The comparison…I am a beginner player just on the cusp of being intermediate. I own 3 ukuleles. The Martin is by far, without a doubt, the best out of all. The other 2 uke’s are in the 100–200-dollar range (not super expensive but not cheap). Honestly, they feel and sound and function like toys in contrast to the Martin. The Koa… it’s built with is phenomenal. It has this iridescent almost 3D look to it. I love the way it looks. There are no blemishes or build imperfections that I can find I feel like it is extremely well made. I would change the Martin sticker on the headstock. When I wipe it down the lint free cloth gets caught on the sticker, it’s already coming off. To Martin: The sticker sucks, fix it…The sound…the sound is amazing. It projects a bright and clear volume but also is very responsive to lighter playing and soft tones. Again, the sound is night and day regarding my other uke’s (and they sound pretty good). If you are struggling with the fact, it’s Mexican made then let me put you at ease because it’s totally worth it.Ease of use…Okay, the common complaint is the action from the bridge. Its really high and from what I’ve read most people get it adjusted. If you are a serious player, you are going to get it “setup” to fit your body and playing preference anyway so I would not worry about this.Value & Wow factor…Totally worth the money. I struggled with whether to go for the Mexican made Martin when there are some very nice Hawaiian… read more made ukulele’s out there that are from what I can tell also very worth the price tag. Sorry Hawaii but I can’t be dropping over 1k on an instrument as I am not a professional player. Maybe one day zZounds will start selling some of the big-name Hawaiian ukulele brands such as Kanile’a, Kamaka, KoAloha, Ohana, etc. so that the working man can spread out that price tag over time and afford one

Musical Background:
Newbie

Musical Style:
Louisiana Cajun Dirty South Funk read less