Which beginner Uke? Kala vs Luna

anorak

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Hi. I’d appreciate opinions on which ukulele to buy. I’m a total beginner and have narrowed my search to two at my local Guitar Center - the Luna Vintage Mahogany Soprano and the Kala KA-15S Mahogany Soprano. I understand at this price point this is only entry level, but I am only going to record at home with it (no live performances) so I’m really interested in the best sounding and most durable instrument of the two. Does anyone have any experience with either to help me compare? Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer. I am not familiar with either brand as I'm very new to ukuleles. Thanks.
 
There is a clear path here: You need to go in and try both of them and decide which you like better. No one's opinion on this forum will be as valuable as actually trying them so that you can hear the sound and feel how it plays.
 
I agree you should try both. From experience and impartial reviews, Kala has a reputation for making higher-quality instruments, but I know several people with Lunas who really like them. I have a Makala concert (Kala's entry-level brand) I bought used and I really like it, FWIW.
 
My first ukulele was a lower model Kala and I loved it. I've heard some negative reviews on Lunas in the past, but maybe they've improved. As was mentioned, give them both a try and see what you think.
 
Thanks so much everyone. My local Guitar Center doesn't have them in stock unfortunately - they have to be shipped. But your advice has been very helpful. I was leaning towards the Kala and still am. Thank you all.
 
I have a Kala and a Luna. They are very similar in quality. My Luna was bought with a setup, and plays like a dream. The Kala was shipped right from the manufacturer, and was set up surprisingly well from the factory. I say go with the one the strikes your fancy, which seems to be the Kala.
 
Setup, setup, SETUP! Either one will be a great starter uke and you should find a way to play them both. But most importantly, get some assurance that the price includes a setup. You want to make sure it's 'buzz free' and otherwise free of defects or anything that would reduce your enjoyment of playing. You didn't indicate in your profile where you live, but if your near any city of a reasonable size, check out the local music stores. Regardless of whether they are a chain or a single private shop, you should get plenty of opportunity to try them out.

If your more of a (minor) risk taker, check out the ukes at Mims. She has very reasonable priced instruments AND does a full setup regardless of price. She also offeres B-Stock ukes at an extra discount. FWIW, I've purchased two Ohana uke from her and with her setup they play like the ukes at twice the price.

Congrats on your decision to join the "flock" :)

Here's a link to her current ( 01/04/2020 ) B-Stock... do a sort on price, low to high. The photo's she offers are the actual instrument you'd receive.

https://www.mimsukes.com/?condition=b-stock&make=ohana&page=2&sort=price|asc
 
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If your more of a (minor) risk taker, check out the ukes at Mims. She has very reasonable priced instruments AND does a full setup regardless of price. She also offeres B-Stock ukes at an extra discount. FWIW, I've purchased two Ohana uke from her and with her setup they play like the ukes at twice the price.
There is a lot to be said for supporting your local economy, but if you're having something shipped anyway, then this is a no-brainer. Get it from Mim. There is no risk. It *will* be well setup and ready to go out of the box.
 
Let us know what you buy!
 
I also say check with Mim. She recommended a Kala KAATP-CTG-CE tenor solid cedar top with laminate acacia koa body and ever since, I consider it one my best sounding ukes (I have 9). Mim is one of the best people to buy from, full setup and stands behind everything she sells.


This is Michael Kohan in Los Angeles, Beverly West near the Beverly Center
9 tenor cutaway ukes, 5 acoustic bass ukes, 11 solid body bass ukes, 14 mini electric bass guitars (Total: 39)

• Donate to The Ukulele Kids Club, they provide ukuleles to children in hospital music therapy programs. www.theukc.org
• Member The CC Strummers: YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/CCStrummers/video, Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheCCStrummers
 
I'd also say Kala, I had a KA-S, it was a really good uke, I just didn't get on with soprano scale - I bought a long neck (concert scale) soprano, the KA-SLNG, & still regularly grab it up for a quick tune - & I have several higher priced ukes in my collection to choose from. :)
 
Thank you all so much. What an amazing group! I've been educating myself about ukulele set ups! Full disclosure - while I am completely new to ukes, I am a guitar player so I have some comfort level with adjusting the instrument to suit my playability preferences. Thank you all again.
 
You have gotten plenty of good advice already, but just to muddy the waters let me toss out what I wish I had done as a beginner last summer. I think practicing a lot is key and a key to practicing a lot is having a uke close at hand a lot of the time -- around the house, in the car, out on the patio, whatever. So if I was starting out, I would buy one of the "robust" ukes from Enya or Outdoor Ukulele:

https://forum.ukuleleunderground.co...64-Enya-Nova-U-Carbon-Travel-Ukulele-REVIEWED

https://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/showthread.php?132223-Outdoor-Ukulele-Soprano
 
Buy from a reputable ukulele dealer like Mim or Uke Republic. You will get a better instrument that has been gone over by a professional. If you buy from Guitar Center, no one who plays ukulele has actually looked at the instrument before it was shipped to you.
 
NOT Luna.. please, please PLEASE not Luna
 
NOT Luna.. please, please PLEASE not Luna

Please elaborate. I have seen some kids perform with Lunas, and I looked at some in stores and was not impressed by the sound, but I'm also not a Kala fan by any means. But at least Kala is the biggest manufacturer of ukes as far as I know, as any uke store I have been to had quite a selection of them hanging around. So they must be doing something right.
 
I don't own a Luna, but I have tried them in local stores. All of them felt over-built and dull sounding and poorly setup out-of-the-box. For a cheap ukulele, I would rather go with Kala or Flight or Enya. Some of these are over-built and dull-sounding as well, but the factory setup and playability is always better than average for this price range.
 
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