Another big shop own brand ukulele this week, and one i've been trying to fit in for some time. This is the Hartwood Renaissance Pineapple Soprano Ukulele.
Showing posts with label pineapple. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pineapple. Show all posts
16 Mar 2025
22 Feb 2025
22 Feb 2025T14:11
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Ohana PKT-14 Pineapple Tenor Ukulele - REVIEW
From an otherworldly level ukulele from this brand to one for us mere mortals. This is the Ohana PKT-14 Pineapple Ukulele.
13 Aug 2023
13 Aug 2023T14:34
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Uma UK-20SSP Pineapple Soprano Ukulele - REVIEW
This week on Got A Ukulele a brand return with a mix of a couple of my favourite things. This is the Uma UK-20SSP Pineapple Soprano.
23 Apr 2023
23 Apr 2023T14:17
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KoAloha Royal Pikake Mango Longneck Soprano Pineapple Ukulele - REVIEW
Back to the ukulele 'homeland' again this week with another Hawaiian made instrument. This is the KoAloha Royal Pikake Mango Longneck Soprano Pineapple Ukulele...
10 Oct 2021
10 Oct 2021T13:49
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Ohana TPK-25G Short Scale Sopranino - REVIEW
A return for a very long standing ukulele brand and one featured many times before on Got A Ukulele. This is the Ohana TPK-25G Short Scale Sopranino Ukulele.
15 Mar 2020
15 Mar 2020T13:20
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Noah Pineapple Soprano Ukulele - REVIEW
The ukulele reviews return to Got A Ukulele, and it's a brand I've always enjoyed featuring. This is the Noah Ukuleles Pineapple Soprano.
4 Aug 2019
4 Aug 2019T12:16
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Kala Novelty Series KA-WTML Watermelon Soprano Ukulele - REVIEW
It's ukulele review day and back with, perhaps, one of the most well known ukulele brands worldwide. It's been a while, but Kala are back with one of their Novelty Series ukes - The KA-WTML Watermelon Soprano.
29 Sept 2018
29 Sept 2018T13:01
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Flight NUP310 Pineapple Soprano Ukulele - REVIEW
Back this week with another ukulele on review from a brand I have featured a few times before, but not a shape I have encountered from them yet. This is the NUP 310 Pineapple Soprano.
8 Jul 2017
8 Jul 2017T12:23
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DJ Morgan Mini Pineapple Ukulele - REVIEW
It was back in 2015 when I first looked at a musical instrument from the UK luthier DJ Morgan (Dave Morgan) when I was given chance to look at one of his soprano ukes. That one was very nice so I'm delighted to be able to feature him again with a look at the interesting 'mini pineapple' ukuleles he has been is building recently.
11 Dec 2016
11 Dec 2016T12:41
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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
© Barry Maz
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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
© Barry Maz
3 Oct 2016
3 Oct 2016T12:54
And I will say this from the off, this has been an extremely difficult review to write. The simple reason for that is because the Clara is so unlike anything else I have reviewed, so the benchmarking and scoring was a real challenge to get right. It was however a joy to get to know. I love brands who dare to push boundaries. Mainly because I think it is a healthy part of developing musical instruments, but also because I think it's equally healthy to shake up the traditionalists for whom 'change' can send them apoplectic. But hey, come on, if people hadn't taken the opportunity to develop the guitar, there would never have been a Telecaster or a Les Paul. As such, any arguments to the contrary are clearly invalid...
Ahem... Moving on... the Clara is the brainchild of San Francisco based Blackbird Guitars, founded by Joe Luttwak and Kyle Wolfe. You may have heard of them in ukulele circles before because Blackbird were the people behind the strangely shaped, but critically acclaimed carbon fibre ukuleles. The Clara is a 'fairly' new departure for them and isn't made of carbon fibre, but instead is a ukulele that is still designed to be extremely resilient but, contains no wood whatsoever... (Purists, take a minute or two to get up off the floor and grab your blood pressure medicine..) Yet that isn't to say it's a just 'another' synthetic ukulele. Far from it.
The Clara is a pineapple / boat paddle shaped, concert scale ukulele with some unusual and quite unique features. I love the boat paddle shape myself, so this one immediately appealed to me from the moment I opened the gig bag. The back, sides, neck and headstock of this instrument are all a single moulded piece, and laid on top of that is a separate top creating the sound chamber. So that's essentially a ukulele made from just two main pieces. It's the technique used by many makers of plastic ukuleles, but what is unusual here though is the material it's made from.
