The jumping flea:
an appreciation and review of ukuleles

 

Introduction

 

I'm not a musician: I'm just someone who likes to make music. I hack away at it; I have since I was 14, back when the Beatles were still new. For a short while in my 20s and 30s, I was very serious about playing music; I studied, I tried many instruments, and I jammed a lot, sometimes daily, at least weekly, but because I don't have any real musical talent or training, my enthusiasm generally outpaced my talent. Still, I enjoy playing, and perhaps learning even more. So this is a page for amateurs like me.

 

I had sold my last guitar a few years back in order to focus on other things (the shakuhachi, for one).  Last Spring, Susan gave me a beautiful blue Takamine 540C. Wonderful guitar with excellent sound. Blue because of my affinity for Wallace Stevens' famous poem. I later bought an electric guitar, an American-made Stratocaster clone. Plus I started playing harmonica again (see my harmonica review pages).

 

Towards the end of winter '08, I decided to add ukulele to my practice. It was not intentional. I actually wanted to learn to play the charango. I had heard buskers playing charango in Zihuatanejo at La Casa Cafe and I became very interested in the little instrument. I spoke at length (in my abysmal Spanish) to one of the performers, and he even let me try out his charango. I thought it would be fun to learn. How hard could it be, something that small?

 

So I ordered a charango from an eBay seller. It came right from Bolivia. In the intervening month or so between order and arrival, I decided I could learn some ukulele because I read they're tuned similarly. Besides, I had been brought up listening to George Formby on the banjo ukulele (or banjolele), and a bit of Cliff Edwards, so it was in my blood, more or less.

 

I went to the local music stores for advice and to purchase (always shop local, first). I was shown some cheap $30-or-less knock-offs, and my inquiries for something of higher quality met with a shrug of the shoulders, and the presentation of a catalogue with a single "better" ($75) uke listed. I got the impression ukuleles weren't treated as "serious" instruments, not serious enough for either store to have a tuned one on hand at least. And certainly not serious for anyone to want to take more of my money for one. I still have difficulty ordering ukulele strings, straps and accessories locally.

 

I went online, looking for something a little better than the inexpensive laminate-topped Chinese-made brands I had seen locally. And I got caught in the tar baby trap. So many brands, such a range of quality! Choices, choices, choices. I spent hours surfing uke-related forums, blogs and websites, trying to match my growing interests with my limited budget, trying to understand everything about ukulele brands, woods, strings, sizes and finishes, reading reviews and comparisons. A whole world opened up for me.

 

I also spent time on YouTube and similar sites looking at the brilliant new performers - like Jake Shimabukuro and Mike Okouchi and Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, Brittni Paiva, the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain and others - musicians who have returned the uke from a novelty into a serious musical instrument for a new generation, and in turn helped spawn the ukulele renaissance. And let us not forget Tiny Tim, whose novelty act hid a wealth of talent, and to whom most of us owe a debt because he kept the ukulele in vogue at a time when it had waned in popularity. Their talent was an inspiration to me, although I could never aspire to anything that good.

 

It was also an inspiration to spend a whole lot more than I originally intended for what was then a passing fancy. I spent more than $300 for the ukulele, case, shipping from Hawaii, plus the Canadian and Ontario governments' egregious tax grab (why must I pay provincial sales tax on an item that isn't sold or distributed anywhere in Canada, much less made in Canada? Thieves in high places...).

 

My first uke was a solid-spruce top Kala tenor (see below). It was a huge leap up from my first thought of a $30 'throw-away' uke. I immediately fell in love with the instrument. It was beautifully made, sounded crisp and clear and played like a charm. I was hooked, and couldn't stop playing. I downloaded songs and tabs and practiced late into the night (much to Susan's distress), trying to become accustomed to the instrument.

 

"UAS" - Ukulele acquisition Syndrome. It strikes all of us who start to play. I think it's spread through Web pages that feature ukuleles. I got it early in my introduction to the uke. I ended up buying several ukuleles in quick succession, most from the same eBay seller ('musicguymic' or MGM, who has a large eBay store). Every time a UAS sufferer sees a new model, he or she wants to get it, just to try it out... I met a chap from a nearby Ontario town with 45 ukuleles. Now that's a serious case of UAS*!

 

Eventually the charango arrived. I spent a few hours tuning it and tinkering with it. It wasn't nearly as well made as any of the ukes I'd purchased by then; it sounded thin and had rough fret edges. Not like I remembered it at all. I put it on consignment at the local music store a few days later and sold it within a week (at a loss, of course). By that time, I was thoroughly hooked on ukuleles and didn't want the distraction. I even sold my Strumstick, some harmonicas and several flutes to purchase more ukes.

 

I've had more fun with the uke than I've had in ages. It's a lot more expensive than buying harmonicas, so I can't indulge in a comprehensive review of ukes like I did with harmonicas. But I've found that even a mediocre guitar player can sound pretty damn good on a ukulele. And it surprises a lot of people who never knew a ukulele could sound or look that good.

 

I'm completely taken by the sound of the uke. I have several good ukes now, and hope one day to own a truly premium model (as soon as I win the lottery...). I'm enjoying playing the 'old time' songs that have been resurrected with the ukulele renaissance, music from the 1920s through 40s. Another is the fun challenge of trying to adapt favourite guitar songs for the uke. But pound for pound, the ukulele is hard to beat for putting smiles on your face.

