I got my new Kiwaya from MGM on Saturday. I actually called the post office before they opened and had them hold the package for me (small town post office's are great!). I picked it up on my way to my mom's house for the long weekend. Mom pry thought I was crazy, as I had it in my hand almost the whole time. It is a beautiful and beautifully made ukulele. Its fit and finish is flawless, that I can tell. My Ohana CK-25 (another all mahogany concert ukulele) is very light, and yet it weighs a ton compared to the Kiwaya. The Kiwaya doesn't have as deep a sound as the Ohana, but it has more mid-range and treble. It has more subtlety to it, in that sense, but it wouldn't be my first choice to play in a noisy setting, or if I were wanting a uke with some bark to it. I've been playing the Ohana for an hour or so every day for the two months I've owned it, so it's had some time to open up, where the Kiwaya has had none, so it'll be interesting to see where they're at in another couple months, or a year. I will post pictures when I get a chance. Right now it's at Elderly Instruments getting its nickel plated gotoh tuners swapped out for some Pegheds. The tuners that came with the uke are really nice, with lovely ivroid buttons that simply glow when the light hits them just right, but screw friction tuners. I figured if I was going to spend that much on a uke, I might as well get the tuners I want with it, and the Kiwaya looks like an old Martin, so the Pegheds will not look amiss on it. I should have it back a week from today. Oh the pain.
:music: (uke on)
:music: (uke on)