KoAlana ukes return from KoAloha

rainbow21

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KoAloha posted photos of their "best value ukulele" on Facebook a little while ago. Includes photos of sopranos, concerts, and tenors.
 
Also on koaloha.com . Prices start at $190 for the soprano (all-laminate with gloss finish). In comparison, Kanilea Islander all-laminate ukuleles start at $150 (list price), though the finish isn't as pretty.
 
Headstock comparison...Koaloha KTM-00 vs the newer Koalana tenor. On the Koalana, I notice the tuner post locations are different, and the string spread at the nut looks wider, although I'm not sure of the nut width on the Koalana.

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It kind of looks like a knock off, which is kind of what it is. I would love to play one.
 
Because it's a laminate, the reviews will be just about the only way to know what it is like. However, for those who are interested, Trembesi, aka Monkey Pod, has about the same hardness as Mahogany but is 21% less stiff. This should translate into less "sound energy" (quieter) than Mahogany - if everything else in creating a ukulele were irrelevant. https://www.wood-database.com/monkeypod/
 
What do you folks think of the sound quality compared to other ukuleles in this price range (e.g. the Islander laminate ukuleles from Kanilea which also have a 38mm nut width)?
 
I checked one out at Good Guys in Waikiki. It was a tenor and looked very nice and seemed well made. They are strung with d'Addario Titaniums by default which had a surprisingly solid feel. The setup was good and it was a pleasure to play. It's sound was as generic as is to be expected for a uke in this price range.
 
I do not get this mish-mash of lines all under the Ko'Aloha name and logo. This can't help but cheapen the brand.

Ko'Aloha has an established premium line of Ko'Aloha ukuleles. (And super-premium & custom instruments.)

Then they introduced the "budget" line—now intermediate line—of Opio ukuleles. Which once had an ugly Opio name on the headstock directly under the Ko'Aloha logo to identify and separate them from the premium line. But, they have now subsumed the line into the Ko'Aloha name and look, without any apparent difference in logo on the headstock or label. Making it very difficult to know if it's a Ko'Aloha or an Opio.

Now, they are reintroducing a true budget line of Ko'Alana ukuleles. But still without any readily apparent visual differences between them and the higher-end models. Sure , if you're a keen uker who pays attention to uke models, you may know the differences. But, I have seen several Opio KTO Acacia ukes offered online as Ko'Aloha ukulels. And even quoted the the higher KTM-00 retail price as the original price.

Acacia Opios are nice instruments, but they do not sound like a full-fledged Koa Ko'Aloha. And there is confusion in the marketplace about them.

Now, add in Laminate Ko'Alana instruments that outwardly look similar to the premium instruments and more confusion reigns. If someone picks up a Ko'Alana and plays it, all they see is that it's a Ko'Aloha. And they will think, "There's nothing special about these," and most likely move on. This will lower the Ko'Aloha brand's reputation rather than raise the Ko'Alana's.

At the very least, it should state on the label that it's a Ko'Alana. And no, making the logo a different color or appearance is not enough. It's still the Ko'Aloha logo and brand.

IMHO it's a very confusing strategy.
 
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I have to admit...I'm one of the target audience for these new KoAlana models. I have been fortunate enough to buy five KoAloha products over these past four years of playing. The first was a Sapele Opio Tenor (love it...if I ever see someone selling the Sapele Opio Concert, I'm buying it if it is fairly priced) from Mim as a factory second. Then I bought a Koa from 2004 that was mislabeled as "Mahogany" at a second hand store (ran out the door with it for $384). That model had a bridge that was lifting, so it was sent to KoAloha and completely refinished by their "Better than the weather" warranty. And then I bought two Concert Opios here on UU...one Acacia, one Spruce/Acacia. And finally, I bought a 1st Generation Mahogany, Chinese made, KoAlana Soprano here on UU.

I love KoAlohas, period.

I'm the target buyer because I live in a place with horrible weather five to seven months of the year when it comes to humidity and care for instruments. Much of the year, my solid wood ukuleles live inside their cases and gig bags with humidifiers, and tucked away means that they don't get played while other instruments that can live out all year (Enya Nova, Flight TUSL-35) do get played all the time.

A laminate KoAlana, while still a laminate ukulele with some of the visual cues of the KoAloha models, allows me to play a KoAloha that I can drag with me into most climate conditions. I know full well that it's really no better than any other $200 laminate, but it allows me to play a laminate that hearkens to those ukuleles that I do love so very much but am limited in terms of playing time due to the realties of caring for instruments in tough climates.