 

A brief comment for people not familiar with ukuleles: a uke is really a small, four-string guitar (ukulele owners may blanch at this description; it is true, but you could equally think of a guitar as a fat ukulele...). Or to be technically correct using musicology terms, a ukulele is classified as a chordophone in the plucked lute group of musical instruments. That makes it a member of the of the guitar family.

 

Ukuleles usually have four strings, although six- and eight-stringed versions exist. The strings are tuned like the higher four strings on a guitar; the same relationship except five frets higher. Those same strings on a guitar are tuned D-G-B-E, but a ukulele (soprano, concert and tenor) is tuned higher, at G-C-E-A (or A-D-F#-B: see the sidebar on tuning under shapes and sizes). Baritone ukes are tuned D-G-B-E, like a guitar (which sometimes causes their critics to belittle them as tenor guitars).

 

However, the traditional uke is tuned with the fourth (G) string an octave higher. This is called re-entrant tuning. So it's the same note, just higher and brighter. If you're a guitar player, you can play the same chords and finger picking patterns on a uke, but the high-G string creates a different sort of sound. You have to change some of your patterns if you use bass runs or particular finger picking patterns, but it's easy to get accustomed to playing a uke coming from a guitar. You may even find that, with only four strings to contend with, you're a better uke player than a guitar player!

 

You can also string a uke in low-G tuning, so it has a bass note in the fourth string, not a high note. This makes it even more guitar-like for chords and picking patterns. Some songs definitely work better in low-G, but others are best in high-G. Personally, I like both, but I tend to play my high-G ukes more because I prefer the sound and it makes the uke different from a guitar. But you should have both on hand.

 

In the 1920s and 30s, there were other popular tunings for ukuleles (A-D-F#-B most often) and you'll see them noted in song sheets from that era, but you seldom see them today. Some string packages make note of these tunings because the strings can be used in standard or alternate tunings. But the most common is G-C-E-A. In G tuning (except, apparently, in Nova Scotia where the A tuning reigns). You can put a capo on the second fret and be able to play with ukes in A tuning.

 

I have experimented a bit with tuning to an open chord and playing songs. Think Joni Mitchell on a ukulele. I've also tried using a slide on a ukulele, but it's not a popular technique. Nylon strings don't lend themselves well to certain styles. My experiments with slide suggest it's possible, but sounds better with a glass slide rather than a brass one.

 

Ukuleles are small, as you can see by the photo above, with our tiny cat Abbey and my tenor uke (a Pono mango). Baritone ukuleles are much more like a mini guitar because they're the largest in size, and are tuned D-G-B-E, exactly like a guitar, with a low D. But this size is not as popular as the smaller sizes and some uke owners get sniffy about baritones as being too big and too much like a guitar. Tenors and concerts seem to be the most popular these days, but there are people passionate about all sizes. The small size of the soprano gives it a certain novelty cachet that attracts people. The even smaller sopranino is still a fairly uncommon instrument.

 

Possibly the most difficult thing about learning to play the ukulele was unlearning some guitar habits. I initially over-reached, trying to find bass strings that weren't there, or to reach for frets that were much closer than I expected, and then feeling cramped in the small space. But you adjust with practice and persistence. Now I find guitars harder to play because they have so much space and those extra strings... not to mention all that weight.

 

Then there's the playing style: the uke lends itself to a strumming/picking style, without a pick (although a few people use a felt pick to strum - I personally find it dulls the sound). My own hybrid style comes from playing a lot of folk music in the 1960s and 70s. My guitar heroes included John Fahey, Leo Kottke and Fred Neil. But when I listen to George Formby again, I appreciate how good you can be as just a strummer.

 

As uke writer and player, Al Wood, wrote, "Playing the ukulele marks you out as being a bit different. While most people are hacking away on guitars and pianos, we choose to pursue something a little bit different." As the uke rapidly grows in popularity, that "difference" seems to get less and less!

 

 

 

Herein are my notes and conclusions (ongoing as I get and learn more, ukuleles reviewed roughly in order of receiving them). I hope they may help you make your own decisions about some ukuleles.

 

Caveat emptor: pros may likely have other ideas and reach different conclusions. After all, I'm just a passionate amateur. But I don't sell anything, and I don't have any sponsorship or links with any of these companies to protect, and I bought all the ukes and accessories here, so I can afford to be honest.

 

This is an ongoing project, and will grow as I learn more and get more ukuleles to test. I will also post some sound and video clips shortly, once I perfect the technology to record them at home. YouTube? Perhaps in the near future... (I just got the camera and some software so I need time to learn how to use both).

 

Comments? Want me to include something I missed? Know of ukuleles or uke accessories I should consider? Or links I should include? Email me: ichadwick@sympatico.ca

 

And a final thought: my experience in buying online has been mixed and not always positive, although usually entertaining. Descriptions are not always accurate and may owe more to artistic licence than to accuracy. Some manufacturers and distributors have been very fast to ship, but others have taken four or more weeks to get items to me. Beware of excessive shipping charges. Some sellers may use shipping costs to help pad a low selling price. One seller, musicguymic, in Hawaii charged me a reasonable $30 to mail a ukulele with hardshell case to Canada. Elderly Instruments, in the continental US wanted $70 to mail a smaller, lighter uke without even a simple gig bag. Guess which one got my business? Always check and confirm shipping costs before committing to buy on eBay or through online sellers.

