Thinking about ordering my first custom

I own two custom made ukuleles at the moment but I had not speced out either one. The first was a Mya Moe sycamore tenor that went up for sale here. I seller had ordered it one year prior then as the due date became closer he had a change of heart. Basically put it up for sale as soon as he got it. Fortunately there was a Completed Works video sound sample on the Mya Moe site which gave me a great idea of how it would sound. I have had it over 2 months and I love it.

The second one was a new tenor being built by David Webber. I happened to contact him 3/4 of the way through the build process so there was nothing I could specify other than a radius fretboard. It has an englman spruce top with cocobolo back and sides, this is a combo I have wanted for a while and a main reason I agreed to buy it. This is now three weeks old and my favorite uke at the moment. The ONLY source of feed back on Webber ukuleles was member Patrick Madsen whom owns one of David's baritones and raved about it. So both my customs ukes were a gamble and I have been thrilled with both.

Next one up is a LfdM which I have ordered from the ground up. I live close to Luis so have had the opportunity to play 7-8 of his instruments. This has been a fun process and I fell in love with the sound of a Sitka spruce/Amazon rosewood cutaway which Luis had finished. I was able to play this against 5 other finished tenors of different wood combo. Luis has enough of the exact piece of the spruce and the rosewood to make mine. Hopefully by duplicating everything it will sound as good..........we shall see in about 4 months time.

First of all, no luhtier or company can promise that every uke they build is going to sound exactly like the one before, even if the woods are the same, same build and size, same evrything. Its wood and wood will sounds like what it sounds like. If you want a uke that will the sound the same as the last one, then get yourself a Clara or one of the other carbon fiber or plastic ukes. Most luthier made ukes are better than most factory ukes, that is why they cost more. Factory ukes are plentiful, luthier made ukes are not. If you want to pay $500 for a uke, then look around and find one that meets your needs, doesn't matter who made it. Most of the tone of a uke comes from the wood, not from the luthier. Most luthiers will not use subjective wood, factories use most everything.

And another thing, not all luthiers charge high prices. I personally don't participate in the high price market because I don't want to, not because I can't. If one of my customers does not like the instrument they have bought from me, they can return it, no questions asked. I give a 2 day trial period and sometimes more.

I don't know why you keep harping on high priced ukes, maybe you got burned, don't care, but its getting old.

JustinJ said:

Thank you for this in depth post. I'm a stickler for details and craftsmanship. If I'm paying a lot for something, I expect it to be made well.

I feel once you get above 1500, there should not be finishing flaws on the instrument. Everything should fit together well. Why do I say this? You can buy a Pono ukulele for under 500 and not see any finishing flaws. Of course you may need to get it setup and the bridge may need to be adjusted but really the mid range ukuleles offer a lot of bang for your buck.

As katsax pointed out with a custom uke, you take a chance. I agree and look at the difference in the sounds of Kamaka HF-3s . There have a been two Kamaka HF-3Ls that sounded special to my ears on HMS. There have been other HF-3L that I did not like it all. It is the same player at HMS who played the Kamakas. If the Kamaka can differ in their sounds from a factory made instrument, then the custom builders will not not be able to replicate another instrument to have the same exact tone. This is where I think it may be better to buy used. Someone may have a nice custom that works well for you but that they do not like. You get a chance to play it and if you find it special buy it..


I think many times, we associate custom ukulele as automatically better than a factory ukulele. The ukulele will automatically have better tone and construction than a factory made. As Katysax point this is not necessarily true.

It may be wise to buy a custom made ukulele from online dealer who allows returns. This way you can see if you like the instrument. You may have to pay a restocking fee or other fees but it's lot cheaper than reselling it.

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Your taking my post wrong. No I did not get burned. You seem to have a good reputation. You make the point well that price is not everything.

I have no problems with someone charging a price. There are crafts people who are masters. They deserve their pay.

I think some luthiers might disagree with you about the builder making a difference in the tone. What about thinning the top in certain areas to bring out more of the sound? I had a custom uke made out of nice Koa and Spruce. It sounded good but it the hands of a more skilled luthier the tone could of been better. I discussed this with a certified and trained luthier who builds very nice custom guitars. I'm not stating that some needs certification or training to be an expert or a better builder than someone with no training. Here I think good experience with a drive to do better every time counts more.