The Clara is constucted in the main (body, neck, headstock) from a material called 'Ekoa', a linen based composite that is both light and incredibly strong. I said this wasn't a synthetic uke, and that's because this isn't a petrochemical plastic - its actually plant based, made from flax based linen cloth hardened with a bio based resin. The point here is that it's still essentially a natural product, but also an extremely eco-friendly one. No trees were harmed in the making of this instrument! In fact flax is considered to be a highly sustainable natural product. The aim was to create a material that is stiffer than fiberglass, but with a lower density than carbon fibre. In other words - stiff but light. On a musical footing, the claim from Blackbird is that this creates an instrument that is light, yet incredibly durable and strong, together with being resilient to things like moisture and humidity. Such things are important to instrument buyers. They also claim that it has the characteristics of vintage tone woods. We shall see.
The material is made up of layers of the ekoa composite that is laid into ukulele shaped moulds by hand and then pressed.
Visually it's a mix of looks, but both with a kind of mid-brown colouring. The back 'ekoa' differs visually from the top, but it's essentially the same material. The back has an outward appearance of a kind of woven checkerboard, rather reminicent of carbon fibre, whereas the top looks more like a cloth finish in which you can see the criss crossed plant fibres in the resin. It's truly unlike anything I have seen before, yet intriguing and, I think, rather pretty. Very pretty in fact. It's not a wood grain look, obviously, but equally it isn't a flat plain brown either. Whatever you think of it, this is without a doubt a ukulele that will draw questions from those around you. It's just that different.
The back is shaped into a wonderful tactile bowl, and almost looks like an armadillo shell. The way it sweeps into the integral neck with no harsh joints or angles is, quite simply, beautiful. It's one of the first ukuleles I've had on test where I have drooled as much over the back as anything else.
The top edges are unbound, but then there is no need for any binding considering the materials used and nor is there any back to bind. Sited on the top side is an off centre, long thin sound hole which is certainly different. Blackbird desribe the top as being a 'double top', which I think means it's two pieces sandwiched with the grain running perpendicular to each other, thus giving it a stiffness in two directions (or something like that..). I like how you can see the individual plant fibres in the construction and for this reason, every Clara will look very slightly different. In fact on this one, whilst predominantly brown in colour has some variances with hints of pinks and green here and there in the fibres. It's hard to comment on the internal construction as it's impossible to see inside. What I can see is the makers label and I am led to believe that there are internal bracing plates inside the body made from carbon fibre to give it extra strength and also mellow out the sound a touch.
The whole body is finished in a kind of matte gloss - not mirror shiny, but not dull either. You can see the difference when you look in the sound hole and see the unfinished composite inside. It comes across as 'just enough' finishing and I like that. That soundhole appears small although issues of sound projection are not a concern with this one as you will see further on.
The bridge is extremely pretty and glossy black. You could be forgiven for thinking it is made from plastic, but as I said - it's 'all natural products' in this ukulele! The material is actually called Richlite, another eco-friendly composite, but this time made from re-cycled paper. The result is a product that acts like a very dense hardwood, hence it's use in the bridge on this ukulele. In fact it is so hard and non-porous, it has been used as a stone substitute in bar and kitchen worktops. Incidentally, it's not the first time this material has been used in musical instruments either. It has increasingly been used by Gibson as an ebony substitute on some of their electric guitar fretboards. That isn't a bad pedigree I am sure you will agree. It's a very pretty shaped bridge, making the most of the Richlite properties as I think it would be extremely unlikely you could carve a bridge like this from wood. Sitting in the bridge is a saddle made from Graphtech. And as you can see, it's a tie bar style.
Moving up the ukulele, the C shaped neck is supremely smooth and nice to hold. Sitting on top of this is a fretboard made from the same Richlite material. It's absolutely jet black, and again has that hardwood quality which makes it perfect for a fretboard and the need for resilience. My only gripe is that I am not a fan of the glossy, shiny look that it has. It attracts fingerprints, and dust and I think I would prefer it looking matte. I appreciate this isn't a wooden ukulele, but this is the one area where I wished it looked more like wood. This is a minor gripe I suppose.
Set in the fretboard are 17 nickel silver frets with 12 to the body. They are all finished extremely smoothly and are quite thin in style. The edges of the fretboard are not bound so you do see the fret edges, but it's all very tidy. There are no outward facing fret markers at all, but thankfully we do have side markers for the player at the 5th, 7th, 10th and 12th spaces. The nut width is a generous 1.4" - not the widest nut around, but wider than most Chinese import ukuleles.