 

International buyers beware: "brokerage" fees charged by couriers like UPS can be excessive and make an instrument a lot more expensive than you expect. UPS recently charged me $40 for "brokerage" on a used uke valued at $100 USD while Canada Post charged $8.95 processing fee (the exact same work and effort as "brokerage" requires) for a new uke valued at $250 USD and the same for one valued at $500 USD. UPS charged almost four and a half times the amount for the same work. Exorbitant? Excessive? Customer hostile? Pick your synonym. And when I called to complain about this excess? The UPS rep basically said, "too bad, pay up." Needless to say, I don't use UPS for shipping instruments across a border any more!

 

February 14 2009: I've been debating with myself whether to get a banjo ukulele (banjolele - what George Formby usually played) or another tenor uke. I've read some good things about both Waverly Street Ukuleles (the source of a handmade banjo uke at an exceptionally reasonable price) and Mainland Ukuleles (source of a red cedar-topped tenor). My only hesitation with WSU is that he builds in either soprano or concert scale only - no tenors. I personally don't like smaller scales and prefer tenors. I'd have to settle for a concert scale BU. This quest for another uke has also prompted me to work on a redesign of this section to make it more efficient and easier to read, which I hope to get online before the end of winter (or June, whichever comes first).

 

* "Thought is an infection. In the case of certain thoughts, it becomes an epidemic." Wallace Stevens. Apologists call it "Ukulele Appreciation Syndrome." Susan looks at the ukes I've collected since I first manifested symptoms, and disagrees, although she admits it seems to be catching online. She is, however, immune.

 

 

 

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Kala

Spruce top tenor:

My first ukulele was this Kala solid spruce top, cutaway tenor with electric pickup (KA-STE). It has mahogany back and sides, but since it is not specified as solid, I suspect the back and sides are laminates. I don't mind laminates on the back and side, but I really prefer solid wood soundboards. The spruce gives a clear, bright tone.

 

I was completely unsure of what to expect, and only hoped for something that didn't disappoint me, but the Kala exceeded everything. It is beautifully made, with a brilliant gloss finish, nice binding and a solid wood (Sitka spruce) top. On top of that it came with a nice hard-shell case. This is the instrument that started me on this road.

 

I immediately noticed that the strings are tight, more so than my guitar. The tenor is the same tuning as the soprano, but with a longer scale length, it means the strings are stretched much tighter. This has two effects. First it makes the strings loud and bright. Second, they are tighter, so they don't bend as easily as soprano strings (and indeed guitar strings, especially electric). This was felt in my aching finger tips of my left hand: new calluses are forming.

 

Kalas are, from what I have seen and read online, probably the best 'production line' ukuleles around. They're made in China, but the build quality is very, very good based on the one I received. The finish is good, the neck smooth, the intonation good. The tuners are sealed, geared tuners.

 

Intonation is how well the frets line up with the notes you should produce at that location on the string. It's important because if it is not perfect, your notes will sound flat or sharp, not in tune. For a small neck, it's critical because even a minute distance from the right spot can affect play.

 

Plugging the guitar into an amp produces a bit of feedback through the piezo pickup and active electronics, but not an excessive amount unless you really crank up the volume. This Kala model comes with basic volume and tone controls through a built-in pre-amp. It uses a small, easily replaced battery for power. If you look at the photos, you can see the wiring running from the pre-amp to the pickup, visible through the sound hole. That's not very attractive. This wiring sometimes shifts and touches the back, causing a bit of a buzz. It's easily fixed by moving it by hand, but I will need to devise a permanent solution (or better yet, the factory should!).

 

Another source for buzzing was the pickup connector button on the bottom. It screws in and is easy to correct, but the entire assembly was loose when the Kala arrived. The connector, by the way, is a great place to hang a strap on. Unfortunately there isn't a second strap button, so you'll need a tie-on style strap that attaches to the head.

 

The cutaway design is non-traditional, but lets me reach higher frets more easily than I might be able to reach on a traditional figure-8 design.

 

The hardshell case is hard foam - good, light, albeit a teensy bit bulky: it has lots of room to carry other things, plus Velcro straps to hold the uke's neck safely in place. It has two external straps to it's easy to carry on tour shoulder or back.

 

As an introduction to the world of ukuleles, this was probably the best choice I could have made. I will likely get a second Kala in the future, but I am not sure about which model to choose.

 

NB: The strap did not come with the uke. It's my guitar strap. And it's too big and doesn't fit in the case very well, either. A smaller strap is recommended, see below.

 

Cedar top tenor:

I had the opportunity, in mid-September, to play several ukes belonging to a friend I met on a uke forum. These included a vintage regal, Bushman Jenny, a Sonny D and a Kala KA-TE-CT-C, which translates to tenor scale (T), solid cedar top and koa sides and back (CT), cutaway (C), electronics (E), and a satin finish, as well as a few others I've forgotten. Of all the ukes this gentleman brought, I was very impressed with the Kala. I liked the satin finish, too. I thought it would be interesting to compare its sound with my Pono cedar top. I had decided at that point I wasn't getting enough play time from the Republic Resonator (see below), so I sold it and ordered the Kala from Musicguymic (MGM). It arrived Sept. 26 after what must be the shortest-ever trip by mail from Hawaii.

 

First impressions: it's lovely, with a sweet sound that has a wonderful ringing sustain. This is surely a combination of the satin finish and the cedar top. The finish seems thin and light, almost unnoticeable. The top is solid cedar - which I have become increasingly fond of as a tonewood for ukuleles. It has a wonderful, warm but bright sound.

 

The sides and back are koa, laminated. It's quite attractive; the satin finish doesn't seem to redden the koa as much as some of the gloss finish ukes I've seen made of that wood. I am also becoming convinced that satin or matte finishes really have a different effect on the sound.

