Review of Kala Tenor Resonator Ukulele KA-R-T

Kala KA-R-T Tenor Resonator Ukulele - Natural Mahogany Satin Finish

$425 RRP In Australia.
FREE Setup, Headstock Tuner,  Chrome Slide and Shipping.  
Yep I include a Chromed slide should you wish to give “slide” playing a go on this resonator.
UPDATE The New Generation II Resonators are only available in Satin Sunburst Finish

What we are looking at today is a Tenor size Kala Resonator Ukulele  with natural finish Mahogany Body and Neck.

I really like this ukulele, I like its look, but I especially like its Chunky Neck.  Originally a guitarist, sometimes ukulele necks are too thin for my taste.  Generally I have found that the thicker the neck profile
the more comfortable the neck is for my fretting hand. It’s nice to have something to really grab a hold of.

The custom made aluminium resonator cone gives a totally different tone to a standard Tenor Ukulele, with lots of Honky midrange growl and bite.  It’s a loud Ukulele too and the sound has that top end jangly brightness not dissimilar to a Banjo.  But you get increased volume without losing your bottom end sustain as happens playing Banjoleles.  The KA-R-T sits tonally halfway between a regular Wooden Ukulele and a Banjolele.  The Kala Resonators projection is most impressive,  you will be heard over the regular ukuleles, but the Banjolele players will still beat you on sheer volume.

I like the light colour natural looking satin finish mahogany body.  No edge binding, it has plain, but neat a pin side and back joints with a slightly arched back.  The Resonator is a simple good looking uke and the chrome plated resonator cover is the visual star of the show that screams "vintage look at me"

Kala have developed a special Logo for the Resonator Series headstock reading "Qualitas Innovatio Veritas'.   I think it is cool, in a tongue in cheek manner, and very in keeping with both the nature of Ukulele community and Resonators i.e. not shy and very "outside the box".

As seems to be universal these days Kala fits the Italian Aquila strings in standard re entrant tuning with the
high G.  If you want during the setup I can fit Low G Strings.  A low G is a bit less jangle, and a touch more
beef to the tone I find.  In keeping with the vintage vibe the machine heads are open geared tuners with
metal buttons that work smoothly and look the part.

SUMMARY:
There are a few resonator ukuleles out there in the Market place these days.  Some similarly priced entry level all metal constructed resonators compete with the Kala Resonator.  By comparison they are heavy buggers, and very bright sounding.  In the wood bodied resonator field there are a few top shelf brands out there, and as fancy looking as they may be, none are around $400 that Kala is pitching the KA-R-T.  That makes the Kala a very attractive proposition for those players who want to broaden their Ukulele collection with a Reso Uke without taking out a second mortgage.

Whatever your budget the real attraction is that unique “Reso Tone” that mechanically amplified instruments have because of the vibrating aluminium resonator cone.  And the KA-R-T has that in spades.

SPECS:
Mahogany top, back and sides
18 Silver-Nickel Frets
Fret position Marks at 5th,7th,10th, 12th and 15th frets on neck
Rosewood Fingerboard
Mahogany neck
Satin Finish
Aluminum resonator cone with chrome plated cover
Open geared Tuners with black buttons
Custom Kala Headstock logo
Aquila Strings
17” Tenor Scale (Distance from Nut to Saddle)
25” Overall body length
11-5/8” Body length
6-5/16” Upper Bout
8-1/2” Lower Bout
5” Waist
2-7/16-” TO 2-3/4” Arched-Back Body depth
1-3/8” At Nut

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MANY MORE Ukuleles, Strings, Tuners, Cases, Capos & Accessories in-stock.

I Carry a Huge Range of Kala & Ohana Ukuleles, Aquila & Worth Ukulele Strings.

Fancy Something Else?

Please Contact me and I can arrange to make it happen.
Please Call 0432 306 920 9am to 5pm

Email ChrisFromUkuleleTrading@gmail.com

Most of my Products are FREE Postage Australia Wide!

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Ukulele Workshops & Private Tuition: Corporate Training Days, Community Centres, Local Councils, Schools... please contact me to arrange a program tailored for you.

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Kala KA-R-C Resonator Ukulele Concert Size $395 with FREE Setup, Hardcase, Shipping and Headstock Tuner

Do you fancy some "Mechanical Amplification" with that Mahogany Ukulele?

