Kiwaya KS5 Soprano uke

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girevikdavid

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Oakland, OR USA
price drop $275.00

This is a beautiful Kiwaya KS5 #441, with an Ohana hard shell case. The uke is made with extremely thin laminated koa body, solid mahogany neck with 15 fret rosewood fingerboard, maple bridge with compensated saddle, gold friction pegs with white buttons. It's strung with Martin strings. If you appreciate really precision workmanship and a cool soprano sound you will really love this uke. It is in totally mint condition with no marks whatsoever. I developed a severe hand tremor and can't play any longer.
Bought the uke for $375 and case for $67, and will sell both with shipping to continental US for $300.00.
Thanks for looking.
 

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my goodness. No interest? This is a beautiful high quality Japanese uke at I think a good price. Plus you can take it on an airplane :)
 
I agree Its a nice deal. I would have jumped on this if I already did not have a beautiful kiwaya that could pass for a vintage Martin...
 
My laminated Kiwaya is on a par with some of the finest high end instruments. This is a great ukulele. Kiwaya ukes have a level of care in their construction that surpasses almost any production uke.
 
I had an entirely incorrect picture of laminates. I imagined your typical low end plywood clunker. I have a good friend who is a world renown (no exaggeration) luthier who explained to me that very high end classical and flamenco guitars frequently are laminated to give strength to a very thin soundboard. I mean instruments in the 5-8k price range. I was shocked to learn that the laminates are frequently as thin as a piece of paper. I rather suspect this is the case with the Kiwaya. Live and learn :)
 
Good for you, Julie, if you got it. I had one just like it and it's amazing. I wish I didn't sell it.
 
@coolkayaker1 I've asked to buy it. Just waiting for confirmation so I can pay him :)
 
So Julie....DO you like it?!...

I played one today in the store and it was the best sounding soprano I had EVER played!! :)
______________________________________________________________________________

julie said:
Sold, hope to receive it soon.
Click to expand...
 
I absolutely love the KS-5. I recently bought a 1950's Martin Style 2 from Elderly and ended up returning it because to my ears and fingers it just didn't sound or play that much better than the KS-5.
 
So Julie, are you still lovin your KS-5?. I sure wish I could get the extra bucks for one. It has incredible sound and playability. THE best sounding Soprano, ever!! (to my ears at least) Enjoy!! Mario :)
 
Mario,

Yes, I still love it. It's my favorite out of all my ukes including my custom ones. I'm almost tempted to by another one as a backup.
I see you have a KTS-4. You still prefer the KS-5? I briefly had a KTS-7. I traded it. It wasn't as easy to play as the KS-5 :)
 
Hi Julie!

The KTS-4 was the very first Kiwaya I bought. Before someone introduced me to Kiwaya, I did not even know they existed. But with this one, I discovered high quality lutherie crafstmanship and beautiful full sound until I discovered the KS-5 at a local music store and absolutely was struck by lightning!...litterally. AMAZING clear and bright and full sound just like I had always been looking for eversince I started playing the Ukulele in 1998. BUT I already had a KTS-4....changed the strings to Ken Middleton's Clear Water Strings and they very much improved the clarity of the sound. But honestly, NOTHING beats that KS-5 for the clear/full sound!! Maybe not so much the looks and the varnish...but WHAT a sound!!! and playability. I just wonder if I order one...will I EVER find the same sound?....:-( Mario
 
For me it might be just the feel of the fret board / neck more than the sound. Don't get me wrong, it sounds very very nice. But the fretboard is just easier to navigate compared to my other ukes. I think it has a lot to do with the thin low frets.
 
Hi Julie,

Yes indeed,I'm happy you are enjoying the fretboard. I've never seen anything like that either on other makes. An incredible fretboard to glide on with those smaller frets! Same thing on my KTS-4. Makes you wonder WHY all uke makers don't build them all in this manner. It would make fretting and gliding so much easier. So, yes, ease of playability is definitely 10/10 for me on the KTS-4 as well as on the KS-5.

Julie, GREAT news for me, I might be getting the one I played on in the store about 6 months ago!!!...Imagine, it's still there! (Not the best news for Kiwaya ukes in terms of getting more of their products out there and known, or the uke market, but great news for me! ;-)The salesperson said, people look at it but when they see the price... they don't touch it. That's because they are not "hooked" like me and have been playing for a number of years. After a while, one get's to know, "what's good to get" out there in the uke world. I certainly hope my little dream comes trough. In one or two weeks I hope. :)
 
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