 

I really like the cutaway design. The projection is very good and quite loud. I think it sounds a bit better when I pick it than when I strum it, something I found with the Pono cedar previously. I think the longer sustain of cedar tends to muddy sound if too many strings are played at once, too often. Just a hypothesis, but the spruce top seems to sound clearer than the cedar when strummed.

 

The Kala cedar seems much lighter than the other Kala I own, and certainly a bit lighter than my Ponos. I'm not sure if that's just my imagination or if it's because it actually weighs less than the spruce top. Have to weigh it...

 

The head has sealed, geared tuners. The neck is smooth, straight and with excellent intonation, and well-dressed frets (and it's a narrow neck). The Kala came with Aquila strings which I really have come to appreciate.

 

The Kala has the same active pickup and small pre-amp with tone and volume controls as the spruce top (above). The battery is very easy to remove and replace. The output jack doubles as a strap peg.

 

Comparing the Kala's tone with the Pono cedar, the Kala seems a bit thinner, with somewhat less sustain, and fewer low-end tones, but also a bit brighter and louder than the Pono. Once again, it's different from all the other ukuleles I own. That's the amazing thing about ukes: every model is different. That's an excuse to own more, I suppose. Update: See my review of the Mainland cedar tenor, below.

 

This is a really lovely instrument. My first impressions were correct and I was pleased to be able to add it to my collection. Over the past few months, I have come to like the crisp sound of this uke more than the others I have, so I play it more often.

 

I should add that this uke came with the same light but bulky foam-padded case the spruce top came with.

 

Would I purchase another Kala? Yes.
Would I recommend them to others? Yes, without reservation.
Rating (0-5): **** and ****1/2 for the cedar.

 

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Bugsgear Eleuke

 

I purchased this solid-body electric tenor ukulele for my wife, Susan. Not for her to play, mind you, rather so I could practice quietly at night without disturbing her. This model has a built-in pre-amp that includes a headphone jack (plus headphones) so I can practice late at night. Plus I figured it would let me wail through my amp.

 

First thing I noticed is that the Eleuke does not sound like a ukulele. It sounds like a nylon-string guitar, capoed up high and amplified. That's not bad, but it came as a bit of a surprise, although when you think about it, it makes sense. The sound we expect from a uke comes from the body - the wood, the soundboard, and the empty space (including sound hole). An electric instrument does not have the hollow body in which sound can bounce around. Nor does it have the sustain of an electric guitar or the grunt and flexibility of steel strings.

 

The Eleuke has a single piezo pickup, and a tone and volume button, with both headphone and 1/4" output jack. The tone control helps because the uke tends to be 'boomy' and adding a treble end make it sound more uke-like. Of course, you can get better effects from most amps, but this helps when you're using headphones. It does sound good through my Roland Cube 30X amp.

 

The Eleuke's pre-amp is powered by a 9-volt battery, held in the back. It's easy to replace. It also powers the headphones (included with the uke, but not shown here.) I seriously considered adding some homebrew effects circuits to the pre-amp, until a forum poster pointed out I could buy a small, portable electronic device like a Line 6 Pod that gave me a ton of effects, built in, for not a lot of money.

 

The only complaint I have is that the highest string (A) is located very, very close to the edge of the fretboard. This means that aggressive pull-offs or down-strumming can push (or pull) the string off the fretboard. It requires a bit of conservative action to keep from doing that. Possibly thicker strings might help prevent it. But the action is otherwise quite good and it's easy to reach far up the neck to playable notes.

 

The padded gig bag (or soft case) was also included. It's a trifle snug; not to the point of being awkward to put the uke in or remove it, but it won't carry a lot other than a uke and a set of extra strings. It does have an external pouch, but it's not very large. At least it zips shut.

 

The design is a little odd, but the holes make the uke much lighter than you expect, and are an easy way to carry it around, and even hold it up when playing. The neck appeared to me to be dry, so I immediately applied some Dunlop fretboard oil/cleaner. The fretboard is not rough to the touch, however.

 

Tuners are sealed, geared. Price ranges about $250-$350 depending on woods, inlay and size. Some Eleuke clones are showing up on eBay at a lower price, but caveat emptor.

 

There is a second strap button on the back where the neck joins the body. This is certainly convenient, but because the uke body is so small, a wide guitar strap feels tight and uncomfortable at that location. I prefer to tie a strap to the head, but it's a matter of personal taste. Look for something thinner if you want a strap. Or make your own (see straps, below).

 

I've never compared the Eleuke to other solid-body electric ukuleles on the market (like the Risa), but from comments online, they all sound similar: the differences are mostly in style and design. The advantage of this model is the headphone capability. If you're looking for something that combines acoustic and electric capability, this isn't the appropriate instrument.

 

After a few months, I decided I preferred acoustic ukes, and since I wasn't performing, I offered this one for sale of trade online on the various ukulele forums. I traded it for the Applause tenor, reviewed below.

 

Would I purchase another Eleuke? Maybe.
Would I recommend them to others? Yes, with caveats about the expected sound.
Rating (0-5): *** 1/2

 

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Fluke

 

Based on some very positive comments on the various ukulele forums about the Flea and Fluke, and the apparently rabid fan base they have, I was curious about the Fluke. It's an American-made instrument, with a plastic back and wooden top, similar in theory to the Ovation guitar (and their Applause ukulele - see my review below), but with some significant differences. First, it has a plastic fretboard - you can get a rosewood fretboard, but it costs more. Owners spoke well of the plastic, with the exception that it can't take wound strings, which wear down the plastic frets.