SPECIFICATIONS KA-R-C:

• $395 Aussie Dollars,
• INCLUDES FREE Setup, Shipping, Hard case and Headstock Tuner.
• Rosewood fingerboard,
• Mahogany Neck,
• Tilt back Angled Headstock,
• Satin finish,
• Cover Plate polished silver-nickel,
• Open geared tuners,
• Custom Kala Headstock logo and Tail-piece cover.
• Strung with Aquila Nyglut Strings.
• What does it sound like? Soundcloud Demo

Kala Brand Music has blended the worlds of blues and bluegrass tone in the Resonator Series of Ukuleles that really capture the sound of classical Americana.  That usual ukulele 'sweet and mellow' tone has been given some tasty bite and growl in the form of the aluminium resonator cone.

MECHANICAL AMPLIFICATION...
What’s that then?
Resonator AKA Dobro Instruments have a distinctive tone and volume that sets music made on them apart. John Dopyera (born Ján Dopjera) (1893–1988) was a Slovak-American inventor and entrepreneur, and a maker of stringed instruments.

In the 1920's something was needed so the emerging jazz guitarists could be heard above the orchestra, this was before the electrical public address system was widely used. In 1925, vaudeville promoter George Beauchamp approached John Dopyera and made a request; he asked Dopyera to make him a guitar loud
enough to be heard over other instruments. Dopyera invented a guitar with a mechanical amplification scheme similar to the diaphragms inside a speaker.

A cone sat inside the soundbox of an instrument and that was directly linked to the bridge so that the cone vibrated like a megaphone.  Such instruments were much louder than normal acoustic instruments and had a rich, metallic tone.  He applied this Mechanical Amplification to Ukuleles also.

Such mechanical amplified instruments found welcoming homes in the largely un-electrified Southern USA or in the poorer boroughs of the larger Northern towns such as Chicago or New York City.

KA-R-C CONSTRUCTION:
The Mahogany body is clear satin finished, great to see a natural mahogany finish, most guitars or ukuleles
normally have a stain applied to the wood to darken it.  Mahogany wood is actually a lot lighter than people
think in its natural unstained state.  The Neck is Mahogany and is a really likeable playable neck with a chunky round C profile.  The headstock is angled (tilt back) so you get Max pressure of strings over the nut for Max energy transfer... that makes for the best sustain and volume.

Even though this is the Concert Model (a Larger Tenor size is available) it is still a loud ukulele.  Not as loud as a Banjolele but louder than a regular concert ukulele.  All the extra volume comes in midrange cut-through, yes you will be heard in the mix with this KA-R-C resonator.  The KA-R-C has way way more sustain to its notes and chords than a Banjolele.  In Comparison to a Resonator Ukulele, Banjoleles are all note attack with little in the way of sustain.   Check out the Soundcloud and Video Demos to hear for yourself.

SUMMARY: Kala KA-R-C Resonator Ukulele
Kala Brand Ukuleles have designed a Mahogany Ukulele crafted an aluminium resonator cone into the body
resulting in a distinctive voice and appearance all its own. Whether adding a little extra output in a jam or for
providing musical inspiration when playing alone this is one barking loud ukulele with Vintage Americana tone by the bucket load.

Only a few of these came in, so if you want to get it with my professional setup and quality control, act now!

SPECIFICATIONS:
$395 Aussie Dollars,
Rosewood fingerboard,
Mahogany neck,
Tilt back angled Headstock,
Satin finish,
Cover Plate polished silver-nickel,
Open geared tuners,
Custom Kala Headstock logo and Tailpiece cover.
Strung with Aquila Nyglut Strings.
INCLUDES FREE Setup, Shipping, Hard case and Headstock Tuner.

Kala Resonator Tenor Ukulele

Kala Resonator Tenor Ukulele.
$425 including Hardcase.
Setup and Shipped to your Door in Australia.
chrisfromukuleletrading@gmail.com

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MANY MORE Ukuleles, Strings, Tuners, Cases, Capos & Accessories in-stock.

I Carry a Huge Range of Kala & Ohana Ukuleles, Aquila & Worth Ukulele Strings.

Fancy Something Else?

Please Contact me and I can arrange to make it happen.
Please Call 0432 306 920 9am to 5pm

Email ChrisFromUkuleleTrading@gmail.com

Most of my Products are FREE Postage Australia Wide!

eBay www.ebay.com.au/usr/chris-from-ukulele-trading#

Facebook www.facebook.com/TheUkuleleTradingCoAustralia

Blogger http://theukuleletradingcoaustralia.blogspot.com.au/
Pinterest www.pinterest.com/ukuleletrading/
Instagram http://instagram.com/chrisfromukuleletrading

Ukulele Workshops & Private Tuition: Corporate Training Days, Community Centres, Local Councils, Schools... please contact me to arrange a program tailored for you.

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