This week Barry at Got A Ukulele realises that he has now 'played them all'... Say hello to the new Magic Fluke Baritone Ukulele.
Showing posts with label fluke. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fluke. Show all posts
12 May 2024
14 Jul 2019
14 Jul 2019T15:04
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Magic Fluke SB20 Solid Electric Ukulele - REVIEW
There is a ukulele brand out there that I have held deep in my heart since I started playing ukulele. That's the Magic Fluke brand from Massachusetts in the USA. I've looked at most of their stuff, but not this one before. The Magic Fluke SB Solid Body Electric.
23 Sept 2017
23 Sept 2017T12:18
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Magic Fluke Firefly Tenor Banjo - REVIEW
It's many moons back in 2012 since I first looked at a Firefly Banjo Ukulele from Magic Fluke musical instruments. And I really rather liked it too. I'm therefore thrilled to be looking at their latest re-vamped tenor version.
4 Aug 2012
4 Aug 2012T15:15
My first long term test looks at my Fluke ukulele, first reviewed here in October 2010.
It's nearly two years since I brought this baby home and it has been a regular player for me ever since. I actually bought this one slightly used but in top condition. So how has it gone since buying it?
Well the Fluke still is the instrument that I like to grab now an again despite owning more higher end instruments now. I still love the tone and the volume that the ukulele brings, and it is just one of those fun shapes that feels great to play. Add to that, the flat bottom means this uke sits beside my sofa for when I feel I have a quick urge.
Over the last couple of years I have tested a few string types on it, and have settled for Worth Clears as being my favourites on the uke. I still love the low action and accuracy the setup brings. It isn't (by far) the sweetest sounding uke I own but it is a reliable war-horse of a uke. I can leave this for weeks and know when I pick it up it will be bang in tune. This has also become my 'go to' ukulele for gigging in situations where I either expect it may get knocked, or where we are outdoors and I may expect rain - as it will stand up pretty well to those.
It isn't all good news though - perhaps it is my vigourous strum style but the top finish of these ukuleles is really not very sturdy at all and I have worn through to the wood - both from the bad habit of finger placing on the soundboard when picking, and from plain old fingernail wear and tear from strumming.
Not long after getting the Fluke I fitted a pickup to it (a K and K Bigshot ) which was easy to do as you will see on the link - the point with the Fluke is that with no removable saddle, the a piezo strip is not an option, so this has a transducer pad stuck under the soundboard. It works very well, though does pick up a bit of body noise. The other downside with a pickup on this uke is that the natural place to put the jackpin is not really an option as you then lose the ability to set the ukulele on it's butt to stand it up. This means I fitted it on the side of the uke. This is great for a trailing cable, but makes using a strap on it a bit tricky. Still - it works.
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Long Term Test - Fluke Ukulele
A new feature for Got A Ukulele. I have reviewed many instruments, but it struck me that it is one thing writing about what I think of an instrument in the first few weeks of ownership, but what about how the instrument has stood up longer term - do I still stand by my original thoughts?
My first long term test looks at my Fluke ukulele, first reviewed here in October 2010.
It's nearly two years since I brought this baby home and it has been a regular player for me ever since. I actually bought this one slightly used but in top condition. So how has it gone since buying it?
Well the Fluke still is the instrument that I like to grab now an again despite owning more higher end instruments now. I still love the tone and the volume that the ukulele brings, and it is just one of those fun shapes that feels great to play. Add to that, the flat bottom means this uke sits beside my sofa for when I feel I have a quick urge.
Over the last couple of years I have tested a few string types on it, and have settled for Worth Clears as being my favourites on the uke. I still love the low action and accuracy the setup brings. It isn't (by far) the sweetest sounding uke I own but it is a reliable war-horse of a uke. I can leave this for weeks and know when I pick it up it will be bang in tune. This has also become my 'go to' ukulele for gigging in situations where I either expect it may get knocked, or where we are outdoors and I may expect rain - as it will stand up pretty well to those.
It isn't all good news though - perhaps it is my vigourous strum style but the top finish of these ukuleles is really not very sturdy at all and I have worn through to the wood - both from the bad habit of finger placing on the soundboard when picking, and from plain old fingernail wear and tear from strumming.
I am not overly bothered about the way it looks (and have applied a layer of clear coat to the top to try to slow down the damage) but am surprised how quickly it started to wear down. Oh well, it shows I play it. Another gripe is with the plastic fingerboard. Despite never using wound strings, the plastic frets have started to develop grooves in most of them up to about the sixth fret. That amount of wear in two years leads me to believe that if I keep playing it as much as I do, I will need a fingerboard replacement in about a years time - perhaps not the sort of shelf life you would expect for what is a relatively expensive instrument. The new fingerboards are not hugely costly, but it will be a hassle to fix. If I was buying a fluke again I would certainly now consider the wooden fingerboard with metal frets.
The back of the uke has stood up very well (not that you can tell that easily as it has become a magnet for ukulele stickers!)
Not long after getting the Fluke I fitted a pickup to it (a K and K Bigshot ) which was easy to do as you will see on the link - the point with the Fluke is that with no removable saddle, the a piezo strip is not an option, so this has a transducer pad stuck under the soundboard. It works very well, though does pick up a bit of body noise. The other downside with a pickup on this uke is that the natural place to put the jackpin is not really an option as you then lose the ability to set the ukulele on it's butt to stand it up. This means I fitted it on the side of the uke. This is great for a trailing cable, but makes using a strap on it a bit tricky. Still - it works.
So in summary - am I still happy with it - yes I am. It's still the war horse I expected it to be. I am concerned at how quickly the finish and frets wear down, but the former is just cosmetic and the uke sounds as good as it ever did. I have not dropped it down the stairs yet, but I still think it would come out of a tumble unharmed.
Would I buy it again if I lost this one. Yes, without any shadow of a doubt (though I would plump for the wooden fretboard)
2 Jun 2012
2 Jun 2012T11:06
Enjoy - click on photo for larger image.
Back row L-R - Makala Dolphin soprano, Mahalo U50 Soprano, Pono MHC Pro Classic concert, Kanile'a K1 Tenor, Brüko No.6 soprano, Koaloha Pikake soprano, Magic Fluke Firefly banjolele, Mainland concert, Vintage VUK20N soprano.
Front row L-R - Magic Fluke Flea soprano, Magic Fluke Fluke concert, Clifton (Lidl) soprano, Mahalo Flying V, Antonio Lemez Canarian Timple (ok, the last one isn't a uke, but let me off!)
No doubt over the years ahead, the collection will change, but most of these are keepers.
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The current ukulele collection
Ukuleles come and ukes go, and whilst I have owned others in my time, I thought I was overdue taking a photograph of the current crop.
Enjoy - click on photo for larger image.
Back row L-R - Makala Dolphin soprano, Mahalo U50 Soprano, Pono MHC Pro Classic concert, Kanile'a K1 Tenor, Brüko No.6 soprano, Koaloha Pikake soprano, Magic Fluke Firefly banjolele, Mainland concert, Vintage VUK20N soprano.