 

Second, it's an unusual shape. The bottom is flat, so it can sit upright on a flat surface without a stand. I'm not sure how the shape affects the sound, but the general comment on the Fluke versus a traditional shape is that the Fluke sound is 'mellow.' The shape and plastic back creates a different sort of overtone than a traditional wooden instrument. It's different, neither better nor worse, and quite pleasant.

 

It's really nice to have the Fluke as an distinctly alternate sound to my other ukuleles. Compared to the Applause, it has a warmer sound, with better high-end tonal range.

 

The soundboard is wood: Australian hoop pine. I originally thought it was solid, but it seems it is a laminate. It's very thin for a laminate, however.

 

Flukes come with many design and colour options, some quite attractive, others rather kitschy, all more expensive than the solid colours, most because they include custom artwork by Tiki King. Although I actually wanted a pale blue one - blueberry I think it's called - that colour is no longer available. I chose instead the unadorned 'natural' finish, a rather yellow wood, but I always presumed I might do some artwork on it myself, at a later date (see below for updates).

 

The flat bottom makes it easy to store the Fluke: just put it down on any reasonably flat surface. No stand or hook needed! I routinely leave mine on counters, tables or the sideboard, much to the annoyance of my much tidier (and long-suffering) wife. Plus the plastic back is very durable and weathers bumps and scuffs well (a definite plus in a house with animals, children or someone clumsy like me).

 

The slotted head is also interesting, and unlike any of the others I own. The friction tuners appear to hold quite well, although they do slip out of tune at times. I would have thought humidity and heat changes would not affect the Fluke as much as a solid wood uke, but they do.

 

The shape raises some eyebrows, but everyone seems to love it. It is a tiny bit more of a challenge to hold, and when playing doesn't rest as comfortably on a thigh as a traditional uke.

 

Flukes really stand out. The custom painted models stand out even more and add a whole new, exciting look to the staid ukulele. However the plain, natural finish lends itself to creative thinking about custom paintwork of my own. The photo on the right shows some ideas I've been playing with - putting a blue agave decal and a rosette decal on my Fluke. Haven't tried it yet, but I did find some water-slide decals that should work, and I've played with several designs.

 

The plastic fretboard is actually quite good, and my fingers can't tell the difference from wood. Frets are low and thin, and comfortable to play. Flea Market Music should really consider adding fret markers on the side of the neck, but I did it myself with a silver, permanent marker (an idea from a member of the EZ-Folk forums).

 

The Flea is the soprano model. The Fluke is concert-sized, also available with a tenor neck at a higher price. My first Fluke was the concert, and it came with thin (but bendable) Hilo strings. I was a bit unsure about the concert neck, because it's smaller than the tenor, and I didn't like it as much, but I got used to it. The thinner strings were both easy to play and quieter. I didn't find it difficult to play, but thought I would prefer a longer neck. So I found someone who was willing to trade my Ohana for one (see below).

 

I much prefer the Fluke with a tenor neck for the extra finger room. Only the neck is different: they share the same body size. However, the tenor came with thicker strings (gold) and is louder than the concert. I also find the thinner strings of the concert tend to get pulled off the edge of the fretboard more easily than the tighter tenor strings.

 

Both Flukes came with their own padded gig bags with a shoulder strap. These are really bags: you put the uke in from the top and pull the drawstrings to close. The padding is concentrated on the bottom where the wood sound board is. The bag has an external pouch, but it's open and doesn't seal (a Velcro closer would a real help!). For travel (as in airline), you might want to consider a more protective hardshell case.

 

There are factory options for things like strap buttons and electric pickups, too, if you buy your Fluke from them. Mine came from other sellers, so I missed them. I recommend a strap button, however. Keep in mind: a strap button on the bottom means it won't stand upright.

 

Any future Fluke I get will probably come with a rosewood fretboard, so I can string it as a low-G to test it. Finding a non-wound low-G set is not as easy as finding wound-G strings.

 

Easy to carry, clean, play, funky looking, fun, durable - this is a great instrument all-round. Update: I've actually put decals on my tenor Fluke, as the photos above show. Still need to put on the rosette, but I can't do it with the strings on, so I need to wait until it's ready to restring. I LIKE the agave motif look!

 

Update: I sold the concert Fluke. I really didn't like the size as much as the tenor, although it was a fine little instrument. I'm in the mood for a six-string instead, but I am also seriously thinking about a tenor Fluke with a rosewood fretboard. This is my workhorse ukulele: it sits on a sideboard in the dining room and I pick it up top strum it almost every time I'm downstairs. It's the one I'll probably take with me when I travel, too.

 

Would I purchase another Fluke? Yes, another tenor, but I would prefer a rosewood fretboard.
Would I recommend them to others? Yes.
Rating (0-5): ****

 

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Ohana

 

I've tried soprano ukes, but find the fretboard is too restricted and cramped for my fingers. Years of guitar playing has set me in my hard-to-break habits. Several companies make soprano ukes with concert and tenor necks for old codger like myself. I thought this solid-mahogany soprano uke with its tenor neck would be an interesting yet playable addition to my collection, and the solid mahogany would create a different sound from what I already had. It might best be described as a "warmer" sound than the spruce.

 

First thought was: can the neck take this string tension? The neck long looks a bit awkward on such a small body and I wondered if it was properly anchored to prevent it from bending. Yet the Ohana showed no signs of warping or bending and the intonation was good, so perhaps they have engineered the proper solution. Obviously, you want a thin/light string to avoid putting too much tension on the neck.

