This is a brand new instrument, bought on a special offer so I could trial it and see if I wanted to offer it going forward as a regular stock item. It’s absolutely fine. But it’s just fine. I am strongly influenced by what I like and what I ultimately stock, and there’s nothing wrong with this one at all. But at the regular price, there are other things I’d choose. And I find the fitted Aquila strings to be an issue too. I don’t like them and most of my customers don’t either.

It’s not been the case with this particular model, but in general, if I have customers come to try a number of instruments, the one with Aquila strings is so rarely the one they choose as I think they just sound like Aquila strings - not like a nicely made solid cedar top instrument like this KA-SCAC-T.

I think it is a nice series and I am happy to offer the more unusual formats, like the 8 string and the baritone, but the tenor is just so Kala… like lots of other Kalas. That’s not a bad thing, it’s a good brand, but there’s something about this one that’s just a little unexciting. I have to ask the question, at £329, am I going to put this in the conversation when a customer asks for a recommendation around £300? No, I probably wouldn’t. So I am just passing this one off at a lower rate. (If it has fluorocarbon strings on I might - but I can’t afford to swap the strings on everything - I just don’t have the time).

Anyway… that’s a long and boring speech! At this price it’s a bargain, it’s neatly made, with a solid cedar top and attractive laminate acacia back and sides. The Grapthtech rear facing tuners are an interesting touch and the 35mm nut with means it feels like every other Kala to play (not a bad thing).