First impressions and audio: aNueNue Moon Bird concert (aNN-UC200)

Mivo

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After playing mostly sopranos and tenors for a while, I felt once more drawn to the concert size, hoping to find in it the Goldilocks size that gives me the best of both worlds. I also wanted an instrument that is ideal for re-entrant C tuning as I prefer D tuning on sopranos and either low-G or reentrant Bb tuning on the tenor size.

My first ukulele had been a €150 Stagg UC80-S concert, but I quickly got curious about the smaller and bigger sizes and didn't give the concert size much of a chance. Later on, I tried a KoAloha Opio concert (sapele model) where I eventually felt the sound was a bit brash, and a KoAloha Longneck Pineapple (which I really liked and that made me want a "full" concert ukulele, but that I eventually sold to get a Kanile'a GL6, which I then sold to get a Blackbird Farallon, which I then returned -- I'm not really as indecisive as this makes me look!).

Talking with Jollyboy, the topic of the concert size came up and I started to look around a little. I didn't necessarily want to get a new uke, but you know how it goes. Once the idea rummages through the mind, the postman will soon bring a new baby. Southern Ukulele Store had the new aNueNue Moon Bird ukuleles in stock, which struck me as aesthetically very appealing and attractive, the fluid design especially, but there were only soprano and tenor sizes available at SUS. I thought to myself, "If they had this in concert size, I'd bite." A few days later I spotted the concert model of the series at the new World of Ukes, ran by Matt Warnes who publishes UKE, the UK's ukulele magazine (full color printed, really a neat quarterly). I talked some with him (personable, witty guy), he recorded a demo of the actual instrument for me), and well, I bought it! It arrived this week, so what I write here are just my initial impressions. If it works out for me, I might do a "after a few months" review down the road.

Here are some high quality photos from the manufacturer, which look better than what I can take with an iPad on this cloudy day. And here are Matt's photos of the instrument I bought). Matt's photos are very accurate: the rosewood is as chocolate-dark as shown, the headstock logo is a pearl inlay. If you want to see a particular part and don't mind a quick snapshot, let me know.

The specs:

Top: Solid Swiss Moon Spruce
Sides and back: Solid East Indian Rosewood
Headplate: Ebony
Tuners: Gotoh UPT (black and gold), my favorite tuners
Neck: Mahogany
Bridge: Ebony
Nut / Saddle: Buffalo Bone
Fingerboard: Ebony
Rosette and fretmarkers: Spalted Maple
Binding: Rosewood
Sidemarkers: could be pearl, could be plastic
Total Frets: 20 (14 to the body, 17-18 on the cutaway side)

It came in a custom wooden hardcase with dark blue, real leather (darker than in photos,) and brass latches. The lockable case has feet on the side as well as on the bottom (so it won't get scratched when it's opened on the floor). There is a small aNueNue logo embossed on it. This is actually the best case I own and it's miles beyond the €80-100 hardcases I have. I know, it's just a case, but I'm really impressed with it. :) It's unusual to get such a case in this price category.

The ukulele itself is nothing short of amazing. Flawlessly finished, cleanly crafted (no glue blobs), very light, stunning as it looks in the photos. The saddle is heavily compensated (I didn't know it would be, so that was a very nice surprise) and the intonation is spot on all the way up the neck. I tested it with the Polytune tuner too, because I was so fascinated by how accurate the intonation is.

It has a relatively slim neck that feels comfortable to me. No radiused fretboard (sorry Sam and Dave!). The action is comfortably low without buzzing when playing harder. To me, it feels perfect. It's just very easy, effortless to play, very buttery and smooth. Since it's so light, I find myself playing it comfortably without a Uke Leash.

The sound (samples below) is loud, full, and there are gobs of sustain. It rings on and on. It came with aNueNue's own brand of fluorocarbon strings, the Black Water strings (they have Clear Water also). Those are a little bit lower tension than some other fluorocarbon strings and also sold separately. The gauges for the soprano and concert versions are, from A to G: 0.49mm/.019", 0.70mm/.027", 0.76mm/.031", 0.55mm/.022". (The Clear Water ones are .020, .025, .029, .022, so thinner and minimally less tension.) There are also tenor versions of these strings (I only have a set of the Black Water ones: .023, .027, .031, .025). I really like the Black Water strings. Tonally, they are probably a little like the Worth Browns, though it's hard to tell for me since I know this instrument only with its original strings yet. I do like their feel and sound, and they work well on this instrument. In a month or two I'll try the Clear Water ones for comparison.

