Is this MGM a solid top or laminate?

I'm guessing that since it does not say solid, it is laminate, but I do not know. Thanks in advance. http://cgi.ebay.com/KALA-MANGO-CONC...16224QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1713.m153.l1262

Not a solid top, you need to step up about 200 bucks to a pono if you want solid mango.

hey bro i think the mahogany is solid (top). and the curly mango (sides and back.) are laminates.

thesoobz said:

hey bro i think the mahogany is solid (top). and the curly mango (sides and back.) are laminates.

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The top of that ukulele is not mahogany. The entire ukulele is made of laminated mango. Still a sweet uke, though. Kala laminates are great sounding, well, priced, durable first ukes.

Only the bindings are mahogany.

Thanks again for the info. I actually bought a $79.00 Kala, but it came USPS with the neck broke off. I glued it back on and as a newbie I got some tuning practice in right off the bat. I have been using it for a couple of weeks but I think I might have do overs on my first uke. Not sure if I want to go with a solid wood (or wood top) or laminate though, whatever I pick I'm going to make sure it comes in a hard case rather then a gig bag.

MGM is pretty good about identifying solid tops, usually in the title, but sometimes in the description. As he told me, if he doesn't say SOLID, it isn't.

I really prefer solid versus laminates. You can hear the difference. The only ukes I think can really be laminate without too much concern are the plastic-backed ones (i.e., Flea, Fluke, Applause).

I have a mango, BTW, but it's solid. It's quite beautiful but a very different sound from mahogany or spruce.

See my comments at www.ianchadwick.com/essays/ukuleles.htm

ichadwick, thanks for sharing your thoughts & the write up, some good info there. For me since I am totally new and because I work with wood as a hobby I will be leaning towards a soprano or concert uke with nice wood grain appearance rather then the ideal sound, if good sound comes with then great I have read nothing but good things about the Fluke & Flea but plastic just does not appeal to me, so for now those are out. Any way I live about 2 ours inland from the California coast line & there is not much humidity here but we do have a dry high heat about 3 months out of the year so I may need to think about that if choosing a solid uke.