Kala GA-8

Having got the Ashbury Lili'u I decided that multi strings were fun so I should get a Taropatch as well. In looking at the options and there weren't that many that were easily available, and I could afford, I went for an acoustic nato Lanikai. However just after I ordered it it went out of stock and after a 2 month wait and still no stock I was offered and took this Kala instead - I hadn't originally look at this because a) Kala hadn't released it and b) When they did it was nearly twice the price.

To the Ukulele that I did get. It is a solid Acacia top with laminate Acacia back and sides, a satin finish and a little purling around the sound hole; a subtle but very nice look and with the cutaway it makes it a little more distinctive that the other Chinese Taropatchs. It has a very nice mellow tone beautiful for ballardy stuff but not really suited for rock 'n' roll. The double strings mean its not good for my fingerpicking and the factory action is a bit high meaning it take some pressure to hold the chords so not for a new player, (though I may have a go at the action if I'm feeling brave) The electrics are fine but I wasn't really looking for electric and the undersaddle pickup doesn't help the action. The different A string configuration does make it sound different to the Lili'u, wider, more Ukulele and less Cuatro.

I have got the Lanikai Taropatch now as well because I like having this Taropatch so much. Taropatches are a bugger to tune but they do sound good when they are and you play them