12/01/2016 - 01/01/2017

31 Dec 2016

Got A Ukulele - Review of the year 2016

Hoping you all had a good ukulele 2016. Certainly not a year to be remembered for lots of people, and a lot of musical legends lost to us. Still, we must press on and make each year ahead the best it can be.

For Got A Ukulele, it was also a slightly quieter year, but that was a case of me trying to find some balance between real life and writing, but I think I now have it how I want it! Looking back though, I think this was one of the busiest years for ukulele reviews. It's the part of Got A Ukulele I enjoy doing more than anything else, so that figures I guess! If you are new to Got A Ukulele, consider this a potted history of what I think are the 'best bits' of 2016. Plenty already in the pipeline for 2017 too!


January saw us kick off with a couple of instrument reviews. One wasn't all that memorable in the form of a Mahalo Baritone ukulele, but one was certainly different and put the cat amongst the pigeons, in the form of the Deering Banjo Ukulele. What a great instrument!  I was also thrilled to end the month with an interview with a ukulele performer I had wanted to speak to for ages - Danielle Ate The Sandwich.

Deering Banjo Ukulele



February saw a mix of reviews and advice pieces (and rants of course!). Firstly I tried to once again put to bed the endless silly myth spread by the media that the ukulele is automatcically easy, (sadly something I STILL see being repeated) and that was followed by one of my favourite music releases of the year from Phil Doleman and Ian Emmerson. I then worked up an advice guide on gear that you should take to the ukulele gig and ended with a look at a pleasing, but new to me brand, called Aiersi.

In March I tackled the much debated (and much badly advised) subject of ukulele performers insurance and was delighted to see a debut on Got A Ukulele for a brand that had been absent from UK shores for some time in the form of the aNueNue Africa Mahogany Concert.

April and May were varied. We kicked off with rants about a couple of things. Firstly, the endless debate about the pronunciation of the word 'ukulele' and then the assumption that everything has to be tinged with something Hawaiian, even though most of us have never even been there. New brands were featured in the form of a concert ukuleles from Mabuhay and Ashbury, and there was guide to adjusting the ukulele saddle for accurate intonation. Ending the month was a review of one of the nicest instruments I've ever played in the Pono ATDC Tenor uke.

Pono ATDC ukulele


In June, I looked at another Mahalo ukulele. Not the best instrument but a far cry from some of their ealier ones. And I was delighted to take another step in trying to dispel the myth that ukulele friction tuners are bad by looking at these marvels from Waverly.

July brought some controversy with a post looking at what I considered to be an overload of ukulele festivals and the risk that posed to some organisers. Sadly, looking at the diary for 2017, it's going to be even worse in the year ahead... Reviews wise I looked at the rather wonderful Clearwater Roundback Baritone and the Cordoba 20TM uke. The Clearwater is still a ukulele that I would highly recommend for the money.

August is school holiday month in the UK, so writing was reduced as family time took precedent. I did manage to look at the marvellous Ziricote Tenor ukulele from Kala and a cool double gig bag from Fusion though.

Full steam ahead into September with my favourites being the advice guide showing you how easy it actually is to play ukulele in different keys, a review of the hugely fun Duke Banjo Uke and a look at some great clip on tuners from D'Addario. Wow... two banjos on Got A Ukulele in one year...

Duke banjo uke


There was a real mix of reviews in October. We ranged from one of the lowest scores ever on Got A Ukulele in the form of this soprano uke from Kaka, and then one of the highest in the delightful Blackbird Clara Concert. I also looked at some accessories including ukulele capos and the rather wonderful Logjam Travelog 2 stomp box.

November was all about me being spoiled.  I took a look at another instrument from Cocobolo in their Super Soprano ukulele, and I also got my hands on one of the new Ohana O'Nino Sopranino ukuleles. Crowning the month, in fact crowning the year was the highest review score ever on Got A Ukulele in the aNueNue UT200 Moon Bird Tenor Ukulele. Wow..

