Kala KA-P versus Makala MK-P

Ahnko Honu

Ahnko Honu

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I was looking at pineapples the other day and was comparing specs between the Kala KA-P pineapple, and the Makala MK-P pineapple. Besides the $30 increase in price I could not really tell any difference. They are both laminates, build quality seems the same. What makes the Kala worth $30 more? Anyone ever play them side by side?

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I think what you may be looking at is similar to Gibson guitar and their lower line Epiphone. You can buy the same model in both but the Gibson has a few cosmetic differences but also says "Gibson" on it. Kala makes Makala as their budget line. The 2 pineapples probably sound similar. I believe the Kala has a white binding around the front edge of the pineapple and the Makala does not plus the Kala says "Kala". $30 for the binding and the labour maybe.
 
I forgot about the extra binding bling which I guess would justify the extra 30ish dollars. Protects the edges too so practical I guess. I'm not sure what the fretboard woods are but it looks like ebony on the Kala, and Rosewood on the Makala though I can't imagine anyone using ebony on a laminate 'ukulele stranger things have happened. Mahalo for the input sir.
 
Ahnko Honu said:
I forgot about the extra binding bling which I guess would justify the extra 30ish dollars. Protects the edges too so practical I guess. I'm not sure what the fretboard woods are but it looks like ebony on the Kala, and Rosewood on the Makala though I can't imagine anyone using ebony on a laminate 'ukulele stranger things have happened. Mahalo for the input sir.
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Dirka said:
The Makala is Agathis laminate, the Kala is Mahogani. I would also suppose that the Kala is just nicer over all.
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Like you said I think the binding and the different woods in the laminate are the biggest differences. I'm pretty sure they both have rosewood fretboards, I just got a KA-PSS a week or so ago and it has rosewood. I think it is the same uke as the KA-P with the slikscreening on the body and showier headstock, but I just fell for it it's so darn cute! (And is kind of like a poor mans Kamaka painted pineapple) and it sounds and plays great. But it is another $30 or so more than the KA-P. Unfortunately it was the only pineapple I could find locally so I didn't get to compare it with any others. But we have 3 other Makalas and they are great ukes, in my opinion they can't be beat for the money. I don't think you could go wrong with any of them.
 
WOW I just found out the Kauri tree of New Zealand is a species of Agathis tree. I have always loved the Kauri tree because of it's beauty and importance to the Maori people. The Maori were makers of the largest canoes (va'a, wa'a, waka) in all of Polynesian due to the availability of these HUGE trees. Seems like Agathis is held in low regard everywhere else it grows but to the Maori very different. There is magnificent Kauri that grows right in downtown Honolulu right next to the main post office.
 
I'm not sure if this helps, but I own an MK-P, I bought it on an impulse buy and I absolutely adore it. In its price range, it can't be beaten.
 
the52blues said:
I think what you may be looking at is similar to Gibson guitar and their lower line Epiphone. You can buy the same model in both but the Gibson has a few cosmetic differences but also says "Gibson" on it. Kala makes Makala as their budget line. The 2 pineapples probably sound similar. I believe the Kala has a white binding around the front edge of the pineapple and the Makala does not plus the Kala says "Kala". $30 for the binding and the labour maybe.
Click to expand...

I know this is a pineapple thread, not an Epi vs Gibson thread, but:

Hardware. Electronics. Pickups. Wood type. Wood quality. Wood consistency. Supporting US manufacturing (if that's important to you).

What seem like subtle differences can add up to genuine differences. And don't be concerned only with "feel" as an instrument which "feels" great but doesn't stay in tune and has dodgy intonation can end up being not such a great choice.

I own a Kala Acacia Concert and a Makala Dolphin (my son's, actually) and they aren't the same. I love the dolphin, but it's not capable of the range and expression of the Kala. Of course, neither is anywhere near my MP custom, but I would definitely say there are three levels, not just two.
 
Kala vs. Makala

All the Makala uke's are made from a wood called Agathis, the Kala's are supposed to be Mahogany. You can really tell the difference between the MKP/MKS vs. KAP/KAP, the Kala, are made from Mahogany laminate. with white binding, and Aquila strings. There is a notable difference in sound between the 2, but much of it is due to the strings.

When comparing the Makala MKS with the Kala KA15S, there are literally identical except the Logo and Aquila strings, everything else looks the same, even the wood. When putting the same Aquila on the Makala, I could not hear a difference between them. I could not see a difference in the Agathis and Mahogany on these models, but when comparing the Mahogany on the KAP/KAS, there is a noticeable difference in texture.
 
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