefulness. Pegheds are great and Gotoh UPTs are (in my opinion) better, and surely more in keeping with the style of your new instrument.

Is that a gloss finish with the top in satin?
 
Congrats Dave!

I have one of these too. I agree with everything in your first post. This uke is sweet and punches above it's price point. Sounds soprano, but with more room between frets -win/win for me :).

I too have fitted a strap, and I am glad that I got this one with the spruce top, instead of the mahogany model for less, since it is my only spruce-topped uke after always going after the mahogany tone, it is a nice change.

I dont play it often, and have considered selling it a few times, but like most of us, once I pick it up and play it, I dont want to let it go (again)....

I have a set of UPTs that I may install on it, but for now the stock tuners are fine for me. Friction tuners are an anathema to me, but if you love them or want to get rid of the 'ears' I am sure you will find what works best for you.

Anyway - enjoy it...and maybe some day Brenda will bring over her fancy iPhone recording gear and you can grace us with a video of you playing it? (hint...hint...)

Thanks for sharing! :)
 
Congrats. This is the model I steer anyone looking to upgrade (for not much money!), as long as they're willing to humidify that solid spruce top in our dry MN winter. So much bang for the buck in terms of sound... and looks good too (look at that triple-ply binding!)
 
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It has sweet tone, and hauls a lot of sound when requested ... it was fun to play. Congrats, my friend.
 
Glad you're enjoying your long neck - I've had the Kala KA-SLNG since the end of 2015, & it's been one of my favourite ukes ever since I got it. :)

(I also have a variety of other concert & tenor scale 'long necks' - I love them. :D )

I too have a KA-SLNG and think it wonderful too, used to play it all the time. My SLNG, which is a thing of beauty to my eyes, currently sits mostly unused. I can't bring myself to risk damaging the finish on it to fit a new nut with wider string spacing, neither can I cope with the idea of drilling a hole in it to fit a strap peg to the lower bout. Yes, I know that that's completely and utterly daft and that I should just get on and fit those needed items but can't bring myself to.

Mim has a nice comparison video of the two versions and from that I 'see' that the solid spruce top is even nicer, I can't help but be envious.
 
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Dave, Congratulatons. My next Ukulele will either another Baritone or a Soprano. You have again given me something to think about
 
No doubt about it. Whatever one might think of Kala ukuleles, most of them are truly beautiful. Yours is no exception. Congratulations on a lovely instrument and a fantastic deal.

I agree with Eddie. If you must change the tuners, I always recommend against friction tuners. Always a step down in usefulness. Pegheds are great and Gotoh UPTs are (in my opinion) better, and surely more in keeping with the style of your new instrument.

Is that a gloss finish with the top in satin?

It is high gloss on all surface, probably just the way the picture turned out. I have already ordered some Grover friction tuners, have them on a few other ukes. I do like Gotoh UPT much better but spending 50% of the cost of the uke on tuners just didn't make sense to me.
 
@Eddie...I have some Worth CM and Aquila Red concerts in the wings to try.

@uke 1950...I remember reading you really liked your Kala super soprano. I now understand why

@Booli...I didn't know you had this same uke. Glad to be in such good company
 
@ukeinfused...Good to hear you think that highly of these. I am enjoying it.

@sam13...I know you are secretly in love with super sopranos, just like me. Even though we are tenor guys. They are just flat out fun to strum and sing with

@Graham Greeenbag......dude get some strap buttons on it and play it. Ain't meant to sit in a corner
 
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@Osprey...Hey Cliff, we always seen to be drawnn to the same types of ukes, thanks

@ScotterD35...Damn those Mainland tuners are sharp looking. Wish I had of seen those first but I have already ordered the Grovers. Good to know about those, maybe someone else will take notice because you shared.
 
Congratulations Dave!
I love my old beat up Kala, it still sounds good.
Looks and sounds like Kala ukes just keep on getting better. No wonder 5 out of 10 TBUS members play them.
 
Congratulations Dave!
I love my old beat up Kala, it still sounds good.
Looks and sounds like Kala ukes just keep on getting better. No wonder 5 out of 10 TBUS members play them.

Yea......you know what Nickie a good uke is a good uke period. I am fortunate enough to own a number of high end custom ukes but this little Kala is the bomb. Looks, sounds and plays real good. What more could you ask for
 
Congrats, Dave! Isn't it fun when you find something that's exactly right?
 
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