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| Moderated by: Richard Hefner | Page: 1 2   |
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| Which ukulele to buy? - Beginner Questions - Ukulele - Ukulele - ezFolk Forums | |||||||||||||||
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MusicMoots0210 Approved 
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i have decided to get a uke but i do not know which one to get. right now my choices are 1. Makala MK-S soprano (http://ukuleleworld.com/product.php?productid=589&cat=2&page=2) 2.Mahalo U-30YW (http://ukuleleworld.com/product.php?productid=255&cat=2&page=2) 3.Makala MK-SD RD (http://ukuleleworld.com/product.php?productid=1091&cat=2&page=2) don't be afraid to share your opinion.
____________________ A good man once told me- play with reckless abandon. |
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railroadbill Approved
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I am a ukulele novice, and part of the following opinion is based on my limited guitar knowledge. I have no "real world" experience with any of these ukes, but the one that is "painted yellow" is probably going to suffer some sound degradation due to the finish. Since all three are laminate ukes, I would think it wise to steer clear of that one. Beyond that, I doubt there is appreciable difference in the other two.
____________________ "the music draws you up a valley, & across a mountain . . . ya gather round it like yer gathering around a fountain . . that was not made by the hands of men." |
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Neal Approved 
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Here's a video of the Makala with the fish bridge. http://tinyurl.com/3wwudu And here's the auction, buy it now for 36.95 and a few dollars shipping. http://tinyurl.com/3pc8j9 From musicguymic. If you buy one, this guy is great.
____________________ http://ezfolk.com/audio/NealPaisley http://www.indiependencemusic.net/paisleylawler http://www.myspace.com/nealpaisley |
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Ukeconomics Approved 
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Having received a new Amigo soprano ukulele this week, I found it to be far too quiet for my tastes. It would be great as a uke to practice on if you didn't want to bother anyone else in the house though. The problem I'm guessing is that the spruce top was much thicker than it looked like it should be, and that the volume suffered as a result. I've played a Mahalo soprano ukulele, and it was much louder than the Amigo was. I've returned the Amigo as I might as well pay less in shipping charges than I would pay for something I'd never play. Last edited on Fri Jun 20th, 2008 08:16 pm by Ukeconomics |
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ichadwick Approved 
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MusicMoots0210 wrote: don't be afraid to share your opinion. Hmmm. Then spend a bit more and get a solid top, not a laminate. You'll be much happier.
____________________ Ian ------------------------------------------- Ukulele reviews: http://www.ianchadwick.com/essays/ukuleles.htm Harmonica reviews: http://www.ianchadwick.com/essays/harmonicas.htm |
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Neal Approved
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It would be more than a few dollars, unfortunately. Laminate isn't all bad. Not at that price level. I would be suspect of a solid top at 100, and we're only talking 40 bucks here. It's ok to take small steps with the uke.
____________________ http://ezfolk.com/audio/NealPaisley http://www.indiependencemusic.net/paisleylawler http://www.myspace.com/nealpaisley |
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ichadwick Approved
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Neal wrote: It would be more than a few dollars, unfortunately. Laminate isn't all bad. Not at that price level. I would be suspect of a solid top at 100, and we're only talking 40 bucks here. I don't think the build quality on a cheap solid top will be any worse than on a cheap laminate. After all, the technology is pretty much the same to build them. Amigo offers a solid spruce top tenor for $45 or so. I've read some positive comments about Amigo ukes here. There are some solid Ohanas and Kalas on eBay for around $100-$150. You have to think that a $40 uke is pretty much a throw away item. You won't recover any of that money and it can't be resold except at a yard sale. If you like playing the uke, you're likely to want something better sooner rather than later. That means spending at least $100 to $150 on a nicer instrument (some come with cases, too, at this price!). But if you add in the $40 you've already spent (plus the shipping) - that second uke is really costing closer to $200 just to get to the entry level. So why not spend the extra now, and get something that you'll keep and play longer - and enjoy a whole lot more- rather than wasting the $40? And as for "Laminate isn't all bad." I'll call for the exorcist to stop at your home this weekend... 
____________________ Ian ------------------------------------------- Ukulele reviews: http://www.ianchadwick.com/essays/ukuleles.htm Harmonica reviews: http://www.ianchadwick.com/essays/harmonicas.htm |
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Neal Approved
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This is the whole point with folks starting the uke. I felt as you do at one time. Buy a decent instrument, spend a few hundred, etc.. However, the uke is different for the majority of people out there. I would say that for a lot of people, it's a whim. And the names that are here and gone after a few weeks, months bears this out. As a whim, for someone that may be interested in learning a few chords, having a bit of fun, not concerned with tone necessarily, as with fun, spending 40 bucks is about all they're gonna spend. Maybe they like it, maybe they don't. If not, investment is minimal, no harm no foul. Throw away? Most are likely to keep them, maybe it'll sit in the house for 40-50 years, and someone will pick it up later and play it. Look at Harmony. Some of those plywood ukes aren't bad for starters. Gemerally, one wouldn't be able to tell the difference in a properly made laminate 100 dollar uke and a solid top uke. The difference is too subtle in that range. Resale? I don't think anyone is looking for that at that price range. Kiwaya builds a great laminate uke for under 2 hundred, and over 200. Laminate is not a dirty word in the under 200 dollar price range. Are there realy bad ones? Of course, but there's good and acceptable ones too. And given a price range, we can help steer someone with mild interest into a decent uke. Yeah, I've pretty much changed my tune about inexpensive ukes. They can be good, you can get a uke for someone that just wants to play "tiptoe" and has no desire to play "flight of the bumblebee", and you can spend under a hundred, heck even 50 bucks. Now when it's time to upgrade, there's a whole different attitude. A whim may turn to obsession, so let's lift a glass to decent, cheap ukes!