Up to the headstock and the first thing that jumps out at you is the oblong hole in the outer face. What could that be? Truss rod access? Nope. This ukulele doesn't need a truss rod. What it actually is though is extremely interesting. As I said, the neck and body of the ukulele are a single piece, but that neck is also hollow. The hole in the headsock is actually another sound hole. You read that right. Becuse the vibrating chamber of this instrument is not just the body, but also the neck, you get another sound hole at the headstock!
The front of the headstock uses the same Ekoa finish as the top of the body, whereas the back is the same as the back and neck of the instrument. The Blackbird logo is screen printed, looks classy and suits the instrument. Like the saddle the nut is made of Graphtech Tusq. Shape wise, the headstock is really simple, but hey, when you have a ukulele that looks this different, you don't need to fuss with fancy headstocks!
Flipping the Clara over and we have rear facing tuners (thank you thank you thank you!!). But these are not just your common junky tuners, they are Gotoh UPT's with black buttons and gun metal black posts and bolts on the front - quite sublime instrument tuners to be honest. They are the best of both worlds, as despite them being rear facing (and therefore looking GREAT), they actually contain helical gears and work like geared tuners. Just superb.
Completing the deal are Oasis Fluorocarbon strings, a padded and branded 'Gator Cases' gig bag and a strap button installed on the base of the uke. Those strings come with a low G, which is what Blackbird recommend for this model, but they can provide a high G if you prefer. And for all of that, the Clara will set you back the not inconsiderable sum of $1,295 in standard spec. They can also offer it with extras like a MiSi pickup, custom inlays, fret markers or in left handed spec for an extra price. Personally at this sort of standard price I would expect a hard case and outward fret markers to be standard, but there you go. Incidentally, the gig bag came with a little clip on the zip which holds a Blackbird logo plectrum. Just another thing to annoy the traditionalists!
So, let's re-cap... Clearly this is a serious intrument with a very serious price. But then it employs some pretty radical ideas too, and something would be drastically wrong (and hugely disappointing) if those things didn't come together to justify that price. Let's get to the playing.
To hold, not only is it light (just over one pound in weight), but it's perfectly balanced in the hand. It feels like a regular wooden uke and only the fact that it doesn't look like wood is the giveaway. What I mean to say is, it doesn't feel like a plastic ukulele, or as some people call them, 'a lunchbox with a neck glued on'. This feels like a high quality instrument. It's very comfortable to play, even without a strap and is no more 'slippery' than any other gloss ukulele. It's certainly easier to hold than something like the Flea or Fluke ukulele. If you do struggle though, there is of course the strap button. It's also immaculately put together and feels very solid in every aspect.
Setup on this review model was perfect with absolutely no adjustment needed at nut or saddle giving it a nice low action. If it did need any adjustment there is enough play at either end to have a meddle.
To actually play it though was truly a pleasant, glorious surprise. You could be forgiven for thinking that because there is no wood in the instrument that it would end up with an artificial sound. Seriously, you couldn't be more wrong. In fact, the way this sounds immediately left me worried that my own playing standard just simply isn't good enough to get the most out of the instrument on my review video. You just KNOW this is high end when you first play it.
I am not sure how Blackbird have done it, but it just delivers an extremely bright, sweet and natural sounding tone from all over the neck. The clarity between the strings is piercingly clear and the sustain is simply remarkable. In fact this is one of the longest sustaining ukuleles I can recall playing. It just shimmers and sings when you play it and notes flow into each other. For me it really excels the most when fingerpicked, but it's no slouch with any style I threw at it, even with my shonky playing. I believe Blackbird recommend the low G as it balances off that brightness and I can see what they mean. You kind of 'need' that low G in the mix. If you love 'bright' you will love this.
And as for those soundholes? Well this is without a doubt one of the punchiest ukuleles I have EVER played. It really is astoundingly strident, but without any muddiness or loss of clarity no matter how hard you play it. It kind of feels like your whole chest and arms are projecting tone. Some brands go for power, but are found wanting when you strum them with some power - they kind of lose their way, get muddy and just sound like a mad jangle. Not this one though - it just responds no matter how hard you go at it. That isn't to say that it is over-bearing , because when you ease off your attack it just still delivers a bell like sound with minimal effort from your picking hand. In fact it's incredibly pleasing to play softly too. I hate to use the 'it almost plays itself' cliché but it works... The effect of the extra sound hole in the headstock is subtle, but it does work. To my ears - you get more bass and resonance from the body sound hole, but the headstock provides a little extra treble. Think of it like a woofer and tweeter in a hi-fi speaker. Trying to sum it up I suppose I could say this - whilst it is in concert scale, and tuned in standard concert pitch, it has the resonance and power of a baritone ukulele.
