Are Martin Tenor Ukes overated ??If you agree whats a better tenor uke value ??

Im considering getting a Martin Tenor Uke and was wondering if there are better values out there and are Martins a bit of Hype ???

Popcorn time............

Which one are you considering....made in US or Mexico?

if your looking for vaule wise I don't no, but you should consider finding out what sound your going for, play the martins and other brands and see what sound you like and also the playability. i have a $400 ukulele that's sound so good to me that i don't care about my $2000 plus ukuleles as much.

i really like the IZ Martin tenor.

Buy a 'ukulele that sounds sweet to your ears and feels good in your hands. It might be a Martin or it might not.

Peterjens said:

Buy a 'ukulele that sounds sweet to your ears and feels good in your hands. It might be a Martin or it might not.

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Amen! The logo doesn't resonate a single note. If it sounds sweet without looking at the label, then it's the best buy regardless of the logo.

For the curt punch of mahogany--that raspy, "smart-@ss, percussive jangle--nothing beats a vintage Martin hog tenor.

If you are into that fru-fruey "warmth" and ocean breeze stuff, the rascally Martin is not going to give you that. Mango and Koa and all those fruit trees are much more sentimental that way.

Martin tenor 'hog is more like a clenched fist to the throat.

YMMV

coolkayaker1 said:

For the curt punch of mahogany--that raspy, "smart-@ss, percussive jangle--nothing beats a vintage Martin hog tenor.

If you are into that fru-fruey "warmth" and ocean breeze stuff, the rascally Martin is not going to give you that. Mango and Koa and all those fruit trees are much more sentimental that way.

Martin tenor 'hog is more like a clenched fist to the throat.

YMMV

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Love that punch-in-the-gut sound! Have had to look long and hard to find instruments and tuning that give that.

Have not played a Martin ukulele. If they are anything like their guitars -made in USA or Mexico - they should bite well.

Overrated by whom? The Martin brand has a well-deserved reputation for quality and their new instruments come with a lifetime warranty for the original owner. I would be very happy with a Martin tenor.

There's lots of great options for solid mahogany tenors and I would put Collings as my first choice but they sell new for $1440. LoPrinzi is another great maker selling for less than $1000 for an all solid mahogany hand-made tenor. Good luck with your search.

Are Martin Tenor Ukes overated ??If you agree whats a better tenor uke value

grumper said:

Im considering getting a Martin Tenor Uke and was wondering if there are better values out there and are Martins a bit of Hype ???

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1. List Price: Yes there are better values but I purchased an IZ Tenor from http://vintage-instruments.com/ For 60%% of list with no questions or haggling. That was their price. A good value I would say. And my ears say the same.

2. Martins Hype: Yes there's a lot of hype here. Martin has been making ukuleles since 1916. Ukulele sales kept the company afloat during the depression. I think they are the oldest Uke makers around. Their Lifetime warrantee to original purchaser is hard to beat. I feel confident in taking my Iz to play out anywhere. It is my outdoor Uke of choice. I am much more protective of my other ukes.

3.Playability: My Martin is a player's instrument. It does have punch - your going to be at a disadvantage at a BlueGrass Festival but we're not talking about Gibson Mastertones here. Of all my instruments, not just ukes, my Martin intonates the best and stays in tune the best. I'm a player. Martins take a lot of "Loving Abuse".

4. Scale length: Ah this is a problem for me. I find I am more comfortable with a concert size scale, but we are talking about Tenors right?

5. Randomly Solicited Advice: Definitely overrated. You really should play any instrument you are considering purchasing. If you and especially your ears like it - start negotiating a price. Don't buy the same day. Check out other instruments in the class your looking at. Negotiate prices for the ones you like. Even the most rabidly infected UAS'ers have to wait for shipping. A couple of days doesn't matter.

6. Purchasing Online: Definitely overrated:

When you buy a pig in a poke, you frequently end up letting a cat out of the bag.

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every ear has a different itch. my vintage 60's Martin tenor has a smoky bluesy tone no so much punchy but its bites some. A sound all its own and it took a while to get into it. For loud pretty and punchy and great tone and note separation, a Mainland red cedar tenors are out of this world. I don't know anyone who got one that didn't like it. Priced right too compared to Martin vintage tenors. Martins Overrated?? Well maybe if its not the sound you're looking for.

The current made in Nazareth Martin's have their charms. Are they overpriced? I don't think so. They are pretty much in the same price range as a number of very good tenors, K Brands, Collings, Mya Moe Tradition model. It just depends if the Martin is what you like.

Hype?

They've never been the cheapest option, but they are not competing on price. They are competing on quality. As the market leader for a century, I can't think of a more reputable or universally acclaimed ukulele maker. That strikes me as the exact opposite of hype.

overrated? No since it's hardly mentioned when you ask the best tenor question for $1000+.

Now if you ask for ukes under $600, the Mexican made tenor is brought up.

When Martins are mentioned, people usually talk of the vintage sopranos.

I remember hearing from MGM that Collings tenors are more like what Martin should be making, given the long history of making ukes at Martin.

I fell for a Nazareth-built Martin tenor last Spring. beautiful wood. Great action. Super tone and a neck that is slim and wonderful. Then the action went off. Took it to the Martin store. Diagnosis: neck needs to be reset. See you in 4-6 months baby. It's a warranty claim so no cost, but Sheesh!

It happens. I just drew the short straw. Sure was an unhappy surprise though.

I have the T1K - the Mexican-made tenor. I love it. It sounds great and is very well made. Very simple and plain - which I like. It's my most frequently used uke for my local group get-togethers and the one I pick up most often at home. At the price, it was certainly well worth it. Better, I think, than many others in that price range. My only wish was that they offered a model with a passive pickup built in.

I've owned a Martin guitar (D35) and played others: they are superb.

Doc_J said:

I remember hearing from MGM that Collings tenors are more like what Martin should be making, given the long history of making ukes at Martin.

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I've had both and I don't agree. They are remarkably similar in feel and sound. The Collings is a bit more "refined". In a lot of ways the Collings is almost the same with a radius neck. But there is something about the Martin; it has a different character. I really like the Martins and I've had a few Collings (still have one) but even though the Collings may be better based upon objective criteria I've never really bonded with one. One thing I don't like about the Collings is that the neck joins at the 13th fret. I realize all the theoretical reasons why that is better, but on a tenor I want as many frets free of the neck as possible without a cutaway.

I don't really get why people say Martin's are overpriced or expensive. The street price of the Martin T2 is pretty much the same as the Collings UT1 and they are very comparable instruments. If you look around you can find the Martin even a little cheaper. Yes, certain Martin models are higher priced but that is true for every maker. And the lower cost Mexican models are a good value. To the extent that you pay a premium on the made in USA Martins it is about the same premium you pay on a Kamaka vs the other K brands. If you think anything more than a Kala is overpriced, then you are going to think that any K brand uke is over priced too.

PereBourik said:

I fell for a Nazareth-built Martin tenor last Spring. beautiful wood. Great action. Super tone and a neck that is slim and wonderful. Then the action went off. Took it to the Martin store. Diagnosis: neck needs to be reset. See you in 4-6 months baby. It's a warranty claim so no cost, but Sheesh!

It happens. I just drew the short straw. Sure was an unhappy surprise though.

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I don't understand and maybe I don't need to but, what happened to the instrument to require a neck set if the action was great to begin with?

I have not tried the newer martins MIM made in mexcio...but I have a few vintage..yes and like any other uke, you have to pick well.. they all sound different
my martin tenor, and my high end soprano vintage sounds amazing..