Cheap brands going upscale

[BBegall]

I though Mahalo was a lower end Kala brand.

 

[Plonky-tonk]

I though Mahalo was a lower end Kala brand.

Makala is the Kala brand. So many variations of similar names! https://kalabrand.com/collections/makala-ukulele

 

[merlin666]

There were separate threads on both Kala and Ohana launching upscale lines in the last few months. And at prices that were not just a bit higher but reaching toward the stratospheric levels!

 

[Altrove]

Mahalo's QC standards have lifted immeasurably in the last decade.
when i think back to my first ever uke, a painted mahalo soprano that cost $25 - in 2006 -
the build was heavy and the sound not so great - but that uke still started my journey and i loved it for what it was.
i bought the same model uke again a month or so back - totally different. thinner top, better set up and intonation,
much better playability and sound.
i'm grateful that my local music shop stocks a wide range of Mahalo ukuleles and i can attest to the fact
that these improvements are across all their lines, including this master series.
i guess they had to go this way - w/ so many cheap makers arriving like mushrooms these past years,
they knew they had to improve their standards in order to compete. and they have.
for a low end, fun and playable instrument, i couldn't recommend the Mahalo lines more highly.

I agree with you, I first started with a Mahalo soprano (a black one with glossy finish) even if some reviews were bad, because I wanted something cheap to travel with. It was the updated version with aquila strings, and to my surprise it didn't even need an heavy set up. I just did some quick adjustments and it was pretty playable for the the price. It still has a good intonation and the mechanics are solid. Probably I was just lucky but it holds the tune very well, even after 4 years of playing.
I have better ukes but I still bring my Mahalo with me when I go backpacking around, camping, when I go to the beach or in places where I wouldn't want to risk other ukes.

 

[ukulelekarcsi]

It's a bit like succesfull car brands and models: every few years they become larger, a bit more expensive, more upscale... People are used to them, have liked them since they began driving, and stick to the same brand and model, which has just become a bit better and bigger.

 

[Mookulele]

I may try a D'Addario NS Micro. I'm just not sure it will fit on a ukulele's headstock except over the logo which I am trying to avoid.

I have this one from D'addario that is quite tiny.