I think it's great that you offer a 2 day trail period. I'm not lumping all luthiers together. I have nothing against luthiers. Actually, I'm fascinated by instrument building. Please do not take my post as being critical of your profession it's not. It likes any other business. There is good and bad in every profession.

This is a forum and we can have discussion. People come here to research and get educated. Both sides need to be presented.

BlackBearUkes said:

First of all, no luhtier or company can promise that every uke they build is going to sound exactly like the one before, even if the woods are the same, same build and size, same evrything. Its wood and wood will sounds like what it sounds like. If you want a uke that will the sound the same as the last one, then get yourself a Clara or one of the other carbon fiber or plastic ukes. Most luthier made ukes are better than most factory ukes, that is why they cost more. Factory ukes are plentiful, luthier made ukes are not. If you want to pay $500 for a uke, then look around and find one that meets your needs, doesn't matter who made it. Most of the tone of a uke comes from the wood, not from the luthier. Most luthiers will not use subjective wood, factories use most everything.

And another thing, not all luthiers charge high prices. I personally don't participate in the high price market because I don't want to, not because I can't. If one of my customers does not like the instrument they have bought from me, they can return it, no questions asked. I give a 2 day trial period and sometimes more.

I don't know why you keep harping on high priced ukes, maybe you got burned, don't care, but its getting old.

Click to expand...

JustinJ said:

Thank you for this in depth post. I'm a stickler for details and craftsmanship. If I'm paying a lot for something, I expect it to be made well.

I feel once you get above 1500, there should not be finishing flaws on the instrument. Everything should fit together well. Why do I say this? You can buy a Pono ukulele for under 500 and not see any finishing flaws. Of course you may need to get it setup and the bridge may need to be adjusted but really the mid range ukuleles offer a lot of bang for your buck.

As katsax pointed out with a custom uke, you take a chance. I agree and look at the difference in the sounds of Kamaka HF-3s . There have a been two Kamaka HF-3Ls that sounded special to my ears on HMS. There have been other HF-3L that I did not like it all. It is the same player at HMS who played the Kamakas. If the Kamaka can differ in their sounds from a factory made instrument, then the custom builders will not not be able to replicate another instrument to have the same exact tone. This is where I think it may be better to buy used. Someone may have a nice custom that works well for you but that they do not like. You get a chance to play it and if you find it special buy it..


I think many times, we associate custom ukulele as automatically better than a factory ukulele. The ukulele will automatically have better tone and construction than a factory made. As Katysax point this is not necessarily true.

It may be wise to buy a custom made ukulele from online dealer who allows returns. This way you can see if you like the instrument. You may have to pay a restocking fee or other fees but it's lot cheaper than reselling it.

Click to expand...

I think the OP's question was, if you have gone down the road to custom ukery, how was your experience? Not what somebody who hasn't done it thinks. If you have had high-end custom ukuleles made and you want to compare them to medium- or high-end factory models, that's a valid comparison. Probably be good to name names. You have a basis for so doing.

A statement that starts, "Well, I have never done this, but here's what I think ..." is perfectly valid, but might carry less weight than "I did this, and here's what I think ..."

You said you had a custom koa/spruce uke made, but it could have been better. You discussed it with a luthier, whom, I assume, agreed. In both cases, why? Why do you or the luthier think that?

Pardon me for pointing out the obvious. Back when my children were small and running us ragged, my wife and I used to be vastly amused by people who didn't have children offering us advice on how to raise them. (And also from folks who were planning to have children, but hadn't yet, telling us how they were going to do it, based on something they read in a book. Theory is wonderful, but sometimes get dashed all to pieces when it smacks into reality.) Which is not to say that good advice can't come from somebody with no experience in a thing, even a blind pig finds an acorn now and then, only that such advice probably needs to be looked at with greater care.

I have no problem with free-flowing and open discussion, but that pesky fact versus opinion thing does come into play ...

Hi Steve,

Since I have experience ordering a custom uke, I think I can join the post. If you knew anything about pigs they use their noses but I'll forgive you. You may want to work on the facts yourself.

I'm not naming any names because I sent it back to the builder. I have nothing against the builder. My money was refunded for shipping both ways.

