Gearank

Contrary to what the product descriptions would have you believe, the slight increases in price for ukes in the Kala line actually reflect slight increases in overall quality and worksmanship (even though the various ukes are made from the same materials).

The only real aesthetic difference with this uke when compared to other Kala ukes is that the MKA-S Limited Edition comes with gold and black geared tuners.

The body is also made from agathist, which gives this uke a slightly brighter sound than the KA-15S.

Like the Kala KA-15S, this ukulele comes with geared tuners, 12 brass frets, and a rosewood fretboard and bridge.

Below is a Meta-review of the Kala MKA-S

The Kala MKA-S Limited Edition Makala Soprano Ukulele is a model exclusive to the online retailer Austin Bazaar, and is very comparable to the Kala KA-S series of ukuleles. The uke features a mahogany neck, an agathis top and body, and a rosewood fretboard and bridge. Currently, it does not seem that the model has been relaunched with a walnut fretboard and bridge. This means that it likely won’t ship internationally due to recent regulations.

Key Features

• Top: Agathis
• Body: Agathis
• Neck: Mahogany
• Fretboard: Rosewood
• Frets: 12

With that in mind, the uke is very similar to more expensive instruments. Agathis is essentially the poor man’s mahogany, though when used in a well-built instrument the lower cost does help to offset the slightly more sterile tone.

The uke does have brass frets, but in nylon instruments this isn’t going to significantly reduce the life of the instrument’s frets. The instrument also comes with black hardware and gold hardware, which could be a plus if you’re looking for something different than the standard nickel color hardware generally found on instruments in this price range.

NB: This was on our recommended list prior to January 2020 - there are now more highly rated options that we recommend in our guide to The Best Soprano Ukuleles - Regular & Pineapple Shaped.