Kala Makala Soprano Mahogany Ukulele (MK-S)

Product Information

I recommend a few models at the end of this post, or you can read my article on the best beginner ukuleles . They’re either a bit tinny or they’re muted and somewhere between those brackets is the holy grail of sound. The entire body, including the top, back, and sides, is made from Mahogany, delivering a warm and resonant tonal character. It’s great little uke for taking out to the beach, or a campsite, places where I won’t take my other uke. When strummed it kicks out a fair bit of noise and if you’re quite heavy handed then you’re going to really notice that.

Some players may find the soprano a bit too tiny to play comfortably and may want to consider the larger concert or tenor sizes. Aimed squarely at a serious beginner, or developing players seeking a low-cost, quality ukulele, the Makala MKs balance great value against a traditional and versatile specification. I'm very pleased to have this new (ish) ukulele brand back on the reviews page, and particularly with a collaboration model that I must . All purchases made before Christmas 2022 will come with a voucher for free access to our full online kids ukulele course!Aimed squarely at a serious beginner, or developing players seeking a low-cost, quality ukulele,with a built in pickup system. It’s great for people who want to learn the ukulele and try it out before dropping big bucks on an instrument they might not like or commit to. The geared machineheads offer good tuning stability, as do the fitted Aquila strings (notwithstanding the usual 'stretching' that occurs).

In January, this year, I joined the Sandbach U3A ukulele class and, with the Aquilla strings that James fitted as an 'extra', it is a joy to learn on. Introducing the Tenor Ukulele, a classic rendition crafted with precision and a focus on quality materials.

The Makala MK-S from Kala is a decent ukulele that I would recommend to anyone looking to get started on a budget. The Dolphin’s composite back and sides don’t do it any favors, and the uke feels very dense and heavy for its size. I'd like to add that a friend of mine admitted to me that she'd lost her temper and thrown one of these about 10 foot from her room, where it landed on the staircase, and she assured me that it was thrown HARD. They're an absolute bargain, and you're dead right about Aquilas being the right strings for a Dolphin. The Dolphin comes in a variety of colors and gets its name from the signature dolphin-shaped bridge.

The MK-S is part of Kala’s budget line, Makala, and is one of the company’s most affordable soprano-sized ukuleles. I also feel like the Dolphin has less sustain and resonance than Kala’s other budget-friendly instruments like the KA-15S. For that reason it sits in the living room, always on hand, and whenever she gets it out, I end up having a play too. Players seeking an instrument with a bit more substance may want to consider the KA-15S (also from Kala) or the highly-rated Donner and Hricane ukes in the table below. Friends in the band have also bought them as 'travel ukes' (the sort of instrument you won't shed a tear over breaking or being stolen) and band members have taken these to the far east and Australia last year!

If you’re the kind of person that doesn’t bash the strings quite so hard though you’re going to get the most out of this uke. The action could be brought down with a bit of basic setup work, but that sort of thing may go beyond the skill and comfort level of a beginner.