Showing posts with label for sale. Show all posts
Showing posts with label for sale. Show all posts

Wednesday, 2 April 2014

Kala KA-KCG-CE Kala Hawaiian Koa Ukulele with cutaway and EQ

Just arrived in Australia the Kala KA-KCG-CE Kala Hawaiian Koa Ukulele with cutaway and EQ.

I have a feeling these slotted headstock Gloss Koa Ukuleles are going to be Big.



Also back instock are the Pacific Walnut, Spalted Maple, Spruce Top and Paduak Ukuleles.

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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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Friday, 7 February 2014

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!

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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Thursday, 3 January 2013

1950's or early 1960's Maton Alver Archtop Acoustic Guitar



1950s Maton Alver Archtop Acoustic GuitarA True Made In Australia Maton Alver
Vintage Guitar That is A Blast From The Past.

So CC why a Guitar on a Ukulele site you ask?
Well I am selling this guitar on behalf a friend that has taken to Ukulele "Like a duck to water" and he is having a clearout of his guitar collection to make room for more Ukuleles, sensible man I'd say.

Here is an original and medium mileage Maton Alver archtop acoustic guitar, made by Maton I believe in the late '50s or early '60s. Back in the day when "Hand Made" was the only way to make guitars.  Made in Victoria Australia.

ITEM HAS SOLD

This is definitely one suitable for the Vintage Guitar Collector, or for a musician wanting to get that authentic archtop tone. This guitar sounds very similar to the Hofner archtops of the same period, not surprising given the similar construction methods.

This Alver still has its original scratchguard fitted with the famous Maton Big Rigger Sailing Ship.
BUT NO CASE.

As you can see from the pictures all the sides are still tightly bonded with no cracking or comming apart.  The Neck is still securely in place with no movement at the heel.

The Finish is pretty good for an original 1950/60's guitar, a few little nicks and dings and scuffs here and there, but overall very neat and tidy for the age, I should look so good at 60 to 70 years old I wish!

The action is Meduim/Highish but the guitar is very playable, suits finger picking and would make a cracking slide guitar, but a lead guitar fretboard burner it is not. Again please check out the pictures.

The Neck is straight and I've tried to take pictures from above along the neck, Treble Side and Bass Side and a picture over the neck body join from the side.  I have given the frets and fingerboard a clean and polish, the fingerboards been lem oiled and a new set of Martin Strings fitted.

HISTORY

Alver was the budget or 'student' line of guitars made by Maton at the time, and didn't have body binding or other fancy fitments, The Maton Alver Series may have been the budget line but Alver guitars were made alongside the regular more expensive Maton models.

The reason they stopped making Alver’s was that it cost too much to make them, as despite them being simple they still took a long time to make. They couldn’t cut corners on quality. The features might have been slightly cheaper, but the workmanship was still there…  Maton just couldn’t build them any cheaper.



Bill May's wife, Vera is the reason for the 'ver' part of the Alver name. Not sure where the 'Al' part of the name comes from.  I've researched the internet and most people agree the Ver is for Vera but no one can nail down the Al part of the Name.

SUMMARY
One suitable for the Vintage Guitar Collector, the Maton Alver Guitars look great and are part of Australian Musical Instrument History.

This vintage guitar sounds light airy and sweet, and is in good playing condition. Neck angle/join is good and solid. The frets and fingerboard show the typical signs of the age from having been played, and please check out the many photographs.


The Maton Company still manufactures guitars to this day and produce some of the best quality guitars on the planet without silly pricetags.

Regards CC

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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.
Call 0432 306 920 9am to 5pm
Or Email ChrisFromUkuleleTrading@gmail.com


Most of my Products are FREE Postage Australia Wide!

I also Sell on eBay Australia
http://www.ebay.com.au/usr/chris-from-ukulele-trading#

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