Moon Bird Tenor ukulele


And so we came to the close of the year. December had a few reviews including a welcome return for Snail Ukuleles and a rather wonderful concert pineapple uke from Ohana, but then slowed down for the Christmas break. Phew!

The year has been a lot of fun, and you may have also noticed that the ukulele festival calendar is up and running again which seems to suggest this current ukulele trend shows no signs of slowing.. Over 11 million pages read on the site in total now too! Looking forward, the reviews bench is overloaded with instruments for the new year, including some really interesting ones and discussions underway for even more.

Thanks SO much for your support of the site and positive feedback during 2016. It really is appreciated. All that remains is for me to wish you and yours all the very best for 2017 wherever you are. Will be interesting to see how the ukulele world develops in the year ahead!







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22 Dec 2016

Season's Greetings from Got A Ukulele

A short note as we approach the Christmas holidays wishing all Got A Ukulele readers the very, very best!

christmas tree ukulele


And if Christmas isn't your thing, perhaps happy hanukkah, joyous kwanzaa, eid mubarak or yuletide felicitations... Whichever, just be nice to each other!

Enjoy yourselves, play some music, spread some joy and be sure to let me know about any new ukuleles you found under the tree this year!  And thanks ever so much for your continued support this past year.

I'll be back at the turn of New Year with a look back over my favourite posts of 2016, and then I have a host of new instrument reviews and articles lined up for the year ahead!





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18 Dec 2016

Snail UKT-528 Tenor - REVIEW

Another welcome return for a musical instrument brand I have featured before on Got A Ukulele. This time we look at the UKT-528 Tenor ukulele from Snail.

Snail UKT-528 Ukulele


You may recall me reviewing the Snail Rosewood Soprano before on the site, and reviewing it quite positively too. Since then, I have been keen to feature this brand again, and thanks to their UK distributor, Red Chilli Audio, I've been lucky enough to have this one on test for a few weeks.

The UKT-528 is a Chinese made  tenor ukulele made from all laminate woods, but those laminate pieces are veneered in striking zebrawood. Snail are actually a line of instruments from parent brand Amahi Ukuleles.

It's a standard double bout tenor shaped instrument with a prominently curved base. That curve on the butt of the instrument is something I am seeing more and more and is a look I really do like. It's just subtly different enough to make the ukulele stand out a little I think. The zebrawood is naturally pretty and is veneered in two bookmatched pieces on both the top and the back. The sides of the instrument are also in two pieces and the back is slightly arched. The whole body is finished in a satin coat that allows some of the wood pores to show through avoiding the 'artificial' look of so many ukes at this price point.

Snail UKT-528 Ukulele body


A more detailed word about this laminate though, as I really am quite impressed. A glance at the edge of the soundhole will show you that this laminate is really thin. This is a very good thing! You see, most budget manufacturers tend to use laminate which is little more than plywood and is usually overly thick which just kills the tone and volume. I have said it many times before though - I would take good thin laminate over cheap thick solid wood every day of the week.  I understand why cheaper brands have to make their solid woods thick - it's because solid wood is fragile and if you are building to a low budget it's frankly easier (read - lazier) to just make them thick to stop them splitting. With laminate though, it's much, much stronger than solid wood so there is really no excuse to not make them thin and resonant. Snail have certainly done this here, and rap on the top with your knuckles shows you how resonant this one is. Top marks.

In fact that top is so thin, looking at the sound hole edge you could be forgiven for thinking it was solid wood. The use of zebrawood veneer on the inside of the instrument too may confuse some people. It really IS laminate though - just good laminate!

Adding to that distinctive zebrawood grain pattern, we have cream edge binding where the top and back meet the sides, and this is complimented on the top with some black and white inlaid edging. We also have a black/white/black sound hole rosette, but I cannot tell if this is inlaid or a transfer under the satin coat. Either way, it looks neat and tidy.