Front row L-R - Magic Fluke Flea soprano, Magic Fluke Fluke concert, Clifton (Lidl) soprano, Mahalo Flying V, Antonio Lemez Canarian Timple (ok, the last one isn't a uke, but let me off!)
No doubt over the years ahead, the collection will change, but most of these are keepers.
10 Apr 2012
10 Apr 2012T15:41
Fluke Firefly sound sample
A follow up to my written review of the Firefly uke, showing it off in video with a bit of a sound sample.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
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- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
4 Apr 2012
4 Apr 2012T12:31
Firstly some housekeeping - you may have seen that this is my second delivery, as the first one was damaged in transit. Being in the UK, I have spoken highly of two shops for buying ukes, the Southern Ukulele Store in the UK and Musique 83 in France. I needed the banjo for a gig this week (ideally) and at the time of ordering SUS were out of stock. I therefore ordered from France, and want to point out that there service dealing with the broken one was SUPERB. Sadly, they didn't have stock for a replacement, and therefore SUS sorted me out with more SUPERB next day service. So, therefore a big shout of thanks to both stores!
Right, on to the instrument itself. The Firefly is a banjo ukulele designed by the Magic Fluke Company in the USA. I am a fan of their Flea and Fluke ukuleles so it was really only a matter of time until I completed the family. It is essentially nothing more than a Flea ukulele neck with the distinctive headstock bolted through a Remo 8 inch hand drum. As such - at over £200 that seems a lot for something so simple. It's more than that though, as I will explain.
The uke is essentially soprano scaled, but is actually slightly longer than my 14 fret Flea, as this one squeezes in 16 frets. It actually feels more Concert to me. It comes in a variety of 'flavours' from the Company - with a moulded plastic fingerboard or wooden (this one is wooden), in Walnut or Maple finish (this one is Maple) and with the optional upgrade to Peghed tuners, though I am happy enough with the stock frictions.
Looking at the pot first of all, as I say, it's just a hand drum, nothing more, with a synthetic Remo Fiberskyn head. As such, unlike other banjo ukes, there are no J hook tensioners around the rim holding the head in place, just a braided band of fabric. That has raised eyebrows with many as it means, naturally, that the head cannot be tuned or replaced in the event of damage. Fluke advised that the head is pre-tuned, but I suppose as a new instrument nobody really knows what years of playing will do to it. The pot is also unusual as it is not wooden, it's made of a synthetic composite material which actually looks like High Pressure Laminate - essentially a very tough cardboard - they call it an Acousticon Pot. The outer of the rim is finished with a faux wood effect label. Now all of this is sounding a bit ropey as I type it out - but there is a reason that Fluke went this route, and it's also the reason that I was keen to buy it. Weight and comfort. I already own a banjo uke in the Ozark 2035. I like that uke, but I find it really heavy and uncomfortable to hold and play. The hooks dig in my arm and lightweight it is not. The Ozark isn't even a heavy banjolele and if you grab one of the really traditional looking ones, they are heavier still. The Firefly on the other hand - light as a feather, really easy to hold without a strap - no discomfort. What Fluke set out to achieve on that front they have succeeded with very, very well. This is a really easy uke to 'get along with'. To add to that, I am, personally, not a huge fan of the trad banjo uke 'look' (should I duck?) and therefore the Firefly ticks that box for me too - I think the minimal look is just great.
Turning the uke over we see how the neck is attached to the pot. The traditional Fluke neck has had an extra piece of wood added to it (the neck is a two piece) which runs through a hole in the top of the pot and is bolted to the inside of the bottom. This is the dowel rod arrangement seen on most banjos and is very nifty. I also adore the engraved Firefly logo on the rod, a bug composed of a neck for a body, notes for the legs, a banjo head for its butt and a Fluke headstock! The way the rod is attached is clever in terms of its ability to be adjusted. The connection on the bottom is stacked with small rubber washers and removing or adding these allows you to adjust the action high or low. As it is, my Firefly arrived with action just as I like it, but it's nice to be able to adjust it.
The bolt that holds the dowel rod to the pot runs through the uke into the small but nicely formed tailpiece for holding the strings. To attach the strings, they simply need a knot that you hook into the gaps.
On to the walnut neck, and this is where I knew that the Firefly would be a winner. I really like the Fluke and Flea necks - they are superbly accurate and for someone with biggish hands, they are wider than the average uke and chunkier in profile. My Fluke and Flea have plastic fingerboards, and I was keen to try a wooden one this time. The wood used on the fingerboard is not specified (just a hardwood) but is a nice piece and, like any other Fluke instrument, is supremely accurate. The 16 frets are nickel (all dressed and finished very well), and the uke also benefits from a 'zero fret' - that is to say, the nut is not the end point of the vibrating string, it is only there to hold the spacing. At the very top of the neck is a fret that the string sits on - this too helps with accuracy / intonation.
The headstock is standard Flea / Fluke shape which I love, and the tuners are Grover 2b frictions which I think work just fine. The buttons on this one are black, but if you order the maple version of the firefly, the buttons are white. I know some people despise friction tuners, and I have blogged about that before. I personally find the tuners that Fluke use are just fine.
The whole thing is finished off with a standard uke banjo ebony topped bridge which you simply slide into place to the pencil marks helpfully provided. The strings on this one are made by La Bella, and unusually come with a wound C string. I must say, I am not totally in love with them, as I find that wound string is giving an overly sharp sound to it (a very banjo sound!) and suspect I will be changing to Aquila all nylgut strings in due course.
Lastly, the uke arrived in a normal Flea shaped soft gig back, made of denim, and screen printed with the Magic Fluke logo. Nice.
So how do I get on with it? Well, as I say above, the lightness and comfort are absolutely superb, and that is a huge plus point for me. This is a uke that is easy and quick to pick up and play, easy to play standing or sitting, and just feels great in the hand. I may offend some banjo uke fans in saying that, because it isn't traditional looking, but that weight and comfort thing is something that has put me off banjo ukes. I also love the design of it, which, being a Fluke, is not surprising - this one will have people asking questions. It's a supremely playable looker!
The action is nice and low, with no buzzing - it's a fast and very easy neck to play. I would say that those who only play banjo ukuleles may find the action too low for their liking, but if you are coming to this from a standard ukulele you will find it a dream (all Fluke instruments fall into that category in my opinion). Intonation all over the neck is perfect too, and with the adjustable bridge, that is the only thing you need to worry about for accuracy in tuning.
Sound wise, it's not as full toned or as loud as other banjo ukuleles I have played, but I like that fact - it's mellower, and I suspect when I fit Aquilas, will be a little mellower still in getting rid of that wound string. There are a few 'ghost' notes as is common with banjos, and you will see that I have solved that in the pictures above in the normal way - sticking a small cloth in wedged between the rod and the underside of the head. Being open backed, I can control the tone and volume depending on whether I play the uke close to my chest or with the back opened away slightly. But I like the sound a lot, kind of not quite banjo, not quite uke. Whilst I say that other banjos are louder, this is not a quiet uke - certainly louder than a standard wooden ukulele!