Actually the top was not blended properly into the sides. Around the edges of the sound hole were missing some stain. This is unacceptable. The top was too thick not thinned properly. There was more than a couple of problems with it. The seams on the the back were too wide. You could put a piece of paper in the seams. There was a slightly flat spot in the neck. The neck was slightly off center. Even where the two pieces at the bottom were joined had too wide of a space.

NewKid said:

Hey folks, can we please give Justin a break? The whole better to be kind than right thing?

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With all due respect, NewKid, sometimes it is kinder to point out when somebody is saying things that are unclear or even wrong. If somebody doesn't call you on it, how do you learn? If you come to a public forum and offer opinions that tend to rile folks, why is it that they should be kind? Aloha swings both ways, doesn't it?

Not trying to pick on you JustinJ, but there was a long discussion you instigated recently on Uke Talk about Custom Builders and Price in which you offered your opinions on custom ukes, guitar builders, costs, and why folks who spend three grand on a uke don’t often come out and say they made a mistake. It was a knock-this-chip-off-my-shoulder post, and if you didn't intend it that way? Is that our fault that many of us saw it as such? Are we all out of step?

That discussion ruffled some feathers, and rightly so; your argument needed to be fleshed-out better before you presented it, and I believe you came to realize that, and altered it. If a lot of folks take something you said wrong? You might want to consider how you said it. Those broad, flat statements need more backing if they are to stand alone. When you offer criticisms that include “All,” or “many,” or “most,” there can be a lot of tar in that brush, and it might get on folks who don’t deserve it.

The blind pig in my example was a metaphor. Not meant to be taken literally.

Your stance seems apparent when it comes to such things. Here is another thread where somebody is asking about experiences with commissioning custom-made ukuleles, and here you are again telling us pretty much the same thing. Hey, you might not get what you pay for! Hey, a good mid-range uke can be a great value!

No, really?

So if you are going to offer that custom ukes often aren’t up to snuff, which custom uke did you get that wasn’t worth it? Your example sounds pretty awful. Who made it? Which luthier should the OP bypass?

Generalizations can be useful, but in such cases, not so much. Allowing that, you know, sometimes you don’t get what you pay for? How does that help?

If you are going to throw something out for debate, wouldn't it be better to have something on tap with which to respond if somebody calls you out?

Steve,

If you're going to use metaphors. Use them correctly. It's even a blind squirrel finds a nut every now and then.

If you have problems with me, you need to message me personally. No one wants to hear your incessant rambling. Do you think you sound intelligent or people care what you think ? You're just an old blowhard who tries to bully people online.

You should consider deleting your posts that are not relevant to this thread. No one made you king around here. You do not have to act like one. Take your bullying somewhere else. I for one will not put up with it.

Hear Hear.
@ SPWriter (?)

You may need to rethink your own post and take a leaf out of your on book of advice.

It's a forum,an informal conversation , not an official help line. People on here can make their own minds up about what another poster contributes .
There. Done. Anything further, PM me.

JustinJ said:

Steve,

If you're going to use metaphors. Use them correctly. It's even a blind squirrel finds a nut every now and then.

If you have problems with me, you need to message me personally. No one wants to hear your incessant rambling. Do you think you sound intelligent or people care what you think ? You're just an old blowhard who tries to bully people online.

You should consider deleting your posts that are not relevant to this thread. No one made you king around here. You do not have to act like one. Take your bullying somewhere else. I for one will not put up with it.

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a) I used the metaphor correctly http://bit.ly/1JhJFvy.b) I spoke to what you had to say. I don't know you, all I have to go on is what you say here, and it needs work. If you can't take the heat, stay out of the kitchen, nobody is bullying you; if you offer argumentative stuff, you need to man up if somebody calls you on it.

Thanks Fretie. I have all koa and all mahogany uses, so this time, I think I'll try a different wood combo to avoid ordering something too similar to what I already have.

Thanks, Johnson. I've found strings that I really like. in terms of sound, I prefer warmth over brightness. They both have their place, I'm just more partial to a warm tone.

Thanks, Patrick.

Thanks Lori. I appreciate your input. Aloha nui.

