Caramel Soprano Acacia Koa Ukulele Kit - review

[bazmaz]

One of my regular forays into the world of 'Amazon only' Ukuleles...

Caramel Soprano Acacia Koa Ukulele Kit - REVIEW

Got A Ukulele looks at the Soprano Acacia Ukulele Kit from Caramel

www.gotaukulele.com

 

[Eggs_n_Ham]

One of my regular forays into the world of 'Amazon only' Ukuleles...

Caramel Soprano Acacia Koa Ukulele Kit - REVIEW

Got A Ukulele looks at the Soprano Acacia Ukulele Kit from Caramel

www.gotaukulele.com

I'm all for affordable ukuleles, decent ones get new players hooked and help keep the ukulele community/economy vibrant.

Your reviews of the "big river" ukes are always enjoyable, interesting and important for folks that have few purchase options besides amazon for a first ukulele, or even folks just wanting to stick a toe into ukulele waters.

OTOH, I'll take the Singer cherry sunburst tenor to go, please.

cheers!

 

[bazmaz]

I'm all for affordable ukuleles, decent ones get new players hooked and help keep the ukulele community/economy vibrant.

Your reviews of the "big river" ukes are always enjoyable, interesting and important for folks that have few purchase options besides amazon for a first ukulele, or even folks just wanting to stick a toe into ukulele waters.

OTOH, I'll take the Singer cherry sunburst tenor to go, please.

cheers!

Thanks - this is easily beaten though, so don't think it's once of the decent ones. They do exist. Just in small number!

 

[Patty]

Barry, I wonder what you meant by "There is a touch of laminate echo ..." I didn't know that laminate echo was a thing. I only mention this because I've occasionally toyed with the notion of getting a uke with laminated back & sides but a solid spruce or cedar top. Is there an echo here because the entire body is a laminate, and a heavy laminate at that?

 

[Oldscruggsfan]

Thanks - this is easily beaten though, so don't think it's once of the decent ones. They do exist. Just in small number!

. . . and, as I will personally attest, luck of the draw plays a huge role. If I were to build another kit uke, I'd buy from Stewart MacDonald and not Big River.

 

[bazmaz]

Barry, I wonder what you meant by "There is a touch of laminate echo ..." I didn't know that laminate echo was a thing. I only mention this because I've occasionally toyed with the notion of getting a uke with laminated back & sides but a solid spruce or cedar top. Is there an echo here because the entire body is a laminate, and a heavy laminate at that?

I think there are great laminates (that sound almost indistinguishable from solid wood ukes - such as Kiwaya make) and also laminates that kind of 'sound laminate'. Putting aside the ultra thick $20 things - I find that comes through on the middle ground laminates, at least to my ears, as a 'boxy' or 'hollow' sound to the tone. I find a lot of these laminates have good sustain (and often hear people say they find their first steps into solid wood sound quieter') - but I think thats because it's easy to over drive a laminate body.

To my ears this isn't the worst example, but it's there - a kind of boxy, echoey element to the tone when played hard.

Not sure if there is any science to that- but it's how i've always described my perception of it. I think it might be because this is thick - not sure.

All I know is not all lams do it, and the higher end lams certainly don't.