GOT A UKULELE - Ukulele reviews and beginners tips
Showing posts with label mainland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mainland. Show all posts

7 Feb 2021

Mainland Ukuleles Mahogany Tenor Slotted Headstock Ukulele - REVIEW

Next up - a brand I have reviewed before and one that creates a special place in a lot of ukulele players hearts. This is the Mainland Ukulele Mahogany Tenor Slotted Headstock model.

Mainland Mahogany Tenor Slot Head Ukulele

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7 May 2017

Mainland Red Cedar Gloss Soprano - REVIEW

It was as long ago as 2010 when I first featured a Mainland Ukulele on the Got A Ukulele reviews page. In fact it was also one of the first reviews I ever wrote and started the bug that got me carrying on doing them for the last seven years. I am therefore delighted to be giving them a long overdue look again in the form of this Red Cedar Gloss Soprano.

Mainland Red Cedar Gloss Soprano Ukulele

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2 Jun 2012

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.

got a ukulele collection


Back row L-R - Makala Dolphin soprano, Mahalo U50 Soprano, Pono MHC Pro Classic concertKanile'a K1 TenorBrüko No.6 sopranoKoaloha Pikake sopranoMagic Fluke Firefly banjoleleMainland concert, Vintage VUK20N soprano.

Front row L-R - Magic Fluke Flea sopranoMagic Fluke Fluke concertClifton (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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25 Sept 2011

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!




makala dolphin soprano

(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.




flea soprano ukulele

(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.




mainland mahogany concert ukulele

(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!




ozark 2035 banjolele

(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!




fluke tenor ukulele

(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.




kanile'a k1 tenor ukulele

(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.




koaloha pikake soprano

(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.




pono mhc concert ukulele

(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
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27 Oct 2010

New Mainland plastic backed beginner ukulele

As much as I already love Mainland ukuleles to bits, they have impressed me yet again.

Clearly taking a nod from the success of the Makala Dolphin ukes, Mainland have released a range of plastic backed beginner ukes at the very reasonable price of $79.50

The range starts with a rather girly looking set of pastel coloured ukes called the Gecko

Mainland gecko ukulele
Mainland Gecko


Next comes a Reggae / Jamaican styled gecko uke

mainland reggae ukulele
Mainland Reggae ukulele



And finally, my favourite, the Chilli Pepper uke

mainland chilli ukulele
Mainland Chilli Pepper uke


They are laminate spruce top ukes with rosewood fingerboards and ABS plastic backs like the Dolphins, Fleas and Fluke ukuleles.

I am longing to play one, and have fingers firmly crossed that Mike at Mainland can get them into UK stockists

Full details can be found here CLICK
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7 Sept 2010

Nice Mainland Banjolele review

With thanks to Ukisociety

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4 Sept 2010

Mainland have done it again

Readers of this blog will know that I adore Mainland ukes - the quality, the sound, the service - all top notch.

Well Mike at Mainland has done it again - and is releasing a Mainland Banjolele!

This is definitely going on my christmas list....

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5 Jul 2010

Shiny and the Spoon - Take On Me

This is lovely, and a Mainland uke too!

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5 May 2010

Mainland Mahogany Concert - Slotted Headstock model - review

Hot on the heels of my Flea review, whilst I have posted pics of my beloved Mainland (and raved about it), I noted I had not provided a detailed review.

The background to Mainland is quite interesting - they are assembled in the USA by hand by Hoosier Mikes (from Ukulele Underground) team in Nashville Indiana.  The parts though are made and shaped in the far east in the same production facilities as many other mid level ukes such as Ohana I believe.  Mike used to be the man at Bushman Ukuleles, (which still exist I think) but he went it alone.

What he has provided though is a range of beautifully finished all solid ukuleles at a great price point that I personally would argue is hard to match for the money.

I had read so many good things that I placed my order from the only UK Mainland dealer - the very nice people at Eagle Music in Huddersfield.  I opted for the Concert scale uke, and for something a little classier the slotted traditional headstock with backwards facing tuners.  Was £179, though I think its a touch cheaper if you go for a standard headstock.

mainland mahogany concert ukulele body

On opening the box it was clear that this was a lovely instrument.  The Mahogany finish is wonderful, deep grained with a kind of 3D shimmer effect to it.  The colour just glows a lovely dark orangey brown.  the top and back have a white bound edge, and the top is finished with Mainlands trademark ropework finish around the edge and sound hole.  Some love this, some hate it, but I usually find that those that dislike it have seen trade pictures that make it look a stark black and white - it isnt - the white is very creamy and the whole thing looks mellow.

The neck is wonderfully finished and the fingerboard is a beautiful smooth dark wood that just looks quality.  Frets are nicely finished too.  I think the saddle and nut are bone which is a nice touch.

Headstock as I say is slotted design with rear facing geared tuners with pearloid buttons.  If you order from Mainland you can specify exactly what you want down to button colour for no, or little extra cost which is cool.  The tuners are nice quality and hold well.  Mainland logo is on the headstock in similar ropework finish, but if I am honest, it looks a little pale on the mahogany background - could do with standing out a bit more.


mainland concert ukulele slotted headstock


To hold and play, the uke is very comfortable and a nice weight.  The extra scale in the concert neck is nice to play on, and the action and intonation was absolutely spot on everywhere - NO complaints here.