Right, the sound! Matt of World of Ukes, kindly did a demonstration of the actual instrument for me and he is fine with the audio files being shared. Since he has a better recording setup and playing ability than me, I'll spare you my playing and include his recordings instead for a fair representation of what the uke sounds like!

Fingerpicking
Strummed

Sustain up the neck is really good and it doesn't lose much projection, which has always been one of my bugbears with the shorter scales.

Dropping €1100 (it's probably cheaper in the US) on a non-custom, non-Hawaiian uke that is "handmade in China" is not something that I did without thinking hard about it (there's some stigma), and I was curious if the instrument would meet my expectations. And it really did! Other than the label, nothing says "Made in China" about this uke. From sound and materials to craftsmanship, this is a top-notch ukulele that doesn't need to hide from the K brand models, and euro for euro, or dollar for dollar, the Moon Bird delivers probably more: the outstanding quality case, the UPT tuners, pearl inlay and the compensated saddle add quite a bit of value. And it plays wonderfully with superb projection.

There are also soprano and tenor versions of these, and aNueNue make a koa model of the same series, for those are prefer different woods sizes.

This will be the only ukulele I'll be playing for the next four weeks, to really get to know it- Yes, that is how much I enjoy it. :)

Hope this was helpful - at least the sound samples! There's not much information on aNueNue here on the forum, especially not their higher end models.
 
Cool review :cool: I'm glad to hear that you are enjoying the Moon Bird :)
 
Thanks for this review. I have my eye on the soprano but there is a definite lack of online reviews. It would be great to get your thoughts on this in a few weeks time after the newness has worn off.
 
Great review, Michael, thanks and congratulations to a nice acquisition! I have been interested in this model as well, I think the design is working very well, and if the top is real Swiss Moon Spruce, it has got to be awesome! As far as I know, Tobias Elof is using this model, so there's some further endorsement.
 
Great review......really....you hit all the important points. So much so that I want one of those cases, lol. It is a wonderful instrument and I love the sound as much as the looks, it really is a well thought out and executed design. I am glad you are so happy with it, I have been lucky with one little known builder, Webber. So I know how it feels to climb out on that limb, you have done just that but the instrument seems great. Oh and thanks for the heads up about no radius......saved me from obsessing, lusting after one of these in a tenor ;)
 
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Congratulations. I like the look of this ukulele and agree the moon spruce looks great and gas a good story behind it. If build is good, sound is good and you are happy, country of manufacture shouldn't matter. I'd like to try a tenor before I pulled the trigger for that kind of dollars. We have to ship all the good stuff into Canada so that is hard to do. I'm going to PM .
Thanks
 
Magical. That's the first cutaway I've seen that I like.
 
I have been considering the moonbird in the tenor size. As you have had this now for a few months, it would be good to have an update from you. I was also looking at the Blackbird Farallon. Any particular reason you returned that one so quickly?
 
I have been considering the moonbird in the tenor size. As you have had this now for a few months, it would be good to have an update from you. I was also looking at the Blackbird Farallon. Any particular reason you returned that one so quickly?

I still feel it is the best sounding and playable concert I ever had or played, although I have decided to let it go and stick with sopranos and banjos. It's not a reflection on the instrument, just of my limited budget (can't keep everything) and the love for sopranos. I get my fix for the "bigger", louder sound from the banjo.

The Farallon: The one I had received had some cosmetic flaws, which was one of the chief reasons I returned it. Also, in direct comparison (played by me, in my house, in person vs. recordings online) to my Barron River tenor I favored the instrument I already had. It sounded livelier and sweeter to me, and equally loud. The sound of the Farallon was great, it's a marvelous instrument, but the Barron River's voice spoke more to me. I also feel that the price tag of the Farallon is a little high.
 
Great ukes. i reviewed the tenor version that came to me on loan from Matt - highest scored ukulele on all of the Got A Ukulele reviews. That's high praise!
 
Thanks Mivo, for the update. I also feel that the Farallon is a little overpriced, but understandable when considering the cost of bringing these innovative instruments to market. They are marketed as better sounding than wood, worry free, indestructible, humidity and temperature resistant etc, but I would personally still treat it as a high end solid wood ukulele, mainly because of the £1550 price tag. I have never had the opportunity to play a custom UKE such as your baron river, but I imagine most such instruments will be better all round instruments, not just due to the wood, but more the build quality. Disappointing that the Farallon was sent out with flaws.
I appreciate your review of the Moonbird concert. I have also seen baz's review of the tenor version, which I am more interested in, excellent review and made my mind up. There are also some nice sounding clips on YouTube, although these are professionally made samples with great players. I think the price is great for what you get and I will be having one as soon as the next batch arrive at World of Ukes.
 
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