The Kala Waypoint is a large body baritone ukulele, with steel strings, tuned DGBE. It has a pickup and a hard case. And it is very very good.

This is the model, KA-WP-MNG-GB-E, that has an all solid mango body. It’s an absolute triumph, and I am delighted to have it. Kala were for many years considered a safe pair of hands. Not the most exciting but didn’t let you down. That has changed in recent years with a raft of new and exciting releases, perhaps starting with the Kala Revelator - which I think convinced the company that there was a strong appetite from ukulele players for innovation and more exotic models.

This one was championed by Geraint, the head of Kala UK. Previously he’d worked importing Kala and Pono for another company, and he (and to be fair, me) stopped bringing Pono in as the prices just became too high. In his new Kala UK role he asked me what I wanted, or what I missed from Pono. I said I wanted a large body baritone, with steel strings. I said this as I really wanted a large body baritone uke with steel strings… for me! Pono made them and every time I got one ready to go out the temptation was there to get one for me. But they were always in demand and were quite an investment, so I would wave it goodbye and thing, ‘maybe one day’. Geraint certainly got the bit between his teeth however, getting to work on the Waypoint, and now here it is. At the time of writing I haven’t got myself one, but I am tempted all over again!

The waypoint name is brought to life visually on the fingerboard, with an attractive, bold 12th fret inlay. But that’s far from the only visual flair on show, with an intricate design around the soundhole, mahogany binding and a lovely gloss finish.

Importantly though it sounds every bit as good as those Pono big baritones, with plenty of chime, a sultry, rich body to the sound, articulate trebles and a sustain that lasts for days. (OK, not for days, but certainly a long time!) It has a pickup too allowing you to use it with an amp, and an impressive hard case with dusty brown colour on the outside, and ‘Irn Bru Orange’ interior.

They’re great. They’re a bridge between the uke and guitar world, and I love it. I am glad I asked for it. Now… can I justify having one?!

It is strung with D'addario XT Light Acoustic Phosphor Bronze

At the bottom of the page there are a series of optional extras you can add - standard across all pages on this site - the majority of which are redundant here, as it has a case and is already tuned DGBE, with low D and G. It has one button fitted, but you can have a second.