Is it really worth spending X amount of dollars on a kamaka tenor when apparently the koa pili koko tenor resembles the beauty and tone of a kamaka....except at half the price??? Im ready to take it to the next level as an ukulele enthusiast - but as a mother cant help feeling guilty for wanting to spend that amount of money on myself (rather than my babies)....will i be satisfied with the koa pili koko? or is the kamaka a guilty pleasure worth investing in??? whats a girl to do???
KAMAKA Vs KOA PILI KOKO???
- Thread starter meletui
- Start date
Kanaka916
Well-known member
Refer to this thread regarding KPK vs Hawaiian Koa Ukes. This may or may not answer your question. KPK ukes were designed by Casey Moore (Keli'i Ukulele) and manufactured overseas. The wood used is an acacia and not the local koa found in Hawai'i. IMO, if you can afford one the K's (Kamaka, Kanile'a, KoAloha, Ko'olau), get one.
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thejumpingflea
Well-known member
I own a Kamaka and I must say that the quality, build and sound is well worth the price. Kamaka's are top of the line factory ukes.
wickedwahine11
Well-known member
It is tough to say...nobody knows your budget as well as you. I had a Kala and it was a fine instrument, perfectly good, and I know lots of people love them. But I had my heart set on a Kanile'a and I knew that I was never going to be satisfied with the Kala. Not because it wasn't a quality instrument, but because it wasn't the one I had my heart set on.
In this economy, I certainly don't want to tell anyone to spend a thousand bucks on a Kamaka if they can't afford it. But only you know how bad you want it. If you will be totally content with the KPK great. But in the back of your mind, you will always be longing for the Kamaka, I say that is the one you should get. Don't do anything to harm your family's survival, but if it is just a question of whether you are "worth it" or "deserve it," I say you should hold out for the Kamaka. Otherwise, you might buy the KPK, be unhappy and end up buying the Kamaka anyway.
In this economy, I certainly don't want to tell anyone to spend a thousand bucks on a Kamaka if they can't afford it. But only you know how bad you want it. If you will be totally content with the KPK great. But in the back of your mind, you will always be longing for the Kamaka, I say that is the one you should get. Don't do anything to harm your family's survival, but if it is just a question of whether you are "worth it" or "deserve it," I say you should hold out for the Kamaka. Otherwise, you might buy the KPK, be unhappy and end up buying the Kamaka anyway.
haole
Well-known member
You'll like the KPK. They look and sound great, and the price is reasonable. But as you said, the Kamaka is an investment. They're made in Hawai'i in far smaller quantities than Chinese-made ukes, and the prices rise to reflect the price of koa. With that said, if you buy a Kamaka, it'll always be worth money. If you regret the purchase, you can turn around and sell it and get a good chunk of money back. 
Check out Keli'i/Keilani ukuleles as a happy medium. They're made in Hawai'i out of solid koa (Koa Pili Koko is their inexpensive import line), but generally priced a lot cheaper than Kamakas. And they sound awesome. Bounty Music has them on their website, and the tenor is about $600, or $400 cheaper than the Kamaka.
Check out Keli'i/Keilani ukuleles as a happy medium. They're made in Hawai'i out of solid koa (Koa Pili Koko is their inexpensive import line), but generally priced a lot cheaper than Kamakas. And they sound awesome. Bounty Music has them on their website, and the tenor is about $600, or $400 cheaper than the Kamaka.
If you can afford the Kamaka, get it. I have a kamaka 8-string tenor that I almost sold and I'm very glad that I didn't. I have two other ukes,a kala 6-string and a lanikai tenor. I love those two ukes too, but everytime I pickup my Kamaka, I can't help being glad I didn't sell it.:bowdown:
