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Spark Crewneck Sweatshirt
$20.00 – $23.00
- 8 oz; 50% cotton/50% polyester
- Air jet yarn for a softer feel and no pilling
- 1×1 athletic rib cuffs and waistband with spandex; Double-needle stitching
- Premium side seam cut
- Print Method: DIGISOFT™
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D’Addario Guitar Strings – XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings – EXL110-3D
$17.00 Buy now
D’Addario Guitar Strings – XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings – EXL110-3D
$17.00
BESTSELLING SET – XL Nickel are our best-selling electric guitar strings, revered by players since 1974. VERSATILE, BRIGHT TONE – Nickel-plated steel wrap wire provides a bright, versatile electric guitar tone, great for a variety of musical genres. FOR THE ULTIMATE PERFORMANCE – Like all D’Addario electric guitar strings, XL Nickel are made with our proprietary Hex-Core, ensuring perfect intonation, consistent feel, and reliable durability. EARN REWARD POINTS – XL Nickel sets have a code on the recyclable VCI bag, which you can register to earn Players Circle points. MADE IN THE USA – XL Nickel electric guitar strings are made in the USA—drawn to our exacting specifications at our New York production facility.
60 reviews for D’Addario Guitar Strings – XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings – EXL110-3D
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Not a big change. Edit: A big change!
Hard to judge, I replaced the strings on a new guitar. Would like something a bit brighter. Could be the strings that came on the guitar were the same type as some had mentioned. They’re fine, just a little dark.Edit: that was my initial review. Not too impressed. But, let me explain.I got the strings to see if they would help with a pernicious problem. I got a new guitar, an IYV Les Paul copy, because my style these days was more like acoustic playing than blow the doors out rock n roll. The bullet strat I got a few years ago was way too twangy and didn’t sound good doing this, so I was discouraged. Sounding good and right is very important to me. The LP copy was better, but there was still that annoying twang on chords and I couldn’t unhear it. So, I thought new strings might help. No, they sounded pretty much the same, hence, the lackluster review. But, I started analyzing just what was going on. It’s the G string, it sounded horrible on the LP and even worse on the strat. It doesn’t do that on my old Harmony Sovereign acoustic. Then the epiphany !!. Acoustic strings have a wound G string !!. After some looking, I discovered that Daddario makes a set of XL’s with a wound G, EXL110W They arrived this morning. Wanting to test ASAP, I removed that cursed G string from the LP and strung the .018 wound G from the new set. A chorus of ahhs, light from above, my new guitar finally sounds like it should. I couldn’t be happier. The bare G set is probably fine for different styles and some may _like_ the twang, but for me this made the difference between good and bad, crappy chords or beauty. I may even try a set on the strat. Sorry to combine reviews, but this is where the site takes me to review the new set. I’m gonna go play now. Hope this helps others who have the same problem.
9 people found this helpful
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Great strings.
This product does exactly what it’s supposed to, sounds great on a guitar.
One person found this helpful
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Las mejores
Las mejores
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Affordable quality
I’ve used this brand for years. I’ve also used many others. These strings are consistent throughout the batches. I like lighter low stings and thicker up top. These are a great balance. Without having to pick individual string gauges to get what you want. They can rock or they can be warm.
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Great
Big fan of these strings.
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After 35 Years Playing Slinkys …Switching
Originally (waaay back in the day), I had learned on these D’Addario 10-46s! ..but my guitar teacher at that time told me try EB Super Slinky 9’s, as he was having a hard time bending the 10’s.. So I did, and for 35 years I played those lighter, slinkier strings.A few years ago, I woke up one day not happy with my strings, so I started looking for strings which provided a more aggressive, tighter, and better defined sound. I play all kinds of music so any strings I use need to cover a really wide range of tones, and do that well.I tried a few different brands and gauges over the period of about a year, including the expensive coated strings, etc., Well, long story short, and after burning through thirty sets of these strings, the D’Addario 10-46s are my new go-to strings. They are more balanced sounding across the scale, arpeggios and chords are better defined, they feel tighter, less “slinky”, and that’s okay. I can hit these strings hard and get them to roar and chime or barely brush them and get truly musical nuances from them. Distorted, acoustic/clean, edge of breakup, blues, metal, rock, pop, Satch-stuff,. …They do it all. They are priced right and I’m Happy to spend my money on them.Back for my 40th set of these strings.. and I’m sure I’ll be back for more.
6 people found this helpful
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You’ve got to trust your strings. D’Addario makes it easy.
My daily drivers for many years. You’ve got to be able to trust your strings, especially when recording or playing out. And if you’re on a budget, it’s more important that you get value out of each set.I don’t break strings in normal use; practicing, playing out, recording, whatever. Occasionally I’ll break a string stretching a new set, and I mean occasionally. Recently I tried Dean Markley Blue Steels in the same gauge, since I have a replica Hentor Sportscaster – the infamous hot-rodded Strat Rush’s Alex Lifeson played in the early 80s with the Bill & Becky Lawrence L500L in the bridge – and Lifeson used Dean Markley Blue Steels in this gauge – 46-9. I tried them out to see if there was a tone differences, to see if it was a necessary part of the “replica.” I bought a 3-pack. The B string in the first pack broke during stretching (and I was being extra-cautious, in case they were weaker than the D’Addarios), so I opened the second pack and replaced the string. THE SECOND ONE BROKE during stretching. The B string in the third pack didn’t break, but I burned three packs of strings for one change, and that’s just simply unacceptable.I’ll break a high string occasionally when using D’Addarios, but never, ever like that. And I play hard. Having a replica of one of Lifeson’s axes, you might guess I play a little Rush here and there. The secret to sounding like Lifeson is less distortion than you think, but hitting the guitar harder. His chords sound like explosions partly because of how hard he’s hitting the strings. Despite hitting them harder than your average player, I don’t break D’Addarios while playing. (Of course, it helps to change your strings regularly, I normally don’t go more than about two weeks on a set, and breakage increases exponentially with string age.)Another thing I started doing because of my research on my replica Sportscaster, was using these regular bottom/super light top strings. I grew up playing on 9’s, but the whole set was “super light” – so the bottom E was 42. With these strings, the three bottom strings are heavier. This gives me a more balanced and versatile sound – I still have the light strings on top for leads and Gilmouresque 1.5-step bends, but I can really dig into the lower strings for super-heavy chording. I imagine that the heavier bottom cushion the blow of Lifeson-style hard-hitting chording, and absorb a lot of the energy that might stress the higher strings. I’ve gone to EXL-125s on my other electrics as well.On the occasion that I need to play in a lower tuning, like open C, I like the EXL-115’s, which are 49-11. I should see if there’s a set that’s like these for lower tunings, with heavier lower strings, maybe 52-11, but the 49 gauge seems to tolerate tuning down to B with just a little variation in pitch if you hit it hard enough.
2 people found this helpful
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Favorite & to my taste, best brand for my guitars. For my basses… .
For this semi-acoustic Ibanez Tallman TM-71, I was using the D’Addario’s .095 nickel sets. But I added piezo pick ups to it & the .095’s didn’t have enough mass to drive the piezos, with enough current as to not need a pre-amp or a pedal to feed the mixer that I use for my guitars, basses, keys… etc. Worked perfectly & I wish the set of these nickel “balanced tension” string set ended at .044 or .042, perhaps even a set starting at .0105; but c’est la vie. C’est la vie too… D’Addario or anyone made a 5 string bass guitar set in .050, .068, .086, .104, .122; since I like a lot of bottom on the thins. And not too floppy, “muddy” and/or lacking definition on the fat ones. GHS’s “pressurewound” are good, as well as OK with the round core cheap .045-.125 round wound oriental or whatever. A great set for this semi guitar axe & I’m looking forward to use them on the LP’s, SG, strats, or the other guitars I use/have.
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Have purchased 2xs now
These works nice and are great quality! My son plays guitar often and really enjoys these strings. When he gets a new guitar he always switches them out to these.
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I’ll never buy a more expensive pack again! D’Addario Nails It!
Went from a pair of DR Blues which I had tuning instability with and the D string frayed like crazy with under 2 months of occasional play. After switching to these this guitar stays in tune like a champ. After first setup and tuning I played it the next day about 12 hours later and every string was almost perfectly in tune. It was kinda eerie as before my guitar would never stay in tune that long with the DR Blues 10s.Tone:Tone is on the bright side. Not too bright but definitely bright. Tone is subjective but it was even and I got good harmonics out of it.Feel and Playability:Like Butta. All I can say. The balanced tension is really really really nice. I can’t stress that enough. If you are the kind of guitar player that likes easier bends on the 3,2nd and 1st strings then you will love this set. Im also curious if the balanced tension is lending itself to better tuning stability. I’m not sure but it is something to think about.Overall:These strings are great so far. It’s too soon to talk about durability since I’ve only had them for like 2 days but so far I’m really impressed. The 7 dollar pack of DR Blues ended up just disintegrating on me in less than 2 months. Try D’AddarioI don’t think you’ll be disappointed in fact I think you’ll walk away ashamed of yourself that you didn’t try them before. And YES strings can make a huge difference in the setup, feel and tuning stability of your guitar. Not all strings are created equal. I gave stability a 4 stars and will update to 5 stars after about a week or so of playing if it continues on the track its on.****UPDATE 1-10-20*****these strings still kick ass and I play anywhere from 1-2 hours a day about 4-5 days a week. They’ve stayed in tune like champions with my locking tuners. No signs of wear other than than fact they are not as shiny as when I got them new. I do wipe the down every now and then though.For the price these are the strings to get and on a locking trem 25.5 scale guitar they play like butter. Will be my go to strings.
7 people found this helpful
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Perfect for a slightly higher tuning on a baritone guitar
As someone who is primarily a keyboardist but also plays guitar, I often find the standard guitar tuning to be limiting and arbitrary, and I’m always looking for ways to extend the range. I bought a baritone guitar and really enjoyed using the lower tunings, yet some of my tunings , such as C# standard don’t really work very well on a 27″ scale baritone or a 25.5″ scale guitar. There was either too much tension on the shorter scale guitar or too little on the longer scale guitar. Intonation issues all around. I had just about given up hope on setting up a guitar with this tuning and just using a capo on a baritone guitar tuned to B standard, but I thought I would give this set a try, and wow, it’s perfect. Even tension across all the strings and none of the sitar like buzz that regular medium gauge strings gave me. I use my guitar for alternative rock, dream pop, and post-hardcore, and I love the way these strings feel. If you’re not so picky about your strings, maybe you’ll get by with one of the easier to find sets, but it’s awesome that D’Addario offers these at such a low price. I’ve been buying their strings for years, yet I’m still impressed at the range of strings they offer and just how well their strings balance. I can’t say enough good things about them. So happy to find a set that works for my guitar.
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Nice strings
I was only using Ernie Ball before these too and a lot of people will say it’s not the strings that make you sound better but the skill of the guitar player. Well when I put these on I guess my skill level increased too. I sound like Eric Clapton now and I didn’t change anything but these strings lol. They bend good too, you know when you really feelin it and bend like crazy as if you are a rock star but you’re just in your room yourself? There is no fear in them breaking whatsoever.
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Perfect for 6 string Banjo
I bought these for my Dean Backwoods 6-string Banjitar. They work perfectly giving the Banjitar more of a authentic Banjo sound. They take a little bit of time getting used to the smaller size strings since I’m used to finger picking with regular guitar string gauges, but these are what the Banjitar needed. Regular 09’s or 10’s on the Banjitar just never sounded or felt right. I hope the EXL150H stay in production, cause now I’m thinking of using them on one of my guitars.
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Works as advertised
Arrived on time and work great! Zero issues.
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Exelente
Muy util exelente
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Worth
Worth the money
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Daddario strings are amazing
If you haven’t used tons of brands of strings and know the differences in them, then I recommend that you always choose D’Addario, they have a highly manufactured brand of strings no matter which one you try. If you like the feel of 8 guage but need just an extra bit of tension for tuning and string wobble then I highly recommend these 8.5’s
One person found this helpful
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Hooked on D’Addario
I try other strings from time to time, but I always keep coming back to D’Addario XL’sI think there’s a song in that somewhere….Copyright!
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It’s d’addario
Why write a review? We all know by now the rep this company has. Have these on my js32. So I bought for my 7. I’m a huge nyxl fan. But these do the job. Great tone and feel. These are my goto when I want something nice for stuff I don’t play much.
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These strings have been a favorite for 30 years and counting! Thanks
Been using these strings for 30 years. Thanks
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Can you say Colorblind?
I have bought 10-packs of these strings, before this order for qty 25 sets. I read the reviews for this 25 set pack and couldn’t understand what could possibly be frustrating about a container the strings come in… I get it now. I am color blind, and the way the strings are provided in this “string dispenser” box is, you need to pull one string at time by matching the color of string ball to the corresponding color shown on the box. I’ll probably need to just pull them all, then organize them by size – hopefully that works without getting tangles as others have mentioned.
2 people found this helpful
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Excelentes
La cuerda más confiable y de mejor rendimiento, un clásico.
One person found this helpful
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For life
I have been using these for decades. Every time I try another brand, I come back. These are better than the NYXL. Those sound weird.
One person found this helpful
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great
Great string at a great price. Definitely recommend.
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Best sounding strings i ever owned.
I have purchased these strings and Elixir poly web strings at the same time.Elixirs came in faster so I put them on my guitar first.they sounded all right for some time and did the job.after a year they started to sound strange and dull, so I wanted to order another elixir set.I am so glad that i didn’t, let me explain why.as soon as I put these strings on everything changed, the sound is just amazing.my only regret is that I played a whole year with elixirs and did not use these strings. the sound is a lot better.I have sweaty hands and everybody told me to put elixirs on my guitar, although they never rusted they never sounded all that great.theses strings also did not rust so far 4 months in use. also you get 3 sets in the price of 1 elixir… it’s a no brainer.
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Just trying them out
I’m a big fan of D’Addario strings. Been using EJ16 acoustic strings for years and love them. I needed some electric strings for my new AF-55, and I had a few set of Fender strings which I first used to replace the strings that came with the guitar. I found them lacking so I ordered the EXL 115’s and I think I will stick with these. Nice and clear, great for my playing style! Not sure about the longevity, I will say so far, so good!
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best strings on the market
love these boxes
One person found this helpful
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“Da-Dairy-O” produces great USA-made strings at a great value
Some say “daw-dare-e-o”, “de-ah-dare-e-o”, “dad-ar-ee-oh”, or “dee-ah-dare-e-o”Others shorten it to “D-adds” or even “Daddy-O’s”. Took me a while to figure that last one out.I was trying to find out info about “Daddy-O strings” and why people thought they were so great. Duh.While people may disagree on how to say the name, few debate the idea that these are great strings.* Less expensive that most string sets out there, especially if you buy multi-packs* Color-coded to make string changes easy* Easy to find from most any vendor or music store* Made in the USA* You can collect “players points” for SWAG* They are sealed in a special “environmentally friendly” package to keep them fresh and corrosion-free* They have one of the widest range of string-size combinations availableIf you are just starting out and do not know what to put on your new guitar then the phrase “set it up with EXL-120s” or “put on some Da-Dairy-O” nines” is a good choice, at least for a strat or tele-like guitar.I personally like them better than Ernie Ball Super Slinkys aka “EB Pinks”, but I cannot quite put my finger on “why”.You can pay more for coated strings, cryogenic frozen strings, boutique strings, and all that but if you do not know what any of those are then you probably haven’t been playing long enough to find value in them.Almost every guitarist has a set of strings they “swear by” because they work wonders that no other string can – they make them play smoother or faster, their last set of strings lasted for 6 years, or whatever.I just appreciate a great value, and D’Addario strings are just that.BTW, for the record the official pronunciation is “Da-Dairy-O”:>> “We receive letters each week regarding the correct pronunciation of the D’Addario name. Some years back, we even ran an ad that illustrated an easy way to pronounce the D’Addario name. The name is pronounced phonetically as follows: Da-Dairy-O. A simple way to pronounce the most difficult name in musical accessories!”
One person found this helpful
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High quality strings reasonably priced
Arrived quickly, sound wonderful. Longevity we’ll see.
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These work fine for Standard Baritone guitar tuning.
I’ve used D’Addario strings for nearly 10 years. Their strings have always performed well and consistently from set to set for a reasonable price. I’m sure there’s nicer strings out there but among the four brands I’ve tried, D’Addario has worked best for me.I recently bought a Hagstrom Viking electric baritone guitar, and it arrived with the protective smut the factory smears on the fretboard, and corroded strings. After a week of playing to make sure no gremlins were hiding in the guitar I pulled off the old strings, cleaned the fingerboard and put these D’Addarios on. The guitar’s tonal nature to my ear is very dark, dull, and woody. These strings made the right kind of tone tweak to it; They restored some of the highs in the guitar’s tone yet they don’t sound tinny or brittle.For my six string electrics, I run either EXL 110’s or EXL 115’s (10-46’s and 11-49’s) and for my acoustic, I run EJ16’s. These strings perform just as well as the just-listed string types in all aspects, to include tuning stability and reliability. When the time comes to change strings on the baritone again, I’ll pick another set of these up!
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These are good enough for Joe Satriani
I love the value of these large packs of strings. And if the .010’s are by this company are good enough for Joe Satriani? Then yeah, they are probably good enough for you. I used to use GHS boomers. Glad I made the switch. I used to break strings like crazy with the boomers. These last so long I have to remember to change them because the sound is getting dull or the black oxidation is showing up on my hands. I know these are not the fanciest strings or most expensive you can buy. But they sure do play and sound like they are fancy and expensive.
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The real deal
These are absolutely the real deal, don’t buy cheap counterfeits.
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Best Strings Made
I have a long review on other purchases of this great string company
One person found this helpful
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Best-sounding, longest-lasting, best-playing, affordable strings for electric guitar
First off, reviewing guitar strings objectively is extremely difficult. Any new set of strings will generally sound, feel, and play better than any old set of strings. Moreover, changing strings, tuning them, and breaking them in takes enough time that it is practically impossible to get an exact AB comparison across different brands in real-time. You need two otherwise identical guitars with otherwise identical wood, setup, electronics, fret age, etc, and you need to fit them both with new strings of the exact same gauge and type but different brands, in order to really assess the differences between two brands objectively. Which is close to impossible.That said, I personally own four electric guitars, and the studio I work at has about a dozen more. Over the past 15+ years as a musician, sound engineer, and stage hand, I have almost certainly played or recorded well over a hundred. So while I cannot personally swear to have done a scientific head-to-head double-blind test between every brand of strings, I can say a few things pretty categorically. And I have tried a ton of different makes of string, from Ernie Ball to GHS to La Bella to mail-order to store-brand, etc etc. (For bass, I prefer other brands than D’Addario, but that’s a seperate review).Sound-wise and playability-wise, these D’Addario Nickel Wounds are great. They have a high-quality, “as-expected” sound for a new guitar string, straight down the middle of how a roundwound nickel string should sound.Longevity is a more-complicated story, and widely misunderstood. First off, here are the things that compromise metal guitar strings, in approximate order or importance:1. Metal fatigue. Over time, bending and vibrating a piece of metal causes it to become more brittle and to develop microscopic cracks. Tension, stretching, and deformation exacerbate this condition, which is why even coated strings that are never played become dull and dead-sounding after a couple months of sitting on a guitar, compared to an identical set sitting in its package. This wears out strings faster if you play them, but also even if you just leave them sitting on your guitar. In my experience, D’Addario strings are among the best, if not the best, in terms of mainstream commercial guitar strings when it comes to staying supple, soft, and flexible.2. Surface oxidization/corrosion. This is where coatings can help. Exposure to air, moisture, skin oils, perspiration, etc has a corroding effect on metal strings. Those black, coppery-smelling stripes that you get on your fretting hand are the product of some kind of chemical breakdown in the alloy your strings are made from, releasing certain minerals from the metal onto your fingers. These effects are often over-stated in the marketing materials of coated-strings: they are real, but they are not usually anywhere close to the first thing that kills a set of strings. The conspicuousness of the symptom (black, dull-looking old strings) is often confused with the effects of metal fatigue, and people sometimes think that if they can keep their strings shiny, they will sound and play like new. Not so. Coatings only help the specific problem of surface corrosion, which can be a real one, but is a minor one for most players who keep their guitars in conditioned spaces and who play with clean hands. After a couple weeks of being installed at tension, even coated strings start to succumb to metal fatigue, and need to be changed even if they have never been played or taken out of the case.3. Physical deformation is the final and most unavoidable symptom. Unless your frets are made of softer metal than your strings (and we should hope that they are not), then playing your guitar inevitably creates “flat spots” on the strings, where they contact the frets. Probably similar at the bridge and nut. These become physical deformities in the string’s resonant characteristics, as well as exacerbating metal fatigue and compromising surface integrity at those points, affecting both of the above.Taking all of the above into consideration, and assuming that you want soft, supple nickel strings that won’t chew up your frets, I think these are your best overall choice. My one exception might be if you have serious problems related to surface corrosion, due to bodily PH imbalances or outdoor gigs, etc, in which case you might benefit from coated strings. But for most players, the strings are going to wear out from metal fatigue long before corrosion has a real effect on the sound or playability.
230 people found this helpful
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What has happened to business pride in this world?
I love D’Addario strings and this photo is no reflection on the product itself, however, I am amazed at the lack of pride that some businesses have in there own business! This photo is taken from what was in the Amazon shipping bag that I received in the mail! The Amazon package was in perfect condition, so the string box had to have been put in the package in this condition! Thank goodness the strings are OK!
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I’m surprised how well these strings stay in tune
I was surprised how well these strings stayed in tune when I first put them on. I can’t speak to their longevity since I’ve only had them on the instrument for a couple weeks. I can bend them and they don’t go out of tune very much. I think if you really want to bend strings, get a lighter set; these are a good compromise if you don’t do a lot of bending. I think the tone is good – not too bright.
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Excellent.
Excellent. Nice and bright for ST guitar.
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Great strings for down tuning
Got these to use on a gig where tuned 1/2 step down.
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Consistently good
I’ve been using D’Addario strings for years. I try other brands, but always return to D’Addario. They last a long time and sound the best to my ears.
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It’s ok
It’s ok
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Not a bad string
I just got the wrong set when not recommend this gauge but the string itself is decent
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Only D’Addario for me over 30 years
I have always used D’Addario strings because you can do minor 3rd (1 1/2 step) bends and they keep on going without breaking and stay in tune. Of course, when you first install them you need to stretch them a bit to break them in…but they are high endrance…the best.Would Like to add that I recently had one set where the ball end was deffective….I emailed them and the Replaced the whole set plus included 2 extra e and b strings (top 2). Thats customer support…kinda like AMAZON
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My favorite strings.
I have sweaty hands and these strings seem to last longer than Ernie balls. Sound great as well and seem to be the only strings that don’t snap when doing my boomer bends.
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Perfect set
I’ve been using Daddario strings for 20 years, because they last forever and stay in tune well. This hybrid set is a perfect combination of super light top and regular bottom strings.
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better than slinkys
I always used super slinkies – i think cause they were fun to say when i was 16 and starting out.Switched to D’Addario and maybe im just snobby in my senile years – but it sounds better.Dont forget to try lighter gauge strings too. Would be a shame if you only played standard gauge your whole life and had no reference or reason to appreciate them.
One person found this helpful
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LONG LASTING ARTICULATE SOUNDING STRINGS
As a gigging musician, I have to have reliable strings that deliver great tone. I’ve tried other brands, but I always come back to D’Addario strings and for the past 29 years or so I’ve used them exclusively.I buy in bulk and use 9-42 on my Teles and Strats and 10s on my Gibsons. I also use the bronze 11s on my only acoustic. I change them regularly, so they don’t have a chance to go dead. Yes, they’ll eventually go dead – I’m the only one who puts new strings on my father’s guitar and I only visit about twice a year, and his strings go dead after about a year but it’s so gradual he doesn’t seem to notice. But on my own guitars I change them out at least every 2 or 3 months, and on my Teles which get the most play, every few weeks.But, as already mentioned, I buy in bulk for discounts and it only takes a few minutes to change strings. I’m sure there are other great strings out there, but my search is over. These simply work for me.
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After years of searching, I won’t be using any other strings!
This is written from the perspective of a guitarist from a metal band that uses Drop C tuning.I’ve gone through a good amount of strings in my 12 years of playing guitar. It has only been within the past 4 years that I really am adamant about changing strings every 3-5 months… I have a Floyd Rose on my main guitar, so as some of you may know, it can be bothersome to restring with that configuration. However, now that I have found these, I absolutely don’t dread the process because the payoff is just too great!I use 11 gauge strings considering the drop tuning, gotta get that proper tension! It’s something I can’t explain but these strings seem to be perfect each time I put a new pack on. Most guitars were designed to be tuned to standard including mine, with lower gauge strings feeling like rubber bands when downtuned. I absolutely used to play strictly in standard until joining this metalcore band. I never imagined downtuned strings and when I first did it, I was just using improper gauge and hated the way my guitar played. Fast forward to being introduced to 11 gauge and trying all different types of strings.. I kept getting an adequate feeling, but it wasn’t until these strings were suggested to me by several different people that I finally found the perfect fit. It feels like I’m playing standard tuning again, but I’m not!Truly these are special and they just FEEL premium on your fingertips. There’s a satisfying, full sound that is produced by these strings and they are smooth, yet textured in a way that glues your fingers when pressure is applied, but are buttery smooth when transitioning to different parts of the neck.D’Addario have hit the nail on the head with these and I highly suggest everyone to at least try these out! Everyone I know who touches my guitars loves these! Oh, yeah I did forget to mention, I use these strings on each guitar I own! Even at standard, a few quick adjustments and these strings feel great.
41 people found this helpful
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Finally: a G-string without the sour twang!
Like almost every guitarist in history, I have always had problems sour-sounding, overly twangy G strings. On my Strat especially, it just seemed impossible to get the open G – really any note on the third string – to sound as clean and pure as the others. Then one day I came across an old acoustic that did not have this problem; on close inspection I saw that it had a wound 3rd string, rather than the straight (unwound) G string that virtually every other light or medium string set on the market has.Some of the thicker “jazz” or acoustic string sets have a wound third string; Dean Markey makes a “Blue Steel” medium (.011-.052) set with a wound G. But as far as I know only D’Addario makes a “light” set (suitable for most electrics, especially if you like bending strings) with a wound G – the EXL 110W’s.I have to say, after receiving the D’Addario EXL 110W’s and restringing my Strat, within five minutes I went back on Amazon and ordered five more sets. The strings are lively and bright – but not too much so – and far more importantly, the wound 3rd string completely solved the sour/twangy G problem. It’s got to be the thinnest wound string out there – .018 – but in spite of the winding I have little trouble with bends, even at the lower frets. I am going to put EXL 110W’s on my Les Paul as well, I like them that much. For the picky, these strings are slightly more “talky” on the slides than the previous Fender bullets were – but not annoyingly so. Maybe over time, as a little oil builds up on them, they will quiet down a little.Some say that an .009 (ultralight) is a better gauge string for a Strat (Strats come from the factory with .009’s), but the .010’s seem just fine to me. The slightly heavier gauge did however put a little extra relief (concave bend) in the neck, but a quarter turn on the truss rod (clockwise, when looking over the headstock, using the allen wrench that comes with the guitar) fixed that and now the strings play just as low and fast as the .009’s did.All in all, VERY happy to have finally solved the “sour G” problem! Love these strings!
One person found this helpful
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The 25-Pack Doesn’t Corrode!
Didn’t see any reviews of the 25-Pack when I bought it, but took a gamble any way as they were only $75. The 25-pack comes as a box with a small hole with a rubber cap that contains the ends of the strings. You just pull whatever color you need.I’ve used about 1/2 the box in the past 3 months (April to July in a room with the window open), and I’m still pulling strings that look like they came out of a fresh 3 pack. Great deal!
2 people found this helpful
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Great for Heavy Handed Players!
I regularly play acoustic and electric guitar and so my playing technique is very “heavy handed”, which is somewhat necessary for playing an acoustic guitar if you really want good intonation and presence. Unfortunately, electric guitars require more finesse and dexterity if you want to get the most of your vibrato or bends, which is why 0.9 to 0.11 gauge string sets are the de facto preference for every player.Back in the 50s and early 60s, guitar strings didn’t come in the lighter gauges that we have them today. 0.12 and 0.13 sets were commonplace. Electric guitar strings were more or less lighter-gauged acoustic guitar strings. This is how the Beatles were able to get those thick clean tones, and how Stevie Ray Vaughan (who also used 13s on his Strat) came to create his legendary tone as well. “Heavier is better” is just a myth though. Dozens of guitar heroes use standard gauge strings, sometimes as light as 0.8. It really just depends on your playing style and the amount of physical response you want from your strings. In this case “heavier is better…” IF you have a strong picking technique and hard attack.These days I have been playing a lot of heavy metal and I needed strings that wouldn’t flap around when playing those tight galloping rhythms and alternate picking runs. I decided to try out this “Baritone” guitar set on my Les Paul, and I’ve been really impressed with the thickness of the tone. You don’t necessarily need a Strat-scaled guitar or anything longer to rock these strings, so long as you adjust your bridge accordingly.Another benefit of using .13s is that the G-string is WOUND, which means more tension and less tuner slippage while playing. Every guitarist knows what I’m talking about when I say how frustrating it is when the G-string slides out of tune more so than any other string. On this set, the G-string is a wound 0.26, so literally twice the thickness of the high e-string. While this doesn’t make it totally immune to tuning slippage, it’ll get you really close.The last benefit of using .13s is that it is like resistance weight training in every respect. After playing a couple months on .13s, if you go back to .9s or .10s you’ll feel like you can fly across the fretboard with ease.
29 people found this helpful
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Good strings in a multi-pack
I like D’Addario strings and was really happy to find this pack of strings that was 3 sets in one box. I don’t go through strings too often but I do have four electric guitars and if I get the chance to play more than usual and notice I need a change, I am glad I have some at the ready for one or more guitars with a new set of strings. Also the price for this bundle is great! I plan on ordering another box so I can have two boxes in my supply box. The D’Addarion strings have always had a great feel and tone. They are bright and sing really well on my Strat, Tele, or Gibson Rd Standard. I play a mix of Rock, Pop, and eager to start developing some Jazz chops. I am confident these strings will play right in.
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good value
if you want to try light strings these are a great place to start
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Good string-Great gauge-Why cost more per pack for 3 pk?
Using 120 EXL+Some years ago, I decided I didn’t like 9’s or 10’s anymore, so when I discovered 9.5’s, I got excited.I’ve tried every other 9.5 set out there and none feel like the middle ground between 9 and 10 like these. They’re perfect for me gauge/tension-wise.I also love that they’re pretty bright sounding without being harsh or brittle sounding and I can get controlled feedback without killing ears or it getting out of control too fast.*** They seriously need to do something about quality control though. Inconsistent surface on unwound strings, strings bent in random places and I had five high e strings break on me in five different sets out of the same bag on first tune up to pitch about 8 months ago. Only had one do that since, but I never break strings on my main guitar, so it’s not the guitar.Break one and you loose a set if you never break strings and never have a need for the singles.*** Don’t buy the multipack. 3 pack = 13.99 and 3 single sets comes to 13.14.We should be getting a discount for buying multiple sets at once, not be charged more.I’ll keep that 85 cents, thank you very much-
3 people found this helpful
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Price
Speed of delivery, quality of product
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highly durable strings.
i buy D’s cuz they last. they retain more tone over stretching than most other brands, and since you can’t a 60 low E with blue steel, i stick with these. i tried some high gauge ernie balls, and they lost their tone pretty quick. i tried some fat GHS boomers, and those things just got rusty really fast. so far these D’s have stood up to a lot of handling and many sessions. 8Di been using the 9 string version pack to hit some barritone tunings on my 6 string guitar and they work great and stay in tune. not too much stretching, but there is some.the gain on these strings is great too. though i think maybe i got more gain out of the GHS. probably cuz they have less nickle and more ferris. not sure.anyways i recommend D’Adarrio for anyone looking to try a good balanced string that will last more than a couple of weeks in the studio without them getting rusty or losing too much tone.They’re tough too. I have never broken a D’Adario string, but i’ve broken plenty of blue steel and ernie balls in the past.D’Addario should sponsor me.
10 people found this helpful
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Good price!
Good price on great strings.
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These are what I use and recommend.
Everyone has their own theories on what gauge/composition of string they want to use, so I won’t go into why I prefer light top – heavy bottom, or why I prefer round wound nickel, I’ll just review D’Addario strings as a whole.- Which string is which within a pack is denoted by colored wrapping at the bridge end of the string. The color coding of the strings is really nice for quickly determining which string is which gauge, especially if you are trying to replace a string quickly during a performance. It isn’t exactly tricky without the color code, but I like it. I know lots of players who HATE the color coding because depending on the instrument, you can see it after they are installed. Personally, I think it’s subtle at best, and you’d really have to be looking for it, but on a lot of fixed bridge instruments, the colors are visible.- The strings come in a plastic bag to reduce exposure to air, something along the lines of a sealed opaque sandwich bag. I have no clue how “fresh” the little baggy is keeping my strings, but I do know that I’ve had packs of these strings rattling around in gig bags for a pretty long time and they have never come out of the package tarnished.-The big reason I buy D’Addarios is they don’t seem to break as often as other string manufacturers. It’s most noticeable on my bass, where D’Addarios never break, but Ernie Balls and others occasionally do. If you have issues with strings breaking you might want to give D’Addarios a try.- I don’t notice a tone difference between these and much more expensive strings like Elixers. I know people who claim to, so you’ll have to see for yourself. I think they sound great.
3 people found this helpful
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Good quality and long lasting tone
I’ve used D’Addario strings for as long as I have played guitar. Not my most favorite brand but still good quality and keep tone anddurable. Highly recommend, great value
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Used for years
All my hubby has used for years. He’s been playing for 50+ years. So he knows what he likes.
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11-56 . My favorite set for drop C
Been playing guitar for over 15 years. I play all kinds of styles, I like a well balanced set for lead playing and rhythm . I bought the 11-56 set for one of my guitars that’s tuned to drop C and I love it. The low strings are tight enough that there is no string rattling or excessice buzzing and the high strings aren’t too loose or too tight, great for bends. I greatly prefer these over the Ernie Ball 11-54 set.. I tried them and removed them a few days after. My problem with those is the G string is overly tight and sounds awful, it rings out terribly and has a weird sound to it. Also the low end strings aren’t tight enough that I end up getting string buzz on the lowest notes. Not going back to those and sticking to these from now on! Great set!
2 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer –
I’m a complete beginner but I found this very easy to play
I’m a complete beginner but I found this very easy to play, holds a tune well and sounds nice. I also bought a cheaper one in another brand and there is a huge difference in the quality. More specifically, the annoying thing about the cheaper one I bought was that it just wouldn’t hold a tune for more than maybe 10 minutes – but this one does not have that problem and it wasn’t that much more expensive. I was not able to get the tuner to work but downloaded the free Kala app for my phone and use that to tune. I thought the case was nice as well.
3 people found this helpful
miluma –
great deal on package, great uke, and very easy to learn to play
I am a complete newb to uke/string instrument. The combo uke, bag, and electric tuner was a great deal. Kala is a reputable brand of ukes and this model is very affordable and a higher quality than their intro makala line too. the strings are aquila as well. i watched a bunch of youtube videos on how to tune it and learn to play, and within 3 days, have learned several songs already. I obviously need practice for proficiency but still can play recognizable songs. yes it does need very frequent tuning in the 3 days that i have owned it so far. but the sound is much nicer than i expected, more resonant and pleasant, although still uke-y in tone. i love the small size. i have also ordered the portable stand as the bag is not really useful on everyday basis except for travel. I highly recommend this if you are thinking of trying it out like I did. Do not be deterred by a previous 1 star review
2 people found this helpful
Keter Prill –
Sound is great, size is perfect, looks clean.
It’s a good instrument to start learning finger placement, and it has a very nice sound. The Kala app is also very good for beginners as the tutorials are easy to follow and have visual learning segments for learning the different chords and strumming patterns.
Cheryl G Fling –
Great buy for the money
The ukulele is perfect for what we wanted it for we bought two one for my husband and one for my granddaughter and my husband loves it very easy to learn on it’s a great Buy
Melanie E –
Great Uke for some Fun!
I bought this one for my husband since he told me it would be fun just to play christmas carols with me. Actually after you use it about a month it holds its tune quite well. I also enjoy playing it. It is a good quality for the price.
BGnR –
Jesus loves you!
I like that it arrived quickly, was pre-strung, and that everything was as good as I expected.
Beth –
Perfect Retirement Hobby!
I bought this ukulele after reading other reviews to learn an instrument when I retired. It was easy to learn. I take classes through the local rec department, discovered a ukulele club, and also play in a band at church. I didn’t want to spend a lot of money before knowing if I would continue. I have had it for 2 years now, and it’s held up to a lot of use. I also like the tuner that came with it.
Katherine Wilson –
We’ve been very happy with this little ukulele
My 12-year-old daughter saved her money to get this ukulele and we have been very happy with it. It seems to keep it’s tune quite well. (Other reviewers complained about that.)The gig bag is very well-made, the tuner works great (after the learning curve and a little trial and error because 12-year-olds might be too excited to read the instructions) and we’ve been very happy with all the “extra” items that were included.When my daughter got together with a friend who also has a ukulele, I thought the sound of this one was superior to the other girl’s instrument.Overall would definitely recommend this cute little uke.
Megan –
Beautiful, high quality, sooo fun!
New to the ukulele, I did a lot of research into what kind I wanted. Kala came up as one of the best brands all over the place. I am so glad I went with this one, the wood body is beautiful and dark, the strings are high quality Aquila. I went with the Concert and am glad I did, it is still small but has a bigger, more full sound. It has been so fun learning the Ukulele. You may have to tune it a couple times a day for a while but after a couple weeks it holds the tune very well and needs only minimal tuning. If you’re in doubt and torn like I was, get this. You won’t be disappointed!
4 people found this helpful
Lance Morris –
Just a lot of fun. Easy to play.
This was another impulse (many guitars) buy.Very glad I bought it. The quality and tone are very nice. Easy to get some progressions and songs going quickly. Great for the beach.
Jan Denver –
This is the ukulele you need to buy. I reviewed many.
There was a problem with the carrier delivering but I contacted Austin Bazaar and they were kind, helpful and had my ukulele delivered in a few days. The ukulele is great, nice looking, great sound and the case was just what I was wanting for travel. The tuner worked well, I compared it with my piano and it was right on.This is the one to buy if you are a first time ukulele buyer. The bundle gives you all you need to start out.I am so happy I ordered this ukulele.
Jean Cross –
71 year old beginner
This uke is great. Going to ukelele classes for the first time. Great sound. Lightweight. Highly recommend!
NJ –
Excellent
Great product
BusyMom –
This is the Uke to purchase
I ordered a Hola for my son because he likes blue and a Kala KA-15S Mahogany Soprano for me. I have no musical training or interest. He needed a music credit for homeschool and thought I would give this a try. It is an excellent instrument that it so easy to use. Once you tune it, it keeps it a tune for a decent amount of time. I don’t have to re-tune every practice even though I check with the included tuner. The Hola must be tuned; and by the time I have tuned all four strings, it is out of tune again. I highly recommend the Kala. I used the Alfred Kid’s Ukulele Course 1 & 2 and was able to play within a week and half with limited time invested.
One person found this helpful
Bob E. –
Wow, now I have to buy replacement ukuleles…
I now have to throw away all five of my other ukuleles, well maybe an exception can be made for my Kala/Makala Baritone. Excellent tone and sustain, great attention to detail and finish on this tenor. I really like this ukulele! Huge difference between this one and other ukes I have, and a Cadillac/Chevrolet difference between this Kala and my Makala. Yes, I know they’re made by the same people but the mahogany body seems to make a definite difference in tonal quality. Stop looking at other tenor ukuleles, and trying to save a buck, buy one of these Kala KAA-15T Tenor Ukes.The gig bag sent to me in this package deal is very thin, cheap and the WRONG SIZE! (concert maybe?) I’ve notified Austin Bazaar and trust that they will remedy this problem.
3 people found this helpful
hremnhremn –
great starter uke
this is my first uke so i wanted something that was good quality but still affordable. i also needed a tuner and a bag so this was a perfect set for me. it’s a soprano which is the smallest size so if you’re a bigger person (i’m about 5’2) you might want to get a bigger uke, like a concert or a tenor. the tuner works great and the strings are nice aquila strings so they tend to stay in tune pretty well after a couple tunings. the dvd is very informative and straight forward. the bag is just a thin carrying bag with no protection, which is fine if you just need something to put the uke in, but if you are looking for protection you might wanna get another bag (the kala DUB-S is great). overall this uke is great for beginners of any age. good luck!here’s the
DUB-S17 people found this helpful
elizabeth wendler –
Item received as was advertised.
I like the ukulele very much but am concerned about the A string as it seems quite loose. I have tuned it but still seems loose. Is that common? During shipping the outer box was quite beat up and ripped but there seemed to be no damage to the instrument.Elizabeth Wendler
Amazon Customer –
Perfect
Perfect size for my 14yr old. He loved the size of it. Perfect!
RVartist –
Fun!!!
After reading lots and lots of reviews, I choose this uke. I am not dissappointed. I know some people say it doesn’t stay in tune, but my experience is it stays tuned very well. Before each session, I tune it. All it needs is a tiny bit of adjustment to be in tune. Also, it has good tone and seems well made. It came with a ding in the body, but Amazon adjusted the price accordingly. Unfortunately, the ding is right where I put my strumming arm. However, with a little wood putty, that was fixed. This is my first ukulele and I have learned several cords to play several songs. I am having fun learning to play this uke. I would recommend this instrument. I think it will meet my needs for quite some time.
22 people found this helpful
kokopop –
Wonderful ukulele at an amazing price!
Wonderful soprano ukulele for beginners and folks like me who haven’t played one in decades. Here are my experiences for the first few days:Day 1: Ukulele arrived. Very excited! Didn’t know how to use the digital tuner, so tuned by ear. Was disappointed that strings could not hold tune for more than a strum.Day 2: Figured out how to use the digital tuner, and it was awesome! Strings held tune a little longer. Played the DVD and it was okay. Did learn one good tip from the DVD.Day 3: Still need to tune ukulele before playing, but strings held tune much longer.Day 4 and beyond: Becoming very attached to the ukulele!Great price for the ukulele, case, digital tuner, DVD and cleaning cloth. When my parents bought me my first ukulele over 40 years ago, it was $30 for the ukulele and case.
Hiro –
Small Issue with the Gig Bag but Quickly Resolved, Great Ukulele!!!
I’m not musically inclined but I really wanted to learn to play at least one instrument in my lifetime. I was attracted to the Ukulele because I heard it was a relatively easy instrument to pick up and learn.This Ukulele was within my budget and had great reviews so I decided to buy the package, and I am glad I did. The first thing I noticed is that the clip-on tuner REALLY comes in handy, especially for a beginner like me. The strings tend to come out of tune after a day so having this to re-tune the instrument is really great!I’ve watched a bunch of tutorials on youtube which are a great way to learn this instrument, and I highly suggest checking out Cynthia Lin on Youtube for tutorials: […]The Kala Ukulele is beautiful, has really great craftsmanship made with a dark mahogany, and sounds great! (I feel like i’m transported to the islands every time I strum.)The one issue I had was that the Gig Bag that was shipped was too small and was actually for a smaller Soprano sized ukulele. I contacted Austin Bazaar and they resolved the issue right away by sending me the correct sized bag hassle free!!
2 people found this helpful
Mimi –
Loved! 2 time buying it and have literally no complaints!
So I actually bought the same one for my brother over Christmas, I wish I waited to buy this one because of all the upgrades (needless to say the other one was great too) my bf was so thrilled he couldn’t wait to dive into tuning it up and learning the electric tuner that came with it. The case for it, lemme just be 100% (this was why I wish I had waited to buy one for my brother) the case is so nice! It is a little padded, comes with an extra strap and honestly it’s so cute! The instrument is definitely worth getting for a beginner, once tuned, it sounds pretty good! Better then a lot of the ukulele’s I’ve heard on here. Definitely recommend!
One person found this helpful
J W –
Love this thing!!!
I love my Kala Tenor. I started off with a cheap little soprano (which I still love and use). I upgraded to this one because my hands are very big and I thought it would be easier to play. My Kala tenor has great sing; you can strum and let the note or chord carry. It’s louder as well, due to the larger body. I have very big hands, so sometimes it was hard to hit chords on my soprano, but no problem with my tenor. If you have a beginner ukulele and love to play it, I strongly recommend dropping the 80 or 90 bucks to pick up one of these. You will love it.A piece of advice, when I bought this as a set it came with a soft case. It wasn’t until a few days later I realized I could have gotten the set with a hard case for an extra 10 bucks. I carry mine around a lot, so hard case would be nice to protect while I’m changing trains and moving through a crowd, but also heavier to carry. Just something to think about.ALSO! I went through Austin’s Bazaar. Their service was top-notch. I am considering buying myself an electric and will be sure to go through them again.Happy playing! Aloha!
24 people found this helpful
Woof –
beautiful and great value
This Ukelele is the larger tenor size and it sounds beautiful!!! I would recommend starting with a concert size and work up to the tenor size. I don’t recommend it for kids because you need a little longer reach and strings are very hard till you break them in. Kala is a quality product,you can’t go wrong with this beauty!!!!I have only been playing for a little over a month, I am a classical piano player and play native american flute so this was completely new to me but, it is so much fun!!!!!
