What are the Pros and Cons of buying a used Ukulele?

[ksiegel]

I would never buy a ukulele that I planned to get rid of before I even bought it.

I have never bought a ukulele with plans to get rid of it. I buy (mostly) for keeps.

That being said, I got a Republic concert uke (new) a few years back, knowing it was being discontinued. Concert-size, with a hard shell case. I sent it up to Tudorp in Michigan, and he gave it a 1st-class setup, with a bone nut and bridge, leveled the frets, made it as nice as possible with what turned out to be a super-thick sound board.

I rarely play it - it sounds fine, but kinda quiet. laminated zebrawood body, a pretty little uke. But, as I don't play it, I was going to sell it, cheap.

My wife said "No." When I get around to a solid-body zebrawood uke that meets her approval, THEN I can sell the Republic uke, and not until.

As for Custom Ukes, I have one. Made for me by Bradford Donaldson. It is mine, period. Although everyone who has every played it loves the instrument (including Sarah Maisel and Stu Fuchs), I will not give this one up, even if I get to the point I can no longer play.

I do have a few 2nd/3rd hand ukes bought, sight unseen. All came from people I trust, here on UU.And I am happy with them. I have no plans to sell any of my ukes, as long as I'm alive.

-Kurt​

 

[UkerDrew]

A long time ago I read the book "The Paradox of Choice" and realized that I was falling into the maximizer trap. Always wanting the best deal and the latest and greatest. I try to let the 80/20 rule and the law of diminishing returns guide my decisions these days and not try and stress so much about making the perfect decision all the time.

I enjoy trying different instruments and buying used is the only feasible solution for me from an economics standpoint. This comes with risks and I accept that as the price of my exploration and experimentation.

When I got into ukulele about 5 years ago I started with a couple of used Harmony sopranos via Craigslist for $15 each and have bought every instrument since used. I bought a vintage Cameo (made in japan) baritone at Goodwill that had some problems. I learned how to fix and do a proper setup on a uke because of that instrument and I got a lot of personal satisfaction from that process despite the fact it was not a stellar instrument.

I have bought every one of my ukes since then through this forum and none of them were perfect but all of them were loved and played before I had them and got more of the same from me regardless of any flaws in appearance or playability. Unless I still have them, these were passed on in the same manner with even more honest play wear and a better setup than I found them.

Music is inherently an ephemeral art form and so are the instruments we use to make it. Short of some major structural problems which are easy to spot, playability is something which can be fixed with a little practice and patience. If I had a Moore Bettah would I leave it hanging, afraid to scratch it or play the heck out of it? I vote the latter and I guess there is something about honest "player wear" that has its own special beauty to me.

 

[dinghy]

ahoy

have been lucky
love second hand ukes

last month bought KoAloha soprano
about 1/3 original price

had cracked top
knew about it when offered to buy

fixed crack white glue and cleat

love this Uke
sounds wonderful
new
would have been way outside my price range

buy and sell second hand books,
in a 90 year old building
live in 98 year old house,
drive second hand old Volvo
sailing dinghy is second hand 35 years old,
this computer was bought second hand on ebay
my two dogs came from a shelter,

live with second wife,
am her second husband

yours truly
mac

 

[Jag-Stang]

