cptdean
Well-known member
I got the notion a couple of weeks ago that I wanted a ukulele, so I spent about a week shopping for fairly inexpensive models on Amazon, reading customer reviews, and watching a few YouTube videos.
Then, last week, I created an account on this site and started asking questions. In no time, I learned that there were far more ukes on the market than I expected, and my eyes were opened to the world of Hawaiian-built, Mexican-built, Asian-built, US-built, custom ukes, solid woods, laminates, composite materials, different scale lengths, Low-G stringing, and LOADS and LOADS of opinions on all of it.
So I scrapped my early plans and looked again, eventually deciding that a Blackbird Clara would be my grail, and started amassing funds.
Then I remembered I have two kids under 2, and I probably shouldn't be spending $1,200 on a ukulele just now, so I scrapped my Clara plans and looked again.
In the past week I've watched nearly a hundred videos (many of them repeats of my favorite models), and read as many reviews and posts comparing everything I could find between $300 and $800. I read loads on the favorite models mentioned here in the forums, and the popular ones listed at The Ukulele Sites (and other retail outlets).
After considering all options, today I ordered a KoAloha Opio Concert with Gotoh planetary tuners, canvas hard case, and a couple of sets of strings for $518 delivered to my door.
I know it's made in Thailand, but I was impressed with the materials used and the reported build quality, and I think it means a lot that KoAloha thinks well enough of this line to keep their name on the headstock. I got the Concert scale because I thought it would sound more like a ukulele than a mini guitar, but I'm also very interested in the Tenor Opio that's due to be released.
A few other great models were on the short list, but I think I got what I was really after with the Opio. I'm not naive enough to believe this will be my only ukulele, but I'm convinced it's a good start. I'll post a ton of pics and a mini review when I receive it.
Anyway, much thanks to all of you for your advice and experience. NO thanks to you for trying to infect me with UAS!
Then, last week, I created an account on this site and started asking questions. In no time, I learned that there were far more ukes on the market than I expected, and my eyes were opened to the world of Hawaiian-built, Mexican-built, Asian-built, US-built, custom ukes, solid woods, laminates, composite materials, different scale lengths, Low-G stringing, and LOADS and LOADS of opinions on all of it.
So I scrapped my early plans and looked again, eventually deciding that a Blackbird Clara would be my grail, and started amassing funds.
Then I remembered I have two kids under 2, and I probably shouldn't be spending $1,200 on a ukulele just now, so I scrapped my Clara plans and looked again.
In the past week I've watched nearly a hundred videos (many of them repeats of my favorite models), and read as many reviews and posts comparing everything I could find between $300 and $800. I read loads on the favorite models mentioned here in the forums, and the popular ones listed at The Ukulele Sites (and other retail outlets).
After considering all options, today I ordered a KoAloha Opio Concert with Gotoh planetary tuners, canvas hard case, and a couple of sets of strings for $518 delivered to my door.
I know it's made in Thailand, but I was impressed with the materials used and the reported build quality, and I think it means a lot that KoAloha thinks well enough of this line to keep their name on the headstock. I got the Concert scale because I thought it would sound more like a ukulele than a mini guitar, but I'm also very interested in the Tenor Opio that's due to be released.
A few other great models were on the short list, but I think I got what I was really after with the Opio. I'm not naive enough to believe this will be my only ukulele, but I'm convinced it's a good start. I'll post a ton of pics and a mini review when I receive it.
Anyway, much thanks to all of you for your advice and experience. NO thanks to you for trying to infect me with UAS!
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