Reader Girl –
sweet and fun for a beginner
This is a sweet little instrument. It’s beautiful, well made, and comes with Aquila nylgut strings. Sounds great to me, but what do I know — I don’t have the experience to speak to that.The package deal I got includes an excellent zippered hard case, convenient and easy clip-on tuner, cleaning cloth, and helpful instructional DVD. I flirted with guitar maybe twenty years ago but never had a chance to really pursue it. Although I’m not completely unfamiliar with playing a stringed instrument, I am a complete newbie to ukulele playing, and I love how easy it was to get started with this package.Reasonable price was important too, since I didn’t want to make a big investment in something I haven’t tried before. I live overseas now and move around frequently, so I wanted something small and easy to transport that isn’t too hard to get into. Great choice — would recommend for anyone who wants to start an instrument and be able to play a few simple pieces in a relatively short time. Playing well will take practice and skill, but it does have a short learning curve for mastering the basics and playing simple songs.
2 people found this helpful
R. Tuazon –
Acceptable
Sounds Good, acceptable.
justin –
Sounds great hard to play though but I do have big finger sausages lol other than that it’s perfect
Great
Misanthropic Studios –
Frets are incredibly short, and action extremely high. Impossible to play in tune.
I bought this ukulele for my daughter because it came as a bundle with the case. I figured since it was a Kala, the instrument would meet some minimum normal playing specifications. While it’s made significantly better than the ones in the toy range, the ukulele was almost unplayable for recording, since the really high action coupled with the tiny frets makes almost every note sharp from having to be pushed down that far.I ended up purchasing the Kala walnut version, and the build quality is night and day. The frets are not even the same type, and the action is markedly lower. The entire intonation of the walnut one works great, while this one is out of tune across the fretboard. The details of the actual instruments should really include things like fret specifications, and pictures of the action.
Francine Bradmon –
Comparing Brands – Disapponted
i bought this Kala Soprano uke for my son for Christmas, and myself the Lohana Tenor and paid $5 less for the Lohana… with that in mind, it’s easy to compare the craftsmanship and sound of the instruments. I’m disappointed in the Kala soprano, as I did a great deal of research to find it continually on every list of recommended uke’s for beginners.The tuner the Kala came with, does not work. The knobs to tune feel choppy/crusty whereas the Lohana’s knobs glide easily to meet its tuner, creating the pleasant sound I was expecting. Even my son commented that mine sounds so much better than his.I am giving it 3 stars because, as other reviewers mentioned, it’s better than a toy, and my son was excited on Christmas morning. But for $75, I’d go with the Lohana if your a teen or adult (since the tenor is bigger) and save 5 bucks, getting better quality, ease of use, and sound.
One person found this helpful
Amazon CustomerAmazon Customer –
Sounds great but doesn’t match the description exactly.
It’s a great little starter ukulele. I literally just left the tuner on it and tuned every 5 minutes until it started to hold a tune.The tuner is really easy to use once you actually read the direction and switch it from guitar to ukulele. I really like the hard case, especially with a 2 year old running around.I swear I read that it was a USA made ukulele but it was literally deliver with a made in china sticker.Also, the ukulele does not match the picture and it did not come with a strap like the description said it would. The Uke in the picture has a light colored finger board and bridge and does not have a button. My Uke came with a button and dark colored fingerboard and bridge. The color difference was very disappointing and I should probably give it 3 stars for that…I think if I had bought the ukulele without the beginner pack it would have matched the picture. As the customer I should not have to guess that and it should match the picture and descriptions given.
9 people found this helpful
Marie Calendula –
beautiful sound and body!
After falling in love with the noise this tenor ukulele makes, I could never play a soprano. I love the deeper sound and the dark wood, the white tuning knobs are perfect accents, every part of it is well made, and the sound is professional. The Aquila strings are wonderful: for the first few days out of the box, the strings are prone to falling out of tune, but the more it is played and broken in, the more it stays in tune. The neck and frets are so smooth and easy to play on, I just love this instrument. The clip-on tuner it comes with is excellent, you have to toggle over to the ukulele setting, but it’s easy to use and accurate. (Your strings should be G-C-E-A from top to bottom). The hard case is hard, but not in the classic sense I was expecting, you can’t put stickers on the case because it has an outer fabric layer. Maybe I’ll sew a patch onto it. It’s still a hard case and is great protection.I couldn’t get the DVD to play (this was my own technical difficulty and nothing was faulty about the DVD itself), but I looked the Austin Bazaar guy up on YouTube. He’s not my favorite ukulele instructor, and if you’re looking for fun, helpful, easy ukulele tutorials, I recommend “The Ukulele Teacher” and “anthemofadam”, both on YouTube. As a beginner, I’ve learned so much from both of these sources.I can’t find enough good things to say about this ukulele, it’s high-quality Kala craftsmanship.
2 people found this helpful
Allan –
Perfect for its intended purpose
I have purchased 3 of these for children and will buy more. They are ideal for beginning players or as a spare to have around. I have a much better tenor uke, but I would gladly play one of these ukes as a daily instrument. It is certainly not concert or recording grade but is definitely practice/campfire quality. I’m about to buy one of these for myself, mainly for people who come over who don’t bring their own ukes.
Dave L.Dave L. –
Superb first Uke
I inherited a classic soprano ukulele and tried learning to play. Read reviews that recommended the tenor size, especially for typical male hands. This is not only easy to play, it sounds wonderful and has excellent build quality for such a low price point. I highly recommend this brand and this tenor uke in particular. The strap in this starter kit is crap…but good ones aren’t expensive and easy to find.
EasternGirl –
Bought for an Elementary Music Class
This was purchased as a replacement for an elementary music class. The teacher opened the box and immediately tuned it and began playing. She loved it! It worked great. It arrived in good condition, and after a little tuning, the sound was very nice. I don’t know what more you could want our of a Ukulele?
Kathy E. Woody –
So Happy With Purchase
I researched a lot trying to find my first Ukulele. I wanted one that was nice, but not expensive in case I decide I don’t enjoy playing the ukulele, and not one that was so cheap it was actually a toy. I read many reviews and finally decided on this ukulele bundle. It has a nice ukulele and I have extra strings, a tuner, a bag and a strap that I wouldn’t have to purchase separately. It arrived earlier than expected by 4 days, so I was excited to get to start learning to play sooner than expected. I am not disappointed! I am actually thoroughly pleased with this ukulele! After the first day’s tuning it has stayed pretty much in tune or only needs a small tweak with a string or two to get it back in tune. There are many free tutorials online for beginners. The one I found on YouTube called “30 Day Uke Challenge” by Bernadette Teaches Music has been amazing.
Randy Smith –
Great Ukulele for the Price
Great uke. I had purchased a cheaper ukulele earlier in the week and it was so bad, I turned around and purchased this one three days later.The only issue is the satin finish on this uke is a little light. Could have used a heavier coat, BUT i’t made to pay and not sit on the shelf and be looked at. LOLI’m delighted with this uke and is worth every penny.
Pawzz –
Kind of small, but expected. Totally recommend.
so this ukulele is a soprano, meaning that it’s the smallest kind you can buy. In order to keep the neck proportional they probably had to dock the amount of frets, but that’s fine. That’s my only complaint. The wood is beautiful and it sounds extremely pretty.SOME TIPS- stretch your strings to season them and keep your ukulele tuned for longer. Stretch them out gently and then use the tuner to get them back to the correct note. – again, this is a soprano, so the finger-space is pretty small. Maybe an inch a lil bit. if you have larger fingers this could be kinda hard to play, but I’m able to do it with my german fingers so you can too.- Google any song + Ukulele chords and look in images. Most likely you’ll have a load of options.- Try memorizing what each white dot is and the fret numbers are. the first dot is the 5th, so the one above it is the 4th. Two above is the 3rd. etc. This’ll help in fingerstyle/plucking songs.That’s it. I enjoy my ukulele.
8 people found this helpful
Amazon Customer –
Great for kids starting Ukulele
Very good quality! Easy to use for beginner! My 6 year old son play it every day!
Kristel –
Received as advertised
I received this ukulele bundle exactly as expected. I’m very pleased with this bundle. I received several messages from the seller, wanting to be sure that I was happy with my order, so I know customer service is a priority for this seller. If I could change one thing, it would be the cd, since I don’t have a computer with a cd drive. However, I knew that before I bought the product, so it’s not a complaint; just something that could make this bundle even better. Very happy with my purchase.
Laura T –
Great ukulele
I wanted a ukulele that would work for a beginner, but would still be good enough as I progressed. This fits the bill and has a great tone.
Caleb Hennon –
Throw the other uke away my friend
I bought this because I went to some website and it said this was a good product for beginner Ukulele players. I wouldn’t say I’m a beginner, though. You see I bought this other ukulele when I was like 10 years old and have been trying to learn how to play for about 8 years give or take 10 years. Anyways, I bought it for like a dollar and a poker chip so it was not the best quality. I always thought I was a terrible musician, but then I got this thing and realized the other uke just was God awful. So that’s a relief. There’s still a few chords on this that don’t sound the best, but it sounds better than the other thing. The other thing was like if you took a guy who was making his fingernails screech accross a chalk board and then threw the whole thing into a life size blender with a bunch of thumb tacks, that was the sound the other one made.