Came strung with Aquilas which are obviously nice, but to be honest, I dont think a sweet solid instrument benefits from these butch strings that well.  As you will read elsewhere on the blog, I have been playing around with string types on the mainland and seem to have now settled on the new edition Martin Flourocarbons - they give the nicest balance to my ears between volume and sweet chiming sound.

And that sound is what I really like about the Mainland - and what sets well made all solid instruments apart from the cheaper end - the sound is just really sweet and rings - nice sustain (yes, sustain - on a ukulele) but real bell like chimes from it.

I've found myself getting very precious about this uke - certainly not a uke I would take to the pub for a jamming session - I polish it too much (how sad) - but then it has its place - this is my "sit down when the house is quiet and relax with my uke" ukulele!

It therefore comes totally, 100%, no ifs buts or maybes recommended from me.  If you are looking for a step up from a beginner uke, or just a uke in the £150 -£200 price bracket, you would be daft to ignore these.

Keep an eye on the Mainland Site too, as Mike is introducing new models, new wood types and shapes - all look nice.  I hear the red cedar models are lovely too!

mainland concert mahogany ukulele


SCORES

Looks - 8.5
Fit and finish - 7.5
Sound - 8
Value for money - 9

OVERALL - 8.3
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28 Apr 2010

How do cheap ukes compare in sound?

The obvious question - can cheap be cheerful?  Answer - not always - see my video test, which I think makes it quite clear that some cheapies (ie the Mahalo) are rotten, but some are great (such as the Makala)

If you dont want to shell out big bucks - fun can be had for a low outlay - just choose wisely!

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20 Apr 2010

Ukulele Beginners - What to spend? How cheap is cheap

** IMPORTANT NOTE! This is a VERY old post. Things have changed. And things are constantly changing. It was written before I was writing regular reviews. I thought about updating it, but I'd be updating it every year.

Instead - I would recommend looking at the full review list which is organised into price categories.. Anything scored over 8 out of 10 is recommended one way or the other. Higher the score the better


A common question this one, and I was here 2 years ago myself. Thought i'd share my experiences.


Generally speaking, buying a uke is like buying any musical instrument. Go too cheap and you will end up with something that may hinder your learning and put you off, not a good thing!

I appreciate however that not everyone has lots of cash, and certainly not cash to blow on something they are not sure of. Heck, ukes can cost more than £500 but how low can you go?

A quick search of eBay will show a variety of brightly coloured ukes in the £15 - £20 range. Do beware. I bought one of these and it really is pretty ropey.

Step up a level into the £30 £50 range, and you are in to the level that I would recommend for beginners who really can't spend much. Look for Makala ukes for example ( including the brilliant Dolphin series), or others from Makala. Bear in mind that these entry ukes won't be solid, and will definitely benefit from changing strings to aquilas ( so budget another £6 ). They may also need a tweak to set up such as slight lowering of action. This will be a breeze if you are a guitar nut, but complete newbies need to take care, take advice or possibly pay a luthier.

Moving up into the £50 - £100 bracket and you start to get more improvements in quality, and some solid woods. This is though the category to take care with. We are getting into more serious money, and sadly there are more bad ukes here that shouldn't in my view command higher prices. In my view look for Kala, lanikai, ohana and Baton Rouge. If you can reach 100, check out entry level Bruko. Great all solid handmade ukes! All ukes in this range may still need action checking and may benefit from better strings.

Up a step again into the £100 - £200 category and your choice widens considerably. I think this is the range where you really can get ALL the uke you need without going boutique / pro. All of my upper end ukes are in this range. Wooden ukes will tend to be all solid in this range, and whilst still made in Asia probably finished in USA, such as brilliant Mainlands. Very nice Kala and Ohana ukes in this range too as well as the standard model Fleas and Flukes ( everyone should own one! USA made)

Higher still and it's a case if 'where do you stop'. You are looking at upgraded versions of the above in fancy woods, or with pickups fitted, or into beautiful hand made Hawaiian instruments!

So, what did I do in the early days? Simple!

Mahalo - horrible horrible, sub 20- junk waste of money
Vintage - £20 - kinda junk, works, 'sort of'...
Lanikai - £50 - nice sound, stayed in tune, well set up.... Sold to fund...
Flea £120 - brilliant and unique, can't really go wrong
Bruko £100 - solid wood
Mainland £160 - concert scale, solid, beautiful, bought to compliment Flea with warmer tone and longer scale neck.

Beyond that I ended up with about 60 ukuleles at one point!

Hope this helps if you are confused. Email me if you have any questions. Above all, select a couple of models, research them ( ukulele underground site forum is your friend here) and try if you can to play them ( saying that, I never have myself!)

Good luck! Go buy one, you know you wanna!
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14 Apr 2010

Martin Flouro strings update

Well my new (ish) Martin Flourocarbon strings have been on my concert mainland for quite a while now, and can report that I think they are staggeringly good.

Every time I pick up my uke, these strings have remained bang in tune, and still chime beautifully and feel great. As I posted earlier, aquilas on a sweet solid instrument like this are not really my cup of tea, I think you need something sweeter - tried ko'olaus but found them temperamental on tuning.

Standard nylon Martins were always a string I would avoid, but these new flouros are superb. such a sweet tone on my Mainland.


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26 Nov 2009

My Ukes - part 3



My Ukes, Part 3

Then bought a beautiful Mainland Concert Scale mahogany - no idea how they make these for the price - all solid instrument -really warm sound, and unique looks!

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