But it's the dynamic response that really stands out. It's hard to describe, but it kind of feels like it would make a noise just by looking at the frets! Lively as you like!
Does it sound like a wooden ukulele? Well, remarkably, yes it does a bit. Not exactly like one I must say, but certainly a far cry from a plastic bodied instrument. And I don't mean that to sound non committal - I will stick my neck out - this sounds fantastic.
As I said in the introduction, I have a fondness for people who create things that are a bit different in the ukulele world and this certainly fits that bill with bells on. Ultra traditionalists may not like it, but I think there is room for both in the uke world. And yes, the price is very serious and some people may say 'but I can get a Kamaka for that money'. Well, yes, you could, but then I tend to judge my ukuleles on sound and playability and not just based on what badge is on the headstock. On this front, I think the Clara delivers what you would expect for the price. And at the end of the day, innovation, new materials and being made in San Francisco (and not on a production line in a Chinese factory) costs money, but this isn't about expensive materials for the sake of it. It plays wonderfully too.
And, of course, a word should also be said for the bravery in developing a product that doesn't use wood. The planet is getting ever more crowded and the pressure on resources is at an all time high. Yes, there are many responsible wooden uke brands out there, but the number of new Chinese brands appearing every year is dizzying. All those ukes streaming out of the far east use a lot of timber!
Add to all of that the strong durable build, the humidity resistance and I think this is an instrument that deserves a lot of praise. With a pickup, this would represent a superb, resilient gigging instrument. Saying that, I think this would be an impeccable recording instrument as well as the clarity is that good. Koa vs Ekoa? Meh.. what does it matter if it sounds good and is wonderfully playable?
Highly recommended. Can somebody now please ask Jake Shimabukuro to come over and record a better video than I can?
(Thanks to)
https://www.blackbirdguitar.com
http://www.southernukulelestore.co.uk
UKULELE PROS
Unique looks
Innovative build materials and eco friendly credentials
Stellar projection and sustain
Superb response
Bright and supremely clear tone
Wonderful tuners
UKULELE CONS
Would prefer a matte fingerboard
Would like a hard case and fret markers included at this price
UKULELE SCORES
Looks - 9.5 out of 10
Fit and Finish - 9 out of 10
Sound - 9.5 out of 10
Value for money - 9 out of 10
OVERALL UKULELE SCORE - 9.3 out of 10
UKULELE VIDEO REVIEW
© Barry Maz
WHY NOT DONATE TO HELP KEEP GOT A UKULELE GOING?
THANKS!
Read More »
Blackbird Clara Concert Ukulele - REVIEW
Time for something extremely special on the Got A Ukulele reviews page. A ukulele like no other I have seen or played before in close to 10 years of writing reviews of musical instruments. With many thanks to Blackbird Guitars and Southern Ukulele Store, I have had a chance to take a Clara Concert ukulele for a spin.
And I will say this from the off, this has been an extremely difficult review to write. The simple reason for that is because the Clara is so unlike anything else I have reviewed, so the benchmarking and scoring was a real challenge to get right. It was however a joy to get to know. I love brands who dare to push boundaries. Mainly because I think it is a healthy part of developing musical instruments, but also because I think it's equally healthy to shake up the traditionalists for whom 'change' can send them apoplectic. But hey, come on, if people hadn't taken the opportunity to develop the guitar, there would never have been a Telecaster or a Les Paul. As such, any arguments to the contrary are clearly invalid...
Ahem... Moving on... the Clara is the brainchild of San Francisco based Blackbird Guitars, founded by Joe Luttwak and Kyle Wolfe. You may have heard of them in ukulele circles before because Blackbird were the people behind the strangely shaped, but critically acclaimed carbon fibre ukuleles. The Clara is a 'fairly' new departure for them and isn't made of carbon fibre, but instead is a ukulele that is still designed to be extremely resilient but, contains no wood whatsoever... (Purists, take a minute or two to get up off the floor and grab your blood pressure medicine..) Yet that isn't to say it's a just 'another' synthetic ukulele. Far from it.
