AAAAHHH!!!! Which uke would be better?

I really thought I had made my decision on whether to get a Lanikai SZW-TCA Cutaway Acoustic-Electric uke or the Kala Bocote series KA-BFS tenor uke with the pickup. Now I'm having doubts about getting the Lanikai. I haven't heard anything bad, I'm just worried about the price. I found the Kala at a REALLY good price, almost half of the original. I don't really want to get another laminate wood ukulele though. What are your thoughts? I'm not sure if the price difference is worth it, or if I should sacrifice the solid-wood. Please help!

I don't know anything about either ukulele, but it sounds like you really prefer the Lanikai uke. If you don't want to buy something, the fact that it's available at half its price shouldn't matter, unless you plan to try to sell it for more than you paid for it. If I bought an ukulele that I wasn't excited about at half price for $100, for example, I wouldn't be thinking about the $100 I saved. I'd be thinking about the $100 I'd wasted on something I didn't want. Just my two cents.

Aloha Ukebeatsguitar,
My preference would be Sound Quality before price and asthetics...why buy something and it doesn't have the sound you like...it will only collect dust...
My Belief is always Try before you Buy...for sound, playability, and comfort.....and price dead last....Get some thing that you enjoy playing and it will bring you
years of enjoyment...Good Luck and Happy Strummings!! MM Stan...

Thanks for your input guys. The reason I'm getting a new ukulele is that I got Jake S. to sign my main uke right now, so I need a new one so that I don't wear out the signature on the other. I don't have that much money, being a thirteen year old who's job only gets him $25 a month, so I kind of need to be able to afford the uke. I really want something flashy and exotic. I KNOW I want one of these two, but I really don't know which. I've played the Kala, but it's been a while and I didn't really know that I wanted it back then, so I didn't really listen to the sound.

I guess I should ask, do Lanikai or Kala do over the phone sound samples? What are the phone numbers?

I have the Lanikai SZW-TCA Cutaway Acoustic-Electric uke, purchased from Musicians Friend back in July. With the CooL zebrawood finish, it's a mighty sweet looking, eye candy uke and always grabs visual attention. As for its sound, I like it but wish it had a little more bite (treble) in its pure acoustic sound. A little too mellow for me. Admittedly I haven't changed the strings on it and that might do the trick. Plugged in: sounds great as one can adjust the tone(s). Action is very nice and the fretboard has no issues: clean and good intonation. I was able to acquire the uke with an additional $40 off sale price, so it was a good deal. The case was also on sale. Bottom line: I like the uke very much, but it's not my number one for jam sessions and gatherings. I have plugged it in, but not performed on stage with it.

I haven't tried the Kala you mentioned so I cannot offer any comparison.

Best of luck in your decision... let us know which uke you pick. Cheers!

telebob said:

I have the Lanikai SZW-TCA Cutaway Acoustic-Electric uke, purchased from Musicians Friend back in July. With the CooL zebrawood finish, it's a mighty sweet looking, eye candy uke and always grabs visual attention. As for its sound, I like it but wish it had a little more bite (treble) in its pure acoustic sound. A little too mellow for me. Admittedly I haven't changed the strings on it and that might do the trick. Plugged in: sounds great as one can adjust the tone(s). Action is very nice and the fretboard has no issues: clean and good intonation. I was able to acquire the uke with an additional $40 off sale price, so it was a good deal. The case was also on sale. Bottom line: I like the uke very much, but it's not my number one for jam sessions and gatherings. I have plugged it in, but not performed on stage with it.

I haven't tried the Kala you mentioned so I cannot offer any comparison.

Best of luck in your decision... let us know which uke you pick. Cheers!

Click to expand...

How would you compare the Zebrawood to a laminate Mahogany uke?

Played a Bocote a few weeks ago- had it in my hand for an hour, loved the way it sounded, and really had no idea until now it was a laminate. I would be inclined to play one- they are impressive in both volume and tone to me...better than a few solids I have played in my short time as a Uke nut