I personally wish they could have kept the prices a bit lower (into Kala/Ohana territory).
 
The new Koalanas look quite different from KoAloha and there is little chance of confusion. The new Opios are another matter. They look more like classic KoAloha and you have to read small print on label to make sure what it is. However, while the old Opios had a similar sound to real KoAloha the new ones are not like that at all and sound more like generic cheap ukes. So in the past the Opio labelled ukes were a true alternative to get a KoAloha sound but now you have to buy the real thing to get that or buy used. That is disappointing for those on a budget.
 
The new Koalanas look quite different from KoAloha and there is little chance of confusion. The new Opios are another matter. They look more like classic KoAloha and you have to read small print on label to make sure what it is. However, while the old Opios had a similar sound to real KoAloha the new ones are not like that at all and sound more like generic cheap ukes. So in the past the Opio labelled ukes were a true alternative to get a KoAloha sound but now you have to buy the real thing to get that or buy used. That is disappointing for those on a budget.

I don't think there has been any change in the Opio line for the last few years (since they went away from Sapele to Acacia) other than taking away the word "Opio" on the headstock. The Opios are still constructed in the same way as the Hawaiian KoAlohas, and they have never sounded exactly the same...the Koas have always sounded better...but as I often say, if all we had was the Opio, we'd still be pretty lucky.

It's the KoAlanas after my Chinese model that became the Opio, and now KoAlana is a laminate instrument (I think the previous generation...after the name change to Opio, was short lived ands was also laminate), and that is not going to sound anything like a Koa KoAloha.
 
My first thought hearing about this was - oh hey, great, something more within my budget! But then I started thinking about it and I think I would rather save to get a used KoAloha instead of a laminate model.

Probably because I know if I got a budget laminate one I’d probably still kind of want a premium one so might as well wait :p Kind of like when you are hungry but keep eating small snacks to try and diet instead of a meal... but you end up eating more calories in snacks because they aren’t as fulfilling :rolleyes:

Maybe they are hoping people will dip their toe in with the more affordable model and then upgrade later
 
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Any more thoughts on these ? Anybody purchase one this year and have some first hand comments to share ... Thanks.
I owned a soprano for a few months early this year. I tried hard to like it and it was almost bearable when tuned up to D. But eventually I decided that I did not enjoy it and donated it to a raffle for a good cause.
 
 
I reviewed a KoAlana that I bought on a Memorial Day Sale from Aloha City Ukes.
You can see the review on my YouTube channel.
Ultimately, it is a very nice laminate ukulele that looks like a KoAloha and sounds like a Kala. I’m not 100% in love with it, but as I’ve moved quite a few of my ukuleles, I can’t quite part with it yet. Part of that is my love for the brand, though I have sold my spruce Opio concert as I didn’t love the looks or sound of that instrument. And I recently acquired (thanks to this forum) a older Sapele Opio Concert which is just lovely; I wish KoAloha would bring the Sapele and its lighter finish back.

I think most buyers would be better of spending $200 to $250 more and buying an Opio. The KoAlana, while a good laminate, is overpriced, as are many Kalas. And as you’re going to spend $225 or $250 for one of these, they aren’t cheap, and in context with instruments as a whole, the step up to the Opio isn’t that much more.
 
Thanks for that link. Good read and pretty much the kind of input I was looking for.
 
I reviewed a KoAlana that I bought on a Memorial Day Sale from Aloha City Ukes.
You can see the review on my YouTube channel.
Ultimately, it is a very nice laminate ukulele that looks like a KoAloha and sounds like a Kala. I’m not 100% in love with it, but as I’ve moved quite a few of my ukuleles, I can’t quite part with it yet. Part of that is my love for the brand, though I have sold my spruce Opio concert as I didn’t love the looks or sound of that instrument. And I recently acquired (thanks to this forum) a older Sapele Opio Concert which is just lovely; I wish KoAloha would bring the Sapele and its lighter finish back.

I think most buyers would be better of spending $200 to $250 more and buying an Opio. The KoAlana, while a good laminate, is overpriced, as are many Kalas. And as you’re going to spend $225 or $250 for one of these, they aren’t cheap, and in context with instruments as a whole, the step up to the Opio isn’t that much more.
And thanks too for your report and opinion.
 
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