Kala Parlor Guitar

Kala Brand Music is more popularly known for their ukuleles, but they also have an entire line dedicated to acoustic guitars. As expected we took interest in the recently released Kala Parlor, their short scale parlor guitar with solid cedar top.

Parlor guitars are definitely not limited to just big name manufacturers, boutique and other small scale guitar builders have been drawn to its timeless design. And it won’t be surprising to find more of these upcoming builders following suit – because the more options, the better choices we have, and the more choices the higher the chance to get a good quality instrument at a reasonable price.

According to the company, this guitar is designed to cater to the songwriter, recording artist and to the open mic regular, described as having a tone that is warm and full bodied. The body features small body guitar friendly wood combination – having a solid cedar top and mahogany for the back and sides. The warm tone and extra-mid emphasis of cedar perfectly complements the already mid-focused sound of a parlor guitar, resulting in an instrument with genuine blues box tones. The body shape follows after old parlor guitars of the past, with the lower bout being wider than the upper bout.

Check out the official video demo of the Kala Parlor:

The neck is crafted from mahogany, topped by a 19-fret fingerboard which by the looks of the picture is rosewood. It has a short 24.75″ scale length, much like parlor guitars of old, and for some reason, the company went for a wider nut width of 1.75″. The neck joins the body on the 12th fret following traditional builds, and thankfully, it has a slotted headstock that completes the Kala Parlor’s vintage look.

Other features include cosmetic touch ups like the herringbone purfling, rosewood binding and pearl headstock inlay. It also carries chrome side-mounted tiers that match Kala’s distinct headstock shape. The body has a natural satin finish to complement the overall old school appeal.

Finally, the Kala Parlor guitar is currently retailing for just $349, which is quite affordable considering its features and elegant look.