The Clara is a pineapple / boat paddle shaped, concert scale ukulele with some unusual and quite unique features. I love the boat paddle shape myself, so this one immediately appealed to me from the moment I opened the gig bag. The back, sides, neck and headstock of this instrument are all a single moulded piece, and laid on top of that is a separate top creating the sound chamber. So that's essentially a ukulele made from just two main pieces. It's the technique used by many makers of plastic ukuleles, but what is unusual here though is the material it's made from.
The Clara is constucted in the main (body, neck, headstock) from a material called 'Ekoa', a linen based composite that is both light and incredibly strong. I said this wasn't a synthetic uke, and that's because this isn't a petrochemical plastic - its actually plant based, made from flax based linen cloth hardened with a bio based resin. The point here is that it's still essentially a natural product, but also an extremely eco-friendly one. No trees were harmed in the making of this instrument! In fact flax is considered to be a highly sustainable natural product. The aim was to create a material that is stiffer than fiberglass, but with a lower density than carbon fibre. In other words - stiff but light. On a musical footing, the claim from Blackbird is that this creates an instrument that is light, yet incredibly durable and strong, together with being resilient to things like moisture and humidity. Such things are important to instrument buyers. They also claim that it has the characteristics of vintage tone woods. We shall see.
The material is made up of layers of the ekoa composite that is laid into ukulele shaped moulds by hand and then pressed.
Visually it's a mix of looks, but both with a kind of mid-brown colouring. The back 'ekoa' differs visually from the top, but it's essentially the same material. The back has an outward appearance of a kind of woven checkerboard, rather reminicent of carbon fibre, whereas the top looks more like a cloth finish in which you can see the criss crossed plant fibres in the resin. It's truly unlike anything I have seen before, yet intriguing and, I think, rather pretty. Very pretty in fact. It's not a wood grain look, obviously, but equally it isn't a flat plain brown either. Whatever you think of it, this is without a doubt a ukulele that will draw questions from those around you. It's just that different.
The back is shaped into a wonderful tactile bowl, and almost looks like an armadillo shell. The way it sweeps into the integral neck with no harsh joints or angles is, quite simply, beautiful. It's one of the first ukuleles I've had on test where I have drooled as much over the back as anything else.
The top edges are unbound, but then there is no need for any binding considering the materials used and nor is there any back to bind. Sited on the top side is an off centre, long thin sound hole which is certainly different. Blackbird desribe the top as being a 'double top', which I think means it's two pieces sandwiched with the grain running perpendicular to each other, thus giving it a stiffness in two directions (or something like that..). I like how you can see the individual plant fibres in the construction and for this reason, every Clara will look very slightly different. In fact on this one, whilst predominantly brown in colour has some variances with hints of pinks and green here and there in the fibres. It's hard to comment on the internal construction as it's impossible to see inside. What I can see is the makers label and I am led to believe that there are internal bracing plates inside the body made from carbon fibre to give it extra strength and also mellow out the sound a touch.
The whole body is finished in a kind of matte gloss - not mirror shiny, but not dull either. You can see the difference when you look in the sound hole and see the unfinished composite inside. It comes across as 'just enough' finishing and I like that. That soundhole appears small although issues of sound projection are not a concern with this one as you will see further on.
The bridge is extremely pretty and glossy black. You could be forgiven for thinking it is made from plastic, but as I said - it's 'all natural products' in this ukulele! The material is actually called Richlite, another eco-friendly composite, but this time made from re-cycled paper. The result is a product that acts like a very dense hardwood, hence it's use in the bridge on this ukulele. In fact it is so hard and non-porous, it has been used as a stone substitute in bar and kitchen worktops. Incidentally, it's not the first time this material has been used in musical instruments either. It has increasingly been used by Gibson as an ebony substitute on some of their electric guitar fretboards. That isn't a bad pedigree I am sure you will agree. It's a very pretty shaped bridge, making the most of the Richlite properties as I think it would be extremely unlikely you could carve a bridge like this from wood. Sitting in the bridge is a saddle made from Graphtech. And as you can see, it's a tie bar style.
Moving up the ukulele, the C shaped neck is supremely smooth and nice to hold. Sitting on top of this is a fretboard made from the same Richlite material. It's absolutely jet black, and again has that hardwood quality which makes it perfect for a fretboard and the need for resilience. My only gripe is that I am not a fan of the glossy, shiny look that it has. It attracts fingerprints, and dust and I think I would prefer it looking matte. I appreciate this isn't a wooden ukulele, but this is the one area where I wished it looked more like wood. This is a minor gripe I suppose.
