First Uke: Between Kala KA-SC and Lanikai LFM-S

Hi -

I've played guitar for a few decades, now mostly play mandolin - and looking to pick up a ukulele mainly for my wife and daughter. My daughter is still a toddler, but I can see it in my wife or my hands quite a lot - and as such, not interested in a toy.

I visited a few stores today, played some intro-level ukes and I guess I just wasn't impressed. Once things hit around $100 it seemed like some actual instruments were available - one decent at Guitar Center and a few at a local music shop [that spends a few minutes on setup].

It's around the house with a Breedlove Mando and a USA Tacoma Guitar [pre-Fender] ... so it's in the company of $1k instruments.

While looks aren't really a factor - a spruce top and satin finish would match the other instruments [and for my young daughter, having something that looks like Papa's instruments doesn't hurt] ... thus the choices I'm looking at here.

Really, playability and volume are probably the top two considerations - as you're only getting so much tone at the $100-150 range. I really can't spend much more [unless free shipping] ... and could spend less, but have concerns there.

My preliminary search yielded two things:

http://cgi.ebay.com/KALA-KA-SC-soli...240?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item56413bdb38
Kala KA-SC [solid spruce top, concert size]
MGM instrument ... a little over my budget [esp with shipping], but tempting. Shipping ain't cheap, either.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Lanikai-LFM-S-S...298?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3362f3a722
Lanikai LFM-S [spruce top, concert size]. I don't mean to be suckered by looks, but the flamed maple is a nice match for my mandolin and my daughter would eat that up. Then again, it's an unknown Ebay seller and setup is up in the air.

We do have a local instrument repair shop I could take it to for a setup if necessary, then again - that adds to the price.

The local shop had some Ohanas, though I didn't see any that really got me. [Perhaps it was the $600 uke I started playing made them all seem poor]

Anyway ... I'm new to these fine instruments, and would love to get an instrument we can enjoy and that my wife can grow into a bit before needing an upgrade.

Would the laminate nature of these back/sides be a bad choice, is spruce a bad uke wood [how's it do on volume?] ... where does these rank in your recommendations.

I could go traditional color and all if someone has a `great great uke' to point me at - or another that has lighter wood. Officially it will be my daughter's, but as it hangs nice to my nice spruce tops the dark mahogany I don't think will cut it - her pre-school tastes might be a little superficial yet.

All advice appreciated ... thanks!

Aloha Coralmark, I have a Kala FMC with a spruce top and it is loud and bright, also a OS OU4 with spruce top and it is very much the same as the Kala concert even though it's a tenor(OS). Seems to me that spruce tops are loud and bright. Not much help,sorry........BO......

Bright and loud sounds about right if it's ever played with the other instruments.

Thanks for the advice.

Aloha Coralmark,

Edited first post and STILL forgot to say "WELCOME TO UU". THE place for all your uke wants and needs. ..........BO.......

Hey Coralmark, I haven't got either of the models you're considering, but I played the KA-SC in a store, and it sounded sort of empty to me, I have a flamed maple with a spruce top, Kala, and it does sound a little sweet. haven't had any experience with the Lanikai, but it should be pretty similar. Do note you're considering two different sizes though?

Hope this will help with your decision, as I have played both Lanikai and Kala concert and sapranos.

When it comes down the Kala vs the Lanikai, I prefer the Lanikai. The sound difference is barley noticable. There really is just a tad of a difference in sound and the feeling of the ukulele. It just comes down to what you prefer.

If I am correct, the Kala builder was a builder for the Lanikai company who had moved on to building his own ukuleles. Thus creating Kala ukulele. So if you look at it that way, you are looking at two very similar ukuleles.

Like I said before, I prefer the Lanikai. That is not to say, however, that the Kala is not as good, because the Kala is just as good too.

f you're getting the Lanikai, I would suggest getting the Lanikai S-C. If it is the Kala, I would get the KA-SC.

Don't forget that you are comparing two different sizes.

Hope that helps.

I personally prefer Kala but they both produce great ukuleles. The problem here is that you're looking at two different sized ukuleles... the Lanikai model in the link is a 12-fret soprano. This being said however, I would personally prefer and recommend the soprano size myself, it will offer the most traditional sound and appearance. I also find that in going from guitar, playing a soprano is a refreshing change.. you don't want something so close to the experience of guitar when playing other instruments.. right? I love how simple some long chord stretches feel on the soprano neck, and after playing for a while it was an easy transition for me, even after playing guitar for so many years myself it seems as though my fingers never feel cramped. Which Ohana models did you try? You should check out the Ohana SK-35: it's around your price range.. it has a nice satin finish, 15 frets, all solid mahogany, and with the Gotoh friction tuners... tuning isn't such a pain. You can find tons of great reviews online. I hope you're happy with whatever you decide to buy, happy shopping and take care!