Turning back to my earlier observation - is a neck bolted on to a drum that costs £20 worth £200? Well, I think so - this uke is more than the sum of it's parts. You know you are buying the quality that Fluke deliver - you KNOW it will be well made, you KNOW it will be accurate, and you KNOW it will be different. Gripes wise, I could moan about the fact the head is not replaceable, but if it was, it would lose the minimalist look. I suppose that synthetic pot accounts for the fact that the sound is not that fully toned, but again, changing that would make the uke heavier so it's about balance.
I therefore think it's likely to be a love it or loath it instrument for people - I personally like it a lot - the looks and the playability are the key for me and I would highly recommend you try one out.
SCORES
Looks - 8.5
Fit and finish - 10
Sound - 7.5
Value for money - 6
OVERALL - 8 out 10
VIDEO REVIEW
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Magic Fluke Firefly Banjo Ukulele - REVIEW
Well it is here, and i've been playing it non stop for the last day, so here is my initial review of the new Firefly Banjo Ukulele from the Magic Fluke Company.
Firefly Banjo Ukulele
Firstly some housekeeping - you may have seen that this is my second delivery, as the first one was damaged in transit. Being in the UK, I have spoken highly of two shops for buying ukes, the Southern Ukulele Store in the UK and Musique 83 in France. I needed the banjo for a gig this week (ideally) and at the time of ordering SUS were out of stock. I therefore ordered from France, and want to point out that there service dealing with the broken one was SUPERB. Sadly, they didn't have stock for a replacement, and therefore SUS sorted me out with more SUPERB next day service. So, therefore a big shout of thanks to both stores!
Right, on to the instrument itself. The Firefly is a banjo ukulele designed by the Magic Fluke Company in the USA. I am a fan of their Flea and Fluke ukuleles so it was really only a matter of time until I completed the family. It is essentially nothing more than a Flea ukulele neck with the distinctive headstock bolted through a Remo 8 inch hand drum. As such - at over £200 that seems a lot for something so simple. It's more than that though, as I will explain.
Firefly logo label inside the rim of the pot
The uke is essentially soprano scaled, but is actually slightly longer than my 14 fret Flea, as this one squeezes in 16 frets. It actually feels more Concert to me. It comes in a variety of 'flavours' from the Company - with a moulded plastic fingerboard or wooden (this one is wooden), in Walnut or Maple finish (this one is Maple) and with the optional upgrade to Peghed tuners, though I am happy enough with the stock frictions.
Looking at the pot first of all, as I say, it's just a hand drum, nothing more, with a synthetic Remo Fiberskyn head. As such, unlike other banjo ukes, there are no J hook tensioners around the rim holding the head in place, just a braided band of fabric. That has raised eyebrows with many as it means, naturally, that the head cannot be tuned or replaced in the event of damage. Fluke advised that the head is pre-tuned, but I suppose as a new instrument nobody really knows what years of playing will do to it. The pot is also unusual as it is not wooden, it's made of a synthetic composite material which actually looks like High Pressure Laminate - essentially a very tough cardboard - they call it an Acousticon Pot. The outer of the rim is finished with a faux wood effect label. Now all of this is sounding a bit ropey as I type it out - but there is a reason that Fluke went this route, and it's also the reason that I was keen to buy it. Weight and comfort. I already own a banjo uke in the Ozark 2035. I like that uke, but I find it really heavy and uncomfortable to hold and play. The hooks dig in my arm and lightweight it is not. The Ozark isn't even a heavy banjolele and if you grab one of the really traditional looking ones, they are heavier still. The Firefly on the other hand - light as a feather, really easy to hold without a strap - no discomfort. What Fluke set out to achieve on that front they have succeeded with very, very well. This is a really easy uke to 'get along with'. To add to that, I am, personally, not a huge fan of the trad banjo uke 'look' (should I duck?) and therefore the Firefly ticks that box for me too - I think the minimal look is just great.
Firefly ukulele head and pot - essentially just a hand drum
Turning the uke over we see how the neck is attached to the pot. The traditional Fluke neck has had an extra piece of wood added to it (the neck is a two piece) which runs through a hole in the top of the pot and is bolted to the inside of the bottom. This is the dowel rod arrangement seen on most banjos and is very nifty. I also adore the engraved Firefly logo on the rod, a bug composed of a neck for a body, notes for the legs, a banjo head for its butt and a Fluke headstock! The way the rod is attached is clever in terms of its ability to be adjusted. The connection on the bottom is stacked with small rubber washers and removing or adding these allows you to adjust the action high or low. As it is, my Firefly arrived with action just as I like it, but it's nice to be able to adjust it.
Inside the Firefly pot
The bolt that holds the dowel rod to the pot runs through the uke into the small but nicely formed tailpiece for holding the strings. To attach the strings, they simply need a knot that you hook into the gaps.
Firefly tailpiece and braided rim
On to the walnut neck, and this is where I knew that the Firefly would be a winner. I really like the Fluke and Flea necks - they are superbly accurate and for someone with biggish hands, they are wider than the average uke and chunkier in profile. My Fluke and Flea have plastic fingerboards, and I was keen to try a wooden one this time. The wood used on the fingerboard is not specified (just a hardwood) but is a nice piece and, like any other Fluke instrument, is supremely accurate. The 16 frets are nickel (all dressed and finished very well), and the uke also benefits from a 'zero fret' - that is to say, the nut is not the end point of the vibrating string, it is only there to hold the spacing. At the very top of the neck is a fret that the string sits on - this too helps with accuracy / intonation.
The classic Fluke headstock - note the zero fret
The headstock is standard Flea / Fluke shape which I love, and the tuners are Grover 2b frictions which I think work just fine. The buttons on this one are black, but if you order the maple version of the firefly, the buttons are white. I know some people despise friction tuners, and I have blogged about that before. I personally find the tuners that Fluke use are just fine.
The whole thing is finished off with a standard uke banjo ebony topped bridge which you simply slide into place to the pencil marks helpfully provided. The strings on this one are made by La Bella, and unusually come with a wound C string. I must say, I am not totally in love with them, as I find that wound string is giving an overly sharp sound to it (a very banjo sound!) and suspect I will be changing to Aquila all nylgut strings in due course.
Lastly, the uke arrived in a normal Flea shaped soft gig back, made of denim, and screen printed with the Magic Fluke logo. Nice.
Denim Firefly gig bag
So how do I get on with it? Well, as I say above, the lightness and comfort are absolutely superb, and that is a huge plus point for me. This is a uke that is easy and quick to pick up and play, easy to play standing or sitting, and just feels great in the hand. I may offend some banjo uke fans in saying that, because it isn't traditional looking, but that weight and comfort thing is something that has put me off banjo ukes. I also love the design of it, which, being a Fluke, is not surprising - this one will have people asking questions. It's a supremely playable looker!
The action is nice and low, with no buzzing - it's a fast and very easy neck to play. I would say that those who only play banjo ukuleles may find the action too low for their liking, but if you are coming to this from a standard ukulele you will find it a dream (all Fluke instruments fall into that category in my opinion). Intonation all over the neck is perfect too, and with the adjustable bridge, that is the only thing you need to worry about for accuracy in tuning.
