Comments on: Kiwaya KTS-7 Ukulele Review

By: Ian Emmerson

Ian Emmerson — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 01:08:42 +0000

I play a KTS-7, and it’s the best ukulele I’ve owned or played, and I think I’ve probably played instruments from most modern manufacturers, many of the smaller luthiers in Europe and the USA and most of the well-known vintage manufacturers. I only wish I dared electrify it, so I could play it at large gigs. The neck profile is wonderfully easy to play with, and the seventeen frets make it hugely versatile; it’s really loud and has a warm, buttery tone. It’s almost like a concert, somehowvsqueezed into a soprano size. It is so light it feels like it’s made of helium, and the build quality is absolutely flawless. It’s the one uke I would reach for if my house was on fire and I had to rescue one thing. Brilliant.

By: PeteN

PeteN — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 14:50:18 +0000

I also have a Kiwaya KTS-4 soprano (The KTS-7 without bling and only 12 frets). It’s a really lovely instrument. The craftmansship is superior to all factory ukes I’ve seen so far (Pono, Keli’i, Koaloha, Kala, Risa…). The intonation is spot on, the action is just how I like it… low, but not so low that the strings buzz. The sound is sweet and full and even seems to have improved significantly over time (1 year)… it’s the best sounding uke I’ve ever laid my hands on. I didn’t have the chance to play vintage Martins/Gibsons, but a well known uke player with a garage full of Martins was also quite impressed and really seemed to enjoy playing it. You probably get a better instrument from a luthier, I don’t know. I’ve only played one luthier uke, and I wouldn’t have traded it in. All the positive things Julie said about the KTS-7 apply to the KTS-4 as well.

By: DaveW

DaveW — Sat, 24 May 2008 09:32:47 +0000

I have had a Kiwaya KTS-4 for just over a year now and found it to be absolutely superb. The dealer I got it from can’t recommend all of their line enough and he deals with just about every high class make there is.
I have tried other traditional manufacturers Uke’s and have done a great deal of research, my conclusions therefore are that you would be very unlucky to get any of the Kiwaya line and not be totally satisfied. As Julie said at the start, these Uke’s are feather light compared with pretty much everything else and the quality of finishing, action, the whole product, can’t really be faulted. In fact, as far as I can tell, in a Mahogany Soprano or Concert, (I have not tried a Tenor) you would have to search long and hard to find better. Yes, they are not cheap but you do get quality.

By: Julie

Julie — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 21:12:12 +0000

Doug:
Thank you for your comment. It is much appreciated. I actually just purchased a KTS-4 myself Kiwaya sure knows how to make a wonderful uke.

By: dougsonions

dougsonions — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 20:51:57 +0000

Julie, I found your review and sound clip very helpful. I’ve had the UAS for a little over a year now and had bought a Samach laminate top concert, a Kala laminate top soprano and a Bushman Jenny soprano and was aching for more when my brother informed me that he had our grandfather’s Martin 2k (which I didn’t know about) and he sent it to me because he plays guitar and I play uke (sort of). So with one of the holy grail of ukes in my hand I got spoiled and ended up buying a kiwaya kts-4 on ebay and to my great delight it plays very favorably to the Martin and has become my every day uke.

By: Julie

Julie — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 14:03:13 +0000

Thank you for the compliment on my photos!

I’m very tempted to buy a concert sized Kiwaya… but I don’t want to get too carried away with my UAS

By: ChefJeff

ChefJeff — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 13:55:31 +0000

Thanks for your review, Julie. I for one found it very informative and not at all misleading since you’re upfront about your level of experience. If I have to choose between a review by an inexperienced player and no review at all, the former wins every time. I particularly like the professional quality photos. As I’m sure you know, there aren’t many photos of Kiwayas out there and the ones on the Kiwaya site leave a lot to be desired. Thanks for confirming that the Kiwayas at this level are constructed and finished as meticulously as I’d hoped. Like you, I find sopranos too small but if I see a Kiways concert…

By: 10 Reasons why the ukulele is the perfect instrument

10 Reasons why the ukulele is the perfect instrument — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 02:58:28 +0000

[...] The ukulele comes in various shapes and styles. There are regular classic style ukes, like the Kiwaya KTS-7. There are also ukes made of plastic, banjo ukes, cigar box ukes, boat paddle shaped ukes and [...]

