Kanile'a KTR-T Master Grade Curly Hawaiian Koa Tenor Ukulele #28179

25 years ago, when Joe Souza sat in his workshop building the earliest incarnation of a Kanile'a Ukulele; I doubt he could truly predict what amazing forward strides his baby would take in the years to come. Kanile'a have quietly (and loudly) innovated the Ukulele time and time again, more often than not becoming trend setters and even influencing the Guitar world. Whether its the lightweight tru-relief bracing, ultra slim line weight reliefed slotted headstocks and now even TRU-Reduction body contouring and shaping on the top shelf production models... the influence Kanile'a have on what we play and what coming generations will play is too overwhelming to adequately put across in a paragraph. The best example of the progression at Kanile'a is the Platinum model which is a model refreshed each year to incorporate forward thinking features. Many of the aesthetic designs from early Platinums fed into popular production models in the years that followed such as the KSR-T, D-series and now in the new KTR series.

This Ukulele is a Master Grade Hawaiian Koa model - you can count on one hand the amount of ukes you've seen over the years that look half as lovely as this. The sound as well as our video shows is unique too with a sweeter, brighter voice.

2024 is the first year Kanile'a are offering the KTR model and it throws several unique custom shop offers on a production model for the first time. The first being the TRU-Relief body contour which slopes the entire lower bout on one side towards the bridge at a contoured angle similar to an electric guitar. This reduction uses a completely unique updated version of the TRU-Relief bracing pattern and takes a huge amount of weight out of the instrument on the whole. When looking head on, you can't see a difference but from certain angles you see an incredible four dimensional shift in the whole shape and body of a Ukulele and how it sits against the player on the whole. 

The other new striking feature is the Pheonix headstock which pays homage to recent Platinum models but on a non-limited model for the first time. It's a bit like Ferrari making a concept car available to everyone for the first time for half the price. Whilst I appreciate these Kanile'a Ukuleles are still very much premium priced instruments, the features on display debuted on even more premium priced instruments that took in themselves years of development to refine.

The lighter weight of these Ukuleles paired with the more dynamic attack of the slotted headstock make for a very responsive uke with a traditional Koa sound but plenty of gorgeous undertones to fill the entire sonic scope of what you play. Kanile'a Ukuleles always sound a bit like you've put them in front of an expensive microphone and added some reverb to the sound - they are just naturally full of zest and character when you hear them as well as being perhaps the most refined and poised ukulele out there in your hands.

KTR-T

MASTER GRADE Hawaiian Koa Top, Back and Sides
Pheonix Slotted Headstock
TRU-Relief - Body Contour Scoop
TRU-R Bracing - reduced weight bracing
TRU-REDUCTION - reduced weight shaping under the top
38mm Nut Width, 30mm string spacing at nut
Kirinite Acrylic Rosette and Headstock Inlay
Kirinite Diamond Position Markers
Satin Finished South American Mahogany Neck
Ebony Fingerboard and bridge
UV Gloss Finish to body
Front Black Binding
Gotoh Stealth Tuners
Premium Kanile'a Gigbag included
Kanile'a Fluorocarbon Strings w/Smoothwound Low G