Elsewhere on the top we have a standard shaped rosewood bridge plate in a tie bar style, holding an uncompensated bone saddle.

Snail UKT-528 Ukulele bridge


A look inside the instrument is pleasing too. We have the makers logo on a wooden plate glued to the back, notched kerfing and really delicate looking thin bracing adding to that light touch on the build and hopefully the resonance. There is no mess, no glue drips and no wood shavings. Good quality control in evidence.

Moving up to the neck, this is made from mahogany and in three pieces with a joint at the heel and one at the headstock. It is similarly finished in satin and I love the exaggerated shaping to the heel which is satisfying to touch.

Snail UKT-528 Ukulele neck heel


Topping this is an evenly coloured rosewood fingerboard which is nice and dark but does have a couple of finish marks in the face at the body end. Fitted to this are 18 nickel silver frets with 14 to the body joint. They are generally well finished, but the upper frets down the dusty end of the neck could do with a little more tidying. They are not the sharpest fret ends i've ever seen on a ukulele, but worth mentioning. The fretboard edges are not bound, so you do see the fret ends, but they are partially hidden by some wood stain.

Snail UKT-528 Ukulele fingerboard


Fret markers are provided on the face of the fingerboard in pearloid inlays at the 5th, 7th, 10th, 12th and 15th spaces, with the 12th being a double spot. Sadly there are no side position markers. An easy fix for Snail to consider I think.

The other thing I would point out on the neck is that it is slightly wider at the nut than most Chinese ukuleles at this price point. It's about 36.5mm across, so whilst not the widest nut out there, it's certainly wider. A more standard Chinese nut width is about 35mm. Believe me - if you find your fingers get cramped on certain chords, you WILL notice this extra width and be thankful for it.

We have a bone nut before the attractively shaped Snail headstock. It's little things like the shaping of that headstock, the curved base and the shaping of the neck heel that I like and makes you think that this isn't just a generic cheap ukulele that came off the same production line as so many others. The headstock is faced in more zebrawood veneer and the Snail logo is engraved.

Snail UKT-528 Ukulele headstock


Flipping it over we have another smaller Snail logo engraved in the back, together with a serial number. The tuners are unbranded sealed gears, with all the hardware treated to a gold finish. They work ok, and they have a satisfying stiffness to them with no play. Sadly one of themseems to have a bit of corrosion or staining starting around the cover plate and on the front washers. No biggie though.

Snail UKT-528 Ukulele tuners


Finishing the package is a decent padded gig bag with front pocket, shoulder strap and an embroidered Snail logo. The strings provided are Aquila. And for that, the package will set you back between about £110 and £120 depending where you shop. That is a really attractive price.

Construction feels solid and well made all over the instrument with no issues that I can see. But that thin top and delicate bracing means that it feels anything but over built. This is lightweight, and perfectly balanced at the 12th fret when in the hands without a strap. A very nice ukulele to hold.

The setup on this review model was just as I would like it, particularly at the nut which is the more difficult one to fix. No complaints here.

The first two things that struck me about it on playing was the great volume / projection and the pretty decent sustain. This is definitely one of those instruments that gives you a nice vibration into your chest when you play it. This is of course all down to that choice to use thin woods in the construction and I wish more entry level brands would do it.

It's also very clear across the strings. At first you think it is all brightness and zing (and it certainly has does have a punch to it), but there is bass coming through too creating a satisfying mix of tones. It feels comfortable and suited to both strumming as to picking, although slightly more on the side of strumming for me. Whatever I throw at it, it always sounds crisp and never muddy. Trust me, this is a very satisfying ukulele sound.

Snail UKT-528 Ukulele back


Of course it isn't a first class tone that you would get from a professional level instrument, as it lacks that sort of character and shimmer, but this is leagues above most other instruments at this cheaper laminate end of the market. And for a shade over £100 that is pretty remarkable.

