Plainsong
Well-known member
The Aqua Kala Tenor was ransomed from customs today!
So now that the pretty aquaness is out of the way, here are my impressions of the ole girl so far:
She's bright and has nice projection but will never be accused of being too loud. I had hoped that would be the case actually, because I live in an apartment, the "YOU JUST PLUCKED A STRING!" voice of the koa Flea isn't always what you want. The tone on the Kala is very, to use the G-word, guitar-like. Very behaved.
The action I don't think could be nicer for the instrument. The neck feels a bit small and flat, and that makes bar chords a bit harder for me. It's nothing I can't adjust to though, hardly impossible - just understand that bar chords have always been my nemesis on string instruments. This is where MGM shines I think. Ok, so he left the wound C on, but the neck and action are probably in better condition than from the factory. Probably less of a problem on the higher end instruments, but ya know what a crap shoot budget stuff can be if you just buy sight unseen from an internet box store.
Now more about the looks: the gloss finish scratches easily. So easily that when under harsh lighting, the front is a bit scuffed up, before I even put my hands on it. It's not noticeable in normal lighting. The scuff marks don't go through the paint or anything like that - I mean really it looks like something the case is capable of doing by itself. You know how ipods could be scratched by looking at the wrong - yeah, like that. Also whoever painted the neck hasn't heard of using tape because there's blue on the fretboard in some places.
But the same uke I'm talking about is the same uke in the pictures, and I used an external flash, and some shots in macro mode under harsh lighting, so you can see for yourself that I'm splitting hairs, the good with the bad.
Warts and all, she's sweet and pretty, and I call her Lois (the color of the shirt ya see).
So now that the pretty aquaness is out of the way, here are my impressions of the ole girl so far:
She's bright and has nice projection but will never be accused of being too loud. I had hoped that would be the case actually, because I live in an apartment, the "YOU JUST PLUCKED A STRING!" voice of the koa Flea isn't always what you want. The tone on the Kala is very, to use the G-word, guitar-like. Very behaved.
The action I don't think could be nicer for the instrument. The neck feels a bit small and flat, and that makes bar chords a bit harder for me. It's nothing I can't adjust to though, hardly impossible - just understand that bar chords have always been my nemesis on string instruments. This is where MGM shines I think. Ok, so he left the wound C on, but the neck and action are probably in better condition than from the factory. Probably less of a problem on the higher end instruments, but ya know what a crap shoot budget stuff can be if you just buy sight unseen from an internet box store.
Now more about the looks: the gloss finish scratches easily. So easily that when under harsh lighting, the front is a bit scuffed up, before I even put my hands on it. It's not noticeable in normal lighting. The scuff marks don't go through the paint or anything like that - I mean really it looks like something the case is capable of doing by itself. You know how ipods could be scratched by looking at the wrong - yeah, like that. Also whoever painted the neck hasn't heard of using tape because there's blue on the fretboard in some places.
But the same uke I'm talking about is the same uke in the pictures, and I used an external flash, and some shots in macro mode under harsh lighting, so you can see for yourself that I'm splitting hairs, the good with the bad.
Warts and all, she's sweet and pretty, and I call her Lois (the color of the shirt ya see).
