Unfortunately, when I tune it the E string loses at tuning after a few strums. The baritone ukulele goes even further; perhaps a bit too far in terms of sound, making it is the least popular of all. Tone. Make certain that each fret is half a step away from the preceding fret. Have a good evening from France. The concert is a settles between these two – giving the plusses of both. The only disadvantage that open-geared tuners have vs. close-geared tuners is that things like dust, sand or dog hair could get stuck, but in reality, this is highly unlikely and does not hold enough reason to spend more.

I was in the market for an uke to take out on the water for tubing, rafting, kayaking, etc... You insights have been quite helpful. The Makala Dolphin is a decent, affordable instrument from one of the top names in entry-level ukes.

This is common on more affordable instruments, but I think the synthetic bone found on slightly more expensive ukuleles tends to offer increased sustain and volume. Whilst generally the Makala MK-S we reviewed was a solid Ukulele, we have highlighted a later model which could be worth the extra investment if you have the budget.. We discuss more about this later, but for now now lets take a look at what we liked in our Makala MK-S review. Also if you want something that provides excellence in performance along with good quality than the Makala is unbeatable. It looks and feels like plastic, Makala refers to it as a “composite.” I’m guessing this because the marketing folks at Kala thought it sounded better. Keep reading to find out. An important difference is the tome. The string tension holds it in place. Well back to Riptide :), Hey Barry, love all your reviews.

Click the logo to help. The MK-S has a good balance between the brightness of the Lanikai and has more resonance than the Ohana. ;D))) All passengers on the Titanic shoulda been issued one! I need help with solving problem of the bridge is too high. I like the helpful information you supply in your articles. (Amazon link). Now if you were to purchase the KA-15S, the tone would become slightly richer and warmer. While there’s nothing spectacular going on here, it doesn’t really have any issues – there’s no real defects to be seen anywhere. Is this affordable Kala ukulele a good value? This one depends more on your personal preference.

In my experience, heavily built instruments always sound less rich and lively. By that point, it is all up to your own taste. Patreon pledges, large or small, all help keep this site going!! The Makala MK-S from Kala is a decent ukulele that I would recommend to anyone looking to get started on a budget. Two had dipping tops.

I've one on the way, though it's bound for Sven in Sweden eventually.

It actually depends on your preference and needs. Ok It’s my first Uke and it’s a gift from my wife but, it’s ok, I can learn a lot of things, the sound it’s not bad and it stays in tune for a long time. If you were to be serious about protecting your ukulele, we would recommend you getting a gig bag or a hard case. Anyway I will be subscribing Kala is known for high-quality instruments that sound amazing, and the Makala line is no exception. When I originally left a comment I appear to have clicked on the -Notify me when new comments are added- There are a number of reviews available online that highly praises the stability and usability of this brand.

I am very pleased with the 8 string tenor. They all use open-geared tuners as well. At least the neck cavity looks to be closed on this one compared to many other plastics.On finger picking a soprano, I find the Martin OXK to be really good.

In all honesty, playability is the absolute most important thing you should always consider first when buying not just a ukulele, but also any instrument you ever purchase. The top, body and sides are made from agathis, with the fretboard and bridge made from rosewood.

Pretty section of content.

If you enjoy this blog, donations are welcomed to allow me to invest more time in bringing you ukulele articles. Originally I bought the Makala MK-S for my dad, he’d expressed an interest in learning ukulele very shortly after I started playing.

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While I don’t like to see brass frets on steel-string instruments like guitars, uke strings are so soft that it’s not something I worry about.

Read more on my About Me page. What surprise. Here’s the verdict… At £32/$50 the Makala Waterman is priced at the beginner end of the market but it’s also perfectly […]

Ukes with a solid top will generally sound better, but they also tend to cost quite a bit more.

If you’re looking for premium build quality, be prepared to spend a lot more.

The make a much deeper sound as well as are tuned like the top 4 strings of a guitar. I recommend a few models at the end of this post, or you can read my article on the best beginner ukuleles.