Sound wise, it's not as full toned or as loud as other banjo ukuleles I have played, but I like that fact - it's mellower, and I suspect when I fit Aquilas, will be a little mellower still in getting rid of that wound string. There are a few 'ghost' notes as is common with banjos, and you will see that I have solved that in the pictures above in the normal way - sticking a small cloth in wedged between the rod and the underside of the head. Being open backed, I can control the tone and volume depending on whether I play the uke close to my chest or with the back opened away slightly. But I like the sound a lot, kind of not quite banjo, not quite uke. Whilst I say that other banjos are louder, this is not a quiet uke - certainly louder than a standard wooden ukulele!
Turning back to my earlier observation - is a neck bolted on to a drum that costs £20 worth £200? Well, I think so - this uke is more than the sum of it's parts. You know you are buying the quality that Fluke deliver - you KNOW it will be well made, you KNOW it will be accurate, and you KNOW it will be different. Gripes wise, I could moan about the fact the head is not replaceable, but if it was, it would lose the minimalist look. I suppose that synthetic pot accounts for the fact that the sound is not that fully toned, but again, changing that would make the uke heavier so it's about balance.
I therefore think it's likely to be a love it or loath it instrument for people - I personally like it a lot - the looks and the playability are the key for me and I would highly recommend you try one out.
SCORES
Looks - 8.5
Fit and finish - 10
Sound - 7.5
Value for money - 6
OVERALL - 8 out 10
VIDEO REVIEW
3 Apr 2012
3 Apr 2012T14:22
New Family Member
Well, the replacement arrived, and I am rather pleased with it. Say hello to the Firefly Banjo Uke, from the folks at the Magic Fluke Company.
A full review on Got A Ukulele shortly.
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A full review on Got A Ukulele shortly.
20 Feb 2012
20 Feb 2012T11:59
Back in the 1950's the use of the new wonder material plastic was everywhere - no matter what the object, some manufacturers wanted to use it. In the ukulele world, it was no different, and a whole range of injection moulded plastic ukes hit the music store shelves and mail order catalogs. Makers had dabbled with the use of plastics before, particularly on moulded fingerboards such as those marketed by the Harmony brand before the 1950's but it was post-war that things took off. Perhaps the most famous of those was made by the jazz guitar maker Maccaferri, who introduced the Islander ukulele to huge commercial success with reports that they sold more than half a million instruments in the 1950' selling at about $3 a go. Those same instruments, in good condition, are highly sought after today for the simple reason that they were well made and designed, and actually sounded pretty good!
Another maker, Emenee, introduced the similar looking Flamingo plastic ukulele which also became extremely popular as it was endorsed by one of the music hall ukulele stars of the day Arthur Godfrey.
Both instruments came with their own version of a beginners tool that clipped over the fretboard and allowed you to press buttons to form chords with one finger. Called the 'Chord Master' by Maccaferri and the 'Uke Player' by Emenee, this ingenious device worked with by a variety of levers being activated by pressing a button which depressed pads or 'fingers' down on to the strings to hold the chord patterns. A clever, if lazy, invention which allowed the uke to be played quickly with little effort. Vintage instruments today that come complete with the device are worth considerably more.
From the 1950's through to the 70's both brands and many others continued to churn out a dizzying array of plastic ukes of varying quality, some still highly collectible like the TV Pal range, and those made to assist in marketing of bands such as the Beatles or Disney Films. There is a great set of links and photos to such ukuleles on the Chordmaster site. Check your attics - do you own one??
So what happened next - well the ukulele went into a bit of a lull in popularity and the models dried up due to lack of demand. But as you know, the ukulele never went away, it just went for a snooze and is now back in the big time. At the start of the current uke boom were the new entries by Jim Beloff at the Magic Fluke Company. In 1992 Jim picked up a uke at a junk sale and immediately clicked with it. He went home and started writing ukulele songbooks. By 1999 Jim and his wife Liz launched the Fluke ukulele and a little while later the Flea to huge success. Both instruments featured a wooden top, but a plastic moulded one piece back and, in a hark back to the early days, a moulded fingerboard with the frets in the moulding meaning zero setup issues. Both instruments had great volume and tone and are played today by some very famous folk including Bette Midler, William H Macy and Loudon Wainwright III.
In a similar way, my favourite bargain ukulele for beginners, the Makala Dolphin, is now manufactured with a plastic back. Whilst it was, no doubt, done to save money, many players who have played both the original all wood Dolphin and the newer version claim that the plastic backed instrument has bags more volume and tone!
Most recently the Takumi Ukulele Company, the brand behind the extremely highly regarded Kiwaya ukulele line have released three totally plastic ukes that hark back to those 1950's instruments. Each one is themed (Paradise, Peace and Ukulelia) and despite being branded in what they call their novelty section they are reported to sound great and retail for a non toy price of over £100.
So where does it go from here? Well new ukes are hitting the shelves all the time as the ukulele boom continues and with plastic a cheap and cheerful way to make ukes, I'd expect to see more appearing in the future. I'd also add, I'd prefer beginners to play a decent plastic uke, than an unplayable bargain basement wooden model.
For now though, I'll end on a video demo from YouTuber 'plastic ukuleles' playing and Islander and showing what a nice sound they create.
Thanks also to Ukenique for their kind permission for use of the Islander and Flamingo photos - they are dealers in vintage ukes and well worth a look!
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Plastic ukuleles? Really?
As you get in to the world of ukuleles you will probably find yourself looking at some vintage models, and before long you will come across a range of ukuleles that are made of plastic. Plastic you say? Surely they are just toys? Well, yes and no. There was certainly a blitz of "toy guitars' made from shiny brittle bright plastic from the 50's through to the 70's, but there were some serious contenders too. In fact, there still are.
Image Credit - Ukenique.com
Back in the 1950's the use of the new wonder material plastic was everywhere - no matter what the object, some manufacturers wanted to use it. In the ukulele world, it was no different, and a whole range of injection moulded plastic ukes hit the music store shelves and mail order catalogs. Makers had dabbled with the use of plastics before, particularly on moulded fingerboards such as those marketed by the Harmony brand before the 1950's but it was post-war that things took off. Perhaps the most famous of those was made by the jazz guitar maker Maccaferri, who introduced the Islander ukulele to huge commercial success with reports that they sold more than half a million instruments in the 1950' selling at about $3 a go. Those same instruments, in good condition, are highly sought after today for the simple reason that they were well made and designed, and actually sounded pretty good!
Another maker, Emenee, introduced the similar looking Flamingo plastic ukulele which also became extremely popular as it was endorsed by one of the music hall ukulele stars of the day Arthur Godfrey.
Image credit - Ukenique.com
Both instruments came with their own version of a beginners tool that clipped over the fretboard and allowed you to press buttons to form chords with one finger. Called the 'Chord Master' by Maccaferri and the 'Uke Player' by Emenee, this ingenious device worked with by a variety of levers being activated by pressing a button which depressed pads or 'fingers' down on to the strings to hold the chord patterns. A clever, if lazy, invention which allowed the uke to be played quickly with little effort. Vintage instruments today that come complete with the device are worth considerably more.