Seanvplayer –
Excellent instrument.
I purchased this instrument for a student whose parents were uncertain whether their daughter really would stick with the ukulele. I wanted them to be sure and get an instrument that would be an incentive to play rather than something cheap that would frustrate the student. They were trying to borrow an instrument from anyone who might have one. I wanted better than that for the student. I am extremely happy with the Kala KA-15S. I played it on arrival, and knew at once this was the suitable instrument to start the young lady on a musical journey. It is a well crafted instrument with beautiful tone. I enjoyed playing it, and felt confident in placing it in the hands of the student. It came bundled with everything she needed for a good start.
Revolverdude –
Sounds great!
I bought this uke last week after a friend’s recommendation as my first uke. It honestly sounds very nice to my ears. However, at first, it lost the tune pretty frequently, like every 15 minutes but it was not that hard to tune again with the tuner already included. After a few days of playing, I’m finding that it holds the tune for much longer so that is not an issue anymore.The reason I gave this 4 stars is that today (less than a week after the purchase) I was looking at the frets and noticed that even though it has not even been a week, the frets have gotten noticeably discolored and I don’t think there is anything I could do about it.I have not tried the instructional DVD yet because whose laptop reads a DVD these days anyway? 😀 wish there were somewhere we could download the content instead.
One person found this helpful
Lee Carney –
It is helpful to have a mentor.
I am really enjoying learning to play the Ukelele. Screws in handle of case may wiggle loose, but they where quick to address the problem.
Amber –
Good sound, beautiful lookjg
I bought this ukelele for my husband for Christmas. I should preface my review with the fact that I have never owned or looked at or even touched a ukelele prior to this purchase. I read all the reviews on countless other ukuleles on amazon and this one seemed the best deal for the money. It took awhile to stay in tune which I hear is normal but now it stays in time well with only minor adjustments needed to be made every couple of days. It sounds great to me and looks beautiful. The hard case is really nice and keeps it very well protected as is the polishing cloth it came with. The case has a node large pocket on the outside and a compartment or two on the inside where we keep the tuner. The tuner works quite well jn my opinion. My only issue with it is that it doesn’t like chords but u don’t think the then rid actually made for that anyway, so we turn it off after we tune the strings. I love this ukelele and think it was a super deal for the money.
4 people found this helpful
Bonnie Singleheart –
Awesome deal and so well made for price..
I’m so glad I spent the 10 bucks extra to get the hard case its so worth it…I’m so impressed this is so well made and everything that comes with it is so worth the price…I bought it for my granddaughter’s bday and I’m gonna use it and break it in for her so I can teach her how to tune it with the tuner it came with, and how to play im gonna practice for 3 weeks before her big day…The case is very well made…love it I might just have to buy one for myself if I fall in love with it…well see.. 🙂
One person found this helpful
Alex –
Solid uke
Nice ukulele, bought it as a birthday gift. Craftsmanship is fine, the bundle included nice bells and whistles, as well as CD with information, polishing cloth, etc.
Gene –
Great product!
Perfect for my wife. Now if I only had ear plugs
coley –
Love love love it!
So this is my first ukulele and I absolutely love it! It is so cute and extremely well made, mine at least didnt have any unfinished edges or parts coming off like others on here have. It comes pre-strung with Aquila chords, an instructional video, polishing cloth, tuner and gig bag.The strings are great but with any new strings they are still setting an I still need to tune them every time before playing.The tuner is absolutely adorable and works, I’ve used it with other tuners to check and they were always the same.I was alittle disappointed with the bag because it just barely fits the ukulele in it. At first I was actually afraid it wouldn’t fit but it does. Sadly though that means basically nothing else will fit in the bag when the ukulele is in there. And forget about the front pocket because its too flat and tight to even put the DVD in it.Over all I really love the ukulele and the tuner and I would suggest this for anyone.
Justin –
It’s wonderful, but…
Don’t get me wrong. I have been playing with this ukulele since I got it. It’s just that I think the second fret on it is higher than the rest. When I play chords on the first fret I always get a buzzing sound no matter how much pressure or position I change on the chords of the first fret. I still enjoy this ukulele even with the buzz.
Lisa S –
Very pleased with my purchase
As a not at all musically inclined person, I took a leap of faith and purchased this ukulele. It’s easy to tune with the app and its provided me a means to de-stress and maybe one day be a half decent player. I only wish the lessons were a bit longer and focused more on practicing chord transitions.
Ram9Ram9 –
Much better than those toy ukuleles found at souvenir shops.
I gotta admit, I never imagined myself playing a ukulele before. A while back we were doing a campfire on the beach and a friend started playing a ukulele. It sounded pretty good and was much easier to carry around than a full size guitar. After doing a little more research I came upon the Kala ka15s ukulele and placed an order for the bundle.This is NOT your little toy ukulele that those cheap souvenir shops sell. This one feels like a real instrument and not a toy. The look, feel, and finish of this uke is really nice and good quality. Im glad I didnt choose those no-brand ukuleles.Shipping was sooner than expected, so thats nice. As noted by others, the strings take a couple days of playing to break in. All guitars do this, specially with nylon strings. I broke mine in in about 2 days of average playing. Once fully stretched, they hold tune very well. The tuners are pretty good. Ive had better and worse out of guitars so I cant complain there.The bundle I chose came with a polish cloth, instructional CD, tuner, and hard case. I havent used the CD as nowadays you can find almost anything on youtube. Having said that, Im glad there is a pretty big following to these instruments so, you can always find what you need online.Im not sure exactly why it came with the polish cloth. I guess its nice to dust off the instrument with, but since its in a case most of the time, it hardly gets dusty. I ended up using the cloth for my laptop instead. Still a nice gesture, cant complain about that. It would just be nice to skip the cloth and CD and save a few extra bucks.The tuner had me really surprised. I was expecting a really low quality tuner that hardly worked. But after testing it with my snark st-2 and my iphone app, I was really surprised at how accurate it is. It takes the same flat round battery as the snark, and I guess ill find out how long it lasts. You can turn it on and off by pressing the button and holding it for a few seconds. It will also turn off by itself when not in use for a while which is a really nice feature to save the battery. As for the size, I was expecting something really huge and heavy, but its actually almost the same size as the snark. I guess it just seemed larger on the pictures.I strongly suggest you spend the extra $10 and get the hard case instead of the soft bag. It makes a world of difference. Unlike most hard cases, this particular one has a cloth like exterior, but the inside is just like any hard case should be. Its a very soft material and has a storage compartment inside. I can fit a capo, tuner, and the case strap inside with extra room for a few more small things. Of course, it probably wont protect the ukulele if you fall on top of the case, but It can definitely protect it from drops or other objects hitting it.Overall, I strongly recommend this ukulele bundle for anyone wanting to practice playing it or wanting to try it out.
73 people found this helpful
Amazon CustomerAmazon Customer –
Perfect starter uke with incredible intonation!
The short review: If you’re looking for a great-sounding, great-playing ukulele, get this one right now. The intonation could not be better and I am in love with it.The long review: I did a lot of research before buying this ukulele. (I should perhaps say that while I have experience with string instruments, this is my first ukulele.) I knew going in that it was a gamble to order online. However, as soon as I held this in my hands, I was so impressed. Sharp fret edges? NOPE! Buzzing when strumming? NOPE!Once I got the strings tuned (the included tuner is awesome, btw), they held their tune so much better than I anticipated. I’ve had the instrument for almost a month and I’ve tuned the C string exactly twice. And I’ve played the uke every day, checked the strings every day. Coming from a violin background I fully expected to have to tune every time, but no. Mainly the bottom strings (E and A) needed a tiny bit of tuning each time, but now they all hold their tune. Can’t say enough good things about the intonation. The tone of the instrument, too, is really wonderful. I suppose it probably sounds like a typical concert. But I don’t think you’ll be disappointed in the sound. It feels open and bright without being loud, and I wouldn’t call it mellow or twangy (like a soprano); it really sits somewhere in the middle.As far as the action goes, it feels good to me. I play guitar, but I’m not an expert so I don’t really know the difference in how action feels. But it is easy to press the strings down and, like I said, no buzzing.This isn’t really a complaint, just a comment. The uke I received looks like the picture on the Amazon listing. It doesn’t look like the other pictures people posted. My uke is very, very dark red-brown, only really showing red in the sun. The fretboard and bridge are very light and I think the contrast looks great. Anyway, if you would prefer the more traditional dark fretboard/light body, then this might not be the instrument for you.This uke does have side fret markers. It sits very comfortably in my arms although I’m still learning how to hold it. It does feel a bit top-heavy, as in the neck is heavier than the body. The included soft case isn’t really worth discussion. It’s basically a dust cover. I bought a better bag on Amazon. But the other accessories, especially the tuner and cleaning cloth, are great.I guess the only way to end this review is to say, what are you waiting for??
