Acoustic Electrics?

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weegee

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Didn't wanna open up a thread more than a week old, and after searching found nothing much, so...
I want to buy a tenor acoustic electric ukulele, and so far, in my price range (100-150), I have found the
Kala KA-TE http://www.samash.com/p/KATE Mahogany Tenor Ukulele w EQ_-49953449

Lanikai LU-21 TE
http://www.samash.com/p/LU21TE Tenor Acoustic Electric Ukulele_-49955940

and apparently out of musiciansfriend, guitarcenter, music123, and sam ash, sam ash is cheapest. (MGM maybe?)

Which uke is better? I know they're pretty similar other than input jack location...and i'm guessing they're both laminate, so it's now opinion. Didn't find many reviews of either.

As for experience with other ukes, I have sold my rogue soprano (yes I know it's bad) and have played mahalos, brownsvilles and hilos (I know again), and a mitchell which I thought was alright. I'm just looking to step up to my second uke, so any help is appreciated.

EDIT: as much of a fingerprint magnet as it is, I did want a black uke, and I think there are versions of the LU and KA, but can't find em.
 
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MGM has several of the Kala KA-TE $159.95 + SH. You should compare what you're getting from from MGM and Sam Ash, then make you're decision from there. You're right, they're pretty much the same instrument and I've heard/read good things about both those models as an entry level instrument.
 
A little outta my price range, I guess I can wait. I tried sam ash nearby tonight and the only kala tenors they had were the mango and the travel, both pretty nice, but no lanikais.
I'll shop around a little more, and the MGM set up will be in mind too.
Does anyone on here have either of the ukes?

(still really want a black one badly...don't even know why.)
 
Kala acoustic electrics are top notch.
They're Shadow Nanoflex active pickups, and (at least in Australia), buying the pickup on its own separately costs more than the KA-TE itself!

They have a very well balanced sound that can be mellow or bright depending on where you have the tone knob and a strong output.
While it is a laminate uke acoustically (which is not so bad anyway), when amplified its professional quality stuff!

MGM sets them up really well!
 
the lanikai ,is a solid wood instrument built with nato (eastern mahogany) the wood is a thin compared to my handmade soprano but still very nice. i have the tenor without the pick up and i am very happy with it it has a nice bright accurate tone, looks great, and the action and playability are great, i do routinely adjust action nut and saddle and get the frets filed and polished on all my instruments though. I can't speak for the pick up.
 
the thing with mgm is it might cost a bit more in shipping but you save cos you know that the set up is as good as it can be for the instrument.
 
I played the cordoba yesterday and it was pretty nice, but I can't make my money stretch that far. As of now I have about 130. And about the lanikai, what I meant to ask was if there is a difference between the black one and the regular one? In pictures I googled I notice the EQ is in a different place but that might be the concert.
MGM sounds great too, but I gotta stick with my budget. Thanks
 
Considering buying this, http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330387460540&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
but the listing was misleading. It doesn't have the Shadow P3 with nanoflex pickup, instead it has this
http://belcat.com/bbs/view.php?id=b...n&sc=on&select_arrange=headnum&desc=asc&no=10
and this pickup
http://belcat.com/bbs/view.php?id=b...d=omega&select_arrange=headnum&desc=asc&no=79

any big difference other than a phase invert switch? I do like the look of the shadow.
http://www.shadow-electronics.com/viewpro.html?lang_id=&id=158
 
I don't really like the black/laquered Lanikais myself, i prefer wood. That Kala looks ok.

one thing about MGM though is that the set up is worth 50 bucks, he will get the best out of it for you. that is worth a bit more imo, plus it is xmas, cadge some cash and bump up to a mainland for 250 ish.
 
I decided to just take the Lanikai (which had $10 off, anyone using ebay should use this bing cashback program, it's pretty cool because I spent some of my budget), and hopefully everything will be alright. I decided to not get the kala because of the lack of case, and MGM does a great setup, but I couldn't make the step up or ask for money from my parents, it felt good making a purchase on my own. Thanks for the advice, I'll post pics when it comes (Jan 5, 2010 is expected.) As for now, I'm completely broke until tomorrow hopefully. (holidays)
 
OK, reviving my thread. Long story short, I got the Black Lanikai 21TE uke, with a bonus! A crack along the heel and back lining! So I returned it for a refund. Now I have to choose another Tenor with a PU.

What I'm looking into:
Cordoba 20 TMCE
http://www.cordobaguitars.com/101.php
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

Lanikai S-TEQ
http://www.amazon.com/Lanikai-S-TEQ...&s=musical-instruments&qid=1263707858&sr=8-12

I don't really want the black tenor now that I tried the cordoba cutaway. Which is a better deal? I like both, and they have the same electronics (Belcat UK2000, I really like the Belcat UK300T though). I think either is better than the laminate top Lanikai.

Help! I'm so torn!
 
the lanikai deal is crazy good, i was gonna get it.... the spruce top is infact solid on that one, go for it.

also, lanikais are usually mellow sounding and with that spruce top, it could be a great combo
 
the problem for me is not getting to compare the two! i like the cordoba, but from all the reviews and videos, the lanikai sounds good too! One thing is, someone is selling a cordoba for about the same price as the lanikai here on UU, and another thing is, the cordoba is available at GC if I ever had to return it. I guess I could have them order the lanikai too though.

UGH

EDIT: Setbacks about cordoba: has non enclosed geared tuners as opposed to lanikai's closed.
setbacks about lanikai (assuming i buy used): has a weird battery size on the shadow preamp.
 
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BUMP

I have $45 dollars in amazon.com gift cards.
So my choices are a Kala KA-TE, Lanikai LU21TE, Lanikai S-TEQ, and the Cordoba TM CE 20. I really want the cordoba, but it's $200 w/o gift card. Meanwhile, the S-TEQ also has a solid top, cutaway, and with gift card, would be $105, which seems like a deal.

Any opinions? Thanks
 
The Lanikai spruce topped ukes are nice. May need some tweaking at nut or saddle.
 
I was so torn, but the decision was made. I convinced myself the lanikai was ok, but the SURPRISE my uncle in the Philippines got me a late christmas gift by covering the price difference!
Can't wait for the cordoba to arrive...hopefully not cracked like the lanikai I returned.
 
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