Kala Striped Ebony Tenor Ukulele with EQ (KA-EBY-TE)

This review is for the Pacific Walnut Uke. This will sound like an exaggeration, but this little instrument has truly changed my life. In less than a week I am already scouring the Internet looking for so-called "hard" songs to play—I never dreamed that I could learn an instrument so quickly. I'm already crafting my own songs, playing and singing covers of my favorite tunes, investing in some equipment to plug this guy into an amp. I played my friend's cheap little soprano she bought and fell in love with the ukulele, but this—this is no toy, it is very much a serious instrument. It's tone is the perfect balance between warm and punchy, the included Aquila strings are a perfect match (full disclosure—I just ordered a Low G string set of strings to fill out the tone, but the included strings really are wonderful). The first hour of playing required constant tuning, but now it stays in tune so well that it barely needs any adjustments, even after sitting out all night. I spent a solid month researching ukuleles before I ultimately decided on this one. It looks so good with its matte finish and choice of materials. It doesn't feel cheap, but very light and solid and well balanced to boot. I never feel like I'm having to hold it up or adjust its position in my hands. The fret board is comfortable to play on, and I'm so thankful that Kala filed down the edges of the frets, which is something that isn't found in the product description (for any uke, for that matter). Tips: - Keep the box! It's minimal packaging makes for a perfect temporary case while you find the perfect gig bag for your new best friend. - Get some felt picks. They are the perfect tool for showing off the beautiful tone while keeping the sound consistent. It's also way easier to get an amazing sound than when I tried with my fingers. If you're considering other models, trust that this is the one you want. In this price range, you won't get the same tonal quality and perfectly executed features that this uke has. As far as criticisms go, my only gripe is very small—about .2mm small, to be precise. The strings are that much too high at the nut for my liking, which leads to pitch issues with barred cords played on the first two frets. To play a Gb/F#M cord requires way too much pressure to execute well and in tune. It's a simple fix if you have the right tools, but unfortunately I'll have to take it to a luthier to get it right where I want it. Despite that, I'm beyond thrilled with my purchase. If you have any questions I will be in my room strumming til the sun comes out.

I have been playing the ukulele for about 9 years now and have played them all. From sopranos, concerts, tenors and baritones. Tenors have the best sound and feel for me so I decided to look for a great budget tenor. For an ukulele that was under ~$170 there is no better quality anywhere. I was debating on getting this ukulele compared to 9 other models that were just under $200 (Luna TT, Gretsch G9120, Cordoba 20TM, Islander MT-4, Fender Hau'oli and some other Kala models). I went into my local music store and absolutely fell in love with the Kala PWT over the others. The tone is rich and spectacular and it is extremely easy to tune. The PWT tends to stay in tune very well. I purchased this ukulele wanting something a step above an Oscar Schmidt that I have. The frets are a bit sharp straight out of the box, however, with a little love and care this ukulele can be customized to perfection. The projection and tone are fantastic. I absolutely love the sound of pacific walnut. The unique pacific walnut grains are absolutely phenomenal to look at and I have received numerous compliments from friends and family on this ukulele. Overall, I truly do recommend this ukulele to beginners and expert players alike. If you are debating which Tenor ukulele to get, just remember to actually try them all out and pick the one you love and will play for a while.

I am very pleased with this purchase. I was upgrading from the Oscar Schmidt OU2E Concert ukulele. I wanted a tenor size one, and this Kala KA-PWT is an excellent choice. The ukulele is beautifully constructed, the wood grain is very interesting, the darker binding allows the surfaces to pop out, and the satin finish is preferable to gloss, in my opinion. The challenge finding this model was that many ukes at this level have a gloss finish and resemble guitars, but I find the traditional finish to be nicer. I would recommend this model to beginners and seasoned players alike. It is a good value and I like the fact that I could choose a wood besides mahogany. I am now sold on the Kala brand and plan to add a soprano and baritone to my collection at some point. Pros: Aquila nylgut strings Satin finish Walnut as an exotic wood choice Excellent tone and sustain Lightweight Balanced center of gravity at base of neck Cons: The fret edges are slightly sharp, but this is likely to lessen as it is played

I would like to start by saying that this is a very good instrument and I really love the sound and projection of it. I just received the Ukulele today and I really like it. My only concern is that as soon as I started to playing it I noticed that when I hit on the 13th fret, it's off tuned and opaque. I would like to resolve this issue. Please contact me on how to return this instrument to trade for a new one (same kind) without that problem.

The black-striped ebony top on this uke is beautiful. It has a great sound both naturally and through an amplifier. The built-in tuner is a major plus! I'm happy I upgraded from my beginner Donner uke to this one.

I’m a avid ukulele player who’s played for years and this inexpensive ukulele sounds great. The strings could be a little better, but in all a well made uke. 🤙🏾

This Ukulele is great, sounds very nice to the ears, it has a warmth sound, full and rounded. Highly recommended!

all good

ottimo prodotto con un suono stupendo. si sente la differenza di suono e di fattura tra questo e un classico ukulele da 50/60euro. soldi ben spesi se si guarda piu alla sostanza che all'immagine.

Un molt bon instrument amb uns acabats molt professionals, que va arribar perfectament embolicat i abans de la data prevista. Perfecte.

Valuable product.