Questions to owners of Kiwaya soprano ukuleles

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Brian W

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Hi all,

I am about to order a KTS-4 from Hawaii Music Supply and would be interested in hearing from current, as well as former owners of any Kiwaya soprano ukulele (laminates included). Please tell me your thoughts and opinions in regards to tone, playability, intonation, and build quality. From what I have read and heard, as sound bites online, they come very close to the sound of a vintage Martin (which is exactly what I am after), with excellent and very consistent build quality and intonation. But before I pull the trigger on this purchase, I was hoping my fellow board members would be willing to give me their thoughts and opinions. Please be honest and candid with your remarks; no sugar coating of your opinions.

Regards,
Brian
 
i heard one in person and thought it came the closest to a vintage martin that i've heard. really nice
 
Kiwaya

I have owned about four Kiwayas--a KTC-3, a Master Grade tenor, a couple of sopranos. Often discussed on UU, so a topic heading search would yield you much information, Brian. Fine to re-post, cool, in fact, but so much has been written about the Kiwayas, you owe it to yourself to heading search it on UU. Many great opinions for and against (there was an eye-opening thread some time ago about how, despite the Kiwaya love, most owners sell them...lol)./

Impeccable build. Not a flaw.

Sound NOT as good as a vintage Martin. Not just hype, because I am one of the few on here that thinks most ukes sound the same. But, not a Kiwaya--which is boxy and tight sounding, no great ring or sustain--versus a Martin, which is the opposite of all of the above. Sound files and youtube videos are notoriously incorrect representations of (for better or worse) sound. Even with time, the Kiwayas that I have experienced do not open up well. They are tight.

A Martin lover on UU once told me: if you are springing for a Kiwaya, which will lose 25% of its value immediately for any resale, why not spring the extra 25% up front for a Martin, which (if bought right) loses no value (and may appreciate over the years). Plus, it just sounds better. Why put good money into a Kiwaya.

So, although I was recently considering a trade with a respected UU'er for a Kiwaya Master just to vary my collection (showing that I don;t hate them--but I should kick myself, because I always sell them again in the end), I would not buy a Kiwaya outright new (or a new Martin, either, unless a screaming used deal). The older Martins are unique, and a Martin O from 1920-1940s can often be had on eBay or Flea MM or UU for $500 or so, with some patience (I have a 1930 Martin Style 2 coming in the mail that I scored for an extremely low price!).

Patience is the key, young Jedi.

Friend#1: Hey, I'm thinking of buying a Lexus.

Friend#2: Go for it, those are good cars. They are like a BMW.

One month later.

Friend#1: Hey, I got that Lexus.

Friend#2: It's a good car. It's not a BMW, but it's still good.

(I didn't hold back, like you asked, Brian. LOL)

(I love HMS--must have bought 8 ukes from them, including two past Kiwayas. They are the bomb)
 
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I'm the said UUer who was going to trade his Kiwaya to Coolkayaker ;) I agree with everything said above. I did love my Kiwayas but it might say a lot that I ended up selling them. You just can't beat a vintage Martin. I'd also say the new Martins sound better than most Kiwayas. They're obviously much more expensive though. I would say if you don't already have one spend the money you were going to spend on a KTS4 on a vintage style 0. You can get one around the same price with a bit of looking. I also agree about the Kiwayas losing value. All mine were sold for way less than I bought them. Martins tend to stay the same or go up in value.

In short. I agree! Buy Martin!!
 
coolkayaker1 said:
Mattyukaholic, my friend, has given honest opinions; I, too, sold all my Kiwayas at a loss (and although we think we'll never, ever sell, we often do). The statement you make above is dead on, too.
Click to expand...

Thanks Steve. I loved my Kiwayas but when I tried a new Martin 3 mahogany I thought 'Woah! That's what a new ukulele is supposed to sound like!' The Martins sound so open and have a depth to them missing in Kiwayas. I loved my Kiwayas but I love my Martins more.
 
The KS-5 made me realize that sopranos are my perfect size. The thing I've noticed about my Kiwaya is that the action is so freaking low that it makes it extremely easy to play. Where I had trouble making bar chords on my concert sized ukes, it's not a problem at all on the KS-5. How are vintage Martins in that department? I know they can setup by a luthier, but in general, what's the playability like? Do you have to be careful how hard you press the strings for fear of notes going sharp? Things like that?
 
I agree with Steve and Matty. Their descriptions of the tonal differences are spot on. Every time I have has a Kiwaya in my hands, I've wanted it to sound as good as a Martin. They just haven't to my ears, although I think you could certainly do worse. In fact, just speaking for myself (and apparently Steve and Matty) nothing compared to the sound of a vintage Martin in the soprano scale.

Collings is a different story as far as ukes that get compared to Martins go. While a concert sized Collings does not sound like a vintage Martin concert, as it is purported to, I don't think the Collings suffers by comparison.
 
hmgberg said:
Collings is a different story as far as ukes that get compared to Martins go. While a concert sized Collings does not sound like a vintage Martin concert, as it is purported to, I don't think the Collings suffers by comparison.
Click to expand...

