Kala KA-FMCG concert vs. Ohana VKC-70 concert vita

[mikelz777]

I currently own a Kala KA_FMCG which is a concert with laminate spalted flame maple back/sides, a solid spruce top and gloss finish. For years I've been intrigued by the Ohana VKC-70 which is a concert with laminate mahogany back/sides, a solid spruce top and matte finish. The Kala is a traditionally-shaped uke with upper and lower bouts and the Ohana has it's unique pear-shaped body. The shapes are going to be an obvious difference but I'm wondering if sound and volume-wise they would be different enough to justify owning both? I'd consider the Kala to have a normal volume (neither quiet or loud) and is bright and chime-y. The Ohana vita is supposedly a sound cannon which is a factor that attracts me. (beside it's look and shape) Some comparison measurements of the sound box:

Kala--------------- Ohana vita
8-3/8"------------- 8-5/8" lower bout
11" ----------------10-3/8" body length
2-12/16" (LB) -----2-1/2" body height
2-7/16" (UB)

So the Kala has a longer body, a thicker or virtually equal body thickness (thicker at lower bout/thinner at upper bout) and only a tiny bit smaller lower bout in width. Would these two ukes likely sound very much the same and likely have the same or similar volume? (I have no way of getting my hands on/testing a vita)

(internet photos)

 

[keenonuke]

The vita is so cute. My fear would be the rabbit hole of authentic vintage vita ukuleles.

 

[kissing]

There are so many other factors that influence sound than the obvious differences you have listed.
It's just a matter of comparing them yourself. Ohana Vita don't cost much; if you order one and spend some time with it but decide it's unnecessary, I'm sure you can sell it off quite easily as they're popular.

As an owner of an Ohana Vita concert I am very happy with it and yes it is a "sound cannon".
It's hard to explain it in words, but I think it does differ from the typical figure-8 ukulele made of the same materials.
The sound projects very quickly and responsively with the 'oomph' you expect from thinline ukes, but it has the body of a full sized uke.
Strong mid & lows.

If you wish to find another excuse to have 2 ukuleles, the Ohana Vita concert also sounds great tuned as a baritone ukulele (DGBE):

 

[keenonuke]

There are so many other factors that influence sound than the obvious differences you have listed.
It's just a matter of comparing them yourself. Ohana Vita don't cost much; if you order one and spend some time with it but decide it's unnecessary, I'm sure you can sell it off quite easily as they're popular.

As an owner of an Ohana Vita concert I am very happy with it and yes it is a "sound cannon".
It's hard to explain it in words, but I think it does differ from the typical figure-8 ukulele made of the same materials.
The sound projects very quickly and responsively with the 'oomph' you expect from thinline ukes, but it has the body of a full sized uke.
Strong mid & lows.

If you wish to find another excuse to have 2 ukuleles, the Ohana Vita concert also sounds great tuned as a baritone ukulele (DGBE):

Wow that sounded amazing, had me wanting to order one now and tune the same.

 

[kissing]

Wow that sounded amazing, had me wanting to order one now and tune the same.

You can achieve this tuning by getting the Tenor DGBE set from Aquila (high D) and replacing the D string with a classical guitar A string.

If you want the G to be wound (rather than Aquila red), then a classical guitar D string would do it.

I'm sure just getting a classical guitar set's ADGB strings to tune up to DGBE would work too.

 

[keenonuke]

You can achieve this tuning by getting the Tenor DGBE set from Aquila (high D) and replacing the D string with a classical guitar A string.

If you want the G to be wound (rather than Aquila red), then a classical guitar D string would do it.

I'm sure just getting a classical guitar set's ADGB strings to tune up to DGBE would work too.

Thanks. I'll have to figure out which of my concerts I want to do this with. Thanks again

 

[ksiegel]

Never played the Kala, but I have two Vitas. (Mahogany laminate and Rosewood Laminate).

They do not have the best tuners, but they are still pretty good. They are indeed sound cannons, and worth every cent. Be sure to get the appropriate case when you purchase. (I recommend Mim.)

 

[modwitch]

Thanks. I'll have to figure out which of my concerts I want to do this with. Thanks again

I did the same with a set of Pepe Romero UBB strings on a concert. They work great. Flourocarbon trebles, wound lower two (I assume repurposed guitar strings. They definitely squeaked like guitar strings ).

 

[keenonuke]

Now I'm wanting a vita ukulele. Hum soprano or concert?
And @mikelz777 did you decide? Thanks

 

[mikelz777]

Now I'm wanting a vita ukulele. Hum soprano or concert?
And @mikelz777 did you decide? Thanks

If I were to get one it would be the concert but I haven't decided yet. I've been playing my Kala spruce top a lot lately and I'm not sure if the vita would bring enough new to the table to warrant buying it. I'd probably be buying it for it's unusual look and possibly the volume which I'm not sure would be notably different from the Kala. I'm also not sure if I want to add another bright uke to the collection, I think I tend to gravitate to a warmer sound. The jury's still out but I'm leaning toward holding out and seeing how I feel about it further down the road.