 

My second thought was that the neck was rather narrow, and the high A (first) string perilously close to the edge of the fretboard (like the Eleuke). Close enough to deter me from making any aggressive pull-offs. But that's more a matter of style than a serious design flaw, and seems more common in ukes than I perhaps was aware.

 

Another note: the Ohana was a matte, or silk, finish. My Kala and Pono ukuleles are all gloss finish. As a personal preference, I prefer the look of gloss. There is talk on the forums and around the Web about the tonal benefits of matte over gloss, but I haven't seen enough of either to notice any significant difference. Both are some form of polyurethane coating that will restrict the wood in some manner. Even lacquers and shellac used by fine vintage instruments restrict wood vibration. Only an oil-based finish would not. I think that while any finish will dampen the vibrations, the real factor to be concerned about is the thickness of the finish rather than the sound reflectivity. Cheaper ukes tend to have thicker skins (good in politicians, bad in musical instruments...).

 

The sound is what matters. Soprano ukes are all about the upper end of the tone range and this Ohana was no different. It was loud, almost to the point of annoyance when I used fingerpicking style, but much more pleasant when strummed. It sounded a bit shrill and 'plinky' to my ears, though. This may be a desirable sound for some players, but not for me. I found the smaller body didn't have the resonance and complexity of a larger tenor. It had that slightly saccharine sound I've heard on some older recordings, but none of the sustain or richness of my tenors. I didn't care for it as much.

 

The Ohana was light and cheerful and appeared reasonably well made, with no imperfections or blemishes visible. It came with a padded gig bag, too. Tuners were the friction type, which I don't like as much as geared tuners. I found it harder to keep in tune than any geared uke. Friction tuners may be traditional, but they're a pain in the backside too. A tiny twist can be a big change with friction tuners, where a geared tuner allows far more subtle changes.

 

After a couple of weeks of playing, I just wasn't moved by the tone, so I traded it for the tenor Fluke, above. Update: Kala is also offering a soprano body with a tenor neck, nicknamed the 'giraffe' by some people on the ukulele forums.

 

Ohana Zebrawood Soprano

In spring 09, I saw an Ohana zebrawood model online and was so taken by the beauty of the wood, that I ordered one - even though it's only a soprano! I had learned in late spring that my English grandmother had played the ukulele at family singalongs. I won't ever know for sure, but it's likely she played a soprano. That made me consider changing my mind about being so obsessively tenor-oriented.

 

After hemming and hawing about the size, I ordered this uke from the local Canadian distributor, Stringalong Ukuleles, in Hamilton, ON. While I waited for it to arrive, I read some complimentary reviews about it, including one in issue 6 of the Ukulele Player.

 

When it arrived I was a bit surprised. First, it was a stunning wood; the grain and the gloss finish give it a 3D effect. But the colour in almost every image I had seen online was significantly more yellow than the one I received. The yellow accentuates the contrast in the grain. While mine was good looking, it certainly wasn't as eye-popping as the yellow. It was more subtle, with browns and golds. Nice, but not what I had expected.

 

Second, is that Ohana failed to line up the grain of the top wood with the strings. Not that this will affect the sound, but the grain runs at a distinct and very noticeable angle. The back is much straighter. It just looks a bit goofy to me (see the front picture, above).

 

I also found the frets edges slightly rough on both sides of the neck, and the edge of the nut a bit sharp (I hit that edge a lot when I play). Nothing I can't fix easily, but noticeable.

 

This is a solid-wood ukulele; even the back and sides are solid. At this price range, that's uncommon.

 

The Ohana SK-25Z uses friction tuners. I personally don't like friction tuners, but these work well enough. There's still a bit of slippage as the string settle, but overall they keep the uke in tune fairly well. It came with Aquila strings, too. No pickup, traditional figure-8 shape and no strap pegs. But it's so light (382g), a strap really isn't necessary. I find the size makes it easy to pick up and strum around the house without any strain.

 

Sound-wise, it's unexceptional. Not unpleasant, just not exciting. To my ear, all sopranos lack the depth, complexity and richness of a tenor. Even if they have their own charm, they all sound a little thin and plinky to me. This Ohana is not very different from other sopranos I've played, perhaps not as bright side as a satin-finish mahogany, but overall close enough. It might be modestly improved with a different saddle. Sustain is fair and notes are clear.

 

I can't hear a significant difference in the zebrawood over other tonewoods like mahogany that I can attribute to the wood alone. Perhaps the gloss finish has a minor dampening effect, too.

 

Neck is good, and the strings not too close to the fretboard edges. I had no issues with playability.

 

After 18 months of ukulele playing, I find I can play a soprano much more easily than when I first picked one up; my fingers feel more at home and my hand doesn't cramp. It still takes a bit of time before I become accustomed to the smaller scale, however, and I overreach a lot playing familiar tunes.

 

This is more of a novelty for me, rather than a regular player. I will use it to practice my soprano skills, but for my regular playing I will still return to a tenor. I would have preferred it in a larger scale, but Ohana only makes the zebrawood in soprano.

 

Because I bought it for the expected looks, I would have been a lot happier with it had it been closer to the images I had seen on the Web, but I'm not entirely displeased with it, either. It's not a bad ukulele, just not an exceptional one. Since it's hard to find solid-wood ukuleles in this price range, I shouldn't complain too much. I'll practice with it and have fun.