From the 1950's through to the 70's both brands and many others continued to churn out a dizzying array of plastic ukes of varying quality, some still highly collectible like the TV Pal range, and those made to assist in marketing of bands such as the Beatles or Disney Films. There is a great set of links and photos to such ukuleles on the Chordmaster site. Check your attics - do you own one??
Image credit - Ukenique.com
So what happened next - well the ukulele went into a bit of a lull in popularity and the models dried up due to lack of demand. But as you know, the ukulele never went away, it just went for a snooze and is now back in the big time. At the start of the current uke boom were the new entries by Jim Beloff at the Magic Fluke Company. In 1992 Jim picked up a uke at a junk sale and immediately clicked with it. He went home and started writing ukulele songbooks. By 1999 Jim and his wife Liz launched the Fluke ukulele and a little while later the Flea to huge success. Both instruments featured a wooden top, but a plastic moulded one piece back and, in a hark back to the early days, a moulded fingerboard with the frets in the moulding meaning zero setup issues. Both instruments had great volume and tone and are played today by some very famous folk including Bette Midler, William H Macy and Loudon Wainwright III.
Image - Gotaukulele.com
In a similar way, my favourite bargain ukulele for beginners, the Makala Dolphin, is now manufactured with a plastic back. Whilst it was, no doubt, done to save money, many players who have played both the original all wood Dolphin and the newer version claim that the plastic backed instrument has bags more volume and tone!
Most recently the Takumi Ukulele Company, the brand behind the extremely highly regarded Kiwaya ukulele line have released three totally plastic ukes that hark back to those 1950's instruments. Each one is themed (Paradise, Peace and Ukulelia) and despite being branded in what they call their novelty section they are reported to sound great and retail for a non toy price of over £100.
Image - Takumi
So where does it go from here? Well new ukes are hitting the shelves all the time as the ukulele boom continues and with plastic a cheap and cheerful way to make ukes, I'd expect to see more appearing in the future. I'd also add, I'd prefer beginners to play a decent plastic uke, than an unplayable bargain basement wooden model.
For now though, I'll end on a video demo from YouTuber 'plastic ukuleles' playing and Islander and showing what a nice sound they create.
Thanks also to Ukenique for their kind permission for use of the Islander and Flamingo photos - they are dealers in vintage ukes and well worth a look!
25 Sept 2011
25 Sept 2011T14:43
I did a tally and figured that there have been about 15 or 16 ukes in my possession over the last couple of years. Not all stayed with me and some have been sold or traded, but I thought I'd share with you the current crop from cheap to pricey.
First up in the cheap category is my uke of choice when recommending an instrument to a beginner with a limited budget - the Makala Dolphin Soprano. I actually gifted the red one in the review to my Nephew, but this purple one is technically my daughters, though I love playing it!
(above - Makala Dolphin Soprano)
With a proper setup and Aquila strings, I really don't think that these can be beaten (for the price). I've owned plenty of other ukes in the bargain price range, like a Mahalo and a Vintage though the least said about those the better! I did however own a Lanikai LU21 which I would also highly recommend to beginners.
Moving on, I got hold of a Flea Soprano from the Magic Fluke Company. These are unusual ukes in many ways, their shape, the plastic bowl back, the plastic fingerboard. What they do deliver though is great sound and zero issues with setup due to the nature of their construction. If you are fed up with instruments that buzz or have dodgy action I would highly recommend these.
(above, Flea Soprano in Purple)
I soon decided that I both wanted to move up a ukulele size and try a concert, but also wanted a solid wood uke. I had dabbled with my first solid wood uke which was a soprano by Brüko (highly recommended) but wanted a bigger size. This led me to the fabulous Mainlandbrand of ukes and I purchased an all solid mahogany concert model with a divine slotted headstock. Mainlands start their lives being put together in the far east to keep costs down, but are hand finished and setup by Mike in the USA. The sound is super sweet with a bell like chime and it has looks to die for. A google search or forum search for mainland ukes will show you that Mainland owners are a real community, and rightly so, they are marvellous instruments and in my opinion about as good as you can get for the price.
(above - Mainland Mahogany Concert)
I then took a diversion into a type of uke that I think every player should try at least once, a Banjo Uke, or 'Banjolele'. You can pay some serious money for a banjo uke but I wanted something cheap with a good reputation and went with the Ozark 2035. It's a no frills banjo uke but is very well made and has a great tone. I do, however find it uncomfortable to play due to it missing the more traditional wider resonator on the back and a tone ring, but it does sound good. I don't get to play it as much as I would like though as my friends play traditional ukes, and strumming this is overkill on the volume front!
(above - Ozark 2035 Banjolele)
My love for the Flea ukulele I mentioned above soon had me hankering after a big brother in the shape of the Fluke Tenor ukulele. I say tenor, and thats what it is billed as, but to me the size feels more like a halfway house between a concert and a tenor. The increase in size of this uke over the Flea really shows in the sound which is richer and warmer. It is on equal terms with the Flea in setup and playability, and that larger flat base makes this the perfect uke to always have on hand, standing up beside by sofa!
(above - Fluke Tenor)
I write so much about ukes that it wasn't long before I came to the scary realisation that I really needed to own a hand made Hawaiian ukulele, known as the K Brand Ukes. I also figured I didn't own a traditional tenor scale instrument so settled on a Kanile'a K1 tenor uke. Oh boy. Oh boy oh boy. It's buying a uke of this quality that really shows where that extra money goes. The sound and looks are out of this world, it really is so beautiful. This has become my go to ukulele for fingerpicking.
(above - Kanile'a K1 Tenor, satin finish uke)
The Hawaiian bug bit and this was soon followed by a purchase of a K brand soprano in the shape of a Koaloha Pikake soprano. I wanted a bright, loud, traditional sounding soprano and this uke has it in spades. I remain to be amazed at the volume from this tiny thing (easily the loudest of all my ukes) and it's my choice of uke now for gigging with friends as it provides a sharp clear sound that cuts through our mix of instruments perfectly.
(above - Koaloha Pikake Soprano)
The latest uke in the house is not actually mine, but it's worthy of a mention. Fairly recently my wife decided to start playing uke and her progress was astounding. She is now playing with us live and as an anniversary present / a 'well done', I bought her her own ukulele as she had been playing my Mainland. I think I made a good choice in the Pono MHC Pro Classic mahogany concert. This is one pretty instrument, impeccably made and with a fantastic sound.
(above- Pono MHC Pro Classic Concert)
So there you have it, a snapshot. There will be more I am sure, and perhaps some of those above will be sold or traded (though I doubt I'll ever be saying goodbye to the Hawaiian ukes), but that is part of the fun in playing uke - the addiction to buying them!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Read More »
The current ukulele collection
It struck me that new readers of this blog won't have seen the very earliest reviews and news about ukes in my household... And who the heck searches back over years of blog posting?
