K-brand disappointment......

808boy

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Aloha,
Visited friends for Thanksgiving and brought several of my ukes for a little entertainment. Sang songs while playing my Solid Koa, Slotted Headstock, Double Puka, Deluxe Tenor Mele Ukulele which I absolutely love everything about it.
Later, I was shown a Kamaka which was purchased at a garage sale for $3.00(damn, why can't I find deals like that). It was a gold label Tenor with a "Sail type" headstock in good condition. I tuned it and played a song. Sorry to say that I was disappointed in its performance and playability. The neck was fat and the fret board wide. The sound was so,so. I wasn't impressed at all.
I talked to UU's Kamaka Guru mm Stan and he agreed those Kamakas were hit and miss. I guess I played a miss one.
Anyone had similar experience with any K-brand?
My Mele blew it out of the water.................BO...............
 
I wish.... but then again I don't really care for the K-brands.(don't kill me) Have you played a kamaka besides that one though?

I have. I loved my kamaka but i still love my Mele more...hence the reason why i still own a mele and not a kamaka. Now my koaloha is a totally different story.
 
The older Kamakas may just need a good 'set up' job? I have one & to be honest, I think IT could ALSO sound a lot better (compared to my other ukes), tho I will change the strings to Aquila first - so next time I go to my luthier, I will take it with him & ask him to 'tweak' it.

cheers
Roberta
 
I was real happy playing my new Kanilea until I got home and restarted to play my Collings.

The Kanilea still sounds fine and good and all that; but the Collings got in my hands and they don't want to go.
 
Could it be that the Kamaka just needed some new strings? If it was picked up at a garage sale for $3.00 it probably wasn't being cared for.
 
Neck and fret board feel are gonna be a bit subjective I think. One of the reasons I love my Kanile'a is the wide fret board.
 
some things you can work on like set up and stings...as for fret board width and neck thickness...nope... it's all personal preference...that's why they are different options... I have a rare
thin neck one....
 
Old Kamakas are indeed hit or miss. But I haven't been disappointed by any of the K brands that I have owned...and as a hoarder, that'd be quite a few of them. As for Meles, I do have a Mele tenor too, that I bought for $50 from someone leaving the island. It had a crack on the front, and was beat to death. So I super glued that crack, restrung it with DAddarios, and currently leave it propped up against a table in the living room. I don't take care of it at all, but holy cow, it sounds great every time I play it. Lightweight, responsive, just a winning uke. Best $50 I have ever spent on a four stringed instrument. :)
 
Old Kamakas are indeed hit or miss. But I haven't been disappointed by any of the K brands that I have owned...and as a hoarder, that'd be quite a few of them. As for Meles, I do have a Mele tenor too, that I bought for $50 from someone leaving the island. It had a crack on the front, and was beat to death. So I super glued that crack, restrung it with DAddarios, and currently leave it propped up against a table in the living room. I don't take care of it at all, but holy cow, it sounds great every time I play it. Lightweight, responsive, just a winning uke. Best $50 I have ever spent on a four stringed instrument. :)

That is a deal...I have a mainland red cedar that i got for the same price and it was cracked. It is my uke that i take everywhere I don't want to take my nicer ukes. To me the best beater uke is a quality beater uke:)
 
Strings, I agree may help the tone quality but the feel of the neck and fret board to me is horrible. As far as the wide neck, I also have a 6-string Mele, Double Puka with a wide fret board and I'm okay with it but it does have a thinner neck than that Kamaka. As far as playing other Kamakas, I have and it was as expected.
The uke is in good shape and worth way more than $3.00 but for me to "try then buy", I wouldn't at fair market value but would at $3.00 to resell..............................BO.......................
 
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