The Magic Fluke Company Appreciation thread

Rrgramps said:

Yesterday, my Flea soprano in surf motif arrived at my doorstep. Compared to my Mainland tenor, it's tiny. My expectations for sound quality were pretty low, considering my tenor ukulele is highly regarded as a really decent and above average sounding instrument. This new thing is made of plastic and laminated wood; can't sound very good. After all, it's a soprano, and I've avoided the little size ukulele because of its tiny, tinny sound perception, due to the box's reduced volume. However...

I tuned it up.

I played a C-chord.

Then an F...

...and a G

What??? My ears are deceiving me into thinking I'm hearing good sound, and it's warm. WARM!!! Warmer than a tenor all-wood. Sweet too. No way! But it's my lying ears, I'm sure of it. :smileybounce:

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Welcome to the world of sopranos. You, unfortunately, have not discovered the only amazing soprano out there.

OhioBelle said:

Trent, you've been bitten by the Flea!

Me too.

I agree with everything you said. The sound and playability of that plywood and plastic are astounding.

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My reason for purchasing it was not for its sound, but because I'm getting ready for a beach trip. I had chosen, and wished for, firstly the Outdoor Ukulele and 2ndly a MFC. (For use in or near the water). My preference for the beach vacation was and still is the Outdoor Ukulele, but they were not available before I leave, due to some business operations. So I settled reluctantly for the Flea. It looks like I will still sit out on the beach, but will not play underwater.

My first Magic Fluke purchase was the Banjo Ukulele. It was so well done and fun to play, that led to me making an in-person trip to their headquarters which a short road trip from my home. That visit resulted in a Custom build Kia Fluke that ended up getting a hand-selected figured Kia top and all the options available. It was really over the top! When I did my Uke clearout, I found a buyer who appreciated it as much as I did and was willing to acquire it. While Indont have it any longer, I'll say that was my favorite Fluke and would be hard for me to replicate again.

I actually like the new additions to their designer series and for a fun Uke to bring along I may entertain the idea of a designer flea in the future since I never owned the flea body style.

Hello all:

I just purchased a koa tenor fluke with peghead tuners and string with Martin uke strings. I have given a couple of weeks for at least partial string settling, however, I find the instrument has serious intonation problems which is typically something the flukes don't have a problem with. My worst problems is with the e string which is virtually sharp from the second fret on and worsens as you go up the fretboard. the g and a strings become progressively flatter as you go up the fretboard, though not as flat as the e string is sharp. the c string is tolerable , but a little sharp at the 12th fret. Im trying to learn finger picking and chord melody, so I am all over the fret board, and the result is I'm pretty out of tune working in the mid fret board let alone all the way up the fretboard. Could the strings be the problem? I'm going to reseat the strings at the headstock and see if that makes the difference. If not I'll change the strings and see. Has anyone else had significant intonation issues?

dave4761 said:

Hello all:

I just purchased a koa tenor fluke with peghead tuners and string with Martin uke strings. I have given a couple of weeks for at least partial string settling, however, I find the instrument has serious intonation problems which is typically something the flukes don't have a problem with. My worst problems is with the e string which is virtually sharp from the second fret on and worsens as you go up the fretboard. the g and a strings become progressively flatter as you go up the fretboard, though not as flat as the e string is sharp. the c string is tolerable , but a little sharp at the 12th fret. Im trying to learn finger picking and chord melody, so I am all over the fret board, and the result is I'm pretty out of tune working in the mid fret board let alone all the way up the fretboard. Could the strings be the problem? I'm going to reseat the strings at the headstock and see if that makes the difference. If not I'll change the strings and see. Has anyone else had significant intonation issues?

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The intonation on my Flea is not nearly as good as I expected especially considering that Fleas are known for superior intonation. Is yours a new instrument? I would call Magic Fluke. Is it used? I would change the strings.

bikemech said:

The intonation on my Flea is not nearly as good as I expected especially considering that Fleas are known for superior intonation. Is yours a new instrument? I would call Magic Fluke. Is it used? I would change the strings.

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Brand new. Ordered from them and made for me. I have called. One of my in7tial requests was Martin strings which they dont have much experience with. So they're going to string another tenor with Martins and see of they're the same. We'll start with changing strings. Its possible the action maybe a little too high and the saddle needs to be adjusted and compensated which it can be since it's a wooden fretboard. It wouldn't be so bad if all the strings went out in the same direction but with 2 strings going flat, one in tune, and one really sharp the discrepancy is unfortunately really apparent. Worse comes to worse I can have a luthier look at it. I am confident though Magic Fluke will make it right.

I just received my new Flea with all the upgrades (wood fretboard, metal frets, tuners) and I love it so far.

Anyone have a low G on the Flea? What are your thoughts?

I usually lean toward Worth or Martin, but what other strings make your lil' guy sing?

Thx

Ken

Just got my used Fluke concert M12. Its serial number is 1911, how luck is that?(Any other John Moses B. fans?)
I cannot put it down! The wide fret board is an absolute joy.
The D Major which gives me problems is totally doable.
Great volume and perfect intonation.
I'm giving my wife the Kala TEM to convert to low d for her use.

Having just sold that last one, I find it quite "flukey" that the last two posters bought the EXACT same used concert Fluke model - color in 'natural', rosewood fretboard, factory pick-up! (Albeit one travel-worn and one pretty minty.)

