Mahalo Ukuleles MK1TBR Kahiko Series Soprano Ukulele with accessories

We have bought 68 of these--from Amazon--to begin a basic ukulele unit, project, or program (we're still not sure where things will go). We went with this model because it was the cheapest "legitimate" ukulele on the market. When they were backordered, they were less than $25; when they came into stock they were as much as $37 (we bought most of them at $25). Of the 68, only one came damaged. They come with a super-thin carrying bag--if you want a true gig bag, look at the Chromecast for $14.What you need to know is that they are a beginner level ukulele. They will work for our purposes. I even bought one for my four year old so that he wouldn't touch my ukuleles.If you think you are going to be playing long term, or if you have the funds, you might want to look at the entry level Makala (entry level Kala) or entry level Kala instruments--which were $20-$30 more expensive than these Mahalos (we were trying to save money as all funds were donated for the project). That price difference was insurmountable for us--but should not be for an individual. You might also want to consider a Concert Ukulele versus a Soprano as they have slightly larger frets and a better tone. A better quality instrument will sound better, look better (sorry, but it is true), be made with a better quality laminate, and also come with better strings.So...three stars for being a ukulele that works, is generally in tune, and is rugged enough for schools. After a while, they do settle in--but for better tone, you'll eventually want to add new strings. While most ukulele players will suggest Aquilla or Worth strings--but as a tip, the D'Addario EJ8S strings are made for D'Addario by Aquilla and may be the same as Aquilla's more expensive strings.All that said, my students (middle school) are more than happy to strum away on these ukuleles (we just started the process) when it has been a struggle to get them to participate and sing in the past. So they will serve their function.If buying for a school, also look at the Makala Waterman series--these are plastic ukuleles (more rugged) that sound about the same as the Mahalos--but might stand up better over the course of time. We have a few of those as well, and it will be fun to see what happens.

Great product! Looks beautiful. I like how the wood looks real and not painted. Bought this for my 2 year old son but after tuning it, im starting to enjoy it myself. you will have to keep tuning it constantly until the strings get a little stiffer. I would recommend purchasing an electric tuner because you will need it. This ukulele will sound horrible when off tuned. But when tuned right, it sounds like a $70 ukulele.

Bought this as a gift for my sister-in-law, who is picking up the ukulele while in college. We aren't sure how long she will stick with it and so didn't want to invest too much into her first ukulele. We bought her the light colored one. It is attractive enough, a little less wide than the uke my husband owns, but they are both soprano ukes.I opened it up to inspect for damage and make sure all the strings were in tact and all that. New ukes don't stay in tune well when their strings are first being stretched and this uke is no exception. Be patient with it. Expect to tune it basically every time you play for a little while.I am no expert, but I have been playing my husband's uke for the last few months and I am sort of spoiled because I probably wouldn't be happy with this ukulele for myself. I think anyone whose has already been playing maybe 6 months would appreciate a slightly higher quality ukulele. My husband has a Kala that was $55 and it is great for my skill level, but also for my husband who has been playing over a year (soooo much better than me, haha). This uke is a really great price for a beginner who just wants to give it a try. It is extremely lightweight (I would honestly expect a can of tennis balls to weigh more). The sound quality is decent (so you won't cringe whenever it is being played) and I expect it to be even more so once the strings have stretched and it starts to hold it's tune for longer. I think this uke is perfect for your kid who is showing interest in playing, and acceptable for the beginning adult who may or may not want to stick with it long-term.I can update my review as soon as my sister-in-law gets it and has started playing it more.

I bought this ukulele over a year ago just to fool around with, and it's still holding up pretty well. It's hard to find a decent ukulele at the ~$30 price range, so this ukulele definitely exceeded my expectations. It can hold a tune, it's sturdy enough that it hasn't fallen apart after over a year, and it looks absolutely stunning. The strings manage to stay tuned quite well, and so far none of them have snapped. I should mention though that they are extremely cheap, and seem to be made of clear plastic. The sound quality is bright enough, but doesn't resonate as well when you play it while holding the ukulele positioned against yourself. Then again, for the low price you can't expect a flawless sounding instrument. Also, the "transparent butterscotch" color looks more yellow in person than the soft beige that is shown in Amazon's photo, although it still looks beautiful. The carrying bag that comes with the ukulele is made of extremely thin, flimsy material that really offers little protection, so it shouldn't actually be used to transport the ukulele. However, this isn't a problem for me since I only plan to use the ukulele at home.I only use this ukulele to play for fun, so if you're a more serious player I would suggest you spend a bit more on a higher quality ukulele. That being said, I still give this ukulele a full rating because it fulfilled all of my needs and expectations as a beginner player, and at an extremely affordable price too.