I think this Snail is one of those nice things from China that occasionally appear - an instrument maker that knows that laminate doesn't need to be thick and cheaply put together and can sound great with a bit of care an attention. I'd take this one over a host of solid wood ukuleles that are marketed at the same sort of price. In fact I'd take this over a host of solid wood ukes marketed at quite a bit more than this.

I think this makes an excellent first ukulele (and yes, this is the sort of price you should be considering for a first instrument that is serious), and certainly a step up for those of you getting frustrated with your cheap Mahalos and the like.

It's an attactive, well made, punchy, light instrument and deserves your attention.  This one really pleased me and I'd buy one!

http://www.amahiukes.com/ukuleles-and-guitars/intermediate-ukuleles


UKULELE PROS

Striking looks
Overall build quality
Nice body shape, and headstock shape
Thin delicate build
Wide nut
Excellent resonance, volume and sustain

UKULELE CONS

No side fret markers
Check on fret dressing if you are buying


UKULELE SCORES

Looks - 9 out of 10
Fit and finish - 8.5 out of 10
Sound - 9 out of 10
Value for money - 9.5 out of 10

OVERALL UKULELE SCORE - 9.0 out of 10


UKULELE VIDEO REVIEW






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11 Dec 2016

Ohana PKC-50G Concert Pineapple Ukulele - REVIEW

Next up in a series of ukulele reviews for Ohana Music, this week in the shape of their newly released PKC-50G Pineapple ukulele.

Ohana PKC-50G Ukulele


I'm also pleased to be looking at a pineapple shaped body on Got A Ukulele as I realise I haven't featured many of them at all. Personally speaking, I love this shape of ukulele and would like to see more of them. For the tone geeks out there, we could debate endlessly about how the shape affects the tone, but I side with the camp who find they have a fuller and more rounded tone. Some will disagree though! Anyway, pineapple, boat paddle, whatever you want to call them, I like them. There is something very traditional about them, and the fact that you don't see huge numbers of them means that you will also be playing something that is a little bit different.

The PKC-50G is is in the upper end of the middle of the Ohana range, signified by the model number. With most Ohana ukuleles you will get a number code (50 in this case) which signifies where it stands on the ladder. Generally speaking, the higher the number, the higher the grade of instrument. The numbers go quite a bit higher than 50, but equally they go a bit lower too. Oh, and the P naturally stands for Pineapple and the G for gloss.

In this model we have a gloss finished ukulele made from all solid woods in the body. The top of this is made from solid cedar, with a beautifully straight and typical grain. The back and sides are made from solid mahogany. Sure, mahogany is not the most glamourous looking wood in the world, but it works well on ukuleles and these pieces are also nice and contrast very well with the paler top. Unlike something like spruce, whilst cedar is pale it also has some colour to it and this piece is very yellowy orange. The mahogany on the other hand is a deep warm orangey red.

Ohana PKC-50G Ukulele top


The top and back appear to be made from single pieces, as do the sides, which is surprising for a concert. Saying that, the pineapple shape means that it's not a complex bending job to get the sides like this. The back is very slightly arched and the grain in the mahogany looks great.

Ohana PKC-50G Ukulele back


I suspect the mix of woods here was more about visual contrast rather than tone contrast, as both cedar and mahogany have a warmer, richer tone than many tone woods, so they should serve to combine on this one nicely.

For decoration we have very nicely applied abalone inlay adjoining the rosewood edge binding, and a similar abalone inlay around the sound hole. It certainly looks very classy and together with the gloss gives you a feel that this ukulele is something more special.

Ohana PKC-50G Ukulele sound hole


We have a rosewood tie bar style bridge plate housing an uncompensated bone saddle which all looks very neat and tidy. A look inside also shows a decent level of quality control that I usually find with Ohana. Neat, notched kerfing, braces not over-done and no glue drips. In fact the whole body feels well put together. The gloss isn't quite perfect, but it's pretty good with no orange peel look or drips that you see with poorer applications.