That is accurate from my experience, too, Howard. Good point. Yes.
 
Agreed with most of the points but i still think the kiwaya laminates KS-5 and KS-6 are incredible value. IMO some of the best $200 soprano ukes available on the market. I have a ks-6 and i would not trade that for most sopranos twice the price, now three or four times the price... hmmmmm probably ;-)
Bill
 
coolkayaker1 said:
I have owned about four Kiwayas--a KTC-3, a Master Grade tenor, a couple of sopranos. Often discussed on UU, so a topic heading search would yield you much information, Brian. Fine to re-post, cool, in fact, but so much has been written about the Kiwayas, you owe it to yourself to heading search it on UU. Many great opinions for and against (there was an eye-opening thread some time ago about how, despite the Kiwaya love, most owners sell them...lol)./

Impeccable build. Not a flaw.

Sound NOT as good as a vintage Martin. Not just hype, because I am one of the few on here that thinks most ukes sound the same. But, not a Kiwaya--which is boxy and tight sounding, no great ring or sustain--versus a Martin, which is the opposite of all of the above. Sound files and youtube videos are notoriously incorrect representations of (for better or worse) sound. Even with time, the Kiwayas that I have experienced do not open up well. They are tight.

A Martin lover on UU once told me: if you are springing for a Kiwaya, which will lose 25% of its value immediately for any resale, why not spring the extra 25% up front for a Martin, which (if bought right) loses no value (and may appreciate over the years). Plus, it just sounds better. Why put good money into a Kiwaya.

So, although I was recently considering a trade with a respected UU'er for a Kiwaya Master just to vary my collection (showing that I don;t hate them--but I should kick myself, because I always sell them again in the end), I would not buy a Kiwaya outright new (or a new Martin, either, unless a screaming used deal). The older Martins are unique, and a Martin O from 1920-1940s can often be had on eBay or Flea MM or UU for $500 or so, with some patience (I have a 1930 Martin Style 2 coming in the mail that I scored for an extremely low price!).

Patience is the key, young Jedi.

Friend#1: Hey, I'm thinking of buying a Lexus.

Friend#2: Go for it, those are good cars. They are like a BMW.

One month later.

Friend#1: Hey, I got that Lexus.

Friend#2: It's a good car. It's not a BMW, but it's still good.

(I didn't hold back, like you asked, Brian. LOL)

(I love HMS--must have bought 8 ukes from them, including two past Kiwayas. They are the bomb)
Click to expand...


Coolkayaker1,

Thank you for your honest feedback, this is exactly the review I was hoping to get. Also a great and entertaining read as we'll ;). I agree with you about HMS: I have bought from them before and will buy from them again. Great customer service.

-Brian
 
Can I ask you experts, what uke comes closest to an old Martin soprano sound (w/o the same $$$)?
 
Brian, just to be clear, Martin does not make a style O any more, which is what the KTS-4 is based on, with a fretboard that ends at 12th fret. The KTS-5&6 and all the new Martins have fb's that extend to the sound hole. Other's have said the KTS-4 is very close sounding to a style O, and I would have to agree, judging from the ones I've played. I played a KTS-4 and compared it to a KTS-5. The 4 seemed considerably more open and clear sounding to me. Intonation on a uke doesn't get any better than a Kiwaya. Resale value is another consideration if your a horse trader like many are.

Like other's have said though, the KTS-4 is still the price of a excellent condition vintage style 0. I've seen some very nice style 0's sell in the 450 range over the last couple months.
 
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Skinny Money McGee said:
Brian, just to be clear, Martin does not make a style O any more, which is what the KTS-4 is based on, with a fretboard that ends at 12th fret. The KTS-5&6 and all the new Martins have fb's that extend to the sound hole. Other's have said the KTS-4 is very close sounding to a style O, and I would have to agree, judging from the ones I've played. I played a KTS-4 and compared it to a KTS-5. The 4 seemed considerably more open and clear sounding to me. Intonation on a uke doesn't get any better than a Kiwaya. Resale value is another consideration if your a horse trader like many are.

Like other's have said though, the KTS-4 is still the price of a excellent condition vintage style 0. I've seen some very nice style 0's sell in the 450 range over the last couple months.
Click to expand...

Thank you for your feedback. I actually prefer a 12 fret soprano, as apposed to a 15 or 17 fret fingerboard; beyond 12, the frets become a little too narrow for me. I am not too concerned about resale, as I like to hold onto my guitars and ukes--especially if they are good players.
 
I have a KTS-4 and it is a great uke. It is a Martin clone , sounds great , not exactly like a vintage Martin but what does ? I'm a 12 fret guy too , I really don't like extended fretboards.
The action may be a bit lower than a vintage Martin. I don't think you can find a better built ukulele for the money.
 
I have a Kiwaya KS-0P thin-body pineapple uke. It's one of my three favorite ukes. (My other faves are a 2004 Kamaka standard and a circa 1950 Martin Style 0).

The sound of my Kiwaya is open and rich, with great sustain (especially for a soprano). It's set up perfectly. The neck's got a great, comfortable shape. Excellent intonation; great tuners. I love my Kiwaya---it's sitting in my lap as I type.