By: Solana

Solana — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 17:35:14 +0000

Looking forward to them Julie!

By: Julie

Julie — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 02:34:30 +0000

Solana: Thank you for your comments! More instrument reviews coming very soon. I just received my new Zoom H2 recorder, so that I can make better sample sound bites.

By: Solana

Solana — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 01:40:00 +0000

Great review, Julie! Sounds to me that you performed a careful inspection and provided a qualified review. You simply didn’t like the size.

By: Julie

Julie — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 19:45:35 +0000

Good idea. I’m in a spending spree these next few days and will try to find a good soprano to test for more than 1 hr. I should have never called this article a ‘review’ as it was more of a quick look.

By: ukeforever

ukeforever — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 19:36:25 +0000

I know that at first–especially with the bigger ukes flooding the market–that a soprano can seem cramped. But as someone dedicated to the review of these instruments (and so early into the hobby), it seems you would want to give this most traditional instrument the chance it deserves. The Kiwaya is certainly a superior factory-built instrument, and you’re not going to find a much better mahogany uke in the production market. However, like most aspects of music, it takes time to adjust to new sizes and to work out fingerings for a short-scale instrument. I, for one, am glad that not everybody is a soprano player. However, sopranos are, in my estimation, the “original” sound of the ‘ukulele. My recommendation? Get a good sounding, less expensive soprano (geez, even a vintage Martin 0 would be less than the Kiwaya!), and let it hang out with you for a few months just to see if it doesn’t take.

By: Ukulele

Ukulele — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 22:56:15 +0000

Julie, you seem like a lovely person and well meaning. However you have missed my point, it is not the length of time you played the Kiwaya for, but your ability to comment on it with no experience of any other soprano ukulele. I would not trust a CD review from someone who had never heard music. You have added some unattributed hearsay as to the comparison with a Martin 3M as if this makes it all right. The only comments I have read where this uke is recommended as an alternative to the Martin have been made by dealers trying to sell them, these opinions are not independent. Can you cite your sources as to the comparison?

By: Julie

Julie — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 22:15:06 +0000

You make some very valid comments. I admitted at the beginning of the ‘review’ that I was only able to play with this instrument for a very short period of time before I had to return it. I compare it to the Martin 3M because others more informed than I am have commented to me directly that this instrument is a great alternative. But you’re right that it is unfair for me to compare the KTS-7 to an instrument I’ve never actually played. I’ll make a note of that in the review and will not make the mistake of making uninformed statements like that in future reviews.

By: Ukulele

Ukulele — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 21:46:56 +0000

Well… a few more than one! It is not possible to properly review a ukulele when you have so little experience. You’re site is called ‘Ukulele Review’ not ‘My Uninformed Ukulele Opinion’, the word review suggests you speak with some authority. You’re not able to review the sound of a ukulele if you haven’t played a number of similar vintage and modern instruments with which to compare it to. At the end of your review you suggest this ukulele is like a Martin 3M, it is styled after that uke, but to suggest it as a cheap alternative you need to compare it’s sound and feel with the real thing. Also how does it sound and feel compared to a style0, these can be bought for less and have the real vintage Martin sound. You seem to think that people choose ukuleles by the size of the fretboard; there is in fact a significant difference between the sound of soprano and concert size ukuleles. You also seem to think that a poor quality recording will somehow allow people to hear the tone of the instrument, type of microphone used, mic placement and room colouration will all affect the tone of the uke.

By: Julie

Julie — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 20:18:37 +0000

How many soprano ukes are required before being able to provide an opinion on sound, construction, etc?

By: Ukulele

Ukulele — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 20:00:14 +0000

Is it really possible to review a soprano ukulele when you have only played one?

By: Julie

Julie — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 16:09:21 +0000

I’ll be reviewing the Pono this weekend if all goes as planned.

I also have a KoAloha concert that should be delivered today

By: forrrge

forrrge — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 15:55:58 +0000

Nice review, I’m not interested in Soprano’s anymore either, I find that the Concert size is just me perfect fit. So when are you going to do a review of that Pono concert