This Metal Resonator Ukulele Opened Up a Whole New World Kala Tenor and Baritone Review
Kala Metal Resonator ukulele review—when I first saw these all metal resonator ukuleles from Kala, I didn’t really know what to make of them. I mean… an all metal ukulele? I’d seen resonator guitars, I’d seen wood resonator ukes, but this felt like something completely different.
I knew I had to try one.
Even after getting my hands on it and spending some time with it, I still wasn’t exactly sure what I was going to do with it. I knew it sounded cool. I knew it looked incredible. But where did it really fit?
Turns out… that was the wrong question.
Not Just for Blues and Folk
Going into this, I had a pretty narrow idea of where these would shine.
Blues? Absolutely.
Folk? No question.
Maybe some bluegrass or Americana? Sure.
And to be fair, they absolutely crush those styles.
But once I actually started creating music with them, I realized pretty quickly that I had underestimated what these instruments could do.
Way underestimated.
Kala Metal Resonator ukulele review A Whole New Level of Versatility
At some point, I decided to stop playing it safe and really push these ukes outside of the traditional lane.
So I created a track that leaned hard into an electrified rock sound. Big, aggressive, layered… the kind of thing you would never expect to come out of a ukulele.
And here’s the crazy part—everything you’re hearing in that track (aside from drums and bass) is ukulele. Tenor and baritone working together, acoustic parts mic’d up, lead tones running through a simple effects processor straight into the computer.
It doesn’t sound like a novelty. It sounds legit.
Then I flipped the script completely.
I went for something with a vintage Americana feel—kind of that old swing, gypsy jazz, Delta blues blend. Totally different vibe, completely different feel… same instruments.
And honestly, that’s when it hit me.
These things don’t have a lane.
Hear It Up Close Antique Copper Resonator Review
If you want to really hear what one of these sounds like in a more focused, up-close setting, I did a full in-depth review of the antique copper version that breaks it down in a more traditional way.
Check out the Antique Copper Resonator Review here
That post lets you hear the tone, response, and character of the instrument without all the layering and production—so it’s a great companion to what you’re seeing here.
Breaking Out of the Ukulele Box
What I’ve come to realize is this—these metal resonator ukuleles don’t just give you a different sound… they change how you think about the instrument.
They push you to:
- Try things you wouldn’t normally try
- Step outside the “ukulele box”
- Experiment with tone and texture
- Build arrangements in a completely different way
You can absolutely stay traditional with them if you want. They’ll sound great doing it.
But if you want to branch out—rock, indie, experimental, even country—they’re more than ready for it.
There really aren’t any limits here.
Tenor and Baritone Give You Even More Range
Another big part of what makes these so useful is having both tenor and baritone options.
The tenor gives you that familiar ukulele feel but with more punch and projection.
The baritone opens things up with a deeper, fuller tone that works incredibly well for layering and more guitar-like textures.
Blending the two is where things get really interesting. You can build full, rich arrangements that still have that unique resonator character cutting through.
Exclusive Me and Uke Kala Discount
If you’re thinking about picking one of these up—or anything else from Kala—you can get an exclusive discount for friends and fans of Me and Uke.
https://kalabrand.com/meanduke
And if you happen to already be on the Kala website, you can just enter the discount code: MEANDUKE at checkout.
It’s a simple way to save a little money and support what I’m doing here at the same time.
It Changed the Way I Use Ukulele
I went into this thinking I had a pretty good idea of what these were going to be.
I was wrong.
What I found instead was an instrument that pushed me creatively, opened up new sounds, and made the whole process of writing and recording feel fresh again.
That’s not something you come across every day.
And that’s really what this Kala Metal Resonator ukulele review comes down to—these aren’t just different looking ukuleles… they unlock a completely different way of approaching music.
Check out more uke reviews here.