I am a new member here and I have no preconceived ideas on who to buy from or if it is a good or bad idea to buy new or used. However that being said I have spent the last 5o plus years of my existence studying History and culture and worked in both the Museum environment as well as the Auction and Estate environment and I am familiar with shall we say “the tricks of the trade“ and most aspects of buying and building collections of many kinds. The real issue here is that unless you are focused and know exactly what you are looking for it isn’t a good idea to step into the new or used marketplace. This isn’t about a ukulele it’s about a house, a car, even your shoes. How we buy should be based on what we know and not on what we do not know. If you do not know someone, buying from them can be a difficult experience unless you know they have exactly what you want and you feel comfortable with that purchase. I do accumulate instruments and not just ukuleles. I play guitar, harmonica, a little mandolin and ukulele. I have been around auctions, flea markets, pawn shops, music stores, house sales, and more recently eBay, Reverb, Facebook marketplace, and many other online spots where one can see but not touch but usually one can ask questions and hopefully get honest answers.
i buy new shoes as I do not want someone else’s castoffs so I get the person who feels the same way about instruments but I do not necessarily agree with him. That just isn’t my personality. For instance when Sam Kamaka jr. Passed away in March I felt the need to find and purchase a basic koa Soprano Ukulele that was built under his supervision. Sam kept ukulele making in Hawaii important and held onto to a place that could not leave the craft of a truly Hawaiian Instrument to those offshore who were making ukulele in a non traditional way. I am not saying that other builders are bad but I have a lot of respect for those who do good work and stand by their convictions and integrity. So I studied what was available, I was familiar with what I wanted and I made the decision after asking a few questions to purchase from a reputable music store that had a presence on Reverb.com and a great reputation. They could answer my questions send better pictures and tell me what they knew about the white labeled mI’d 70s soprano that I wound up purchasing. It was a very good experience at a very reasonable price and I got an instrument built under Sam’s reign which is what I wanted.
I looked at over 5o possible instruments that could have fit in and were available over a two week period. There were some I knew were a mess, others I knew were overpriced and others I stayed away from because my questions were not answered the way they should have been.
interestingly enough I had already owned another Kamaka from a bit earlier period that was not made under Sam’s reign and it has a different sound, different but in it’s own way just as good. I wanted not just a Ukulele but also a piece of History.
The bottom line here is knowing what you want. If you do not know, wait until you do know, then you can buy new or used but you will know you are getting what you really want. This is exactly why I buy new shoes. If I have owned the same shoes I can order the same size online and shop and save a few bucks. I do watch the listings here and appreciate what goes on but to be honest I rarely see what I would call bargains.
Nice people, fair pricing but knowledgeable who know what they have and what they should get for it. Many longtime members self promote because they are not just players they make a few bucks selling here. I watched at least two Ukuleles that sold on Hibid find their way here for almost double a few weeks later So as Jimi Hendrix might say “We can’t believe everything we see and hear, can we?” There is a lot of encouragement to be part of what I think is a good community. My first question I ask is “where did this come from” Or where did you find it?”
if you don’t get a straight answer, run very fast, because it is a dealer not a player. Then it is about the money not about the instrument. I do have one tip that may help you. I search adds for house sales and go to flea markets and I have found I can study and play instruments I find there. It is almost always best to see a musical instrument in person New or Used. Sometimes in situations where it is an Estate or a household where someone thought they wanted to learn an instrument, changed their mind and it sat around until they grew tired of it, you can find a true bargain.
Bargains seem to occur when someone is no longer interested in ownership or if something is passed down that they do not need. I hope all this ranting is helpful it comes from a lot if experience and I have gone both ways New instruments and used instruments and been happy in both directions.

 

[rainbow21]

I am a new member here and I have no preconceived ideas on who to buy from or if it is a good or bad idea to buy new or used. ....

....Bargains seem to occur when someone is no longer interested in ownership or if something is passed down that they do not need. I hope all this ranting is helpful it comes from a lot if experience and I have gone both ways New instruments and used instruments and been happy in both directions.

Well, there is a lot to unpack here... a really really really whole lot. You certainly likely have the longest first post of any any member here, though come nowhere near responding to the oldest inactive thread.

Welcome to the forum! Depending on where your price range is, sometimes it is just easier to buy a "decent" uke from a decent seller and not complicate it any more than that. Of course, this depends on who and what and how much and what your financial circumstances are. I jumped in by reading a few reviews and recommendations and spent $100 on an uke that I would not buy again. But it got me going until I found my second uke and then allowed me to try a setup (on the first) and lowering the action before giving it away. I, like many others here, have also purchased some ukes and then sold them for easily over $100 less than I bought them for and just consider it part of the hobby.

 

[ukecaitlin]

I've bought 4 hign-end used ukes here (all positive experiences) and commissioned instruments as well, but one of the benefits in buying used is that you don't have to wait for a quality instrument to be made. Queueing up for a Da Silva, or specific timbered 'K' uke can mean months or years. Scott Wise is booked out for years, and while it maybe worth the wait, buying used can avoid that anguish!!