 

On the plus side, this has made me more interested in trying other soprano ukes. So I may end up with more of this scale in future! And who knows - maybe I'll even appreciate concert scale, too!

 

By the way, Stringalong Ukuleles are good folk for Canadians to deal with - great service, friendly and accommodating. And very reasonable prices.

 

Would I purchase another Ohana? Probably.
Would I recommend them to others? Yes.
Rating (0-5): ***

 

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Pono

 

Cedar top tenor:

Again, my decision to buy a Pono was based on some very positive comments on various forums about this brand, I decided to buy a solid-cedar top tenor Pono, cutaway design, with electric pickup. It has solid rosewood sides and back, abalone rosette, ebony tuner heads, sealed Grover tuners, and maple binding. I wanted cedar because it has different sound qualities than spruce. "Warm" is often used to describe cedar: good bass and overtones, lots of sustain.

 

It is a considerable step above my other ukes in cost. That difference is - or should be - reflected in a superb build quality and stunning tone. This is also my first low-G ukulele and I wanted to see what it was like to play with a different sort of tuning, more like a guitar. I like it, but I still prefer high-G for most songs I play. It's nice to have both because there are times you really want the lower note in runs or chords.

 

Pono was my first foray into the ukulele 'big league' over $500, an area I will only visit sporadically. Although I'm nowhere near good enough to really warrant buying an instrument as expensive as this, I decided to treat myself as a birthday gift. I agonized over it for weeks before making the buy, and was excited, with great hopes for this uke.

 

But I was somewhat disappointed when it arrived.

 

First impressions: gorgeous. And sound: rich tone to spare: the cedar really gives it projection and wonderful, low but warm overtones. It even has a truss rod in the neck to enable owners to keep the neck straight, the first I'd seen in any uke and an indication of attention to detail. Unlike many other ukuleles he sells, MGM doesn't set these ukes up for customers: they come set up at the factory. That may be one source for my problems.

 

I plugged the uke into an amp and found it produced feedback fairly easily. I think that's because the soundboard is so responsive that it vibrates easily. Unlike the Kala, it has a passive pickup, without a pre-amp, so it has no controls on the uke and you have to set the tone and volume on your amp. I personally prefer this because it means the uke body isn't broken by electronics and there are fewer internal wires to cause buzzing. It shares the same sort of tail button input jack as the Kala.

 

Nice finish, bindings, good detailing. It felt nice to hold. Sound was stunning. What more could I want?

 

Well, it wasn't perfect, sadly enough. Build quality initially seemed terrific, but there are some flaws I quickly found. At first I thought the uke had some surface blemishes, but they turned out to be some gummy material that cleaned off fairly easily. But why, I had to ask, would a uke - especially an expensive one - ship out with such noticeable imperfections? They were easy enough to spot and clean.

 

When I started to play this uke - did I mention its gorgeous sound? - I found the edges of the frets around the 12th and higher fret, a bit sharper on the edge, than on other ukes I owned. To my fingers the fret wires seem to stand out a bit from the edge of the fretboard, particularly on the first string side at the higher frets. Tiny, perhaps, but very noticeable to my fingertips. I worry that these slightly sharper edges will wear away the first string much faster than should be expected from a high-end ukulele. My other ukes feel much smoother in comparison. It's also rougher than my electric guitar (but not my steel-stringed acoustic Takamine, which is about the same but because of where I place my hands for picking is not as noticeable).

 

If you look closely at the photos of the fret edges, you can see the filed edges of the higher frets have a steeper bevel, so they stand out more when you are running your fingers along them (you can download and enlarge the photos to better see this). Plus the fret dressing at the sound-hole end of the fretboard has been sloppy enough that the wood has been filed away at the edges between several of the frets, leaving a scalloped impression with the fret wires standing out. This too can be felt on the fingers. It's not this bad further down the neck at the lower notes, where I do most of my playing, however.

 

There are a couple of small imperfections in the finish, too. Most noticeable are two at the high end of the neck, one on the right hand side of the photo, and another at the very end of the fretboard, just above the sound hole. Neither of these affect play or sound, but again, I expect a better quality control on an instrument that cost me considerably more than $600 to get here (plus $80 in the egregious government tax grab!).

 

No one on the forums I haunt seems to such issues with their Pono. Most speak in unstintingly glowing terms about their instrument. So most likely mine was one that simply slipped past their vaunted quality control.

 

I wrote to the seller and to Pono ukes, and got an immediate answer from both (MGM, as he is known, offered to pay for a luthier to dress the frets properly, even without me asking for any such solution). Pono showed concern and a willingness to work to some mutual satisfaction, even paying for a luthier to do the work, but my problem is compounded by not having a qualified luthier within a two-hour drive.

 

I was unwilling, however, to send the uke back, and lose it possibly for a long time. So I expect I will have to live with its flaws, chalk it up to the problem of buying something unseen from the Internet. But it did make me reluctant to spend that much on another Pono again. However, I grant them kudos for their attempts to satisfy a customer. Perhaps it's simply a matter of getting used to the neck, or just living with its imperfections, but as much as I wanted to be, I wasn't 100% satisfied. Still, it does sound beautiful, so I am not disappointed in that category.

 

Update Feb. 09: I continue to play the Pono cedartop and enjoy its sound, but the rough fret edges remain annoying enough to make me prefer other ukes. I have since bought or traded several other ukuleles, none of which have such noticeably rough frets.

 

Solid mango tenor:

 

Update: I just received a solid mango tenor Pono, with pickup, again purchased from MGM on eBay. Tuned low-G, but I also purchased a set of Worth CT strings to restring it as high-G once I've played it a bit.

