Best Newbie Thread EVER (a must-read)

Which Makala Uke?

  • MK-T

    Votes: 5 29.4%
  • MK-C

    Votes: 12 70.6%

  • Total voters
    17

Jjjackkk

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Hey bros and bro-ettes, I'm a totally new uker or whatever you call it and, this may come as a complete shock to you, but I need help in deciding which ukulele will take my uke virginity. Luckily I've narrowed it down to two;

Makala MK-T http://www.giggear.co.uk/p/makala-mk-t-tenor-ukulele/
Or Makala MK-C http://www.brightonguitars.co.uk/kala-mk-c?language=en&currency=GBP

so basically can't choose between concert or tenor. I've been playing guitar for about 4 years if that's relevant. Also, I would appreciate not bringing up any other ukes unless they are made by Jesus as I'm pretty much set on these two. Thanks.
 
hey Jack

well, it seems as though they're exactly the same specs-wise, except for the difference in scale length...the concert being the shorter. If you've been a guitar player the tenor may be an easier transition for you to begin with, although it's all about personal preference...I've played guitar for over 20 years and prefer sopranos, which are the shortest scaled ukes of all...

can you try one out in a local music shop??? Any concert or tenor would do...just to give you an idea of the difference in feel between each one. Either way you'll be fine mate

Oh, and I heard Jesus likes Ohana's, Kala's, and Lanikai's

But He loves and endorses Mya Moe's and Collings...just sayin he he
 
Nothing in them apart from the size. If you play guitar, the Tenor will be easier and is a popular size. The concert though is more "ukulele" if you know what I mean?
 
Thanks eugene, my friend has a soprano so I'll try that out tomorrow just to get a rough estimate of how big the others would feel.

With regards to bazmaz's comment about the concert being more ukulele (I do know what you mean), and this may seem like I'm being rude by pointing out the obvious, but I kinda want whichever one I get to be more ukulele, or else I'd just buy another guitar :p Plus the concert is cheaper and and more portable. The only thing that keeps drawing me back to the tenor is its warm tone and the fact that it seems to be popular with some of my favourite musicians. Do you think the longer neck would make that much of a difference?
 
The longer scale length and neck of the tenor makes a huge difference to me and I too like the warmer, mellower, fuller sound they give, but if you want the most "ukulele" ukulele then soprano is the only choice to my mind, being the very epitome of ukulele.
 
My son was in your situation and thought he preferred concert, then tenor...he finally settled in with tenor as his uke "size of choice." Without the guitar background and with smaller hands, I settled on the concert....although I still play all sizes. If you can, you may need to hold them and play them as best you can for more than a minute, which is what a lot of new uke shoppers do. Makala a nice little starter uke and you can always upgrade the tuners some day.
 
i agree with river driver if you get into playing the uke you will buy a range of ukes in different sizes and colours and woods so just buy whichever one takes your fancy, i guarantee you will buy the other size anyway, before long
 
I have ukes of all sizes, and still prefer concert size more than any other (with the exception of my ohana vita, but I'm pretty sure Jesus isn't a very common name in China, so that's out). If you still want more warmth, you could always get it set up with a low G. It's not typical for concert scale, but it can be done, and the former guitarists I play with seem to have more of a problem with high re-entrant tuning than size.
 
I used to be allergic to tenor, but it turns out I'd just not yet played one that was properly set up. I prefer concert, but I'm not longer as allergic to tenor as I used to be.

I got a Makala concert for my mother-in-law a couple years back, and from my few days worth of test drive, I thought shoot, I'll have it if she doesn't want it! :)
 
You mention more ukulele...you mean in terms of traditional hawaiian sound the way it was meant to sound...if so, the soprano is your choice...nothing like one to learn and play on...it has a
distinctive old hawaiiian sound..well depends what brand you choose too... yes the concerts tenors and baritones..have the fullness and warmth...to each his own bro...personal preference
I would play them first and choose...buying sight unseen could lead to disaster... and our opinions too... choose from your heart and ears man....Good luck ...happy Strummings..
 
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I have both and in fact also the baritone

I tend to like the concert better because its just as easy for me to play as a tenor. Even easier in fact because I have small hands. The Tenor on the other hand could be even tuned DGBE like a baritone if you wanted. Its a very large instrument as the body is quite deep.
 
I don't own a Tenor yet although I played with it before. Personally I prefer Sopra and Concert although the Concert gets played more often. :D
 
With these two ukes it only comes down to the size you like. Makala is a GREAT uke for the money, can't go wrong with either!! I have a Makala Concert and love to play it.
 
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