Ohana PKC-50G Ukulele bridge


The neck is made from mahogany and is in 3 pieces with a joint at the heel and a very well hidden joint at the headstock. It's also finished in gloss, and I would prefer satin on a neck. Saying that, it doesn't feel overly 'grippy' on the hands, so that's just my personal preference.

Topping the neck is an evenly coloured rosewood fingerboard with 19 nickel silver frets with 14 to the body. That's a good number for a concert, as you normally get 18 or even less. I am pleased with that, and also pleased that they are all dressed well. It's also in pretty good condition, but I did spot some rough finishing at the end of the board.

We have pearloid position markers on the face of the fingerboard at the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 10th and 12th spaces, but sadly these are not repeated on the side. I have said it before and will say it again... I really don't see the point of a position marker at the 3rd space, and I'd rather they moved that one down to something like the 15th. 

The edges of the fingerboard are bound with rosewood, hiding the fret ends, and the nut width is pretty standard for a China made ukulele, but perfectly comfortable for me.

Past the bone nut we have a really attractive headstock in the typical Ohana curved shape, faced in rosewood and decorated around the outer edge with more abalone inlay to match the body. Add to that the inlaid pearloid Ohana logo and the whole thing looks really classy. In fact the whole look of the instrument hangs together well I think and it was certainly one of those that made me say 'ooh!' when I first opened the box.

Ohana PKC-50G Ukulele headstock


Flipping it over and I am just as impressed with the choice of tuners. These are open gears from Grover with vintage shaped chrome buttons. Being a concert, I can just about allow a lack of friction pegs on the instrument, but when they are as good a set of gears as these, I will definitely allow it!

Ohana PKC-50G Ukulele tuners


Completing the deal are (what else) Aquila brand strings and you should be able to pick one of these up from an Ohana dealer for about £300 or under But.. Ohana are one of those brands that do something that really irritate me on price. They list these at $479 on their website, but I suspect they NEVER sell for that in dealers. So it gives a false saving to buyers that was never actually there in the first place. Ugh..

(Incidentally - the gig bag that you see in the pictures doesn't come with the ukulele, but it is from Ohana and fits this model. It's the UCS-24BK).

So as I say - a really nice build quality throughout and great looks. It's also very light and nicely balanced in the hands, making it a very comfortable ukulele to hold. Set up on this review model saw it come to me pretty much perfect for my tastes.

What surprised me the most with this one was the tone. Despite the choice of woods and the body shape I was expecting this to sound much mellower than it does. It's actually got a really chimey bright tone that took me aback (in a good way). I suspect the better term to use here is 'rich' as it really is a very full and clear tone, with lots of volume.

Strummed it has percussive sound that is very pleasing and, for want of a better term, very 'Hawaiian'. Sustain isn't the longest I have heard, but it is there, and I think that adds to the percussive nature. The range is good too, with all of the strings taking their place in the mix when strummed.

Fingerpicking is really pretty, helped by that rich tone and in your face projection. It's also easy to get some vibrato from your fretting hand which is usually much less noticeable on smaller and cheaper instruments.

But for me it's all about that projection and volume. This is a powerful little ukulele and immensely fun to play for that reason. You never feel like you are working harder on the strings than you think you should to get some sound. I hate to use the cheesy old comment, but it almost plays itself. It's just very resonant and punchy.

Richness, power, good looks... there really isn't much not to like here, assuming you can get it for a fair price.

http://www.ohana-music.com


UKULELE PROS

Great looks
Good build quality
Classy feel throughout
Excellent tuners
Excellent projection and rich tone

UKULELE CONS

Glitches in finish and on neck
No side position markers
Odd pricing


UKULELE SCORES

Looks 9 out of 10
Fit and finish - 8 out of 10
Sound - 8.5 out of 10
Value for money - 8.5 out of 10

OVERALL UKULELE SCORE - 8.5 out of 10


UKULELE VIDEO REVIEW




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5 Dec 2016

Flight DUS 320 SP/ZEB Soprano Ukulele REVIEW

A second review on Got A Ukulele for Flight Music, in the form of their DUS 320 SP/ZEB Soprano uke.

