This is the KPT-3KC from Kiwaya, an all solid koa tenor ukulele, made in Japan. I’ve never really been sure what the ‘P’ stands for in their codes, but the 3K refers to the 3 AAA Hawaiian koa the ukulele is built from, and the C stands for cutaway, with a nicely sloped, stylish looking cutaway in evidence on this tenor. The koa is really lovely to look at, shining under the gloss, with very little else to distract from it. That said, the abalone soundhole detail and the curves of the headstock are nice to look at as well as all that lovely koa.

The KPT-3KC has a 37mm nut with, slightly wider than standard, paired with a more shallow, flattened neck profile, which I find particularly comfortable. It is fitted with Gotoh geared tuners which are superb, and set of Worth Brown high G strings. The fingerboard is beautifully smooth and there are other little details I admire, like the position markers on on side of the fingerboard and the curved shape it has where it meets the soundhole. All of these are made with absolute precision, as you would expect from an esteemed maker like Kiwaya. There’s a hefty price tag too, but then a) the koa is stunning, b) it plays great, c) it is built to the absolute highest standards in Japan and d) it sounds great.

Some koa ukes are a bit reserved and introverted but this one has great sustain, good volume and a beautiful bell-like clarity and chime. The note separation is great, making it really articulate for picking out melodies, while that singing, chiming quality makes chords sound beautiful too, particularly with the pad of your thumb, when the warmth from the koa really comes to the fore.

At the bottom of the page there are a number of easy to add options, including bags and cases. I realise this is a lot of money, and I know it annoys people when something this expensive doesn’t come with a case. It doesn’t. If it did, it’d cost (even) more! There’s also low G and strap button options there to consider.