I did a tally and figured that there have been about 15 or 16 ukes in my possession over the last couple of years. Not all stayed with me and some have been sold or traded, but I thought I'd share with you the current crop from cheap to pricey.
First up in the cheap category is my uke of choice when recommending an instrument to a beginner with a limited budget - the Makala Dolphin Soprano. I actually gifted the red one in the review to my Nephew, but this purple one is technically my daughters, though I love playing it!
(above - Makala Dolphin Soprano)
With a proper setup and Aquila strings, I really don't think that these can be beaten (for the price). I've owned plenty of other ukes in the bargain price range, like a Mahalo and a Vintage though the least said about those the better! I did however own a Lanikai LU21 which I would also highly recommend to beginners.
Moving on, I got hold of a Flea Soprano from the Magic Fluke Company. These are unusual ukes in many ways, their shape, the plastic bowl back, the plastic fingerboard. What they do deliver though is great sound and zero issues with setup due to the nature of their construction. If you are fed up with instruments that buzz or have dodgy action I would highly recommend these.
(above, Flea Soprano in Purple)
I soon decided that I both wanted to move up a ukulele size and try a concert, but also wanted a solid wood uke. I had dabbled with my first solid wood uke which was a soprano by Brüko (highly recommended) but wanted a bigger size. This led me to the fabulous Mainlandbrand of ukes and I purchased an all solid mahogany concert model with a divine slotted headstock. Mainlands start their lives being put together in the far east to keep costs down, but are hand finished and setup by Mike in the USA. The sound is super sweet with a bell like chime and it has looks to die for. A google search or forum search for mainland ukes will show you that Mainland owners are a real community, and rightly so, they are marvellous instruments and in my opinion about as good as you can get for the price.
(above - Mainland Mahogany Concert)
I then took a diversion into a type of uke that I think every player should try at least once, a Banjo Uke, or 'Banjolele'. You can pay some serious money for a banjo uke but I wanted something cheap with a good reputation and went with the Ozark 2035. It's a no frills banjo uke but is very well made and has a great tone. I do, however find it uncomfortable to play due to it missing the more traditional wider resonator on the back and a tone ring, but it does sound good. I don't get to play it as much as I would like though as my friends play traditional ukes, and strumming this is overkill on the volume front!
(above - Ozark 2035 Banjolele)
My love for the Flea ukulele I mentioned above soon had me hankering after a big brother in the shape of the Fluke Tenor ukulele. I say tenor, and thats what it is billed as, but to me the size feels more like a halfway house between a concert and a tenor. The increase in size of this uke over the Flea really shows in the sound which is richer and warmer. It is on equal terms with the Flea in setup and playability, and that larger flat base makes this the perfect uke to always have on hand, standing up beside by sofa!
(above - Fluke Tenor)
I write so much about ukes that it wasn't long before I came to the scary realisation that I really needed to own a hand made Hawaiian ukulele, known as the K Brand Ukes. I also figured I didn't own a traditional tenor scale instrument so settled on a Kanile'a K1 tenor uke. Oh boy. Oh boy oh boy. It's buying a uke of this quality that really shows where that extra money goes. The sound and looks are out of this world, it really is so beautiful. This has become my go to ukulele for fingerpicking.
(above - Kanile'a K1 Tenor, satin finish uke)
The Hawaiian bug bit and this was soon followed by a purchase of a K brand soprano in the shape of a Koaloha Pikake soprano. I wanted a bright, loud, traditional sounding soprano and this uke has it in spades. I remain to be amazed at the volume from this tiny thing (easily the loudest of all my ukes) and it's my choice of uke now for gigging with friends as it provides a sharp clear sound that cuts through our mix of instruments perfectly.
(above - Koaloha Pikake Soprano)
The latest uke in the house is not actually mine, but it's worthy of a mention. Fairly recently my wife decided to start playing uke and her progress was astounding. She is now playing with us live and as an anniversary present / a 'well done', I bought her her own ukulele as she had been playing my Mainland. I think I made a good choice in the Pono MHC Pro Classic mahogany concert. This is one pretty instrument, impeccably made and with a fantastic sound.
(above- Pono MHC Pro Classic Concert)
So there you have it, a snapshot. There will be more I am sure, and perhaps some of those above will be sold or traded (though I doubt I'll ever be saying goodbye to the Hawaiian ukes), but that is part of the fun in playing uke - the addiction to buying them!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
28 Jan 2011
28 Jan 2011T18:43
The instrument was unveiled at the NAMM musical instrument show recently, and I think it looks great. It has that typical Flea slotted head, is based on a soprano scale banjolele, and has an 8" remo head. What I like the most is the lack of the normal tensioners that you see on banjoleles, with a more unique drum looking mechanism to hold the head tight.
Have a look for yourselves in this video from NAMM brought to you by Ukulele Underground. Jim Beloff of the Magic Fluke Co talks us through the Fluke Banjolele.
Read More »
New Ukulele alert - drool
As my readers may well know as well as me playing a banjo uke (an Ozark cheapie) I am also a huge fan of Flea and Fluke ukuleles. Imagine my delight to hear that the two things had come together?
The instrument was unveiled at the NAMM musical instrument show recently, and I think it looks great. It has that typical Flea slotted head, is based on a soprano scale banjolele, and has an 8" remo head. What I like the most is the lack of the normal tensioners that you see on banjoleles, with a more unique drum looking mechanism to hold the head tight.
Have a look for yourselves in this video from NAMM brought to you by Ukulele Underground. Jim Beloff of the Magic Fluke Co talks us through the Fluke Banjolele.
24 Oct 2010
24 Oct 2010T10:29
Fitting K&K Big Shot pickup to Fluke Ukulele
This morning I fitted my K&K Big Shot pickup to my Fluke ukulele - relatively hassle free!
I chose the K&K internal as this is what is fitted by Fluke at the factory. Its a pad based piezo transducer pickup and this is important as the Fluke has a molded one piece bridge and saddle. That means that the more common under saddle piezo pickups wont work on a ukulele like this (no saddle to remove to put them under!)
So here are the steps I took to fit the pickup.
To fit, you need to drill a half inch hole in the side of the uke. Being a fluke, it has a flat base that allows the uke to stand up. I therefore needed to mount the jack on the side of the uke instead. When you look at the fluke ukulele body, you will see the ridges that provide strength to the body showing on the outside - I chose to drill between these to make it easier to fit. I drilled a small pilot hole in the body first, then moved to the larger drill bit to create the hole as shown below.
Now to fit the piezo. You are always going to be fairly limited retro fitting a piezo like this because of the size of the hole on the soundboard - you will only get your fingers so far into the ukulele body. I applied the sticky tape to the face of the pickup and loosened the strings right off - reaching inside I managed to reach a spot on the underside of the soundboard dead centre and just behind the bridge - gave it a press, and it was secured.
How does it sound - well very nice actually - gave it a run through my Marshall Acoustic amp and its very nice. Feedback is easy to create if you are too close, and it does require a bit of a turn up on the volume dial as this is a passive pickup - but still, very nice clear sound. It does pickup a fair bit of body noise, but that is the downside to piezos generally - no matter - it will force me to improve my playing style!
