Is the Kala Thinline Tenor any good?

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Coggo67

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Hi Guys
Does anyone have any experience with the Kala Thinline Tenor (mahogony back)?
How does it compare to the ka-st?

The sound videos I can find on both seem to have the Travel uke sounding better (louder,clearer & brighter)to my beginner ear. But that could just be the video clip quality!

Also, how does it feel to hold? Being thinner, is it harder to hold and therfore harder to play (remembering I am an absolute newbie)?

Also, does the gigbag that comes with the Travel uke offer much protection? Does it have a pocket for accessories?

Lastly, is it worth the extra $30 over the ka-st?

Thanks in advance for any insight you can provide.

Ian C
 
Ask Musicguymic. He has a couple of clips playing it. It's intriguing as a second uke and I am tempted by it myself (as an eighth or ninth uke...). If you're looking at a travel uke, consider a Flea or Fluke, too.

The larger body of a standard uke should produce a wider tonal range with more low-end harmonics.
 
my guess is that it wont resonate as loud or as long as a normal bodied 'ukulele, simply because the body cavity is smaller. if the thinline is an electric, it'll probably sound better plugged in than a normal uke.

that said, when we made the thinlines for MGM, thats what happened, less feedback than a regular uke, actually feels nice when you're holding it. easier to play in my opinion, just because your right arm doesnt have to wrap around as much uke as normal.
 
Thanks for those replies.
I will be purchasing from MGM in a few weeks & pick up when on Holiday in Hawaii.

Kaneohe Til The End. How did the the thinline compare against the KA-ST? Similar sound?

Cheers,

Ian C
 
Coggo67 said:
Thanks for those replies.
I will be purchasing from MGM in a few weeks & pick up when on Holiday in Hawaii.

Kaneohe Til The End. How did the the thinline compare against the KA-ST? Similar sound?

Cheers,

Ian C
Click to expand...

i never played the kala thinline, but we made a few recently at KoAloha, and that (my previous post) happened. a good electric, stage uke, but not so good for acoustic playing. again, it doesnt suck acoustically, it just wont be as loud or as resonant as the full bodied model.
 
I disagree The koaloha thin line when compared to the Koaloha full size tenor has a little lacking in richness but when compared to all the full sized tenors i had at the show it was the downright players choice favorite in tone...
 
Kala Thinline

I had the good fortune to play a Kala Thinline at the 2010 Arizona Aloha Festival. The tone was remarkably bright and clear for such a lightweight instrument. I offered to buy it on the spot but the retailer was only taking orders. I've since found it much cheaper on eBay from a trusted seller in Hawaii. If I weren't up to my neck in ukuleles I'd get this one. A little pricey for a beginner uke but well worth the investment. I'd suggest a hardshell case not a gig bag if you do buy a thinline as it feels very light and fragile.

A hui ho,
Rick in Phoenix
 
I played a Kala Thinline Tenor just last weekend and I was impressed with how full it sounded being that it is so thin. I also liked how it sat against my chest....the thinness of the body made it easy to strum as my arm was closer into my body (if that makes sense). I thought it was a great uke, and I am not a big Tenor guy to begin with....
 
I love my thinline. It's the loudest out of all of my ukes. (see sig) The only complaint I have with mine is that the 2nd and 3rd frets are high and the thicker C string was buzzing. You shouldn't have this problem if you're ordering from Mike. The sound is very full and the slimmer size takes no time to get used to playing. The tuners are the best ones out of all of my ukes as well.

As for the gig bag... I like it for light travel. It's very well padded for its size. there is no storage/pocket in or on it though.

I say go for it.
 
I had a chance to try out one of these this week at a local shop. They also had the ka-st which I was comparing it to. Overall I was impressed with the sound coming out of such a thin instrument. It seemed to be the same volume as the ka-st but in comparison it did lack a little bass. If I didn't compare it to the ka-st I'm sure wouldn't have really noticed it that much though. If you are planning on using it with a high-g string I'd say go for it. If you plan on using a low-g I'm sure the ka-st will handle bass frequencies better. Good luck on your choice!
 
I was considering the same two ukes except I wanted one with a pickup. I agree the thinline seems to sound better on the videos. I finally sent mgm a message asking his opinion and he said that for my first uke the full size KA-STE would be the better choice so that's what I ordered. I've had it for 3 weeks now and have to say I'm glad I got it. Really I can't imagine you'd go wrong with either one.
 
Not sure if it is the top or what really, but I had a similar reaction. I loved playing it and the tone was bright and clear, but I played a Soprano (which I am not used to) against a tenor KS-T (which I will pass on and just suck it up and buy the spalted maple/spruce top- hopefully Sunday). In any event, my impression of the little Soprano was that it was AMAZING compared to the regular Mahogany Soprano, and that it's volume was impressive. As I am not used to Sopranos, I can't say whether it was lacking in the low end department (not that I strive to attain low end on a Ukulele...could be my limited experience). I can also confirm that it is comfortable.
I will add one to the heard for sure when the "bliss" returns around here- 6 Ukes in four weeks is getting to be too much for my wife to handle (she is still asking how I can play more than one accordion at once).
 
Coggo67 said:
Hi Guys
Does anyone have any experience with the Kala Thinline Tenor (mahogony back)?
How does it compare to the ka-st?

The sound videos I can find on both seem to have the Travel uke sounding better (louder,clearer & brighter)to my beginner ear. But that could just be the video clip quality!

Also, how does it feel to hold? Being thinner, is it harder to hold and therfore harder to play (remembering I am an absolute newbie)?

Also, does the gigbag that comes with the Travel uke offer much protection? Does it have a pocket for accessories?

Lastly, is it worth the extra $30 over the ka-st?

Thanks in advance for any insight you can provide.

Ian C
Click to expand...

heya Ian - Sounds like ya already made a decision. I have a Kala travel tenor, purchased locally, and love it! It is LOUD for its size but I can't compare it to the ST. The spruce top makes it boom like a canon. My uke doesn't have a pickup. The thin body makes it easier to hold and play, IMO. The gig bag is beautiful with an embroidered and colorful Kala logo, but does not have pockets nor does it offer protection from physical damage. It will keep dust off the uke. Can't help ya witih a cost comparison, but I paid $145 for mine; it was on sale. The Kala travel tenor is a most excellent uke. :)
 
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I've played one several times at SEUker get-togethers. It is easy to hold, easy to play and is very loud. It feels great in your hands and is a quality build. A friend who has a Kala ST and I compared them and we both thought the regular ST had a bit more bass, but when you play it you don't really notice it yourself.
 
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