Common Kala Ukulele Mistakes to Avoid

The most common mistakes with a Kala ukulele are not instrument faults — they are avoidable errors in setup, maintenance and playing technique. Most of them result from treating a ukulele like a guitar, ignoring the strings' need to settle, or neglecting the basics of humidity and cleaning. Here is a plain guide to what goes wrong and how to avoid it.

Mistake 1: Not Stretching New Strings

New Aquila Nylgut strings — which most Kala ukulele models ship with — stretch significantly when first installed. A fresh instrument will go flat repeatedly in the first few days of playing. The fix is simple: tune the instrument, play for a few minutes, retune, repeat. After three to five days of regular playing, the strings stabilise and hold their pitch reliably. Many players assume the instrument is faulty when the problem is simply new strings behaving normally. Do not return or adjust the instrument during this settling period.

Mistake 2: Tuning Too Aggressively

Turning the tuning machines too far, too fast, in one motion risks snapping the string. Kala's own guidance recommends tuning slowly, approaching the correct pitch from below rather than above. If you overshoot the target pitch, tune down past it and come back up. Avoid large adjustments in single turns. Nylgut strings are not fragile, but they are not indestructible.

Mistake 3: Buying the Wrong String Set

String sets are not interchangeable across different sized instruments. A soprano, concert, tenor and baritone Kala ukulele each requires the correct string set for its scale length and tuning. A baritone uses D–G–B–E tuning and different string gauges from the other sizes. Using a soprano string set on a tenor, or vice versa, produces incorrect tension and poor intonation. When replacing strings, confirm the correct set for your specific model size before purchasing.

Mistake 4: Neglecting Humidity

Solid-wood instruments are sensitive to humidity. Excessively dry conditions cause wood to contract, which can lead to cracks, sharp fret ends (where the wood shrinks back from the metal frets) and changes in action. Kala recommends using a ukulele humidifier when storing instruments in low-humidity environments — particularly in centrally heated rooms during winter. Equally, excessive moisture causes swelling and potential damage. A humidity level of around 45–55% is the recommended range for storage.

Laminated KA-15 Kala ukulele models are more resistant to humidity changes than solid-wood instruments, but they are not immune. Basic care still applies.

Mistake 5: Using Guitar Polish on a Satin Finish

Kala's satin-finish instruments — including most of the KA-15 range — should be cleaned with a soft, dry cotton cloth only. Guitar polish designed for gloss finishes will cloud or damage a satin finish. For gloss-finish models, a soft cloth and appropriate guitar polish are acceptable. When in doubt, use nothing but a dry cloth and avoid cleaning products entirely.

Mistake 6: Blaming the Instrument for High Action

High action — strings that are too far above the fretboard — makes a Kala ukulele harder to play, causes notes to go sharp (particularly near the nut) and makes chord playing unnecessarily tiring. Some budget instruments leave the factory with action that is higher than ideal. This is a setup issue, not a permanent defect: a competent instrument repair technician can lower the nut or saddle to improve playability. Before concluding an instrument is unplayable, have the action assessed by someone with the tools and knowledge to measure and adjust it correctly.

Mistake 7: Confusing Tuning Problems with Intonation Problems

Tuning brings each open string to the correct pitch. Intonation determines whether the instrument plays in tune across all positions on the fretboard. A Kala ukulele can be perfectly tuned on the open strings but play out of tune when fretted further up the neck if the saddle or nut positioning is wrong. If the instrument sounds in tune when open but progressively out of tune higher up the neck, intonation — not tuning — is the issue. This is a setup problem that a technician can address by adjusting or replacing the saddle.

Mistake 8: Trying the Wrong Bridge Knot

Ukulele strings typically have no ball end — they must be tied at the bridge. The correct knot passes through the bridge tie block and holds the string securely without slipping. An incorrect tie allows the string to slip forward during playing, throwing the instrument out of tune repeatedly. Several clear video tutorials demonstrate the correct tie knot; it is worth learning correctly once rather than repeatedly retuning an insecure string.

For guidance on choosing the right model to start with, see the buyer's guide. For technique and playing basics, see the beginner's guide.

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