Enoch, nothing more satisfying than seeing a great but unused instrument come out of the closet and into the hands of someone who will love and play it... Glad it's got a home with you.

Picked up my second Magic via Craigslist last Saturday, a soprano flea with the Tiki design. I saw it posted for $100 with the denim gig bag and was over there in 30 min. I know a good deal when I see one! It still had the original strings and I think it was barely played. A quick string change with some Fremonts and it sounds sweet as can be! I notice they are selling Fremonts directly on the website. I highly recommend them with these ukes too.

ukeinfused said:

Having just sold that last one, I find it quite "flukey" that the last two posters bought the EXACT same used concert Fluke model - color in 'natural', rosewood fretboard, factory pick-up! (Albeit one travel-worn and one pretty minty.)

Enoch, nothing more satisfying than seeing a great but unused instrument come out of the closet and into the hands of someone who will love and play it... Glad it's got a home with you.

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Pretty and Minty for sure, also, my JOY!
Thank you Tracie.

I had read somewhere that the necks on typical Flukes and Fleas are sort of squarish, with a flat back. But I just noticed that the neck on my Tenor Firefly Banjo Uke is fully rounded. jSo are the Flukes and Fleas necks squarish? Anybody with a soprano or concert Firefly who can comment on their neck profiles?

Ukecaster said:

The very back of My Fluke concert Neck is flat, but the shoulders are rounded. Very comfy IMO.

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This is but just one of my favorite features of the Fluke and Flea ukes.

Very comfortable in the hand to me and the nut/neck is just the right width for my hand.

We all like something different about our Ukes.

My Tenor Scale Flea that is listed here has had the neck altered to satisfy my desire for a thin D shaped neck. It came out great and it's definitely more comfortable for me to play.

Check out the pictures.

http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com...in-Walnut-w-cutout-Rosette-a-hard-to-find-Uke

Just another opinion on neck shapes....

Love my Fluke. Bought it on the Marketplace here, walnut top, rosewood fretboard. When I first tried it I was amazed at the sound and playing comfort.

I have a lot of very good ukuleles, but I keep them in my music room, many in their cases, and am extremely careful not to knock them around.

The Fluke stays in the living room, always handy. If (no, make that when) it gets knocked over, I don't care. I take it to the beach frequently. It holds its tuning well. The intonation is excellent. The action is low and comfortable. It's built like a rock, plays great, and needs minimum care. What's not to love?

It probably gets the most playing time of all my instruments just because of accessibility and travel ease.

1) What you got?

A Flea, bought around 2006

2) Why did you buy it?

Good ukes were very thin in the EU. I found this at François Charle's in Paris, and it was the best choice possible at the time.

3) Tell me what you like about it, and what you hate about it?

There's much to like. Leo Fender would love it. So many clever design solutions. Harmony inspired (?) moulded fretboard including nut and zero fret (for consistent good action and intonation), flat neck board, open headstock, plastic back, plywood front (I wondered why there was not a solid option, but this design could just have been optimised for plastic and plywood), and then there's this great flat bottom feature - a stand up uke, would you believe it. And there's probably more to it which is beyond me. My color is cool, kind of blue/green. When I first had it, I travelled by train, had the uke standing up on the table, and people were trying to buy it off me. It has a warm, friendly sound and good intonation. I consider it to be the best uke for indoor use. In the studio I realised that this uke does not have ultimate 'bark'. That is its minus. But I understand the design choice, leading to the present sound compromise. The other minus is its 1/1 pegs. This is a minus on any uke IMO. I understand that there are other tuner choices these days. Overall a very well judged uke.

4) Tell me if you plan to buy another and why?

Why should I? Anyone should have one, but I have mine. I'm into sopranos only.

5) If it got stolen, lost or damaged would you replace it immediately?

Perhaps not, as I have too many ukes already, it is possible to live without a Flea, but I would miss a very competent and practical allround performer.

Just an FYI in case you have not seen it yet - fellow UU brother BazMaz has put up a very detailed review with photos and a video demo of the Magic Fluke Company's Firefly Tenor Banjo:

http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/showthread.php?129343-Magic-Fluke-Firefly-Tenor-Banjo-REVIEW

Check it out! :music:

Ah - thanks for sharing that friend!

I just ordered my first Flea today, a concert walnut rosette with tuner and fretboard upgrades. It's a slightly different look than they normally make - the rosette area is darker. But they had it in stock, I should have it in my grubby hands by the end of the week at the latest.

I was planning to get a Pono Mango Pineapple, but after reading all the positive reviews online of the flea I changed my mind. One of the main selling points is that I don't have to baby it regarding humidity. I live in Mass, and my heat is on from at least Nov-April. And I like the fact that it's a local company, with a good customer service reputation.

TobyDog said:

I just ordered my first Flea today, a concert walnut rosette with tuner and fretboard upgrades. It's a slightly different look than they normally make - the rosette area is darker. But they had it in stock, I should have it in my grubby hands by the end of the week at the latest.

I was planning to get a Pono Mango Pineapple, but after reading all the positive reviews online of the flea I changed my mind. One of the main selling points is that I don't have to baby it regarding humidity. I live in Mass, and my heat is on from at least Nov-April. And I like the fact that it's a local company, with a good customer service reputation.

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Congratulations! I really like the look of the top and that fretboard. You made a great choice!


Scooter