 

[keenonuke]

If I were to get one it would be the concert but I haven't decided yet. I've been playing my Kala spruce top a lot lately and I'm not sure if the vita would bring enough new to the table to warrant buying it. I'd probably be buying it for it's unusual look and possibly the volume which I'm not sure would be notably different from the Kala. I'm also not sure if I want to add another bright uke to the collection, I think I tend to gravitate to a warmer sound. The jury's still out but I'm leaning toward holding out and seeing how I feel about it further down the road.

Thanks. It would be easier if it was a vintage one. But then again the cost would be well over the about $200 for the Ohana. The look of these had the wow cute factor.

 

[Wiggy]

If I were to get one it would be the concert but I haven't decided yet. I've been playing my Kala spruce top a lot lately and I'm not sure if the vita would bring enough new to the table to warrant buying it. I'd probably be buying it for it's unusual look and possibly the volume which I'm not sure would be notably different from the Kala. I'm also not sure if I want to add another bright uke to the collection, I think I tend to gravitate to a warmer sound. The jury's still out but I'm leaning toward holding out and seeing how I feel about it further down the road.

I purchased a soprano VK-70R in Jan, 2021. It is not a "sweet" sounding instrument. Think, Stratocaster vs. Telecaster, where a Vita-uke would be the Tele. It can be raucous! I do wish I had purchased the concert-necked (VKC) version (same body with a longer neck), but they were not available at the time. I did keep it, though.

Is there a hard case for the VKC?

 

[mikelz777]

I purchased a soprano VK-70R in Jan, 2021. It is not a "sweet" sounding instrument. Think, Stratocaster vs. Telecaster, where a Vita-uke would be the Tele. I do wish I had purchased the concert-necked (VKC) version (same body with a longer neck), but they were not available at the time. I did keep it, though.

Is there a hard case for the VKC?

From the Ohana site they say that this case fits Ohana vita ukuleles - plural but they don't specifically say outright that it fits both the soprano and concert versions.

Ohana vita case

 

[Wiggy]

I bought an Ohana case from Mim for my VK. It [external] measures about 24-1/2" long, 23" interior.
The one in your link says 23" long. That would fit soprano only.

 

[mikelz777]

They say the case has an interior length of 23". The concert vita is 23-3/8". So is the interior case measurement from the edges of the padding or to the edges of the hard case? If it's to the padding it would seem like the case would be able to work with the concert with very little to no room to spare. Before taking that leap I'd contact Ohana first.

 

[mikelz777]

Thanks. It would be easier if it was a vintage one. But then again the cost would be well over the about $200 for the Ohana. The look of these had the wow cute factor.

If I didn't already own a solid spruce top the vita would be a pretty easy buy decision. The vita has been off and on my radar for years. I'll be hot for one for a while and then the feeling fades but it still keeps popping up every now and then. On one hand, if it keeps popping up I must really want it right? On the other hand, if I really wanted it then why haven't I already bought it? The cost isn't prohibitive. I recently sold a uke with an eye toward making my collection smaller. Oddly that decision cuts both ways. It makes me want to keep my collection as it is and look at another uke to take its place at the same time!

 

[keenonuke]

If I didn't already own a solid spruce top the vita would be a pretty easy buy decision. The vita has been off and on my radar for years. I'll be hot for one for a while and then the feeling fades but it still keeps popping up every now and then. On one hand, if it keeps popping up I must really want it right? On the other hand, if I really wanted it then why haven't I already bought it? The cost isn't prohibitive. I recently sold a uke with an eye toward making my collection smaller. Oddly that decision cuts both ways. It makes me want to keep my collection as it is and look at another uke to take its place at the same time!

Ditto with the off and on for a vita. There's always the custom route and not all luthiers are cost prohibitive.

 

[kissing]

I purchased a soprano VK-70R in Jan, 2021. It is not a "sweet" sounding instrument. Think, Stratocaster vs. Telecaster, where a Vita-uke would be the Tele. I do wish I had purchased the concert-necked (VKC) version (same body with a longer neck), but they were not available at the time. I did keep it, though.

Is there a hard case for the VKC?

If I didn't already own a solid spruce top the vita would be a pretty easy buy decision. The vita has been off and on my radar for years. I'll be hot for one for a while and then the feeling fades but it still keeps popping up every now and then. On one hand, if it keeps popping up I must really want it right? On the other hand, if I really wanted it then why haven't I already bought it? The cost isn't prohibitive. I recently sold a uke with an eye toward making my collection smaller. Oddly that decision cuts both ways. It makes me want to keep my collection as it is and look at another uke to take its place at the same time!

The Ohana Vita, whether Soprano or Concert, should fit in any regular Concert sized case, because the lower bout is on par with a Concert uke's.

Mine fits perfectly in one of those polyfoam cases. I'm sure other hardcases would work.

 

[baconsalad]

I love my VKC. Now that I heard about the baritone tuning I'm seriously considering a second.

 

[keenonuke]

I found a reso version of the vita uke, certainly loud and different.