Also helps to give it a bit of bass or roll back the treble a little as it can be a little bright, but thats what your dials on the amp are for!
Quite an easy job on the whole - I'm pleased!
Read More »
I chose the K&K internal as this is what is fitted by Fluke at the factory. Its a pad based piezo transducer pickup and this is important as the Fluke has a molded one piece bridge and saddle. That means that the more common under saddle piezo pickups wont work on a ukulele like this (no saddle to remove to put them under!)
So here are the steps I took to fit the pickup.
K&K in packaging
The pickup arrives with all the bits and pieces you need to install, but I suppose it isnt for the faint hearted, as it requires drilling your instrument.
K&K out of the pack
As you can see above, its a one piece unit with no soldering required. You need to put the metal jack part through a hole in the ukulele and secure it with a bolt. The flat disc is then stuck to the inside of the body of the uke using the very thin double sided tape that they supply (thats the brown strip above). As I say, the jack is secured with a bolt, but also has a strap pin cover. I dont use a strap on my ukes, so this isnt essential.
Hole drilled (gulp!!)
Now for the difficult bit - how do you get the jack through the body of the uke from the inside? The hole on a ukulele is far to small to get your hand in, so this needed a bit of thought. What I did was get a thin (ish) barbeque skewer from the kitchen drawer and bent a gentle curve into it. I threaded this through the hole I had drilled, and with a bit of turning and twisting, out it popped of the sound hole with no pressure on the sides of the uke. I then put the jack socket on to the end of the skewer and secured it will some sellotape. A good tip here - I tied some cotton to the piezo pad end - I did this to stop the piezo falling inside the uke when I pulled the jack as this would have been a real pain to fish out of the ukulele body!
Gently pulling the skewer, the jack disappeared into the uke and popped through the hole I had drilled no problem at all. I removed the tape and secured it with the retaining bolt. Difficult part done.
All done, and the jack from the outside looks like this
Or like this with the optional strap button
Also helps to give it a bit of bass or roll back the treble a little as it can be a little bright, but thats what your dials on the amp are for!
Quite an easy job on the whole - I'm pleased!
20 Oct 2010
20 Oct 2010T21:36
Going to upgrade my Fluke ukulele
Since posting my extremely positive review of the Fluke ukulele, I got to wondering about upgrading it with a pickup.
Now, yes yes, I know, you can get the Flukes from the manufacturer with pickups installed, but I bought my Fluke uke used and it's just acoustic.
I bit of Googling tells me that you can get Flukes with an internal pickup made by K&K called the Big Shot. Because the Fluke has a one piece molded saddle / bridge, a typical under saddle piezo pickup is not possible, so the K&K works because it's a contact pad stuck on the underside of the soundboard inside the ukulele.
Shopping around my next problem was finding one in the UK. I then found the rather nice site called JP Guitars that stock them (amongst a great range of other goodies)
They are found here, and Jon is super polite and helpful and gets a huge thumbs up from me!
http://www.jp-guitars.co.uk/. He's prompt on email replies and prices are good.
It will arrive soon, but the tricky bit will be installing it internally. It's do-able but going to be fiddly. It will also involve drilling a hole in the side of my ukulele! (gulp!!). I will be photographing the install and will be blogging it for others thinking of doing the same!
Wish me luck!
Read More »
Now, yes yes, I know, you can get the Flukes from the manufacturer with pickups installed, but I bought my Fluke uke used and it's just acoustic.
I bit of Googling tells me that you can get Flukes with an internal pickup made by K&K called the Big Shot. Because the Fluke has a one piece molded saddle / bridge, a typical under saddle piezo pickup is not possible, so the K&K works because it's a contact pad stuck on the underside of the soundboard inside the ukulele.
Shopping around my next problem was finding one in the UK. I then found the rather nice site called JP Guitars that stock them (amongst a great range of other goodies)
They are found here, and Jon is super polite and helpful and gets a huge thumbs up from me!
http://www.jp-guitars.co.uk/. He's prompt on email replies and prices are good.
It will arrive soon, but the tricky bit will be installing it internally. It's do-able but going to be fiddly. It will also involve drilling a hole in the side of my ukulele! (gulp!!). I will be photographing the install and will be blogging it for others thinking of doing the same!
Wish me luck!
8 Oct 2010
8 Oct 2010T14:23
New strings for Fluke Ukulele
Well I've only had it a day and I couldn't resist. As I said in my review of the Fluke below - it came with Aquila strings fitted. Whilst these are a HUGE step up from the rather nasty GHS strings these ukes tend to come with, my experience with the Flea ukulele taught me that Aquilas don't work too well on these plastic backed ukes.
Aquilas are great strings, but you do find people who seem to suggest its them or nothing at all. I think that's wrong, and you should experiment.
The Fluke with the Aquilas sounded good, don't get me wrong, but certain chords sounded a little muddy, perhaps a little boomy. This was exactly the realisation I had with my Flea when I put Aquila strings on that. I think Aquilas are just a little too powerful for what is already a powerful ukulele.
On my Flea I settled on Worth BM's. I don't have any BM's lying around, but I had a pack of Worth CM's which are pretty much the same string, but clear, not black.
I've strung the Fluke with the Worths and the sound is much better - it has that bell like chime now, and the separation between notes is clearer. Pleased I made the change and a thumbs up again for Worth strings.
Read More »
Aquilas are great strings, but you do find people who seem to suggest its them or nothing at all. I think that's wrong, and you should experiment.
The Fluke with the Aquilas sounded good, don't get me wrong, but certain chords sounded a little muddy, perhaps a little boomy. This was exactly the realisation I had with my Flea when I put Aquila strings on that. I think Aquilas are just a little too powerful for what is already a powerful ukulele.
On my Flea I settled on Worth BM's. I don't have any BM's lying around, but I had a pack of Worth CM's which are pretty much the same string, but clear, not black.
I've strung the Fluke with the Worths and the sound is much better - it has that bell like chime now, and the separation between notes is clearer. Pleased I made the change and a thumbs up again for Worth strings.
T11:48
Fluke Ukulele - Review
Well it arrived! The other day I pulled the trigger on a Fluke Ukulele on ebay (used). I have wanted a Fluke for some time, but suppliers in the UK seem to be hard to find. I already own a Flea (as you will find on my reviews page above) but have always wanted the big brother (or is that sister? ukes are surely female).
Arrived today and its in great condition
Like the Flea it has the unique Magic Fluke Co construction - its a very thin laminate Australian hoop pine top on a bowl shaped polycarbonate back rather like those used on Ovation guitars. The idea is to help sound projection and this presumably explains why they can get away with a laminated top. The neck back is maple as is the unusual headstock, but the fingerboard and bridge are moulded polycarbonate as well. This all makes it sounds like a toy, but it certainly isnt! As you can see from the picture, I went with the natural finish top which I like. Some people say it looks like a lute - and I suppose it does in a way. This is the concert model with 15 frets. It arrived with what look like Aquila strings on.
Check out that flat base too - no need for a stand!