As for the horse-trading talk, I bought my Kiwaya used from a Craigslist seller. It was a terrific deal---after just a few weeks playing my KS-0P, I felt I'd already gotten my money's worth. If resale value is a concern, consider a used Kiwaya. Finding a good deal on a used Kiwaya shouldn't take too much more patience and luck than finding a good deal on a used Martin, and you could get a great uke for maybe a couple hundred less dollars.
 
Could you tell us how your Kiwaya sounds compared to your Martin Style 0 ?
TheOnlyUkeThatMatters said:
I have a Kiwaya KS-0P thin-body pineapple uke. It's one of my three favorite ukes. (My other faves are a 2004 Kamaka standard and a circa 1950 Martin Style 0).

The sound of my Kiwaya is open and rich, with great sustain (especially for a soprano). It's set up perfectly. The neck's got a great, comfortable shape. Excellent intonation; great tuners. I love my Kiwaya---it's sitting in my lap as I type.

As for the horse-trading talk, I bought my Kiwaya used from a Craigslist seller. It was a terrific deal---after just a few weeks playing my KS-0P, I felt I'd already gotten my money's worth. If resale value is a concern, consider a used Kiwaya. Finding a good deal on a used Kiwaya shouldn't take too much more patience and luck than finding a good deal on a used Martin, and you could get a great uke for maybe a couple hundred less dollars.
Click to expand...
 
I have had 2 Kiwaya ukes, KTS-7 and 6, played a few others. The 7 went to a friend in the north of my state, and the 6 resides with me now since around '07-'08. The 7 was sold only because of the look, not a style-3 fan with the parend and stripe down the fb. I was as impressed with the KTS-7 as much as with the current KTS-6, but redundancy and all..

I was noting to a friend the other day that the Kiwaya is the perfect uke. While I'm not an expert, and there's really no compelling reason for anyone to take my opinions to heart, it's my observation that the build is as perfect and precise as one would want, it's built lighter than the new Martin style-2(had one for a few days..), and the sound is... well, perfect for a uke. The playability in the last 6-7 years with nothing been done to it is, for me, perfect. I have a few others, Martin, Glyph, Gibson, Newton, a real sweet little Miami, all of them soprano but the Glyph-mezzo soprano, one of the Martins is a taropatch, and a Newton also taropatch, so concert scale for those --so I have a lot to compare to, but again, the previous posters may be better judges.

One of the reasons someone would prefer an older Martin is mainly because it's old. Some people really prefer either vintage or custom, they sound good, for the most part, and usually have nice playability. Sound? So subjective, but as a new buyer (you), please keep in mind that the short scale and small box, along with the nylon string thing, is not real conducive to sustain, and it shouldn't be. It's no guitar with steel strings meant to go on forever. Though in the "sustain" dept., the KTS-6 as well as the 7 are equal/as nice/better to any of the others if that's of concern.

But back to the Kiwaya, right now you can probably find your KTS-4 for the same or even more than a Martin style 0, so perhaps a Martin would be best if you're a vintage fan. But make no mistake, the Kiwaya KTS is one of the finest "production" ukes you will find.
 
Neal said:
I have had 2 Kiwaya ukes, KTS-7 and 6, played a few others. The 7 went to a friend in the north of my state, and the 6 resides with me now since around '07-'08. The 7 was sold only because of the look, not a style-3 fan with the parend and stripe down the fb. I was as impressed with the KTS-7 as much as with the current KTS-6, but redundancy and all..

I was noting to a friend the other day that the Kiwaya is the perfect uke. While I'm not an expert, and there's really no compelling reason for anyone to take my opinions to heart, it's my observation that the build is as perfect and precise as one would want, it's built lighter than the new Martin style-2(had one for a few days..), and the sound is... well, perfect for a uke. The playability in the last 6-7 years with nothing been done to it is, for me, perfect. I have a few others, Martin, Glyph, Gibson, Newton, a real sweet little Miami, all of them soprano but the Glyph-mezzo soprano, one of the Martins is a taropatch, and a Newton also taropatch, so concert scale for those --so I have a lot to compare to, but again, the previous posters may be better judges.

One of the reasons someone would prefer an older Martin is mainly because it's old. Some people really prefer either vintage or custom, they sound good, for the most part, and usually have nice playability. Sound? So subjective, but as a new buyer (you), please keep in mind that the short scale and small box, along with the nylon string thing, is not real conducive to sustain, and it shouldn't be. It's no guitar with steel strings meant to go on forever. Though in the "sustain" dept., the KTS-6 as well as the 7 are equal/as nice/better to any of the others if that's of concern.

But back to the Kiwaya, right now you can probably find your KTS-4 for the same or even more than a Martin style 0, so perhaps a Martin would be best if you're a vintage fan. But make no mistake, the Kiwaya KTS is one of the finest "production" ukes you will find.
Click to expand...

Hi Neal,

Thank you for your honest assessment and rather compelling review of Kiwaya ukuleles. From what you and others have said, I will be definitely be putting my order in for the KTS-4 at HMS. When I receive my new soprano, I start a thread with my review of the ukulele.

- Brian
 
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