Budget Banjo Ukuleles - An In-Depth Look at the Aklot and Kmise Brands
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- Опубликовано: 17 янв 2023
- Today we review and compare two budget friendly Banjo ukuleles - the Concert scale from Aklot and the Tenor scale from Kmise. An in-depth look at the differences, similarities, quality and sound. See if these are worth the money!
Be sure to meet up with all the Four String Strummers at our new Facebook Group!
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I bought the Aklot Banjolele over 3 years ago, a super fun thing to play. No build issues and the frets have been fine, no sharp edges at all. I have, sacrilege, put a Low G on mine so I can play the guitar part of Dueling Banjos! I like to run my own race :)
thats the fun part - you can do things different ways - whatever you like best - thanks George
Great video! Gonna get me a tenor Kmise. I'm new to ukulele, but joined a class of beginners recently [in a pub of course.] We've done three gigs already with more experienced players. What great fun we have! All the best from England.
You're going to love it! Have fun! Kelly
bought the Kmise concert scale more than a year ago and have to say i was shocked at the overall quality. Fret finishing was great. The closed tuners work fine, no slop. The head is good. Everything is well fit and finished. Hard to believe the level of quality in an instrument for around $100. Sounds good to boot.
Couldn't agree more!
I've been playing a concert sized kmise for a few years now. It's held up well.
I much prefer the sound without the back plate on it.
I think they are great value too (both the Aklot and the Kmise). I pulled the back off the kmise (I need to reposition it so that the grain lines up - I just can't leave that the way it is) and it does sound warmer. I will likely put the back plate on again so that I have 2 instruments with 2 different sounds - one kinda warm and one kinda "cranky"! Thanks! Kelly
I removed the back of my tenor banjo for exactly the same reason after I got it.
I bought a Kmise today. I have no idea why except to support a charity shop.
It’s brand new and sounds pretty good.
Your channel so far is my go to to learn. I’m a total beginner.
Thank you.
Hey - just checking in to see how you're making out with your Banjo Uke! Hope you're enjoying it!! I'd love to hear how you're getting along! They're so much fun! Kelly
Much useful information! Thanks. A great help to me. I want a Banjolele but didn't know where to start
Glad u enjoyed it! Banjoleles are so much fun! You'll love it! Kelly
Great video! I just ordered the Kmise from Amazon for $72 US.
Hey Dan - you are gonna love it! They are a blast to play. Be sure to check out the banjo uke playlist on the channel. Lots of songs, techniques etc that I think you'll enjoy. We also just started a Facebook chat group called The Four String Strummers. There are lots of positive minded ukulele folks in the group to connect with (many that really like banjo ukes too). m.facebook.com/groups/6666720290056917/?ref=share&mibextid=NSMWBT
Very informative....thank you.
Hey Connie! Thanks very much. I just recently did a review of the Gold Tone "Little Gem" banjo uke as well. There are sound samples of the Aklot, Kmise and Gold Tone all together. Feel free to join our new Facebook group "The Four String Strummers" if you like - you'd be very welcome! Kelly
Good review. Do you know anything about the Vangoa banjo ukes? I don’t think that they come in tenor, just concert.
Hi there - sorry I'm not too sure about Vangoa...there seem to be more concerts available than tenors out there for sure
First thing that I noticed about your Aklot was the arm rest. Really wish the Kmise had come with one. Really like the one on my SX Tenor banjo, and the design of the head matches that banjo pretty well, too. Tempted to start budgeting to get one of my own, though I'd really like to add a baritone uke to the collection, soon.
You complained about the back of the Kmise being slightly askew when they attached it to the body...
The one that I got the other day has the grain on the back _totally perpendicular_ to the neck! It's still a lovely, good sounding little instrument... and since it's on the back, no one can see it, anyway. Plus, it adds a little character to it.
They actually did a pretty good job with the frets on mine. Checked it out while I was setting it up and found no sharp edges. Kudos to Kmise for that!
Like you, I find pick-ups on a banjo to be a bit pointless, if not complete overkill. It's more than loud, already! =)
Ya. I like the armrest. It's funny tho now after having it for a while I don't really notice it. It does look better with the armrest though - more finished or something. I play mine a lot! Lotsa fun!
Very interesting review. I liked them both. I like concert size. I looked up the kmise. You can buy it with a black drum head which looks cool. I think I would go with the open back. I used to have a very good deering parlor banjo. It was great. I sold it to my teacher. Gave up banjo for ukulele. I like the uke much better for me !
They sure are a lot of fun Bonnie - especially for the price!! Kelly
Thanks very much for a great video, from a new subscriber.
Thanks and welcome
Just discovered your channel...I feel your regret in parting w/ your Gold Tone...a few yrs. ago I picked up a 1930's Bruno banjolele at a thrift shop for $30. Had the original hard shell case, birdseye maple, open back, friction tuners, mop logo and fleur-de-lis inlay. Took it to my local shop, they did necessary adjustments for about $100......loved it had it for over a year and then sold it at a loss, of course, and have regretted it ever since!!! Now I am on the lookout for a replacement....considering maybe an Oscar Schmidt OU1....have to admit the maple was heavy...the OU1 is mahogany, altho I would prefer an open back, (so I can stuff it to mute.)☺️ Know I am going to enjoy your channel! Cheers!
