Look at these tuner posts

Pleasure Paul

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 17, 2012
Messages
83
Reaction score
0
Location
Amsterdam
This is my dream soprano, the Kala Elite. But look at the tuner posts in the first (headstock only) picture. Much too long! The strings risk losing downforce in the nut. I think the uke in this pic is part of the last batch made, before this model got discontinued, as I saw some others with overly long posts. But look at the other picture of an earlier edition of this little beauty: neat short posts, just long enough. Why Kala used these high tuners is a mystery to me.
 

Attachments

  • Kala high post.jpg
    Kala high post.jpg
    75.5 KB · Views: 232
  • Kala Elite KOA-S-05620216.jpg
    Kala Elite KOA-S-05620216.jpg
    90.8 KB · Views: 187
The headstock in the first photo must be scarf-jointed...or rather, have the angle of a scarf joint even if it is solid wood. Consequently the posts are higher to bring the strings up to the level of the nut. That's my guess.
 
Are the tuners Gotoh adjustables like the ones that came on my Kiwaya tenor?

054E314D-9EEB-4143-BE43-D52C6C9372C7.jpg

If yes, then the post height is adjustable. It could be the installer never adjusted them at the factory.

Google Gotoh UK700-B5 Height Adjustable HAP Ukulele Tuning Keys
 

Attachments

  • D0CFB429-9CAD-44E6-B3F0-94B9014FC53A.jpg
    D0CFB429-9CAD-44E6-B3F0-94B9014FC53A.jpg
    21.2 KB · Views: 60
Last edited:
The headstock in the first photo must be scarf-jointed...or rather, have the angle of a scarf joint even if it is solid wood. Consequently the posts are higher to bring the strings up to the level of the nut. That's my guess.

Even if true, that looks very strange
 
Even if true, that looks very strange

Yeah. I think the headstock is normal. Either the wrong tuners were installed, or, as I mentioned above, they installed height adjustable tuners and failed to adjust them to the proper height.

If the former, then I’d suggest the OP should seek having them replaced.

If the latter, I’d suggest the OP should find out how to adjust them so the post height comes down to the proper level vis-a-vis the headstock.

Pleasure Paul, a photo of the back of the tuners, showing the gears, would end the speculation. Or just compare them to the photo I provided above.
 
Hi guys, no, I did not buy this uke, it is not in my possesion, I took these pics from various places on the net. So it is not MY problem, although it is in a way, because I keep looking for one of these. I could shop at Elderly's, but I shy away from the 'transatlantic price penalty', as I'm in Europe.
 
I had one of these and the tuner posts were borderline too short! So I'm guessing adjustment must be possible. Incredible instrument, exceedingly comfortable to play. I prefer more than 12 frets so didn't keep it.
 
Nice to hear yours was an incredible instrument. There's a stupid review online. I love the fact that it's one of the plainest all koa ukes, and matt finish too. Reminds me of the old Kamaka's. What you see it what you get. Hope to have one someday and hope that it will be incredible too. Perhaps the posts will be adjustable, but if not, I'll change the tuners. No sight!
 
Nice to hear yours was an incredible instrument. There's a stupid review online. I love the fact that it's one of the plainest all koa ukes, and matt finish too. Reminds me of the old Kamaka's. What you see it what you get. Hope to have one someday and hope that it will be incredible too. Perhaps the posts will be adjustable, but if not, I'll change the tuners. No sight!

Whether it’s a matter of adjustable tuners that weren’t adjusted, or the wrong tuners....in my opinion it’s a clear indication of poor quality control on Kala’s part.
 
I own the 1MHG-S. The mahogany Kala Elite soprano.
Mine did come with the longer tuning posts. I didn't realize the fact until it was in my possession.
I liked it so much that I kinda stopped worrying about them.

On my Kala Elite 1KOA-T the tuning post were so short (Kala calls them low profile tuners)
that I contact them and asked if they could send me some of the longer tuning posts that I'd
seen on other Elite tenors.

If you really like the Uke you could try to ask Kala to send you some of the shorter ones like in
the picture you posted.
 
Paul, looking at that 360-degree display, is it possible that the headstock itself is angled back to a greater-than-average degree, thus allowing the tuner posts to be taller without adversely affecting the string tension across the nut?

Looking closely at the pictures, the headstock does appear to be at a slightly greater angle with relation to the fretboard than some of my other ukes. But it doesn't look like the difference would cause the need for tuner posts as long as the ones they've used.

The strings north of the nut ought to lie pretty close to parallel to the headstock...those are way off on a different tangent.

I think what happened is that Kala didn't want to shell out the extra money for different tuners ...in other words, they had two choices, Kala branded tuners that some people would complain were too short, and Kala branded tuners that some people would complain were too long.

If it were my uke, I'd retrofit it either with tuners with slightly longer shafts, or with the adjustable Gotoh tuners I mentioned earlier. But those long shaft tuners that they put on it look all sortsa goofy, in my opinion. And it doesn't seem to me that they allow the proper break angle at all.
 
Last edited:
Thoughts well-taken, Swamp Yankee. And I must say, it wasn't until reviewing this discussion that I learned there were actually tuners with adjustable-height posts!
 
I like the stand.

We have 3 of those stands. They are nice.

Maybe the factory ran out of the right size tuners that day, and rather than shut down the line, they just grabbed whatever they could, and kept going????
 
Yes, some of the Elites have posts that look longer than necessary, as in the OP's first pic. The standard Elite geared/eared tuners are Kala branded, not sure who makes them, but they are slightly different than the similar style Grover 9B tuners. I measured the tuner posts on an Elite concert, and compared them to Grover 9B tuners. The Kala tuner posts stand 15mm above the front of the headstock. The Grover 9B tuner, with it's shorter post, would stand only 10.2mm above the headstock, so the Kala tuner posts are almost 5mm longer, no wonder they look so long. I doubt that it affects sound or playability, but if it bugged me, I'd probably put on a set of the shorter Grover 9B, or even better, the wonderful Gotoh UPTs, as seen below. With either, the angle of the string from the nut to the tuner post would match the angle of the headstock much better, as it's way off with the long Kala tuner posts..

Elite UPT1.JPG
Elite UPT2.JPG
 
Last edited:
That has to put a lot of unnecessary stress on those tuner posts. And probably doesn't put the correct angle of pressure on the nut. Which might affect the sound with a buzz.
 
I'd probably put on a set of the shorter Grover 9B, or even better, the wonderful Gotoh UPTs, as seen below. With either, the angle of the string from the nut to the tuner post would match the angle of the headstock much better, as it's way off with the long Kala tuner posts..

View attachment 121414
View attachment 121415
Better ratio for ukuleles and no ears.
 
Top Bottom