As we briefly mentioned at the beginning of the article there is one relatively comparative model with some marked improvements over the Makala MK-S and that is Kala KA 15S. An update on the dip at the bridge. Hope I don't like it so much I can't bear to part with it! Any suggestions? All pictures are of the actual ukulele I used for this review. I bought my daughter a Dolphin when she was 2. The Shark is available in many of the same colors as the Dolphin; I’ve posted a few examples below. If you think that you might really get into playing the ukulele, we probably recommend the Kala KA-15S, since it has some improvements that will make it worthy over time. The best choice for beginners is perhaps soprano.

You wouldn’t go wrong with any of them.

In most entry-level and cheap ukuleles, string action is one of the most prominent issues you will find. The other three were fine. A budget uke like the Dolphin will never have the buttery-smooth action of a more expensive instrument. It doesn’t really protect the ukulele from anything other than dust.

NuBone is a synthetic material that is harder and denser, therefore it lasts longer and helps maintain the intonation of the strings and their sustain. The sopranissimo ukulele, which is even smaller than the soprano, has gained some popularity and might be a good choice for a very young kid to begin playing music, but is not considered as popular as these other four. The main difference in regards to older models is that those were made out of agathis wood, which is a cheaper wood. It seems to really respond to a bit of restraint.

There were a few minor imperfections here and there, but these issues were purely cosmetic and don’t affect tone or playability. Nice review, Baz, as always. If you like the quirky design and wide array of color options, it’s worth a look. Also known as the MK-SD, the Dolphin is part of Kala’s budget-friendly Makala brand. The Dolphins are also plastic back and sides and incredibly tough. Intonation is a close second in terms of issues, especially with stringed instruments.

(In my humble opinion).

I also feel like the Dolphin has less sustain and resonance than Kala’s other budget-friendly instruments like the KA-15S.

What a fantastic choice! For this review, I purchased a brand new Makala Dolphin MK-SD/CAR (the CAR stands for “Candy Apple Red”). You will have me bankrupt :) As a beginner the most used phrase in our house has become "Barry says..." Hubby thinks it is hilarious. The Makala line features an array of ukulele with a vintage look at an entry-level price. I just stumbled upon your weblog and wished to say that I have truly enjoyed surfing around your blog posts. Is the Makala MK-S, a relatively inexpensive ukulele any good?

Makala Ukulele 2020: An Honest Makala Ukulele Review. Hi Cheick, it’s a good starter uke and you should have plenty of fun with it – your wife chose well. Yes, if it was my instrument, that is exactly what I would do. This video will help you understand better and find the one that fits best.

Out of the three of them, the Lanikai is the brightest, maybe a bit too bright.

We've played them every day together since they arrived a month ago.

This is not a bad idea if you choose the Makala ukuleles.

This solved the buzzing without, as far as I can tell, affecting the sound quality. The nut and saddle are plastic.

After about twenty minutes of warming up at the jam session and a quick tuning, she was all set to go.

I received a Makala Mks for Christmas and I have to say that I’m really ok with it. Might take it on the Pacific Crest Trail next year.

The Makala MK-S clocks in at around £35 ($50) and for your money you get a soprano sized laminate ukulele with a satin finish that is actually quite easy on the eye. This is the similar one I have, but its painful to play when I tuned it. Your donations all go back into the site to allow me to keep bringing you reviews, and in the end the ukuleles acquired are given to local schools and charities. The tone is pure, sweet, and gorgeous, and if you need more volume, you can always add a pickup.

For example, the nut and saddle are made out of NuBone instead of plastic.

My maple sap collection for the maple syrup production will be accompanied by this fine instrument to the sounds of “The Log Drivers’ Waltz” – a traditional Ottawa Valley tune. Looks like this is the plastic to get.Maybe kala can be convinced to drop the fret paint, and it would be cheaper for them too!My issue is that plastic topped ukuleles all sound like plastic buckets with strings.

The Dolphin uke has a laminated mahogany top, which is very common on budget-priced ukes. It is all I expected and I have had a lot of fun with it.