Hi Geri! Live and learn I guess eh? Oh well...good luck with your search. I just purchased a Gold Tone Little Gem and will be doing a review of it soon - so far I like it quite a bit! I like both the Aklot and the Kmise as budget options. I would really like to try an Ohana Banjo Uke - their banjo ukes are tenor scale which I prefer slightly over the concert, and they seem to make very nice ukuleles. So glad you found the channel! Let us know how you get along. Please feel free to join our new Facebook group "The Four String Strummers" - it's where we all meet up and chat and support each other (in buying our next ukuleles - kind of a bunch of enablers!). Kelly
@@fourstringstrummer 👍✌️🪕
I have spent a good part of my morning contemplating whether or not to give one of these a try. I do play your traditional style ukulele in concert and tenor. I also have a Enya Nova Tenor as well. I have been looking at Amazon. the Aklot banjolele now is at $124 CDN and the kmise bangolele you can no longer get shipped to Canada which is odd cause I have a normal Kmise concert ukulele.
Hey Christy - maybe Kmise is just out of stock?Not sure...the Aklot is excellent as well. Either way I think you'll really enjoy it! Thanks - Kelly
@Four String Strummer the thing is I play hymns so I'm not sure how the banjolele will work with that style of music.
Hope Aklot would also make a tenor size banjolele , or a mashup of both like a tenor size with remo head, laminated fretboard, and arm rest.
Ya I'm kind of surprised that more companies don't have a tenor size.
Where van o get an arm test for my mulucky bsnjolele which i love?
Hi there - maybe try contacting Aklot. The banjo uke I bought from them had one - not sure if they sell parts but if so it may fit. When I first bought my Kmise banjo uke I noticed it didn't have the arm rest and it kind of bugged me but now I don't really notice it not being there.
How do you know if the Kmise is a tenor? Can’t find anything but 23 inch concert. Thanks
Hi Jason - it should say "tenor" in the description. Perhaps they are out of stock on the tenor in your area at this point? Here's a link to the listing on the Canadian Amazon site. The description should be the same in other areas I'd think. www.amazon.ca/Kmise-Professional-Tenor-Ukulele-Banjolele/dp/B08VD6SSXQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?crid=32EL3ZTQ3XGO9&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.hayxfq5Aa2Sdy6ZzSJia6aVlkGQtTik1IyJj6-PnT09NDQLzSypg4bRej-WE-pQFQgrGIjbvAZjYcbBXlNV_5qlyRwmTVuGlHuJF6t0TUybCo2vVXLMTk6gCrMkaY9nBF-4CoFWcd4FeZr1pI8FD7Q.VBkF2KO0nUVgp7LbgX6vK9RQKZ8OmaVSFKkgDypEEhQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=kmise+tenor+banjo+ukulele&qid=1705105799&sprefix=kmise+tenor+banjo+ukulele%2Caps%2C96&sr=8-1-spons&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.b06bdbbe-20fd-4ebc-88cf-fa04f1ca0da8&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRm&psc=1
I have wanted to try one of these but I come from classical guitar and the strings just feel super cramped. I don't play standard steel string guitar either for that reason.
I hear ya. Try one of these in the tenor scale. It really doesn't take long to adjust to it. I felt that way coming from guitar also - now the guitar just feels huge!
I like the budget ones, but Gold Tones are totally worth the extra money. I have a concert and baritone Gold Tone. Aklot and Kmise definitely fine, and the Aklot was my banjolele gateway drug 😂
Agreed. Getting started for a low entry price is great. I really enjoyed my Gold Tone and regretted it the minute I sold it... I'd like to try one of the Ohana tenor banjo ukes at some point. Their "standard" ukes all seem to get great reviews so I would bet their banjo uke would be great too.
My Aklot came with a pickup
Bonus! That's great,! Mine didn't...I guess they switched up the contents of the kit. How are you liking it? I really enjoy the banjo uke! Feel free to join us on our new Facebook chat group " The Four String Strummers" if you like - lots of nice positive minded ukulele folks on there.
Thanks for that, I'm thinking of buying a Kmise banjolele from Amazon. EDIT: I just bought one.
Hi Jay! I have to say I really enjoy mine - I'm literally sitting here playing it right now! Both the Kmise and the Aklot are good. I've been playing the Kmise more lately as I do prefer the tenor size. You are going to love it - they are a blast! Let me know how you get along with it and if you have any questions. I have a banjo uke playlist on the channel with quite a few videos and more to come! Kelly
Thanks chum. Now I've ordered one (a Kmise banjolele concert 23") I'll be searching out all the help videos I can lay my hands on. It was your video above that made me pull the trigger so thanks. @@fourstringstrummer
@@jayroland9481 Hey Jay! That's great!! You are really going to enjoy it! Welcome to "the club"!! Reach out anytime. Kelly
You should play 5 string banjo. Your playing seems awfully similar to clawhammer style. It might take some adjustment. It's not easy. But I'm looking for an old timey 2 step sound and the banjo uke is really ideal for that. You seem to want to play banjo.
If you like that sort of sound out of a banjo uke check out my Banjo uke playlist. I teach that clawhammer sort of sound on Cripple Creek, Rocky Top, I Saw the Light, Old Joe Clark, Down by the Riverside etc. Have fun! Kelly
@@fourstringstrummer Lol. A bit of a dodge but I won't press it. Thanks for the content.
@Paul TheSkeptic hahaha. No problem. I prefer the banjo uke to be honest. Love the 5 string banjo sound. Play guitar for about 50 years, uke wasn't too much of a stretch to get onto. I've actually owned a couple of banjos over the years too. Just like the size, simplicity etc of the banjo uke and it matches up to my channel as well. Gotta say I love the sound of clawhammer banjo - especially "Stringbean"! Thanks - Kelly
@@fourstringstrummer Yeah me too. I've been a guitarist for a long time. Now I'm working on putting together a sort of humorous folk, blues, ragtime and just old timey live show. So, some of the songs that I was originally going to do on guitar sound better on uke but I figure what they really need is a banjo uke.
@Paul TheSkeptic it's funny - there are songs I never played on guitar for some reason that appealed to me on ukulele. And some of those just work great on the banjo uke. I like the old time trad country/folk kinda stuff on them.