Some new Kala Elites

Production has no doubt been hurt by Covid-19 restrictions all spring and air quality issues from forest fires that took up most of the summer. And it still hasn't rained there. The new models look nice.
 
Ukecaster said:
Got an email from Kala about Elites being restocked, and some new models too. I was wondering what going on with them, as many models had been out of stock, and not many new ones at dealers.

https://kalabrand.com/collections/kala-elite-usa-ukulele
Click to expand...

Those are pricey for Kala, so it could be a hard sell for them If I was going to spend over $1,000, Kala would not be my first choice. I'm not criticizing the quality, but "Kala" has come to mean low-priced ukuleles.
 
Ukecaster said:
Got an email from Kala about Elites being restocked, and some new models too. I was wondering what going on with them, as many models had been out of stock, and not many new ones at dealers.

https://kalabrand.com/collections/kala-elite-usa-ukulele
Click to expand...

Those are pricey for Kala, so it could be a hard sell for them If I was going to spend over $1,000, Kala would not be my first choice. I'm not criticizing the quality, but "Kala" has come to mean low-priced ukuleles.
 
Jerryc41 said:
Those are pricey for Kala, so it could be a hard sell for them If I was going to spend over $1,000, Kala would not be my first choice. I'm not criticizing the quality, but "Kala" has come to mean low-priced ukuleles.
Click to expand...

I absolutely agree - it is too bad these are by Kala as some of them actually look quite nice. For these models I think they should have come up with another brand name.
 
Counter said:
I absolutely agree - it is too bad these are by Kala as some of them actually look quite nice. For these models I think they should have come up with another brand name.
Click to expand...

I'm surprised my comment got posted. It was stalled for a long time, and it gave me a warning when I tried to leave the site - still unposted.
 
They finally have more Sopranos. "Limited Run", but glad to see they are still making them occasionally.
 
Jerryc41 said:
Those are pricey for Kala, so it could be a hard sell for them If I was going to spend over $1,000, Kala would not be my first choice. I'm not criticizing the quality, but "Kala" has come to mean low-priced ukuleles.
Click to expand...

Even though it starts with a "K" it is not a "K". I agree with your observation since all the Kalas (the cheap ones) I have picked up have been just okay. $1k means a "K" uke or custom usually.

Does anyone have a direct comparison of a Kala Elite with one of the three Ks?
 
They are handmade in California and are really nothing like their import line--which can be quite good. I have compared mine with a Kanilea. It's as good. Baz (Got a Ukulele) reviewed one in 2017, and he liked it. He got one with a narrow neck, which they used to make. Mine, and the others I've seen, have a 1.5 inch nut. They're undervalued because of opinions like those expressed here, but they are not overpriced. It's a shame. Koaloha's US-made ukes aren't devalued because they also have ukes made in--wherever they're being made this year. Kala probably should have branded these with a different name, like Toyota did with Lexus. But that's the relationship between Kala and Kala Elite. Kala Elite=Lexus.
 
rainbow21 said:
Even though it starts with a "K" it is not a "K". I agree with your observation since all the Kalas (the cheap ones) I have picked up have been just okay. $1k means a "K" uke or custom usually.

Does anyone have a direct comparison of a Kala Elite with one of the three Ks?
Click to expand...

When I bought a Kala Koa Elite at HMS last year, I played it side by side with other K brands, and listened to Cory play it as well, and nothing in the thousand dollar range sounded even close to the Koa Elite. It spanked the Oha models and good. Now a certain Kanile'a Premium with cedar top and Koa back/sides whipped it, but it was over $2500. The Kanile'a almost left with me but I had to remind myself I needed a teaching ukulele and would be more healthy eating lunch for the next couple weeks.
 
I used to really want to buy a Kala Elite, but can never find a soprano in Mahogany or Koa. The Hawaiian K brands seems to make a lot of sopranos, at least I'm able to buy a soprano very easily. I wonder if this is because Kala is targeting different buyers than the K brands.
 
I would hazard to guess that Kala is changing their business model. They yanked their line from Mim, other dealer product choices seem limited.

I have 3 imported Kalas: KA-15S Soprano, KA-MG-C Concert and KA-B Baritone. They sound and play decent but the baritone excels. It's a shame that if you want an entry level Baritone from them now it has to be a Makala. The Soprano will soon be for sale as I have an all solid Cedar/Rosewood Ohana Soprano on order.
 
MJB said:
I would hazard to guess that Kala is changing their business model. They yanked their line from Mim, other dealer product choices seem limited.

I have 3 imported Kalas: KA-15S Soprano, KA-MG-C Concert and KA-B Baritone. They sound and play decent but the baritone excels. It's a shame that if you want an entry level Baritone from them now it has to be a Makala. The Soprano will soon be for sale as I have an all solid Cedar/Rosewood Ohana Soprano on order.
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I was Mim who yanked Kala from her line of ukes.
 
The Elite line holds up to the other $1k level K brands, IMO. The X brace leads to a more open sound that many prefer. Quality-wise, I think they stack up.

I believe Kala has chosen to sell more directly than through dealers. Mim mentioned it in a post, and Andrew even asked someone from Kala about it in one of their YouTube videos.
 
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Cluze said:
Yeah, it was Mim who made that decision, NOT Kala.
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Sorry, I thought I read on here somewhere that Kala was dropping some dealers and selling direct. Does anybody have a link about this?
 
I have a Dolphin that I'm very happy with and have seen some of the Elites that look quite nice and probably sound nice also. However, at the end of the day, I think you would have a hard time recouping a good portion of the original cost like you probably could with a K brand. Just saying.
 
MJB said:
Sorry, I thought I read on here somewhere that Kala was dropping some dealers and selling direct. Does anybody have a link about this?
Click to expand...

Mim actually made the post in this forum that she was dropping them due to some of their policies.

On marketing and perception, Opios and Ponos benefit from their parent K companies. It carries their reputation. The Kala Elites suffer from their association as their name is associated with cheaper and plentiful, so many potential buyers hesitate to consider them as their roots are not quality hand built ukes.
 
I can't tell you how happy I am with my Kala Elites. It's the only tenor I have kept. It plays the snot out of all the K brand tenors I have owned, including newer and vintage Kamaka, Koaloha, Kanile'a tenors both basic and high end.
I would say the only better one was a Kanile'a KSTP, which was in all ways a spectacular instrument. I guess Koaloha was louder but the Elite to my ears is much more complex and beautiful in tone, and the build is WAY more sophisticated.

The reverse fill Cuban hog MHG versions are what really light my fire, and I have both the tenor and soprano. They were wonderful deals, and I do believe that was due to the badmouthing of the brand by people who have not played these California made instruments.

That said, I do think that Kala was not picky enough on the koa they used on many Elite ukes, and the bookmatching on the front was at times lousy IMO. But some other koa Elite ukes turned out spectacular, so go figure...
 
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I'm with Tracie. Fine with me if others don't like them, it keeps the used prices down. I'd love to try the koa/cedar model.

I remember about a year ago there were a few dealers who offered huge discounts on Elites, as they just weren't selling, and the dealers wanted to liquidate their stock. Most apparently gave up on them, but probably still offer the Kala import line, which is a much easier sale.
 
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