While you can buy good ready-made instruments retail and get your uke instantly, but you're tied to what they stock. I haven't bought existing stock from a store mainly because our local music shops don't stock anything worth buying, really.

 

[Cadia]

I've bought used instruments here that look brand new. Likewise, I'll be selling a couple of ukes that look brand new. No downside here, upside is the cost savings. We uke lovers tend to accumulate a few too many ukes, and sometimes it's just better to pass it on to someone who will play it.

 

[ukecaitlin]

Cadie, yep "We uke lovers tend to accumulate a few too many ukes," Lucky we're not grand piano players!!

 

[Jag-Stang]

Cadie, yep "We uke lovers tend to accumulate a few too many ukes," Lucky we're not grand piano players!!

Well one good thing, it is much less expensive compared to shipping a guitar , With the crazy rise in shipping prices over the past two years , ukuleles have become some of the most economical string instruments that can be shipped. 15 years ago I rarely bought anything online, If I couldn’t at least see it in person I didn’t consider buying it. I preferred to try it out in person but might take a chance on something Vintage if I had the chance to look it over. . Now we have pictures and sound bites and videos and shipping a ukulele is at least economical. I recently saw a website in HI that offered free returns if you want to exchange your ukulele for a different Model.
I retired from a business last year, yes a senior now, and I can have time to sit at my bench and do some minor repairs so I am finding lots of things that fall under the radar if I am willing to do a little cleating or gluing up or minor set up work. I haven’t decided what I am going to do with the projects I have taken on and completed. As far as ukuleles go, setting them up, making them playable again has become a hobby I enjoy. A few cork sheets, a flat surface to work on, some instrument clamps, a few sets of magnets, some tone wood scraps, a miniature spoke plane and a few tools, sandpaper and glue and a bit of patience and someone else’s reject can be turned into a gem. There are lots of serious luthiers here that offer great advice on repairs, if I see potential I am willing to take a chance and I have found some great instruments. Someone needs to give a course in how to tie a knot on the end of a string. I see more hairlines near the bridge from tiny knots that someone tried to pull through the bridge and they just shrug their shoulders and list the uke “as is”. I found a few Xacto blades that will cut right through the tiny knots without damaging the top or the bridge. I think fixing up instruments and playing them has turned me into a full time collector. I can always send out things I do not feel comfortable fixing to the experts.

 

[Kenn2018]

I have bought quite a few tenors here on the UU Forum Marketplace. Overall, I've had excellent outcomes.

Mostly, I have not expected the instrument to be in perfect condition. But have been pleasantly surprised that many have been "Like New" when I received them. And for two of those I became the third and fourth owner.

Buying used has allowed me to experience a lot of tenors I couldn't otherwise afford to buy. Or, I wasn't willing to pay that much for the same instrument new.

It has also allowed me to experience some brands that I hadn't been aware of previously. Not to mention woods.

I try to support luthiers and ukulele manufacturers when I can. I'd like to buy from local dealers/music stores, but they do not carry the tenors I am interested in. Sure they can special order from the makers, but you have no idea what the instrument will look like when it comes in.

I confess, I have been burned at other used sites such as Facebook Marketplace. But I have also snagged some terrific instruments from Reverb and FleaMarket Marketplace sites. And one of my best from Ebay. (Probably because I didn't know what I was doing back then.)

If you know what instruments you are interested in, and you can move quickly when something you really want goes up for sale, you can get some pretty good deals for some outstanding instruments. Or, you can acquire something that is no longer being made. Just have an idea of what they are generally going for, and factor in the shipping/insurance and money transfer fees.

I've seen some in-demand ukes for sale that seem to have a good price, but when you factor in the other costs, you are within a few dollars of buying one new!

Sure, anytime you buy something sight unseen it's a bit of a crap shoot. Whether it's a new item, or a used one. Hopefully, you will have the option to return an instrument that didn't meet your expectations.

PS: I've never sold an uke for a profit, or even to break even. Mostly, I consider having a uke for couple of years or so to play, worth some money for the rental/lease.