Mahalo vs. Makala

salukulady

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This question is directed at those of you that have actually played both. For a cheap uke do you prefer a Mahalo or Makala?
 
I've played both my 12 year old Mahalo pineapple and a new Makala pineapple and I personally prefer my Mahalo, it had perfect intonation and action right from the box but again this is a 12 year old model, not sure how the current Mahalo stack up.
 
Mahalos have felt like toys to me. They both sound average, but the quality on the Makalas is a lot higher in my opinion.
 
I've played both my 12 year old Mahalo pineapple and a new Makala pineapple and I personally prefer my Mahalo, it had perfect intonation and action right from the box but again this is a 12 year old model, not sure how the current Mahalo stack up.
Thank you. I should have been more specific. I was referring to the low end Mahalo vs. a Makala Dolphin. Thinking about what would be a better uke for kids. I have bought two dolphins as gifts and was happy with both, but know very little about the Mahalo's in the same price range.
 
IMO there is no comparison!

I've become so impressed with the makala brand. Dolphin Ukes that have come through my hands have been consistent. They tune easily, and although their stock strings are horrid, once stretched, they stay in tune.

The Mahalo Ukes I've come across are so very hit and miss, I personally couldn't recommend them.
 
I have played quite a few of each. I have also set up a few of each. Some of my former bandmates had Mahalo ukes that I made playable for them. They played in tune after set up, but were still very quiet and didn't boast terribly good tone. IMO the Makala Dolphin is not only better than the entry level Mahalos, it is better by a significant margin.
 
I have both. Dolphin wins hands down over the color Mahalos. Hands down.
 
The cheapest Mahalos, U30, these days come with a horridly high action.
Even if you sand the saddle down as low as it can go, the action is still high. The action is just acceptable when you take the saddle out altogether :) (but then it sounds awful)
They're playable, but rather uncomfortable if you try anything more complicated than just strumming a few chords for a slow to medium paced song. Aquila strings make a huge difference from the horrid stock strings.


I had better luck with those Mahalo Les Paul and Telecaster models. Their Mahogany Tenor also sounded and felt pretty decent.
But by then the cost has gone up, and there are better ukes for that money.
 
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I have a mahalo with a pickup that my daughter often plays. Recently I had to fix the preamp. When I took the screws out, two of the holes were broken because the instrument is EXTREMELY thin! It is a fragile instrument!
 
Thank you everyone, I will stick with the dolphin!
 
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