The thing about the one piece poly fingerboard is it is super accurate - there are no seperately fitted frets. This means that intonation is always gonna be spot on - they are all identically made - a bit of a genius idea in my opinion. When ordering new from Fluke, you can specify a wood fretboard with metal frets, but I've always thought that was kinda missing the point of these instruments.
Tuning at the unique looking headstock is via friction tuners - I know a lot of people dislike friction tuners but honestly, the ones used on Fleas and Flukes are great. Frankly, I think that geared tuners would look odd.
So, you are never going to have trouble with set up on a Fluke - really nice instrument, but how does it sound?
Well strings will have a lot to do with it, and as I say above, this came with Aquilas. I went through a lot of string testing on my Flea and ended up thinking Aquilas were a bit overkill - in the end settling on Worth BM's. I obviously need to go through same testing with this Fluke, but as it stands now it does sound lovely.
Volume is around the same level as the Flea (I was expecting more), but that is still louder than most ukes. It really does stand above the Flea though in warmth. Its got that real characterful Flea chime to the strum, but just has a fuller more complex sound. (not running the Flea down at all there - this is, just, well, better!). I will be playing around with string options on it though and will report back
So easy to play too, light, nice to hold and the longer neck is noticeable nicer to use.
To top it all off, the Fluke, like the Flea, comes with its own branded gig bag. The Flea bag is a thin zippered affair - the Fluke gets a funky padded thing that you put the uke in from the top and close with a drawstring - very nice - shoulder strap too!
So, all in all, this is, as I expected, a 10 out of 10 instrument. Its got bombproof construction, unique looks, great sound - what more could you want. I am a happy man!
SCORES
Looks - 8
Fit and finish - 20
Sound - 8.5
Value for money - 7
OVERALL - 8.4
Having owned this uke for a couple of years now - you can also read my Long Term Test - does it still stand up?
Read More »
Arrived today and its in great condition
Like the Flea it has the unique Magic Fluke Co construction - its a very thin laminate Australian hoop pine top on a bowl shaped polycarbonate back rather like those used on Ovation guitars. The idea is to help sound projection and this presumably explains why they can get away with a laminated top. The neck back is maple as is the unusual headstock, but the fingerboard and bridge are moulded polycarbonate as well. This all makes it sounds like a toy, but it certainly isnt! As you can see from the picture, I went with the natural finish top which I like. Some people say it looks like a lute - and I suppose it does in a way. This is the concert model with 15 frets. It arrived with what look like Aquila strings on.
Check out that flat base too - no need for a stand!
The thing about the one piece poly fingerboard is it is super accurate - there are no seperately fitted frets. This means that intonation is always gonna be spot on - they are all identically made - a bit of a genius idea in my opinion. When ordering new from Fluke, you can specify a wood fretboard with metal frets, but I've always thought that was kinda missing the point of these instruments.
Tuning at the unique looking headstock is via friction tuners - I know a lot of people dislike friction tuners but honestly, the ones used on Fleas and Flukes are great. Frankly, I think that geared tuners would look odd.
So, you are never going to have trouble with set up on a Fluke - really nice instrument, but how does it sound?
Well strings will have a lot to do with it, and as I say above, this came with Aquilas. I went through a lot of string testing on my Flea and ended up thinking Aquilas were a bit overkill - in the end settling on Worth BM's. I obviously need to go through same testing with this Fluke, but as it stands now it does sound lovely.
Volume is around the same level as the Flea (I was expecting more), but that is still louder than most ukes. It really does stand above the Flea though in warmth. Its got that real characterful Flea chime to the strum, but just has a fuller more complex sound. (not running the Flea down at all there - this is, just, well, better!). I will be playing around with string options on it though and will report back
So easy to play too, light, nice to hold and the longer neck is noticeable nicer to use.
To top it all off, the Fluke, like the Flea, comes with its own branded gig bag. The Flea bag is a thin zippered affair - the Fluke gets a funky padded thing that you put the uke in from the top and close with a drawstring - very nice - shoulder strap too!
SCORES
Looks - 8
Fit and finish - 20
Sound - 8.5
Value for money - 7
OVERALL - 8.4
Having owned this uke for a couple of years now - you can also read my Long Term Test - does it still stand up?
5 Oct 2010
5 Oct 2010T20:42
So, pray tell, what is your new ukulele?
Since posting the sad news that I am selling the Bruko, the reason is I pulled the trigger on another ukulele...
What is it, I hear you cry - well, its not a huge step up, but its a uke I've been after for a while, but just seems to have disappeared from UK stockists..
Its another uke from the Fluke company - and it is an actual Fluke - concert scale in natural finish.
I so love my Flea Uke as you will have read on here, but have always wanted the bigger brother. They are such great ukes, and perfect for taking to gigs or just down the pub as they are pretty much bombproof. I found a deal on a used on on ebay, and it should be here very soon.
Its gonna look like this one:
Obviously, full review to follow - but I just know its gonna be good. They are brilliant instruments.
Read More »
What is it, I hear you cry - well, its not a huge step up, but its a uke I've been after for a while, but just seems to have disappeared from UK stockists..
Its another uke from the Fluke company - and it is an actual Fluke - concert scale in natural finish.
I so love my Flea Uke as you will have read on here, but have always wanted the bigger brother. They are such great ukes, and perfect for taking to gigs or just down the pub as they are pretty much bombproof. I found a deal on a used on on ebay, and it should be here very soon.
Its gonna look like this one:
17 May 2010
17 May 2010T15:04
The different shapes are, in the main, cosmetic, although you will get some variance with tone with different bodies. So some examples of body shapes...
1. STANDARD - also known as the "guitar shape" or figure of 8 shape. These themselves come in a variety of shapes some fatter at the bottom "bulge", some symmetrical., for example:
And I suppose you would also include the good old Flea in the Pineapple category (I suppose)
And I would put the Fluke Uke in this category
4. others and oddities - there is so much you can put in this mixed bag, so below are a few examples
First - the flying V!
This next one is a style I like - called the Vita shape
Then we can start getting REALLY weird!
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Ukulele beginners tips - shapes
Whats in a shape? Well, as you begin your hunt for a ukulele, you will notice that all ukuleles are not the same - aside from the traditional shaped uke, you will also find some oddities in the musical instrument stores.
The different shapes are, in the main, cosmetic, although you will get some variance with tone with different bodies. So some examples of body shapes...
1. STANDARD - also known as the "guitar shape" or figure of 8 shape. These themselves come in a variety of shapes some fatter at the bottom "bulge", some symmetrical., for example:
and
 |
| Add caption |
2. Pineapple shapes
Traditional hawaiian shapes - often styled on the top with texture of pineapple skin, and often a spiky topped headstock, such as
and
And I suppose you would also include the good old Flea in the Pineapple category (I suppose)
3. Boat Paddle shapes - shaped like (you guessed it) boat paddles.
Such as
And I would put the Fluke Uke in this category
4. others and oddities - there is so much you can put in this mixed bag, so below are a few examples
First - the flying V!
and how about a Les Paul?
This next one is a style I like - called the Vita shape
But really, what matters is you get one you like - they all do the same thing really!!
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