With all of this, Barry has my total respect and trust...I'd buy him a pint if we ever have the opportunity.
Thank you! Partial to Stout!
With all of this, Barry has my total respect and trust...I'd buy him a pint if we ever have the opportunity.
instruments need a setup. I don't dispute that. Not all instruments need a setup. It is not in the manufacturers best interests to ship poorly setup instruments and it has been my experience that most do not. If I was buying a Kamaka online I would prefer it be shipped to me in the same condition it left the factory. I wouldn't want anyone to make any changes before I played it.
You see - i think this is the big misconception - I've seen high end instuments ship in transit and need more setup tweaking. The need for a setup check is not the preserve of the low end - it can affect ANY instrument of any price. The difference is that the higher end instruments tend to ship far fewer that need it that the ultra cheap end.
So then we come to the other point - that there ARE many dealers out there that carry affordable instruments (people like Mim) who set even the cheapest instruments up to make sure they are playable for beginners before despatch.
So my gripe with this Caramel is not just that it was flawed, but mainly that I could recommend LOTS of others from great dealers for not a lot more money that just will suit a beginner far better from the off.
My main point is - it's not like there are no better alternatives. There are. Yes, you may pay a touch more - but seriously - choosing your ukulele on the basis that it must be cheaper than the cost of a single ukulele lessson seems crazy to me.
I didn't make a distinction between high and low priced ukes. You made that distinction. I don't see how that is a misconception.
You also helped illustrate a point I made earlier. These discussions always end up pointing the readers to Mim or a couple of others "great sellers". That leaves me feeling funny so I am of the opinion that people should understand that and consider it when making their own decisions.
Not suggesting impropriety but more of a culture that prevails.
I didn't make a distinction between high and low priced ukes. You made that distinction. I don't see how that is a misconception.
So my gripe with this Caramel is not just that it was flawed, but mainly that I could recommend LOTS of others from great dealers for not a lot more money that just will suit a beginner far better from the off.
I've bought a few inexpensive ukes for youngsters, and it looks like I'm going to be buying a few more. Which, for not a lot more money, might you recommend?
Thanks in advance.
Yes - reviews are subjective - that's all I ever say mine are. Impossible to be anything else..
Only other point - this 'freboard fallaway' business -was intrigued so spoke to a couple of luthiers - they think not - they think that's a cop out for a badly made instrument - plus, when you are building to a $40 sale price in a mass factory - the chances of Caramel 'experimenting' in unusual building techniques seems highly unlikely. Really highly. They would do better to ensure simple things like side fret markers, decent tuners, reasonable setup and non sharp fret ends are right before such experimentation. Heck - they could even finish of the polish on the body.
In short - I don't buy that at all - this is an instrument built to a very low budget with all the issues that tends to create.
Cheap tuners are expected? Perhaps - but I've played plenty at the same price which are far better
Cheap finish is expected? I LIKE satin finishes - there are patches on this that have NO finish AT ALL. That's not 'rough by design' That's 'rough because it's not finished properly'.
I also setup all my own instruments. I could set this one up - but that would make the review for a readership that has a significant contingent of new players reading, rather pointless. They probably couldn't and would receive it wondering what was wrong. The lucky ones would realise and then pay to get it set up - so then a $40 ukulele becomes a $50 or $60 ukulele. And THAT is the isssue - then you are talking a whole other range of better choices.
Did I just get a bad one? Maybe. Who knows - as I say - I am SURE there are better examples, but based on responses I had to this so far, this is not the only bad one. So the final view from me is - why play roulette?
I would be willing to bet luthiers disagree on lots of things. I would also be willing to bet that Caramel has a few luthiers on hand. I have a zebrawood tenor that has a spot on setup from the factory and upon further examination also has the fallaway fretboard. This is integrated into the design. You call it a possible fatal flaw. Anyway, despite what your luthiers say the fallaway fretboard thing is a thing. You need look no further than Caramel to find it.
Cheap tuners are cheap tuners. You said yourself they hold well. But they didn't because they slipped out of tune by the end of the review. No worries there as we all know that strings take awhile to play in. You probably should have tuned the uke again before playing it in the review while talking about the poor intonation. Playing a single note run up the C string is not how one would test or demonstrate proper intonation.
I like satin finishes as well. I wouldn't give Caramel high marks for their finish work and they don't do a great job book matching the sides but price point should be kept in mind. Zebrawood will not win any awards for its tone but it still sounds like a uke.
Caramel has actually shown themselves to be playful and inventive. They do take some chances and they respond to their customers.
Please don't take offense.
Just to add - I've also had people question some reviews of cheap ukuleles I have had where I have scored them well - claiming that the ones they had were terrible. This highlights my point - I can only review the model I have to hand. I have no doubt I have had good examples (and said so) of instruments that have let others down. Equally I have had bad instruments (like this one) and said so, when no doubt there are good ones around.
Which leaves me wondering what I can do - say every bad instrument I see is likely better for others, and every good one might be worse? Clearly, that would be ridiculous.
The answer is - it's just one persons take of the single instrument they had to hand. Nothing more. People can say they had better experience and I am pleased if they did. But don't question my experience of this particular one.
The point is - on closer examination of this one - its not been built or carved like that - the actual top of the ukulele is dipping. That really isn't right.