____________________ http://ezfolk.com/audio/NealPaisley http://www.indiependencemusic.net/paisleylawler http://www.myspace.com/nealpaisley |
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ichadwick Approved
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Neal wrote: Throw away? Most are likely to keep them, maybe it'll sit in the house for 40-50 years, and someone will pick it up later and play it. Look at Harmony. Some of those plywood ukes aren't bad for starters. I know. What was a cheap piece back then is a collector's item today! I wish I still had my old Kent and Harmony guitars... I've bought cheap before, even recently, and regretted it. Intonantion may be out, sound poor - it can discourage as quickly as it can delight. I'm not saying spend $1,000. But spend more than $30 or $50.
____________________ Ian ------------------------------------------- Ukulele reviews: http://www.ianchadwick.com/essays/ukuleles.htm Harmonica reviews: http://www.ianchadwick.com/essays/harmonicas.htm |
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railroadbill Approved
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Neal wrote: Look at Harmony. Check ebay for the older solid mahogany "Roy Smeck" Harmonys. You should be able to get one for approximately what you would pay for a new laminate. Even with the plastic fretboard, they offer quite a bang for the buck.
____________________ "the music draws you up a valley, & across a mountain . . . ya gather round it like yer gathering around a fountain . . that was not made by the hands of men." |
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Gaby Approved 
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If you were to go for a laminated one though, I wouldn't go for a painted one, that's all. The volume of the painted Makalas and Kalas is less than the matte ones. Ohana makes some very nice laminted ukes too, the SK-10 is excellent value. Nice rosewood fretboard and frets (not cheap painted wood with brass), very playable. I agree with Neal, Kiwaya makes excellent laminated ukes, far superior to many all-solids. Laminated is not always a dirty word indeed, but I feel Kiwaya is somewhat of an exception.
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MusicMoots0210 Approved
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how about a KALA KA-S mahogany soprano
____________________ A good man once told me- play with reckless abandon. |
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MusicMoots0210 Approved
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how about a KALA KA-S mahogany soprano
____________________ A good man once told me- play with reckless abandon. |
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Gaby Approved
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Definitely a notch up from the Makalas. But I still also recommend the Ohana SK-10 
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Jackie Approved
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I sent you a PM and can loan you a Mahalo (blue) for the summer if you want to buy yourself some time...
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Neal Approved
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Darned if that ain't a nice thing to do.
____________________ http://ezfolk.com/audio/NealPaisley http://www.indiependencemusic.net/paisleylawler http://www.myspace.com/nealpaisley |
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Jackie Approved
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I was fortunate enough to get a Ukes for Kids grant (thanks Ukuele Hall of Fame Museum) of ukuleles 4 years ago to get some of my high school students playing. We loan them out from the library and I give kids starter lessons individually or through the guitar club. We had a uke club for a few years and may again :-). I love it when a student comes up and asks (thinking it could not possibly be true) "You have ukuleles we can borrow??" A few are on permanent loan, the rest shorter-term. Plus, a few years back, 1four5 from this board sent my kids his old Silvertone baritone. What goes around... Last edited on Sat Jun 28th, 2008 12:40 am by Jackie |
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BartlebysUke Approved 
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Well put Neal! If I had not been able to get my feet wet for only $35, I would never have taken the plunge and reached the point where a $100+ instrument seemed worthwhile. Neal wrote: This is the whole point with folks starting the uke. I felt as you do at one time. Buy a decent instrument, spend a few hundred, etc..
____________________ exegi monumentum aere perennis. |
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Alba Approved
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I would agree about the benefit of buying a cheap ukulele to start with just to see how you get on. I bought a yellow mahalo u30 soprano for £12 which was good fun I then put on aquila strings £6 and it sounds about 5 times better so £18 to get hooked ! I have now bought a concert flea £150 (due to fun on my £12 mahalo) and to be honest the sound is better but is not really totally reflected by the huge difference in price . I would not have bought a Flea straight off on a whim. It a bit like when I have asked people to advise about say best open back banjo for £550-600 mark, replies very often start with " pay more ,pay £1200 for this or that." If I wanted to pay £1200 I would have said it (although replies would be "no pay more pay £2000 ) l love playing banjo and uke but there are other ways of spending my loot (I'm married to one of them  )
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playwellMike Approved
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Hi, I have a "Flea" from fleamarketmusic.com and I love it.
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| ezFolk Forums > Ukulele > Beginner Questions - Ukulele > Which ukulele to buy? | |
