Thanks for an excellent comparison of 3 exquisite instruments. If I ever play half as well as you do, I hope to reward myself with one of these.

Had my Kamaka for 3 years now, the sound keeps getting better, the colour and grain have become even more beautiful and it's still a joy to just open the case, let alone play it, every practice is an event.

I own a Kamaka baritone which my wife gave me in 1973 when we lived in Hawaii. I have lovingly, amateurishly, enjoyed it for many years. Thank you for telling me more about the Kamaka...

KTM 10, next on my purchase list. Thanks for reviewing.

As someone who owns 1 Koaloha 2 Kamaka's and well... 6 Kanile`a's. I can definitely give you my opinion on the three. If you can't tell by what I own, I agree with Alex: Kanile`a just takes the win in the end. The sound of each has its benefits, sometimes I do play my Koaloha when playing a smoother slow pace song. And my Kamaka when I play Hawaiian music. But after the storm of which one beats which one. 9/10 times my Kanile`as will take the win. The quality of the finish, the feel (I mean if you ever get the chance to compare their necks, they're unbeatable), and let's be honest: no one beats Kanile`a when it comes to moral values. I can say I helped reforest Hawaii. I hope this helps.

I expected the Kanile'a to be my runaway favorite,; I suppose because I've seen and heard so many amazing ones on KZfaq, This one too was gorgeous and sounded great. But the Kamaka did it for me in tone. I liked it so much, I listened twice. The KoAloha was impressive in every way. Three amazing ukes. Thanks for presenting them. Yes, I'd like all three.

I purchased the Pikake from SUS... it is an amazing instrument.. i was before a Kanilea guy, owning two of those,... but the KoaLoha especially strung with wound low G sounds like nothing else! highly recommended, all my best to the team at SUS xxx

I think if I had to start my Ukulele journey all over again I would get a Kamaka tenor first. I actually prefer the sound of the KoAloha overall, especially with a low G but a Kamaka just makes my shoulders relax every time I see and hear one. If a Kamaka is a Rolls Royce and a KoAloha maybe a Jaguar, a Kanile'a is a Ferrari with custom plates.

This was another great video Alex. To me the Kamaka is the quintessential hawaiian sound. You can't beat Kamaka out of these three brands if you are looking for the classic Hawaiian sound Kanilea produces a very articulate balanced sound with a little extra sparkle in the high notes. Also, in the pursuit of precision, Kanilea has removed the human element out of much of its production. Largely laser cut and CNC cut and milled parts are hand assembled. Even the sides are bent by a side bending robot these days. Kanilea is truly pushing modern manufacturing processes and using them as much as possible. This is enabling Kanilea to quickly and efficiently impart the balanced sparkly nature to models across the Kanilea product line. I prefer the 38mm nut and wide string spacing of Kanilea ukuleles. I think Koaloha has the warmest and fullest sound of the three when playing soft mellow music. That can also be a disadvantage when playing more aggressively. When I chose one I went with the Koaloha because I like a warmer full sound. Then I changed the nut and saddle to unbleached bone and filed the nut slots to 30mm G to A. Then I switched the strings to Aquila AGxAQ. Now the warmth is even richer and the bone is less resonant then Tusq so when playing harder it keeps nice clarity and does not sound like a slightly over driven speaker. I find I get more note clarity and better dynamic range with this setup.🙂 To my ears when playing Koaloha's and Kanilea's Tusq is more suited to the stiffer build of Kanilea's build/bracing setup.

KoAloha, especially with low G, wins. Projection, clarity and warmth. "Hawaiian sound" is subjective. Not sold on machines making small "hand made" instruments. Have sold my Kamakas and Kanileas but will never sell my KTM-25.

Aaaahhh...someday! Another amazing comparison video, Alex. Thanks!