Set in the fretboard are 17 nickel silver frets with 12 to the body. They are all finished extremely smoothly and are quite thin in style. The edges of the fretboard are not bound so you do see the fret edges, but it's all very tidy. There are no outward facing fret markers at all, but thankfully we do have side markers for the player at the 5th, 7th, 10th and 12th spaces. The nut width is a generous 1.4" - not the widest nut around, but wider than most Chinese import ukuleles.
Up to the headstock and the first thing that jumps out at you is the oblong hole in the outer face. What could that be? Truss rod access? Nope. This ukulele doesn't need a truss rod. What it actually is though is extremely interesting. As I said, the neck and body of the ukulele are a single piece, but that neck is also hollow. The hole in the headsock is actually another sound hole. You read that right. Becuse the vibrating chamber of this instrument is not just the body, but also the neck, you get another sound hole at the headstock!
The front of the headstock uses the same Ekoa finish as the top of the body, whereas the back is the same as the back and neck of the instrument. The Blackbird logo is screen printed, looks classy and suits the instrument. Like the saddle the nut is made of Graphtech Tusq. Shape wise, the headstock is really simple, but hey, when you have a ukulele that looks this different, you don't need to fuss with fancy headstocks!
Flipping the Clara over and we have rear facing tuners (thank you thank you thank you!!). But these are not just your common junky tuners, they are Gotoh UPT's with black buttons and gun metal black posts and bolts on the front - quite sublime instrument tuners to be honest. They are the best of both worlds, as despite them being rear facing (and therefore looking GREAT), they actually contain helical gears and work like geared tuners. Just superb.
Completing the deal are Oasis Fluorocarbon strings, a padded and branded 'Gator Cases' gig bag and a strap button installed on the base of the uke. Those strings come with a low G, which is what Blackbird recommend for this model, but they can provide a high G if you prefer. And for all of that, the Clara will set you back the not inconsiderable sum of $1,295 in standard spec. They can also offer it with extras like a MiSi pickup, custom inlays, fret markers or in left handed spec for an extra price. Personally at this sort of standard price I would expect a hard case and outward fret markers to be standard, but there you go. Incidentally, the gig bag came with a little clip on the zip which holds a Blackbird logo plectrum. Just another thing to annoy the traditionalists!
So, let's re-cap... Clearly this is a serious intrument with a very serious price. But then it employs some pretty radical ideas too, and something would be drastically wrong (and hugely disappointing) if those things didn't come together to justify that price. Let's get to the playing.
To hold, not only is it light (just over one pound in weight), but it's perfectly balanced in the hand. It feels like a regular wooden uke and only the fact that it doesn't look like wood is the giveaway. What I mean to say is, it doesn't feel like a plastic ukulele, or as some people call them, 'a lunchbox with a neck glued on'. This feels like a high quality instrument. It's very comfortable to play, even without a strap and is no more 'slippery' than any other gloss ukulele. It's certainly easier to hold than something like the Flea or Fluke ukulele. If you do struggle though, there is of course the strap button. It's also immaculately put together and feels very solid in every aspect.
Setup on this review model was perfect with absolutely no adjustment needed at nut or saddle giving it a nice low action. If it did need any adjustment there is enough play at either end to have a meddle.
To actually play it though was truly a pleasant, glorious surprise. You could be forgiven for thinking that because there is no wood in the instrument that it would end up with an artificial sound. Seriously, you couldn't be more wrong. In fact, the way this sounds immediately left me worried that my own playing standard just simply isn't good enough to get the most out of the instrument on my review video. You just KNOW this is high end when you first play it.
I am not sure how Blackbird have done it, but it just delivers an extremely bright, sweet and natural sounding tone from all over the neck. The clarity between the strings is piercingly clear and the sustain is simply remarkable. In fact this is one of the longest sustaining ukuleles I can recall playing. It just shimmers and sings when you play it and notes flow into each other. For me it really excels the most when fingerpicked, but it's no slouch with any style I threw at it, even with my shonky playing. I believe Blackbird recommend the low G as it balances off that brightness and I can see what they mean. You kind of 'need' that low G in the mix. If you love 'bright' you will love this.
