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| Moderated by: Tony Provencher, Richard Hefner |
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| Kay Ukuleles | Rate Topic |
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| Posted: Thu Feb 28th, 2008 05:35 am |
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1st Post |
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Ukevangilist Approved
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I have heard of Kay Guitars, but apparently they made Ukes too. Does anybody know anything about them?
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| Posted: Tue May 6th, 2008 06:24 pm |
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2nd Post |
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larry c Approved
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Last year I bought a Kay BU-10 Deluxe Baritone Ukulele from a web retailer. Based on web research I was looking at the Amigo baritone ukulele- but everyone I checked had it "on backorder" (must be a good instrument) and I was impatient. Someone suggested I try the Kay and, I figured, for so cheap it was not a huge risk. I've owned various acoustic guitars over the past 30 years- some pricey, some cheap - so that is what I compare things to. The Kay bari was supposed to be for my children so that they could get their little fingers coordinated and someday move up to guitar. But almost immediately I got hooked on the bari and became selfish with it! I play it every day. I ended up buying a half-size 6 string guitar for my daughter to learn on (smaller string spacing on that than on the bari anyway). When her fingers grow we'll buy a second baritone so I can teach her. My Kay bari is surprisingly nice considering how cheap it was (got a discount for, I think, a cosmetic blemish on the fretboard- so I paid about $40). It is totally playable-- action and intonation are fine. It is very durable-- I've played it daily all year. It survived a cold winter's dryness and is going on its second humid summer. I keep it in a gig bag with a homemade humidifier. I added strap buttons and use a strap. I tune it like a guitar DGBE and play it like a guitar- and I play a lot of pop, ballads and some jazz and bossa standards- and I jam blues or flamenco sometimes. The sound is what you'd expect from nylon strings on a small body, but much, much more than you would expect for a $40 instrument. The tone is very warm and the notes are accurate. The hardware seems as good as any low to mid level guitar. The finish is a "flat" finish as opposed to glossy. Sure - it's laminate. But so is my favorite classical guitar. Laminate is, typically, more resistant to damage from changes in humidity and temperature than single grain, solid wood. And modern laminate and finishing technology is better than ever these days. And it is fine coming from a Chinese factory. Chinese people have been building instruments since before recorded history. The superior sound of solid wood vs. laminate matters if you are in a recording studio, but it is otherwise a marketing pitch that appeals to hobbyists whose egos are appeased if they think they are able to afford the best gear. It won't make you play better. Classical guitars and baritone ukuleles have nylon strings and therefore do not require low action and high tension - so they can be made cheaply and still be comfortable and playable. Paying high end on these means solid woods with superior tone-- if that matters to you. Steel string guitars, on the other hand, are so much more playable with low action and precision geometry-- so I can understand paying more for one of those. But not for any nylon string instrument. I've tried some more expensive baritones at a music store in New York- they seemed a little heavier and certainly looked prettier than my Kay- one or two were noticeably louder. But they did not seem any more playable in terms of comfort and action. I recommend the Kay baritone for anyone who, like me, just plays for fun. If you are gigging or recording - I presume a solid wood- even one as inexpensive as the Amigo- would give you a different sound that you would probably prefer. Larry C
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| Posted: Tue May 13th, 2008 06:58 pm |
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3rd Post |
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crossroads-music.org Approved
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You can see Kay's ukes including the baritone uke at http://crossroads-music.org/onlinestore//catalog/index.php?cPath=44&sort=4a&filter_id=31 Hope this helps David Crossroads Music
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| Posted: Wed May 21st, 2008 07:21 pm |
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4th Post |
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larry c Approved
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David at Crossroads - the catalog on your website is not running. I was going to check out your Kays. If shipping is decent I might buy a few more! Thanks Larry C
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| Posted: Wed May 21st, 2008 07:59 pm |
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5th Post |
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HowlinHobbit Approved 
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larry c wrote: The superior sound of solid wood vs. laminate matters if you are in a recording studio, but it is otherwise a marketing pitch that appeals to hobbyists whose egos are appeased if they think they are able to afford the best gear. It won't make you play better. Good grief. Are there laminates that sound good? Sure. Are there solid wood ukes that aren't worth the money? Sure. But with all other factors being equal a solid wood (or at least, solid face) will sound better, and be louder. This is important to pros who wish to be miked without having to press the instrument right up against the mike head. It's also important to pros who want the best tone possible, whether live or in studio. It's also pretty vital to those of us pros who often play in unmiked situations. Calling it nothing but a sales pitch for egotistical hobbyists is, at best, disingenuous. Last edited on Wed May 21st, 2008 08:00 pm by HowlinHobbit ____________________ Howlin' Hobbit Got Uke? MySpace ezFolk UkeLand |
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| Posted: Tue May 27th, 2008 07:01 pm |
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6th Post |
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larry c Approved
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Hey HowlinHobbitt-- I'm not sure why you say "good grief"--because it seems we agree. Maybe you stopped reading my post before it ended? My last sentence says "If you are gigging or recording - I presume a solid wood- even one as inexpensive as the Amigo- would give you a different sound that you would probably prefer."
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| Posted: Wed Jun 4th, 2008 10:46 am |
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7th Post |
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crossroads-music.org Approved
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Sorry, had to redo my catalog. Here's the new link: http://crossroads-music.org/newcatalog/catalog/index.php?cPath=55 Right now I'm doing a flat rate of $5 shipping on a single unit
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