I have both koaloha and kanilea. The koaloha is the dessert bar at the all-you-can-eat buffet; just gives loads of what you ask for and encourages overindulgence. The kanilea is the pinnacle of construction, natural beauty and sounds great even when just sitting on the wall. Those Aquilas must come off it. Would rather they strung then with liquorice lace; at least I'd get a sweet nibble whilst winding on some fluorocarbons. The kamaka is your grandfather's mint condition Ford Granada, you have a quick drive when you're feeling nostalgic but find your eyes wandering so end up putting it safely away.

I like all three and if you didn't have them to compare back to back, they would all sound great on their own. I bought the KoAloha KTM-00 mostly based on I liked the way it looked. With all sounding so good, that's the distinction I went with...I'm very happy with it!

My fave video this year 😍

Each is beautiful. I'm a beginner and hear a lot about the "three k's", thanks for highlighting their differences and what makes them unique. My dream is to own a Kamaka some day.

Thank you, sir.. I'd always thought a ukulele was a ukulele, and the players made 90% of the difference. I very much appreciate your video. It let me hear the voices of the different instruments. And yes; all three are on my wish list.

Ps. Bought from SUS and had custom tuners added, fantastic service and work, cheers boys.

Thanks for this video. I’m headed to Hawaii next year & plan to get one. So far leaning Kanile’a. This certainly helps. Also may be in England in the fall & hoping to visit SUS. Keep up these wonderful videos.

I have a mango baratone. I love the warmth. The koa definitely has a brightness. Both beautiful ukes

I am fortunate enough to have one of each. As you said they each have their particular sound. I may have a tendency to prefer the Koaloha but enjoy each one.

Great video Alex! 🙂👍 And I absolutely agree - It would be awesome to own them all. I'm very lucky to have a Kanile'a and a Kamaka concert, and it is impossible to say which one I prefer. And I wouldn't mind owning a KoAloha too! Maybe some day.

Alex... cool video! You are an excellent speaker btw. Shout out fröm Germany 🇩🇪

I like a three of them. The Kamaka has a mellow sound, I put fluorocarbon strings onto mine and it I even brighter than my KoAloha. The KoAloha has a booming sound great for strumming. The Kamaka I think is the best for fingerpicking. The Kanilea has the best koa and finish of all of them and is very loud.

It is not lost on me that you left the best 'til last ( in my opinion anyway ). I don't own a Tenor from any of the three big K brands but I do have a Tenor scale Kanile'a and Ko'aloha. I don't like wound strings and couldn't find a low g that worked on the shorter scale Kanile'a so bought from you the Ko'aloha, which was fine, if a little cramped for my paws. I have to say that every way up it's Kanile'a. Love the width, love the neck profile and love the sound. I could happily sell everything else and just keep my two Kanile'a concert Ukes. Nicely executed comparison video though and it really illustrated the difference to the three brands in every aspect. One day my skills may actually warrant the ownership of these beautiful instruments but until then I will still enjoy the sounds that thmake in my less than expert paws. After all, I was always taught that " if you want to make the best of your skills don't buy cheap tools ". Keep up the good work Alex. 👍

👍🏼👍🏼 they all start w/ K so I’ll take whichever I can get my hands on in Australia 🇦🇺

It would be an honor to own any of these beautiful instruments. My fav is Koaloha! 🎶💕

You can't go wrong with them all.

Here in Hawaii, there's a generational split happening over K brands. Old people tend to have Kamakas, because they're family heirlooms and they pass them down. So some younger people will have them, as they inherited them. But older people here aren't buying new K brand ukes much anymore. They already have their favorite ukes. Kamaka is seen as old fashioned, the uke your grandma plays. By contrast, younger people buying K brands choose Kanile'a and KoAloha because of the innovations to both builds and finishes, along with the prettier woods those brands use. So at a uke club, you tend to have old people playing vintage Kamakas and young people playing shiny new Kanile'as and KoAlohas, and nobody is playing shiny new Kamakas.

I am very lucky to own a Kamaka Cedar top tenor and a Koaloha tenor. They havent been played very much in the past year as i've gone all guitar crazy. Literally today I sat down with them both noodling wondering if i should sell them on... No way, they are both so amazing in their own way and put the Pono Mango Tenor I also own to shame. If i was forced at gunpoint to choose one, it would be the Koaloha. I feel a Uke binge coming on, oh and I need to sell the Pono.

