BLEM - All Solid Spruce Top Ziricote Tenor XL

I purchased this ukulele on sale in order to add a super tenor to my ukulele collection. The sale price for a solid wood instrument and the wood combination, itself, seemed like a very good deal. It certainly was. The overall sound quality is as good as some of my other non Kala ukuleles that are three times the price. I purchased a blemished model with the understanding that the finish would not be perfect. The blemish, while significant, certainly does not impact the sound production of the instrument or the overall excellent quality of the build and set up, And, when playing, the blemish is not easily seen. I enjoy the projection of the instrument and the increase of lower tones the larger lower bout provide. I look forward to trying Kala Elite stings or perhaps even strings with both wound G and C shortly. I think these will further enhance the overall sound. In short, a very good uke for a great price.

First: It took me a while to find the blemish. Minor indeed. Second, I love this thing. Many of the reviews say how great it is for big hands. I have small hands and skinny fingers, but I still struggle when grabbing a quick crowded chord like a D major on a standard tenor. It is considerably easier to hit the sweet spot on those cramped chords with this uke. Some reviewers mentioned a high action, mine is just right. The sound is less punchy/boxy than my concert and tenor ukes, with guitar-like sustain. The stock strings sound nice. I'm not a fan of wound strings, so I switched to my favorite all fluorocarbon strings. Not a dramatic difference, just a personal taste thing. The blem price was a steal, but even at the regular price this uke is a deal. Top-notch.

I rarely buy something online since I typically pick from instruments that have nice wood and great tone, but I took the chance. Even being a blem I was wowed. This uke is LOUD and has a great tone. The curly maple binding is superb and makes a great addition to the instruments looks.

Setup was a bit high but I can easily fix that.

Next challenge is a hard case. This one is too nice for a gig bag.