Sporin
Well-known member
Kala KA-STG from Hawaii Music Supply, setup with Worth Brown Low G strings and the K&K Twin Spot pickup.
First impression is that it's very light, definitely lighter than the older Islander laminate that it replaced.
The glossy finish is flawless, and assembly and over all fit and finish appears to be perfect as well. No wonky gaps or extra glue. The laminate mahogany back and sides has a really lovely grain and a very warm color. The solid spruce top looks so "clean" (that's the best word I can think of). The black and white accents really set the bright spruce and the rich mahogany colors off perfectly.
And the SOUND!!! Wow! I had a pretty good idea of what to expect going in but it really is incredible sounding, you can really feel and hear that top vibrating.
HMS's setup is, as expected, excellent, with easy playing up and down the neck. I love the strings (had them on my other uke) and they seem to strike a nice balance with the spruce top. The sounds is rich but not brash. It's actually quite loud.
I'll have to get my amp out to see how the pickup works but I'm sure it's great. HMS's pickup video was really helpful in helping me choose.
This is only my 3rd Uke, so despite my compulsiveness for potential UAS, my limited funds have kept me in check.
I enjoyed my Islander but wanted to step up to a solid top. The tie bridge and narrower neck were also things I was looking for in my next uke.
After much research, and after all the great reviews of the new Kala's, this was my pick. Price was very reasonable and I sold my Islander quickly making the order happen asap.
Pictures!
First impression is that it's very light, definitely lighter than the older Islander laminate that it replaced.
The glossy finish is flawless, and assembly and over all fit and finish appears to be perfect as well. No wonky gaps or extra glue. The laminate mahogany back and sides has a really lovely grain and a very warm color. The solid spruce top looks so "clean" (that's the best word I can think of). The black and white accents really set the bright spruce and the rich mahogany colors off perfectly.
And the SOUND!!! Wow! I had a pretty good idea of what to expect going in but it really is incredible sounding, you can really feel and hear that top vibrating.
HMS's setup is, as expected, excellent, with easy playing up and down the neck. I love the strings (had them on my other uke) and they seem to strike a nice balance with the spruce top. The sounds is rich but not brash. It's actually quite loud.
I'll have to get my amp out to see how the pickup works but I'm sure it's great. HMS's pickup video was really helpful in helping me choose.
This is only my 3rd Uke, so despite my compulsiveness for potential UAS, my limited funds have kept me in check.
I enjoyed my Islander but wanted to step up to a solid top. The tie bridge and narrower neck were also things I was looking for in my next uke.
After much research, and after all the great reviews of the new Kala's, this was my pick. Price was very reasonable and I sold my Islander quickly making the order happen asap.
Pictures!