10 people found this helpful
Ivan Galindo –
Really good for beginners
This was my first ukulele and it sounds so good and is not cheap feeling. You can definitely get far with this ukulele alone and it feels professional and the extras it goes with is a steal the case alone feels and looks nice. The extra strings and cloth are a nice addition for beginners
Heirloom –
Great Quality Low End Uke
I only got this bundle because it was cheaper than buying the uke and case separately. I learned uke on my own before buying this, so I will not be reviewing the instructional DVD. I will focus my review specifically on the uke itself as the tuner and case both seem to be of good quality, and the uke is the main point of this whole thing anyway.The uke has a nice moderately warm low end with slightly bright treble. The main problems I’ve noticed in other low end ukes are 1) the low end can be almost nonexistent 2) the machine heads (tuning pegs) and 3) the build quality is usually really poor and feels like it won’t last more than a few years. This uke has none of those problems. 1) It has great tone from the low to the high ends. 2) The machine heads keep the strings in tune pretty well, though they’re no Grovers (which can easily cost as much as this entire instrument). 3) The build quality seems good and unless I get rich this is the one I expect I’ll have for years to come.Two points of very modest criticism:- The intonation is *slightly* off. My tuner (not the one that comes with this bundle) showed the 12th fret to be off by a few Hz, but it’s not terribly noticeable to the ear. This may be fixable if you have a luthier adjust the saddle, but that would probably cost just as much as the uke itself, so don’t do that.- As seems to be standard on many ukes, it has no strap button. This is easily remedied, however. Strap buttons are cheap and easy to install. This almost isn’t a criticism though, as soprano ukes are lightweight enough that it’s usually easy to hold them while playing at the same time, and if you’re sitting there’s no problem whatsoever.Lastly, when buying a ukulele or any stringed instrument, please ignore the strings it comes with. When I bought this uke a lot of people seemed to be fixated on the Aquila strings. And, while they’re great strings that will make a world of difference and you should definitely get them if you don’t have them (or a different preference), that’s the absolute easiest thing to replace on any instrument and you’re going to have to eventually anyway even if it just sits in your closet as another forgotten hobby. As someone who’s been playing stringed instruments for ten years or more I couldn’t care less about what strings an instrument comes with and neither should you.
8 people found this helpful
CJ Costa Rica –
Decent starter concert uke package
The uke was the first instrument I ever played, back in the 90s. My grandpa had an old soprano uke (presumably from the 40s?), but he never taught me how to play. I never bothered learning properly, just doodled a bit playing lead lines. Then one day, a friend came over and SAT ON IT. He said he didn’t see it. I still haven’t forgiven him for that.Onto this uke. I’ve been itching to get one for some time now. My dad’s friend plays tenor banjo (4string), which got me itching to play something smaller than my too-big-for-me acoustic guitar. Soprano ukes are too small, even for my small stature. So I upgraded to Concert uke, which is still a little too small for me on the higher frets. I played a baritone uke at a local music venue about a month ago, which really got me wanting one. So as soon as I had the cash, I began researching which brand to get, and ended up with this package deal.The one thing I was disappointed with was there was nothing on what tuning the uke is supposed to have. It wasn’t in tune when I got it, and had no paper on how to tune it, or what chords there are. (I ended up getting a uke book at my library) This uke is decent for a starter. The intonation needs work. The action’s a little too high (due to the saddle being too tall), and the Aquila strings are decent. So far so good for a starter Chinese uke. Love the tuner, works well on my acoustic too, and small enough to fit my capo on the headstock as well!And I see that it went up to 89.99 now. Good thing I got it when it was 79.99! Edit 29 June: I see it went up ANOTHER 10 bucks. For that price, you might be better off with another (better?) concert uke. Shop wisely, folks.And for those that don’t know, here’s the tuning: G (octave up) C E A. Until you get strings with a round-wound G string, keep the G tuned high. It won’t stay in tune if it’s tuned below the C.
2 people found this helpful
Eric Beaty, Author of the SMART FOCUS series –
One of the BEST DEALS on a QUALITY ukulele!
This is one of the BEST DEALS you’ll find on a QUALITY ukulele anywhere!For the last 2-3 years, I’ve used the soprano version of this Kala ukulele for teaching private lessons. It’s held up nicely and keeps its tune for the most part. (Uke strings are more stretchy than guitar strings, so they tend to need a bit more TLC.) I’m a big guy and the soprano version was just too small for me to enjoy properly. I initially bought the soprano version because I didn’t know much about ukuleles at the time, so I thought that was the best one to get.Now that I know a bit more about them, I finally upgraded to this Kala KAA-15T Tenor ukulele and I couldn’t be happier. The solid mahogany has such a warm, mellow tone; perfect for the type of music I find myself playing most of the time: classic crooner songs like “All of Me,” “Fly Me to the Moon,” and more contemporary tunes like Iz’s version of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”The case was a bit tight at first, but after I finally got the uke inside I just left it there for a couple days. Now the case fits perfectly. The tuner is great quality as well and doesn’t jump around trying to figure out what note to tune to. It has several different instrument settings, but I just keep it on the chromatic tuner. I haven’t seen the instructional DVD yet since I already know the basics and how to play plenty of tunes.Two great resources I recommend are the websites for Doctor Uke and Live Ukulele. These two resources have taught me plenty of songs; they’re literally all you’ll need for getting up and running, or if you’re already an experienced player.The Kala KAA-15T is definitely a quality instrument at a reasonable price. It will last you years if you take good care of it, as my soprano version did for me. I’m looking forward to putting this fine uke through its paces in the years to come, especially since I know it will last.
6 people found this helpful
okietwisterdan –
Fantastic Ukulele for First Ukulele, Kids, or Travel Uke
I almost can’t believe how good this uke is for the price. It just doesn’t seem possible.THE GOOD: The ukulele is made of a laminate wood of course (you are not going to get solid wood for anywhere near this price), but the wood is beautiful and the binding is good too. The tuners are gear tuners which makes it very easy to tune. I was very surprised at how well this uke held its tune also. It holds tune better than my Pono ukulele. This bundle also comes with a nice little tuner, beginner CD, polishing cloth, and a soft cloth bag. If you are looking for your first ukulele to test the waters, this would be a great place to start. Or if you want a uke for your kids or a travel uke that might get a little beat up, then this Kala uke sounds good but it won’t stop your heart if you or your kids accidentally bang it up a little, considering the price point. Another great thing is the volume. It has a surprisingly good volume for a cheap laminate wood ukulele.THE BAD: There really is not much bad about this uke. It does have some intonation issues in the frets, especially higher on the fretboard, but it really isn’t too bad at all. The Kala logo on the head is like a cheap decal, so I wonder how long that will stay on (so far no problem though). The included tuner is not the most accurate tuner in the world but it works good. The bag leaves something to be desired. It has zero padding and the it is a little tight around the head, causing the tuners to turn a bit when you put the uke in the bag. But hey, the bag is free and it is better than nothing at all.CONCLUSION: This is a fanastic sorprano uke for the price point. I bought it for my 5 year old’s first ukulele and she loves it. And I’m not worried if she bangs it up because I didn’t spend too much on it.
48 people found this helpful
Madison –
Everything You’d Expect for $80!
The Uke itself is pretty awesome. Not knowing a ton about ukuleles, pulling it out of the box was a tad shocking–it’s itty bitty. My kids call it the “baby guitar”. But nonetheless, it’s a soprano, so I guess that’s how they’re supposed to look.The sound is great! I’m used to playing acoustic guitar, and transitioning over really wasn’t that difficult. Much easier on the fingers as the string are nylon. If you already play guitar (even a beginner), the ukulele is not a hard instrument to pick up.The tuner it comes with is AWESOME. I debated on purchasing a different one thinking that the one that came with this kit would be sub-par, but I’m glad I didn’t. Super accurate and easy to use; comes with a little disc battery as well. It also tunes other instruments like guitar and violin.The bag it comes with is not awesome. Just not terribly well made, but it does its job. Same for the strap–maybe it’s just a ukulele thing, but it hooks onto the sound hole itself and they want you to strap it around your neck? What?! I’ll definitely be purchasing a different strap–thankfully it already comes with a knobby-thingy on the end to hook a strap onto it.Overall, I’m glad I made this purchase. Kala is a great brand and so far I’m impressed!
Elliot A –
Excellent uke!
I’ve had this ukulele for nearly half a year now, and it’s held up fabulously! I’ve bumped it against a hard item here and there, and it doesn’t show even a bit of wear. The strings are good, and I was able to play out of the box once tuned, though I did have to re-tune it a bit frequently at first. After a month or two of regular use, the strings settled in better, and now I don’t have to tune it nearly as often. The wood and finish are lovely; this is definitely not a cheapo uke, and the dark color and detailing make it obvious to any observer.All the extra goodies in this are awesome! At first, I felt like I wouldn’t need the bag very much but I was very wrong. It’s so convenient for when I take it places, and also acts as a cover for when I don’t have time to play it much. The tuner that comes with it has been my best friend from the beginning, and it extremely easy to use. It even has settings for other stringed instruments! (Cello, guitar, banjo, and violin if I remember correctly.) I tend to clip it to the small carrying handle on the side of the bag, since I use the long strap to carry it across my back, and it clamps well enough that I’ve never been too concerned about losing it as long as I’m careful not to snag it on anything while out and about.I bought
BoloPick Felt Pick for Ukulele 6 Pack Multi Color
with this, and they work well together. The picks fit perfectly in the front zipper pocket of the bag.
9 people found this helpful