Ukulele Help?

pirate looks at 40

pirate looks at 40

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Hey, im brandon, and since it's been about a year of me playing, i was looking to get a new ukulele. I have a Mitchell MU-100 concert, and i was leaning towards getting a tenor.

This is the model i have in mind:

http://www.kalaukulele.com/KA-FMTE-C.htm

it also comes without a cutaway. The only problem is that it is really pricey. Does anyone know any really good tenor ukes i can buy without hurting my wallet as much?

thanks =]
 
pirate looks at 40 said:
Hey, im brandon, and since it's been about a year of me playing, i was looking to get a new ukulele. I have a Mitchell MU-100 concert, and i was leaning towards getting a tenor.

This is the model i have in mind:

http://www.kalaukulele.com/KA-FMTE-C.htm

it also comes without a cutaway. The only problem is that it is really pricey. Does anyone know any really good tenor ukes i can buy without hurting my wallet as much?

thanks =]
Click to expand...

Hey Brandon. I don't know much about Kalas (tonnes of other people do) but I'd suggest checking out MGM who sells ukuleles on eBay. He's a member here, really knows his stuff and sells ukes at a fair price which includes a decent set up.

Check out his site here:

http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Musicguymics-Room__W0QQ_armrsZ1
 
I have the Non Cutaway model of that ukuele. It is a pretty nice ukulele. I wasn't playing it to much as I like Concerts better but recently I put some new strings on it and have been getting it out more. It has a bright sound compared to most other ukes, from the solid sprucetop. Mine also has a pretty thick gloss on it that seems to dampen the sound a bit, I have heard this from others about this uke as well. Kala might have fixed this by now since I got mine sevral months ago.

Don't be put off by the price on the link you posted that is the msrp. It will be a better deal at a shop like MGM (I got mine from him).
 
Is the one the OP referenced a spruce top? I thought it was the flame mahogany cutaway electric tenor? :confused:
 
pirate looks at 40 said:
it also comes without a cutaway. The only problem is that it is really pricey. Does anyone know any really good tenor ukes i can buy without hurting my wallet as much?

thanks =]
Click to expand...

I honestly think that there are few really good Tenor's that won't be "pricey" - That price tag is actually standard seeing as it does have a pick-up (it would be cheaper w/o it) but as others have suggested...check out Musicguymic BKA MGM.
 
I got my KA-FMT last year and play it all the time it's my go to tenor!!!
Played the Lacewood/Spruce and it has a brighter tone, I think that has to do with the gloss finish on the Maple/Spruce, if I were buying again it would be a toss up.
I picked the Maple for the looks first.

I have the D'Adarrio Pro Arte's on it and it mellows out the spruce brightness I have played it with Aquilla non wound C and it was a little to bright for me.

The Maple sides are a laminate and the top is solid Spruce but it sounds great!!!!
From what I understand flame Maple doesn't hold up to well as a solid wood.
 
The last comment on flamed maple piqued my interest and I am curious as to its source. I have been building with figured maple for almost 25 years, and I have not had any problems with it. It is a little harder to bend and to work than plain maple, but once done I think it is as stable as most tone woods. There are many violins that are centuries old that are constructed of figured maple.

Brad
 
Bradford said:
The last comment on flamed maple piqued my interest and I am curious as to its source. I have been building with figured maple for almost 25 years, and I have not had any problems with it. It is a little harder to bend and to work than plain maple, but once done I think it is as stable as most tone woods. There are many violins that are centuries old that are constructed of figured maple.

Brad
Click to expand...


My bad I wasn't as clear as I could have been.
I was refering to the Spalted Flame Maple the Kala Uke in question uses as opposed to (tiger,curly) Flamed maple.

I read it somewhere on the interwebs in all my surfing...Wish I could point you to the article.
The topic was about the difference of tone woods, laminates, solids blah blah blah and somewhere in the article it refered to Spalted Flamed Maple being used as a top dress wood on laminates for the beauty and not so much as a solid as it tended to warp/buckle/crack along the black lines caused by the mold in the wood that makes the "spalting".
 
There are 2 on ebay right now and several place came up on a google search.

If your going to buy on line make sure you see a picture of the one you are getting as each one I have seen look very different.
 
May i suggest a different kala?, maybe a koa and solid cedar top, also cutaway with a pickup

http://cgi.ebay.com/KA-KTE-CT-KALA-...ltDomain_0?hash=item3a53fef021#ht_2857wt_1167

or possibly an all solid mahogany, also a cutaway with a pickup

http://cgi.ebay.com/KALA-ALL-SOLID-...ltDomain_0?hash=item3a53f9532c#ht_2640wt_1167

personally i would go for the solid mahogany as an all solid would uke usually has a better sound to it than just solid top. If you want looks the koa and cedar is just as nice looking as the flame maple if not better looking imo.
 
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