Reviews of the Kala KA-KTG-CT (cedar top, koa, all-gloss tenor)?

Has anyone played this ukulele and can share their opinions of its tone and how it compares to other tenors that they have?

I saw this video dated August 29 on YT. Is it the same one? I assume they were a limited edition until December.

Never played, but damn does it sound/look cool.

Yes. It's just too hard to judge and generalize an ukulele's tone from a video.

There was a $400 ukulele that I thought might have the tone I was looking for, until I heard one played for me yesterday. It actually was nice but it wasn't quite what I wanted. I haven't found the KA-KTG-CT at any of the local dealerships.

I looked hard and long at this ukulele and the Kala acacia tenor model on youtube. Ultimately, I purchased a Kala lacewood with spruce top tenor package from MGM. The high gloss and abalone purfling on the koa/cedar are indeed lovely, but I had concerns about damaging it.
I'm new to the ukulele, so I can't give a legit review yet, but I am 1000 percent satisfied/thrilled after 2 weeks of learning to play. My uke is beautiful, sounds fantastic, loud and clear(!), and stays in tune. What more can I ask? Well, actually, that cowboy motif Fluke looks kinda... like the dreaded UAS.

cletus said:

Ultimately, I purchased a Kala lacewood with spruce top tenor package from MGM.

Click to expand...

Yes. Those are interesting as well and I understand that they are all-solids. Lacewood is supposed to be a good alternative tonewood. I saw the videos of these ukuleles in high-G and low-G tuning. Interesting to note that they have ebony nuts and saddles. Am wondering why Kala chose that material for the lacewood models.




If industry practices are the same with Kala, I'm guessing that the laminated koa back and sides of the KA-KTG-CT have a core of meranti (Southeast Asian Mahogany).

anyone else have experience with this uke?

I have been looking for the cedar tenor with no luck so far. I have the Kala cedar top concert and it is a wonderful instrument. I did not think I would find a concert that had much punch but the cedar model really delivers. I set it up with low-G and it has a lot of bass. It is very loud and has good tone. Based on the concert model I think the cedar tenor might be a good choice, although the lacewood appears to be a good choice as well but perhaps a little mellower sounding.
I like a loud instrument, which is not easy to get as ukes are already limited in sound by their size. Gordon from Mya Moe told me he likes cedar as it soft and can vibrate easier which is important on a small body. Spruce is a less flexible and results in a brighter, more brittle sound.
I wouldn't use the cedar concert for recording because of the overtones but it is a great player if you like a lot of sound.

This is one great uke

GVlog said:

Has anyone played this ukulele and can share their opinions of its tone and how it compares to other tenors that they have?

I saw this video dated August 29 on YT. Is it the same one? I assume they were a limited edition until December.

Click to expand...

I had to look to find one of these and finally got one with a MI-SI pickup as well. It is the loudest uke I own (12) and just has a great sound. I also have the Kala cedar top concert. It sounds great with either high or low G and is also quite loud given the smaller body. I use low G on the tenor as the cedar top delivers lots of low end so I can get a base line in my playing.
Kala has done an amazing job with this uke and I can see why they are hard to find.

"I wouldn't use the cedar concert for recording because of the overtones but it is a great player if you like a lot of sound"

hi

could you explain more about the overtone thing?
i dont understand recording very well

thanks

hi
I have the ka kcg ct ltd edition.

even with aquilas that are the originals from when i bought the uke last xmas it sounds great.
action intonation fit and finish are all very good.

stays in tune very well and seem to have alot of sustain for a uke.

I live on the east coast and ordered the uke sight unseen from the west coast. it was recommended by the music shop owner

after lenthy discussions on the phone i got mixed up with what te shop had and wrote down the uke was cedar/mango instead of cedar/koa. when it arrived not only was it koa not mango as i expected but it had all this pau shell or whatever it is purfling which i initially found a bit flashy.

that said after a week or two i was soooo happy this was the uke i ended up with. I now love the purfling, it shimmers blue and green with bits of yellow and gold here and there. i now find it elegant and some what understated instead of flashy.

the koa is awsome with great grain and a book matched back.


it plays bright but warm at the same time ( if that makes sense) with good projection. it is very comfortable to play.

I really do love this uke.


I am playing it here http://www.youtube.com/user/MultiFlyfisher?feature=mhum

not the best recording in the world as i am a beginner in the recordig thing.

ukuleleplayer magasine has a review on the concert model here

http://www.tricornpublications.com/issue12.pdf

it a great uke

see ya
eor