Like you said. All three of them :-) I like the koaloha sound, but when you hear them back to back its so hard to say. The kamaka sounds brightest to me, kanilea is the loudest...

Thanks for the great video experience! I understand this would be a royal pain in the bum, but maybe for next year's comparison video, all three tenors get the same strings? I have been doing a great deal of research as to which tenor I am going to buy, your video has given me a straight line to Kamaka, thank you!

Listen to all blindfolded. Love the low G Koaloha. It is not the brightest (which is Kamaka), it’s not the loudest (which is Kanile’a). But Koaloha sounds smoothest and very balanced, not too bright, very clear and have a bit of the sparkle in the treble.

If i‘d Play better, id would be the Kanile’a. Bright and warm Sound and the Looks of every uke... Kamaka‘s brightness is Great and the bluelines look amazing Have to work on my skills☺️

Kanile’a the TONE!

Great comparison and summary. I really appreciated the quick comparison at the end. Have you had a chance to play a Collings UT1? If so, your thoughts? Thanks for all your had work.

All pretty good but I think the koaloha was better. Oh and I don't even own one, I have a Kamaka.

Love koaloha! I’d be interested in seeing this video but with baritones ❤️

More than the other 2, the Kamaka grows lovelier and lovelier. Koaloha and Kanilea make a greater immediate presence but Kamaka is the one whose love will grow over the years. Their Chinese fans say Kamaka is made of 相识木。。。wood for lovers. It cannot be explained more accurately but the gist is that it would be lifelong love of your life , not a short term fling. They would be coy but faithful. I play my Koaloha a lot though, as it is immediately responsive and does not need any teasing out. Kanilea had bracing that collapsed and it was not necessary to chance another thereafter.

I like kanilea best,sound everything else,I’m just learning so could not justify g to he money yet, if Yamaha made ukuleles 4 string.

Thanks for the great video! Could you make a tutorial for the first demo song you play?

I do prefer the Kamaka , it's the sweetest sounding uke and the best for jazz and hawaiian swing, the music I like the most on ukes

Ko'olau is still the champ. Best woods, best build, best strings. The "forgotten" Big K ukulele maker in Hawai'i.

Great video since I am really interested in getting a solid koa ukulele. To my ear, the Kamaka has the best overall tone. But I also play guitar, so the Kanile'a might suit me better with the wider nut and neck, and the ease of changing the strings. Sorry, but I change my strings every few months on my guitars but I'm lucky to change strings annually on my ukuleles. 😁

i prefer kanilea i have the k1 however i want all 3 and if have the money and time i will try to get them all but it may take some time .i do have a kamaka soprano i got used .thanks alex this was a good video

Kanile’a hands down.

Koaloha, no doubt...

cool vid, thanks, What do you think from your experience which finish is louder? I know that gloss finish makes uke midfocused, but have no idea about the volume.

Awesome video! Can you please link me to the specific clear fluorocarbon tenor strings you would recommend for the Kanile'a? I just picked up a K-1 T and after playing a Koaloha KCM-00 over the past few months I'm finding myself wanting a brighter tone from the Kanile'a. Thanks in advance!

Alex thank you for the excellent comparison. My question is about the new KTM-00 model (14 frets to the body). I have it here with me and it sounds a bit different than the older model. Have you tried it? Thanks again

It would be nice to do a comparison using the same strings on all of them. The only way to get real apples to apples sound wise.

They all sound perfect. How about playability is any neck easier to play than the others. Would be nice to see the profiles. I know the Kanileas have a flatter neck but is wider, you mentioned the Kamala has a more narrow neck, but is it flat? I have been playing my fender montecito for 4 years and cannot get the E down on a bar chord consistently. Which on of these would help me do that?

