New Uke: Kiwaya KS1

pdxuke · Mar 22, 2010

Well friends, it arrived, after a stop in Texas , but finally, I have my Kiwaya KS1.

-)

All laminate, really remarkable sound, and this from a guy who loves mahogany.

I highly recommend it. Sounds better than many similarly priced ukes that are all wood.

I put it in a hardcase from Sprucehouse; the delux hardcase I bought for it I'm using for my Martin O.

MGM. Aquila strings.

fahrner · Mar 23, 2010

Congratulations on the latest addition to your fleet.
It certainly looks like the real deal.
Was just reading about these at MGM's. Will be interesting to see if they come out with similar models in concert and tenor size.
The new high compression laminates are suppose to be pretty good sounding. Not just plywood anymore.
Congrats.

luvdat · Mar 23, 2010

fahrner said:
Congratulations on the latest addition to your fleet.
It certainly looks like the real deal.
Was just reading about these at MGM's. Will be interesting to see if they come out with similar models in concert and tenor size.
The new high compression laminates are suppose to be pretty good sounding. Not just plywood anymore.
Congrats.

They beat every solid wood soprano in that price range...easily.

xoukulele · Mar 23, 2010

I bought a sprucehouse based on your suggestion and now may buy a kiwaya pineapple from mgm based on your initial impressions. Was looking at the Mele and the Mainland mango. Good to hear the laminate sounds good. Now more incentive to sell my guitar and Ohana concert.

pdxuke · Mar 23, 2010

xoukulele said:
I bought a sprucehouse based on your suggestion and now may buy a kiwaya pineapple from mgm based on your initial impressions. Was looking at the Mele and the Mainland mango. Good to hear the laminate sounds good. Now more incentive to sell my guitar and Ohana concert.

I can't speak from experience on the pineapple, but I can tell you that the KS1 I just bought is a fine instrument and has "earned" its place in my mahogany collection. Not my Martin, by any means, or even the Gibson, but certainly more than holds its own with the Ohana, Bushman, Sprucehouse, and Mainland. If I were to start buying all over again and could start with a uke, this would be it. I think my new recommendation to newbies will be the Ohana SK35 and the Kiwaya KS1.

SweetWaterBlue · Mar 23, 2010

pdxuke said:
I can't speak from experience on the pineapple, but I can tell you that the KS1 I just bought is a fine instrument and has "earned" its place in my mahogany collection. Not my Martin, by any means, or even the Gibson, but certainly more than holds its own with the Ohana, Bushman, Sprucehouse, and Mainland. If I were to start buying all over again and could start with a uke, this would be it. I think my new recommendation to newbies will be the Ohana SK35 and the Kiwaya KS1.

A side-by-side sound sample between the SK35 and the KS1 would be interesting. Since Kiwaya touts how thin the laminate is, I would love to know how thin it is - got a micrometer?

fahrner · Mar 23, 2010

SweetWaterBlue said:
A side-by-side sound sample between the SK35 and the KS1 would be interesting.

I would second that.
All my ukes are tenors currently. Can see future expansion to a concert or soprano.
If for nothing else to see what all the fuss is about. (I mean that in a good way).

KamakOzzie · Mar 23, 2010

SweetWaterBlue said:
Since Kiwaya touts how thin the laminate is, I would love to know how thin it is - got a micrometer?

My Kiwaya pineapple measires .073" at four points around the sound hole.
While I had the micrometer out, I measured the Kamaka soprano at .055" .

franulele · Mar 25, 2010

Congrats on the new baby Kiwaya KS-1 ! I love mine. Tone, action, and intonation are all excellent on mine. It really sings out. You wouldn't know that its laminate. Very nicely made! I wish they had a laminate tenor available because I'd snatch one up!

SweetWaterBlue · Mar 26, 2010

KamakOzzie said:
My Kiwaya pineapple measires .073" at four points around the sound hole.
While I had the micrometer out, I measured the Kamaka soprano at .055" .

Thanks for that measurement Ozzie. Since its in the same range as my Ohana solid, I don't think its mostly the thiness that makes the Kiwaya sound so good, although my Kala lam is quite a bit thicker. Its probably more related to the way they make the laminate. Does it look like several layers of wood veneer as normal laminates are, or is it something else?

mailman · Mar 26, 2010

Come on, Kiwaya..... I need a KC1!

luvdat · Mar 26, 2010

KamakOzzie said:
My Kiwaya pineapple measires .073" at four points around the sound hole.
While I had the micrometer out, I measured the Kamaka soprano at .055" .

How do you like the pineapple Kiwaya?

Tube · Mar 26, 2010

Congratulations!

I own a KS1 as well. I love to hear it, to look at it and to hold it in my hands.

Nut and bridge inlay made out of bone, selfmade, I prefer the look...

New Uke: Kiwaya KS1

pdxuke

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