Thanks, Steve, good advice. And thanks for the names of the luthiers. I haven't heard of either of them. Peace!
ve

Thanks katysax. Great points. Two of my best friends are very well known builders, unfortunately, they don't build ukes, but I visit them in their shops and watch the process in regard to other instruments. The process intrigues me and I understand it's a gamble. I trying to do as much research as I can before I commit because I'd like to make it fun. Thanks for the great advice.

Thanks, Justin. It is a gamble. Playing the instrument versus ordering it, then playing it is a gamble. It could be tremendous or a real disappointment. I really appreciate everyone's comments.

Your welcome MDL and I'm sorry that I did not keep your post on topic. You came here to ask a question and I got involved in something very petty.

You can find a good custom uke builder. The best thing is to get a chance to play some different ukes. If you can not play them, then see if the builder has a return policy. I think that is great that Black Bear Uke has a two day trial period. I'm sure that there are other builders who offer this.

HMS also carries custom uke makers.

http://www.theukulelesite.com/shop-by/custom-builds.html

Ukulele Friend

There is also http://ukulelefriend.com

These places may allow you to return the uke if you do not like it.

I have a covered bridge custom, a mya moe that was bought as an already available instrument, a les Stansell, and I have a mya moe currently in the works with an expected March completion date.

I'll start with mya moe - the customer service is pretty insane, they are so on point! They will bend over backwards to make you happy. My a-string started to fray, which I found out can be a problem with worth clears, they sent me a new string. I got a little surface scratch on my headstock when trying to change strings, they sent me 0000 steel wool to help buffer it out and it worked perfectly. When I received my mya moe, I saw there was just the tiniest of chips on the back of the headstock - Gordon immediately offered to cover my shipping to send it back, or to reimburse me for a local Luthier to fix. Instead, I asked for a credit towards a future purchase and he graciously agreed. Mya moe clearly strive to make every customer happy and I've been so impressed with their customer approach.

Covered bridge was also excellent. The whole process was smooth and non scary. My uke buzzed on a certain string after a few weeks and Terry said ship back to me paid for my shipping and re-set up the instrument.

Same with the Stansell. Les is super easy to talk to, always available, super helpful, and I would call him a friend as a result. les builds instruments to his own design in groups, and I purchased mine as a result of our communication process.

All three sound great and are very unique, each has a signature tone that I appreciate. All 3 I could not be happier with the customer service and interaction. I've been lucky that the 3 custom builders I've dealt with are all very fantastic people who truly seem to care about making you happy.

In any event, what I've learned from this process is that the character and integrity, and customer philosophy, of the builder is just as important as the actual instrument. I am new to this community, but Gordon/char/Aaron, Terry and perry, and les, have shown me the absolute best of what this community has to offer and I couldn't be happier. I also need send a shout out to mike from mainland - though not a custom, his service to me and my students and supplying my room with ukes also deserves to be commended.

JustinJ said:

Your welcome MDL and I'm sorry that I did not keep your post on topic. You came here to ask a question and I got involved in something very petty.

You can find a good custom uke builder. The best thing is to get a chance to play some different ukes. If you can not play them, then see if the builder has a return policy. I think that is great that Black Bear Uke has a two day trial period. I'm sure that there are other builders who offer this.

HMS also carries custom uke makers.

http://www.theukulelesite.com/shop-by/custom-builds.html

Ukulele Friend

There is also http://ukulelefriend.com

These places may allow you to return the uke if you do not like it.

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Just a quick one on this off topic subject . "Buying Tips" is the title of this board. That covers the whole spectrum of Buying ,how to, what to, where from .

MDL asked specifically if anybody had experience with buying custom ukes . You responded and were immediately lambasted by Steveperrywriter in a tirade of scorn,mockery and insult and virtually told to "butt out "because you and your opinion were of no worth . That's not petty.

That is cyber bullying . It is also being a Jerk . He implied that you had no experience with custom buying , quite wrongly as it turns out , and that as such you and others in a similar position had no worth or right to post. Quite wrong.I only make this public because I do not believe the matter is petty . SPW brought his attitude and grievance in from his reaction to posts on a completely different thread. Unacceptable in my view. Anyway ,enough.

MDL, I wish you every success in your venture whichever way you decide to go and apologise for interrupting this broadcast ( I said it was an open door )I return you to your cogitations.

Thanks, JustinJ. Much appreciated!