Flight DUS 320 SP/ZEB Soprano ukulele


This is another entry level ukulele from the Slovenian based brand, also made in China like the NUS 310 Soprano ukulele I reviewed earlier in the year. Whilst Flight do make some slightly higher end instruments, this is another of their value models made from all laminate woods. I've been keen to give them another ukulele review.

Unlike the NUS 310, this one employs a couple of contrasting laminate veneers with the SP in the name representing the Spruce used on the top and ZEB representing Zebrawood as used on the back and sides of the instrument. It's certainly a contrasting look that I like and that I have seen used by several other brands. On their website, Flight talk about these two woods providing contrasting tone, and this comment confused me. If these were two pieces of solid wood, I could understand the sound differences they would offer, but with two laminates, I personally don't find that the outer veneer imparts signature tone to the construction. Saying all of that, regular readers will know that I am not necessarily 'down' on laminate ukuleles and think they have their place. Sounds like marketing speak to me though.

Flight DUS 320 SP/ZEB Soprano ukulele body


So we have a very standard shaped and scaled soprano ukulele with a double bout and a pleasing rounded base. As I say, I like the contrast between the two woods, but otherwise the instrument is fairly plain, finished as it is in satin. It does however show of the veneer wood grain, particularly on the striking zebrawood, but also on the spruce top in which the grain is straight. Saying that, the satin is quite thin on the top and in testing this model it quite quickly picked up finger nail marks.

Being laminate, the top is made from a single piece of laminate spruce, not that bookmatching in spruce is particularly noticeable in any event. The edges of the top are bound but Flight do not say in what. I suspect it is just stained wood veneer, but it does add a bit of extra interest to the edging. Around the sound hole we have a laser engraved rosette which also looks quite nice.

Flight DUS 320 SP/ZEB Soprano ukulele sound hole


The bridge is a screwed on tie bar design made from rosewood, and the saddle is uncompensated bone.

Flight DUS 320 SP/ZEB Soprano ukulele bridge


The zebrawood stripe is nicely matched on the two side pieces, and the same applies to the back which also employs two bookmatched pieces of veneer. The back is also slightly arched, and also edge bound where it meets the sides. Aside from the distinctive pattern of the zebrawood, the finish shows off the open pores quite nicely if you like that sort of thing.

Flight DUS 320 SP/ZEB Soprano ukulele back


Inside looks tidy and interestingly the inside of the side pieces show the same zebrawood striping. This is somewhat unusual for a laminate as the outer veneer is usually only applied to the outside of the instrument leaving the inside faces plain (like the back is on this one). The fact I can see more zebrawood leads me to believe that the laminate is actually strips of zebrawood. That doesn't make the sides 'solid wood' but I thought I would mention it. Otherwise we have no glue spots, and thin bracing and notched kerfing.

Up to the neck and this is a pale Okoume hardwood like the NUS 310 employs and is made from three pieces with a joint at the heel and the headstock. It is all finished in satin.

Topping this is an evenly coloured rosewood fingerboard with end shaping detail and 12 nickel silver frets. Unlike the 310, the fret edges on this review model are very smooth and nicely done. We have pearloid position markers at the 5th, 7th and 10th spaces, and although there are no side markers, Flight tell me that current production models are putting side markers on since my last review. Got A Ukulele strikes again! Either way, this is a considerably nicer neck than I reviewed on the 310.