And as for those soundholes? Well this is without a doubt one of the punchiest ukuleles I have EVER played. It really is astoundingly strident, but without any muddiness or loss of clarity no matter how hard you play it. It kind of feels like your whole chest and arms are projecting tone. Some brands go for power, but are found wanting when you strum them with some power - they kind of lose their way, get muddy and just sound like a mad jangle. Not this one though - it just responds no matter how hard you go at it. That isn't to say that it is over-bearing , because when you ease off your attack it just still delivers a bell like sound with minimal effort from your picking hand. In fact it's incredibly pleasing to play softly too. I hate to use the 'it almost plays itself' cliché but it works... The effect of the extra sound hole in the headstock is subtle, but it does work. To my ears - you get more bass and resonance from the body sound hole, but the headstock provides a little extra treble. Think of it like a woofer and tweeter in a hi-fi speaker. Trying to sum it up I suppose I could say this - whilst it is in concert scale, and tuned in standard concert pitch, it has the resonance and power of a baritone ukulele.
But it's the dynamic response that really stands out. It's hard to describe, but it kind of feels like it would make a noise just by looking at the frets! Lively as you like!
Does it sound like a wooden ukulele? Well, remarkably, yes it does a bit. Not exactly like one I must say, but certainly a far cry from a plastic bodied instrument. And I don't mean that to sound non committal - I will stick my neck out - this sounds fantastic.
As I said in the introduction, I have a fondness for people who create things that are a bit different in the ukulele world and this certainly fits that bill with bells on. Ultra traditionalists may not like it, but I think there is room for both in the uke world. And yes, the price is very serious and some people may say 'but I can get a Kamaka for that money'. Well, yes, you could, but then I tend to judge my ukuleles on sound and playability and not just based on what badge is on the headstock. On this front, I think the Clara delivers what you would expect for the price. And at the end of the day, innovation, new materials and being made in San Francisco (and not on a production line in a Chinese factory) costs money, but this isn't about expensive materials for the sake of it. It plays wonderfully too.
And, of course, a word should also be said for the bravery in developing a product that doesn't use wood. The planet is getting ever more crowded and the pressure on resources is at an all time high. Yes, there are many responsible wooden uke brands out there, but the number of new Chinese brands appearing every year is dizzying. All those ukes streaming out of the far east use a lot of timber!
Add to all of that the strong durable build, the humidity resistance and I think this is an instrument that deserves a lot of praise. With a pickup, this would represent a superb, resilient gigging instrument. Saying that, I think this would be an impeccable recording instrument as well as the clarity is that good. Koa vs Ekoa? Meh.. what does it matter if it sounds good and is wonderfully playable?
Highly recommended. Can somebody now please ask Jake Shimabukuro to come over and record a better video than I can?
(Thanks to)
https://www.blackbirdguitar.com
http://www.southernukulelestore.co.uk
UKULELE PROS
Unique looks
Innovative build materials and eco friendly credentials
Stellar projection and sustain
Superb response
Bright and supremely clear tone
Wonderful tuners
UKULELE CONS
Would prefer a matte fingerboard
Would like a hard case and fret markers included at this price
UKULELE SCORES
Looks - 9.5 out of 10
Fit and Finish - 9 out of 10
Sound - 9.5 out of 10
Value for money - 9 out of 10
OVERALL UKULELE SCORE - 9.3 out of 10
UKULELE VIDEO REVIEW
© Barry Maz
WHY NOT DONATE TO HELP KEEP GOT A UKULELE GOING?
THANKS!
8 Oct 2010
8 Oct 2010T11:48
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?
4 May 2010
4 May 2010T11:03
By way of background, the Flea is a USA made instrument, and is the little brother (or sister) to the Fluke Ukulele. What sets these ukes apart is their design. The back of the instrument is plastic / polycarbonate, and the top is a laminated australian hoop pine. The neck is a nice smooth maple finish with a distinctive headstock, and it is fitted with quality friction tuners.
The fingerboard is a one piece moulded piece of plastic, with integral frets. This seems to be the biggest point of concern with those people considering buying a Flea, but I really dont know why. If you are really fussed, the Company do make a rosewood fingerboard model with metal frets, but why would you bother? This plastic fingerboard is comfortable to play, light, and most importantly of all, its intonation is absolutely spot on - there is no way a fret can be mis-seated on this instrument - it is just naturally accurate.
There are also similar concerns raised by some over the plastic back - to them I would just point them in the direction of the superb Ovation Balladeer guitars - really really nice pro-instruments with, yes, you guessed it, a man made curved back.
