Caramel CC102A Concert Ukulele - REVIEW

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.
 
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Baaaaz, fix the quote, please -- Dooke said this, I didn't. :) My view is more snobby, though I feel a bit bad about it sometimes: if you want a proper musical instrument, be willing to spend a bit more on it. We buy phones every year, tablets, laptops ... and they always cost more than mid range ukes that may bring joy for a lifetime. Ukuleles are generally cheaper than all other stringed instruments. (However, I sympathize with budget limitations, like at Choirguy's school. I suppose that is why recorders are more common in basic music education than stringed instruments. Puzzles me why governments cut budgets in those areas.)
 
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.
 
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Not sure how recommending dealers that have a proven track record in providing great setups is a 'culture that prevails' to be honest. Why on earth would people recommend dealers that don't give a good service?
 
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.

Sorry - yes - edited now as Mivo corrected me.. Apologies.
 
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.
 
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.

Makala, Snail, Baton Rouge - even entry level Kala and Lanikai - they may all need some setup though, so as important is buying from a ukulele specialist. I'd take a Dolphin over one of these Caramels every time.
 
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.
 
I have a lot of Rubin/Caramels mostly the XX-100 series Zebrawood models. My early ones needed to be set up and cost $10-20 to be adjusted, but still they are low cost and good sounding. My last two, A CT-100 Tenor and a CB-103 Baritone needed no setup at all.

The CC-102 is the bottom of the line, sort of the Pinto of the line. If you want a Mustang, you have to pay a little more.

My Ohana's seem to be better sounding but they cost 3-5X as much as my Rubin/Caramels and are solid topped, Spruce and Cedar. They have no sharp fret ends and were setup by the shops I bought them from. The Rubins got me into Uke's and I play then all the time just to hear the differences in their voices.
 
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.

Yes, yes they do. I don't think Caramel DO have a band of luthiers or at least not luthiers by my understanding of the word.

Fretboard fall off is not a thing - this is not just the fretboard - the top is sinking into the body - I would reject any instrument for that. Ditto bridges sinking which I actually see more often.

Tuner - it's odd with gears - I see people 'reviewing' ukuleles with geared pegs and classing them as good and bad based on whether they 'hold'. ALL geared tuners hold if they are not broken - the way the gearing works means it's kind of impossible for them to slip. So when I review geared pegs you need to go a bit deeper. Yes - these hold. But they are NOT good tuners. Not nice to use. Some of them grind. Do they work as tuners? I suppose so.

Thanks for the tips on intonation - but seriously - the intonation on this particular one is ALL OVER THE PLACE. Really not good. It was tuned before playing. It's still terrible. It needs a setup. The bridge is too high and the nut is too high. Yes, both are fixable. But if you dont know how to do it and need to pay for that, then this is no longer a $40 ukulele. I demonstrated the C string as that was the worst of the four up the neck. All strings were out at the 12th.


No offence taken - it's just a single persons review and nothing more. It's not a vendetta. If you are happy with yours that's all that matters. For me, I have to review all instruments the same way, or the whole concept of a review is pointless. The main thing that comes to mind about this one is this. It's not the worst instrument I have ever played at all (nor the lowest score) - but I could recommend countless others in it's place that (for me) have been less problematic. Perhaps I should have just lied...
 
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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.
 
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.

This was my point from the beginning. Taken with a grain of salt. There are many Caramel lovers out there. They should not be discouraged.
 
Fretboard Fallaway

I checked all my acoustic instruments. One had fretboard fallaway. http://www.denmarkstreetonline.co.uk/product-details/Raimundo-138
I have owned this guitar for 13 years. Intonation is very good. Body is solid and not caving. Interesting that it is a nylon string as well. All my other acoustic instruments are steel strings and don't have the fall off. I have found some discussions regarding fall off that support varying viewpoints. I will make the distinction that some of this is in regards to tapering the frets only which is not what we are talking about. But there are some discussions of building in the fallaway, both for and against. Imagine that!

https://www.google.com/search?q=fre....69i57j0l5.10899j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Only time will tell...
 
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.
 
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.

No it is not right but you didn't show that in the review. You did make your opinion known but didn't really show us the goods on that. I put a small straight edge on both of mine. The top is not dipping on either but we already had that debate. So I agree with your point that if it is dipping it isn't right. Again, only time will tell.
 
Note to self - ensure I use a straight edge in future reviews.....
 
Have you shown us anything, Dooke? I have seen more from Baz to back up his opinion than I have seen from you that backs up your continued attempts to discredit the review.
 
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