My 2015 Ukulele Wishlist – Kala Makala Shark Ukulele – The Great White

I was all ukulele-ed out for 2014. Now as the day grows warmer I am ready to restart my ukulele acquisitions.

i once had about 8 ukuleles, before thinning down to 4, and then 1 (the Pono on the right of the picture below).

For 2015, there are a few I would like to add to my collection, if money allows. And so that’s the central theme of this list: ukuleles that offer something I want, that I would want as part of my possessions. Therefore the list is not too long. It is very realistic (even for a college student budget), in terms of pricing and availability.

I would like to take this time to acknowledge that there are many great brands and models out there that would fit needs of other players. There may also be ones I would like for myself but their existence or availability is beyond my knowledge/reach/walletsize.

Here goes the list by size, and links where I find to be the best place to buy them:

After the list is my comments/research on the Makala Shark – just to keep this post shorter and easier to read through. More to follow in future updates

Soprano:

Makala Great White Shark – $50

http://cargo.ukerepublic.com/product/new-makala-mk-ss-shark-soprano-ukulele-w-setup

http://www.amazon.com/Makala-MK-SS-WHT-Soprano-Ukulele-Vintage/dp/B00FW77P40/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1426137109&sr=8-2&keywords=makala+shark

Kiwaya KS-1 (Famous FS-1) – $200

http://www.amazon.com/FAMOUS-KIWAYA-FS-1G-Soprano-Ukulele/dp/B006JW7WVI/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1426137335&sr=1-1&keywords=kiwaya+ukulele

Concert:

Fluke – $200

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MIM-Magic-Fluke-Concert-M10-Banana-Yellow-USA-Made-Ukulele-FREE-Bag-x377-/171090071184?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27d5c34e90

Kanilea K1-C Concert – $750

http://www.theukulelesite.com/shop-by/brand/kanilea/kanilea-k1-koa-concert-satin-finish-1347.html

Tenor:

Oscar Schmidt OU4:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Oscar-Schmidt-OU4-Spruce-Top-Tenor-Ukulele-/331473268006?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item4d2d58ad26

Baritone: 

Oscar Schmidt OU53

No link: Used to be you can find these on eBay, brand new, for about $140-150. Now they are selling for $200, and even a used one is being sold for $160. Therefore there is no link to purchase at this time, since I would not buy this one at $200. It’s not that I don’t think they are worth $200 – they are definitely worth at least that much. But I used to own a OU53 that I purchased for $130. I am not going to repurchase it at a $70 premium.

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Ah the Makala Shark

Makala is a sub-brand of Kala Ukulele, and they make these $40-50 ukuleles. Here are the features:

• Soprano-sized, 12 frets
• Plastic body, laminate top
• Cheap, widely available, durable
• Great for gifting and for beginners
• Decent sound and playability

My thoughts:

In 2015 NAMM we saw many competitors to the Makala dolphin/shark, i.e. “all-weather” (read: plastic) soprano ukuleles in the $50-60 price range. HOWEVER, there may be many ukuleles under the $60 price-tag, but a quick search on Amazon shows that most of them has about 10 reviews, and they only get 2.5 stars.

Makala, on the other hand, has about 500+ reviews with 4.5-5 star ratings. Therefore, the general consensus from a large customer base of amateurs and skilled uke players alike is that, these are great with generally acceptable factory setup, playability, and sound. They got that bright, twangy sound when strung with Aquila nylguts, which people associate with the traditional ukulele tone.

So why have I not purchased one yet? Because 1) this uke only has 12-frets. 2) Is most suited for strumming/sing-alongs. I prefer to do a lot more finger picking. And for the past 2 years of uke-playing, 12-frets were more than enough. But as I attempt more difficult pieces, I find they sometimes get to the 13, 14th fret.

Why do I still want one?

1) There is a species of shark called the Great White. This uke has a shark bridge. And comes in white. And it is called the Makala Great White. I think #1 alone is enough (that plus you can get this uke for the price of a steak dinner for 2).

2) I like the white color. Great to hang the uke on the wall or just lying pretty much anywhere. Bright, pure, and joyous. (Even most of the newer plastic uke makers don’t have all white plastic ukes)

3) Twangy sound makes playing folksy tunes great

4) Can be used to paddle boats, swat flies, squash cockroaches, etc.

Places to buy:

At the time of this writing, you can buy one, fulfilled by Amazon with free shipping and 30-day hassle-free return, for $43 (linked above).

You can also buy one from Ukerepublic.com for $50 + $16 shipping (also linked above). The advantage of buying from ukerepublic, is that the ukes are inspected and set up, and restrung with Aquila strings (a $6 string upgrade). The disadvantage, obviously, is that it is $16 more expensive, or about 30% increase in your expense.

Well this is the end of me dreaming about ukuleles for today!