I think the kanilea is not well featured in this video due to the stock Aquila strings... They're okay strings but definitely I think are holding the instrument back. A nice pair of uke logic fluorocarbon would make this uke way better sounding

I have yet to get one of these. After watching your video, I think I will get the Kamaka first. Both times hearing it… I felt like I was almost going to cry because it sounds so beautifully emotional. Are they available with electronics? If so, would you say they sound similar to the purely acoustic ones?

I like the Kamaka sound and story but I love the boisterous kids at the back of the class. A video I would like to see would be how mixtures of wood change the sound of a uke, for example spruce top/ rosewood back and sides, cedar top/ mahogany back and sides to see how the back and sides tonewoods change the overall dynamic of an instrument.

Kanilea

Would be really nice to see this with the same strings on all three.

Great video! What's the name of the tune you're playing? I transcribed it, but have no clue what it's called or who it is by. Thanks.

Kamaka ukes are the G.O.A.T. of ukuleles and the ONLY brand that produces each and every model wholly in the USA (even better, ALL in Hawai'i).

In the states we hear about the 4 Ks

The description for the sound of the Kamaka is spot on. Particularly with the stock strings (or nylon strings in general) they have a really traditional and characterful sound with that low-end harmonization. A switch to fluorocarbon strings will still retain some of that sound which is a sign of the character and consistency of the brand. Even a soprano Kamaka will do that, in my experience. For me, it's still a kind of marmite uke because the sound is not for everyone, especially with those stock strings. I prefer the two other brands myself but I of course see the appeal, easily. KoAloha is indeed the punchiest of the bunch. Works a bit better in soprano and concert sizes, in my opinion, but obviously the tenor is nothing to sniff at. Kanile'a just have a really unique warm and sweet sound which usually is quite hard to pick from a recording. I had to own one before I really understood what the fuss was all about. Most modern and unique by far.

Kanile'a, ! You should give the price of the ukes when you review them

I have watched all three of these previous videos and it is purely academic as I will probably not own one of these in this lifetime . But I have gone Kamaka , Kanilea and finally the naughty kid at the back of the class . Kind of appropriate for an ex teacher to get there last . Kind of annoying to deal with but you admire their Freespiritedness . Koahloa this time . Which order did you buy Alex ?

Hey! Its not fair... you are a feft hand player! LOL. Most of us are right hand players LOL.

I've a K-2T, and you mentioned that you prefer a clear fluorocarbon string set with a Kanile'a. Which brand (with low G) would be your preference? Thank you!

Thanks for the comparison, excellent as usual. I have a question that's not related to sound. Given the price of all three of these beautiful instruments, which do you think holds its value the best? To put it another way, in ten years, which of these ukuleles will be worth the most, if I buy it today - which I wish I could afford to do!

I solt my Kamaka several years ago about my financial problem I am still regret..

Lovely stuff! When I see K Brand conversations in general, I normally see Ko’olau get snubbed, what do you think it is that Ko’olau lacks that the other K brands have?

string spacing in koaloha/kamaka is to narrow. Even if these ukes sounds great its now for me.

Every example sounds like it was recorded thru Jello, on a truck, driving over cobblestones. Warbly much?

Uncle Alex, here I am again browsing the net, and discovered other uke brands that caught my attention, the Oscar Schmidt, koolau and DeVine ukes, I'm not really familiar with them 😅 are their good brands to consider too? 😊

How come Ko'olau are often not mentioned among these brands? Not passing judgment, I am just curious.

Very good but none of them are available on your site. Where can i find them please ? Thanks

Is Kiwaya not on par with these guys?

They all sound the same (ish)... Gentle playing, using the soft part of the hand, doesn`t show the Uke`s characteristics. Could I suggest, a little aggression, and use of the nails ? (Occasionally) This is not a critisism, more of a suggestion...

Kamaka's sound like Martins and when will this guy stop being a shill and say the ones he likes best but can you really trust someone who has an agenda of selling something. No, you can't and all you get is a which one of these do you like the best bunch of B.S. out of him. Rather buy from Jason at U Space and Terry at Uke Like the Pros because they are upfront and say what they prefer and no beating around the bush game playing