Aloha Coralmark,
Welcome to the UU and the forums and the ukulele....there's alot of guitar converts here and I'm one ....you may really fall for the ukulele and sell all your guitars as I did to support my uke craze....
Coming from a guitar backgound will give you the upper hand on learning....I'd really go for the Mahogany because it has a much sweeter tone, spruce tops are generally to bright for me...I like
the lanikai as an excellent entry level starter ukulele..Kala's are asthetically more pleasing but for sound preformance I prefer Lanikai's....For me sound preformance matters most...I'd order from
MGM as he does set ups for free and you usually get your within 3-5 days...he has an excellent service policy too....Very knowledgable....As for me, I like to try my ukes first, just as with guitars
to see how they sound....but MGM's offer is quite enticing...As for laminates some sound pretty good and their stable in extremey weather conditions...but I prefer solid woods for the deeper sound..
but both are good......As for finishes, I like the gloss for protection....but the satins finishes retains the much of the original volume of sound....sorry no spruce for me...mahaogany all the way!!
Good Luck!!! I hope this help you in your decision...Good Luck!! MM Stan...

This forum rocks, I'm really thankful for all the responses.

I am aware of the size difference - when I went to play them the concert size did appeal as that slight increase in size seemed to give a larger voice [and if I hand my wife a uke and then pick up my f-hole mandolin which projects like thunder - a little more power in her hand is good].

I paired it with the Soprano here as `it was there' and I'm not averse to either sizes. Tenor would be too little for my daughter - but I'm not sure the Soprano/Concert sizing would be that big as issue for her and my wife might appreciate the slightly larger concert size.

While I hear the recommendations of mahogany for tradition and sound, as I'm not buying THAT expensive of a uke I guess I'm ok being a little quirky. With $1k+ guitar and mandolin already ... I realize that if someone keeps picking the uke up we'll probably end up with a $500 uke in a few years. I'm betting the mahogany instrument we buy at that price will will wildly outclass anything at this level.

I'm going to keep reading - and probably tonight run out and tray the nicer Ohanas at the local store ... as they're the best instrument repair shop in the state, they might not give it MGM's setup but they do a fine job. [I laugh at the idea of a Guitar Center setting it up, but will trust the repair shop with a Loar-era mando and pre-war Martins being repaired]. After shopping guitars over $1k, it's hard to buy online even at this price level as I realize how much `feels great in my hands' matters when we spend hundreds of hours playing.

Then it's time to spend a few evenings learning to play it well before Christmas morning. My job as the musician in the house is to play it well enough [and make it seem easy] so both of the ladies in my house feel inspired to try. Hopefully inspire them to try the `every day, 1 hour, for one year' mandolin practice habit I'm in the middle of.

Anyway - thanks to all, I'll keep reading! There's a lot more than this I'd love to know about ukes ... the rest I can search for myself as they lack the specific `this or that' of this important question.

What an awesome forum you all make together.

Looking at the lanikai ad, I don't see any mention of a case. I just scanned so could be wrong. I would trust mgm over alot of folks because of the setup and included items like the case. I got the acoustic electric tenor version of the Kala w/ case pitchpipe, setup, chordbook and free shipping. Couldn't be happier. It's plenty loud too.

Good point on the case ... tuner isn't an issue with multiple tuner here even a Peterson stroboclip.

Setup is my concern on the lanikai, really .... As it is the only seller who doesn't make that a selling point.

I'd go with the Kala....there's a lot of personal opinion tied up in which uke is for you, of course, but you can't go wrong with MGM.

I agree lol Guitar Center isn't exactly known for the best uke set-ups haha, that would be like bringing it to Wal-Mart and handing the first person you see some sandpaper and a screwdriver.

After playing guitar for 25 years, mandolin for over 5, nevermind my wife plays the fiddle ... I can assure you I can out-setup a guitar center employee.

While we both have never performed setup on a uke, I'd actually admit that and seek help

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Shopped an Ohana SK-75 that I was quite tempted by yesterday, as it was stocked at our local music repair place ... if the setup isn't perfect now, I'm sure they would adjust anything I would need. It was a lovely instrument [solid wood!] ... and while over my budget it's quite tempting.

Sure, I walked through the GC and another similar store here ... each had what I would call a defective or very low quality uke stocked among the rest [rough unsanded wood coming from under the neck joint, large gaps between the neck and body, and one that nearly drew blood on a fret. While I'd say half seemed to be in `good enough' playability - it was a clear reminder of what a good shop/setup takes care of [I'd bet those people send such low quality QC/ukes back!]