 

The tone is different from the cedar - not as much sustain, but a little fuller in the bass and not as 'boomy', especially when plugged in. It also projects a little less than the cedar when unplugged. In part I think the difference comes from the strings (different brands apparently). The cedar top has two wound strings; on the mango only the low-G is wound. It is also not as crisp as my spruce-top at the higher tone range, but offers a stronger, fuller mid-range.

 

Mango is not a popular tonewood like spruce, mahogany and koa, but it is one of the exotic woods gaining greater popularity among makers. Several manufacturers offer laminated mango: this was the first solid-mango I found (I prefer solid-wood over laminates). I have not read anything on how long it takes mango to 'settle' compared to other tonewoods.

 

The tuners are Grover open-gear machines with chrome heads, utilitarian and functional, but not the nice sealed tuners with their ebony heads on the cedar model. The neck and frets are smooth this time, with no rough edges. Finish is beautiful - very glossy, but possibly a little thicker than it might have been. Otherwise: no blemishes or faults to be seen.

 

The mango wood is simply stunning. It's got skeins of yellow and orange running through it and the grain is wildly abstract and patchy, not straight. It's speckled like a gecko in some areas. It reminds me of those polished slices of fossilized rock. It makes the cedar and spruce tops look staid and conventional. I really like it, and even Susan thinks its damned attractive. The photos barely capture its beauty, and tend to be redder than the actual wood shows in real light.

 

The A string snapped almost immediately when I began to tune this instrument, right at the nut. It probably got nicked at some point and tightening the string exacerbated it into a tear. Not a big deal: I replaced it with an Aquila, but it's a little odd looking now - the original strings are yellow (Gold Koolau), but now the A is white. I'm not sure if these string brands have such different tones, but as soon as I get a new set of Koolau strings, I'll replace the lone Aquila to find out.

 

I also took the moment to use a metal bead on the string end instead of the traditional saddle-hugging knot. It's an experiment, but I believe beads will dampen the bridge vibrations less than a knot does. See the photo above. I've read that many classical guitarists string their instruments with a bead rather than tying the string to the bridge. This apparently improves the treble end of the tone. I found a few different types of beads to try at a local craft shop (glass and metal) and will see if there's any noticeable change once I restring an entire uke. There's some discussion of this technique by Peter Kun Frary, Professor of Music at the University of Hawaii and other sites.

 

It's not a cutaway model, but I don't really have any difficulty reaching the upper frets, at least the ones I generally play on. For all of the ukes I have, playing up above the 12th fret is not as good as on a guitar: the strings are closer to the frets so they can buzz easily if not fingered exactly, and the strings don't have that clear resonance or tone that they have further down the neck.

 

The passive pickup works well and doesn't provide feedback until I get into the "nuke the neighbours" volume range on my Roland Cube 30X amp. I suggest the mango top is less sensitive to feedback than the cedar.

 

Price with case and shipping was $480 USD (plus another $64 in blood money to the government). I can't complain about the quality or sound, but for that price, the gear heads should be a little more upscale, at the very least sealed to prevent dirt and debris from corroding them. I plan to replace them with some nicer Grover or similar sealed tuning gears in the near future (in my experience, open-geared tuners get dirty and corrode faster - I live in a house with four cats and a dog, and their hair gets everywhere). I would have given it a little higher rating but for that - however they don't affect the sound. (Open tuners are often used t keep the weight of the head down, which is more noticeable on a ukulele than on a guitar).

 

This model certainly helped quell my earlier doubts about Pono's build quality after the problems with my cedar-top model. I wasn't sure about ordering another, but was easily seduced by the photos of the wood grain in this particular model. I'm glad I did.

 

I think because of its more mellow, mid-range sound, this is more a strummer than a picker, but I will know better with more play and a change to high-G tuning.

 

Both Ponos came with excellent hardshell cases, but they are very snug, with little extra carrying room aside from a small, closeable interior space, but no external pockets and no shoulder straps.

 

Update, Sept. 12/08: Humidity changes caused my cedar-topped Pono to snap a string while in its case. I took advantage of that to replace the stings with a set of D'Addario J71s and add glass beads to the string ends. The original strings were low-G Ko'olaus with wound C and C strings. Personally, I think they are better strings for this uke than the D'Addarios. The J71s seem a little muted in comparison, but the high-G on the J71s gives a nice sound too, although I miss the low end of the low-G (cedar gives such a nice resonant low end). Here's a photo of how the beads look at the bridge. I chose some anodized glass beads for a bit of extra colour. Make sure you trim the string end after they're settled and tight. If you do it too soon, the string can end up pulling itself through the bead as you tighten the string. If you leave it too long, it can contact the sound board and buzz.

 

Over the past year, I've found I play the mango more than the cedar. Although not as rich a sound or as long a sustain, the mango is a nice, warm tone. Also, the rough edges on the cedar's fretboard discourage me from playing it a lot. I tried D'Addario J71 strings on the cedar, but don't like them as much as the Aquilas I put on the mango.

 

March 2009: I replaced the bone saddle with a Tusq ("artificial ivory") saddle on the mango. It made a small but noticeable improvement in the brightness of the sound. May 09: The mango top popped a string in its case too! None of my other ukes have ever done this, except these Ponos. That's a bit off - both have truss rods in their neck - you'd think that would discourage bending.

 

Would I purchase another Pono? Yes.
Would I recommend them to others? Yes.
Rating (0-5): ***1/2

 

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