So, back to mine - it is finished in a painted purple colour (called Poi-ple by the Fluke Co), and arrived with shiny black hilo strings which I really didnt get on with. Tuners needed a tighten but since that first tighten I have had no problems with them whatsover - i have read that they are made by Gotoh, which may explain it.
I changed the strings for Aquilas, but have since also played around with Martins and Worths - all good - and all better than the Hilos it arrived with.
My model is soprano scale, but you can get them with concert scale necks. The sound for such a small, simple, laminated instrument really is extraordinary - it is loud - certainly as loud as any other uke in my collection, and bright and bouncy. There are zero issues with intonation and action (as I say above), and plays beautifully.
The are also really really tough - I have knocked mine over and dropped it - not a mark and still bang in tune. These are therefore highly recommended for gigging or camping etc.
Slight gripes - the wooden top is actually slightly recessed into plastic body, so where I rest my arm on the top when playing it leaves a red line on my arm. Also, with two years play now, the reslilence of the top finish leaves a little to be desired, and it has polished up in places where my arm has rubbed - oh well, some would call that "patina".
Comes with a zippered padded gig bag and small booklet of uke chords.
I can honestly say, would never change my Flea, and am on the lookout for a Fluke. It just plays so well, is always in tune, and is dead reliable. Would I buy one again - yes I would. Should you buy one - well, if the Flea is in your price range, I would strongly recommend it.
Enjoy!
UKULELE SCORES
Looks - 8
Fit and finish - 10
Sound - 8
Value for money - 7.5
OVERALL - 8.4
Read More »
Flea Ukulele - from the Magic Fluke Company
I do get asked a lot on the Uke Underground forum for my views on my Flea by the Fluke Co, so thought I should probably type out a proper review.
I've had my Flea now for about 2 years, and adore it. It cost me a little over £100 back then, and they seem to be available in the basic form for about £120 now over here.
By way of background, the Flea is a USA made instrument, and is the little brother (or sister) to the Fluke Ukulele. What sets these ukes apart is their design. The back of the instrument is plastic / polycarbonate, and the top is a laminated australian hoop pine. The neck is a nice smooth maple finish with a distinctive headstock, and it is fitted with quality friction tuners.
The fingerboard is a one piece moulded piece of plastic, with integral frets. This seems to be the biggest point of concern with those people considering buying a Flea, but I really dont know why. If you are really fussed, the Company do make a rosewood fingerboard model with metal frets, but why would you bother? This plastic fingerboard is comfortable to play, light, and most importantly of all, its intonation is absolutely spot on - there is no way a fret can be mis-seated on this instrument - it is just naturally accurate.
There are also similar concerns raised by some over the plastic back - to them I would just point them in the direction of the superb Ovation Balladeer guitars - really really nice pro-instruments with, yes, you guessed it, a man made curved back.
So, back to mine - it is finished in a painted purple colour (called Poi-ple by the Fluke Co), and arrived with shiny black hilo strings which I really didnt get on with. Tuners needed a tighten but since that first tighten I have had no problems with them whatsover - i have read that they are made by Gotoh, which may explain it.
I changed the strings for Aquilas, but have since also played around with Martins and Worths - all good - and all better than the Hilos it arrived with.
My model is soprano scale, but you can get them with concert scale necks. The sound for such a small, simple, laminated instrument really is extraordinary - it is loud - certainly as loud as any other uke in my collection, and bright and bouncy. There are zero issues with intonation and action (as I say above), and plays beautifully.
The are also really really tough - I have knocked mine over and dropped it - not a mark and still bang in tune. These are therefore highly recommended for gigging or camping etc.
Slight gripes - the wooden top is actually slightly recessed into plastic body, so where I rest my arm on the top when playing it leaves a red line on my arm. Also, with two years play now, the reslilence of the top finish leaves a little to be desired, and it has polished up in places where my arm has rubbed - oh well, some would call that "patina".
Comes with a zippered padded gig bag and small booklet of uke chords.
I can honestly say, would never change my Flea, and am on the lookout for a Fluke. It just plays so well, is always in tune, and is dead reliable. Would I buy one again - yes I would. Should you buy one - well, if the Flea is in your price range, I would strongly recommend it.
Enjoy!
UKULELE SCORES
Looks - 8
Fit and finish - 10
Sound - 8
Value for money - 7.5
OVERALL - 8.4
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