Flight DUS 320 SP/ZEB Soprano ukulele neck


We have a bone nut before a typical three pointed crown shaped headstock. It is faced in more of the striking zebrawood veneer and the Flight logo is nicely engraved. Also engraved into the face of the headstock is another flower style logo mimicing the sound hole decoration.

Flight DUS 320 SP/ZEB Soprano ukulele headstock


Flipping it over and I see that the tuners are leagues better than the wobbly open gears used on the NUS 310. Sure they are still unbranded gears (would still prefer friction pegs!) in chrome, but they are good enough quality and work just fine. So many brands at this price just get it wrong with massive buttons and cheap tuners. These are perfectly passable.

Flight DUS 320 SP/ZEB Soprano ukulele tuners


Completeting the package is a set of Aquila strings and a nice quality embroidered Flight gig bag with shoulder strap and front package. As I said, this is an entry level instrument and commands and RRP of €99, although I am seeing them online for considerably less than that.

To hold, the instrument is not overly heavy, and it is nicely balanced too. Generally speaking the construction also feels sound as well, and nothing feels weak or roughly done.

The setup on the saddle and nut both need some work. The saddle only needs to come down a touch, and is on the verge of being passable, but the nut is just far too high, leading to some intonation issues at the lower frets. Nothing major, and fixable though, so I would recommend buying this from a store that offers a setup, or budget in the need to get it checked over. Just to make a point on this issue. I regularly get emails from readers asking for ukulele recommendations that have 'good intonation'. There is no such thing - and by that I mean that ANY ukulele can have bad intonation if the setup needs adjusting. It is not something symptomatic of any brand - rather more symptomatic of the dealer you bought it from. So as I say - this one can be easily adjusted and for that reason I don't mark down instruments if the intonation is purely down to the adjustable elements that are designed to be adjustable. What I can confirm on this one is the issue seems in no way connected to anything more fatal in the construction! We digress.

So nice to hold, nicely made, what about the sound? Well, first impressions were that in comparison to the NUS 310, this is significantly better. That last Flight I looked at sounded very thin and boxy on the tone, but this one has a lot more going on. The volume is good, the notes are pretty clear and it's certainly bright. Sustain isn't great to be honest, but I have played much worse. Yes, it's kind of one dimensional, but then I find that a lot of laminate ukuleles are at this price point - hence my confusion on the marketing speak about the spruce and zebrawood above. But it's a passable instrument that actually performs well and will suit a beginner better than some of the dreadful rubbish still about. I was particularly impressed with it when fingerpicked as it does have some chime to it too.

Flight Ukulele


Don't get me wrong, it's not a high end complex tone, but then it is not trying or pretending to be. But as I say - still perfectly acceptable. I think this one is following what is a pleasing trend in ukuleles from China at the cheap end in the recent year. When I started out on ukulele there were some truly woeful instruments out there at the cheap end. Things that should never have left the factory. Sure, there still are, but they are being drowned out by an increasing number of better made cheap instruments. For the new ukulele player not looking to spend a fortune, I think things have never been better in terms of choice and reliability. Of course with more choice comes harder decisons on what to buy, but hey, that's what Got A Ukulele is for!

So in summary - this one is not getting a stellar score, but it's not getting a bad one either. I think if you were considering one of these as a first instrument, or for a child, then you could do a lot worse. And you can't argue with the price. Just factor in that you may need to do some adjusting on the setup. Pleasantly surprised with this one.



http://www.flightmusic.com
https://www.musicroom.com/



UKULELE PROS

Good general build quality
Striking looks
Decent gig bag
Better quality tuners
Good volume
Balanced weight
Great price

UKULELE CONS

Needs some setup on this review model
Lacking sustain
Satin finish is quite thin

UKULELE SCORES

Looks - 8.5 out of 10
Fit and finish - 8 out of 10
Sound - 7.5 out of 10
Value for money - 8.5 out of 10

OVERALL UKULELE SCORE - 8.1 out of 10

UKULELE VIDEO REVIEW




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