Tenor Flea?

Fleacia

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The tenor Flea isn't listed as an option on the Magic Fluke website anymore.
www.magicfluke.com
I've emailed but not gotten a response. Does anyone know if they are still available? And if not on the website, how does one get a tenor Flea? Do tears work? :eek:
Thanks for any help! Tenor was my favorite Flea scale...
 
The tenor Flea isn't listed as an option on the Magic Fluke website anymore.
www.magicfluke.com
I've emailed but not gotten a response. Does anyone know if they are still available? And if not on the website, how does one get a tenor Flea? Do tears work? :eek:
Thanks for any help! Tenor was my favorite Flea scale...

Yes, they are still available AFAIK. They're just not listed on the web site.

You have to call them and ask.

When I spoke with Betsy at MFC she told me they do not list them because Dale (Webb) [the owner] felt that they do not sound good with a tenor scale.

However, Betsy told me that you can still get a tenor scale Flea for a $20 upgrade fee. This is the same price delta as for concert vs. tenor Fluke, so it's not a big deal.

I also asked Betsy about getting a Koa top on any scale length Flea, since they also were taken off the site listing for a while (they are back on now starting @ $318), and she told me that to get a Koa top, that would be another $20 upgrade fee. All pretty inexpensive upgrades if you ask me. :)

You can also find tenor Fleas, new-old-stock, from when they did in fact manufacture them from many online sellers, such as Gryphon Strings in Palo Alto, CA, Guitar Junky in Canada and Penny Lane Emporium in FL. Sometimes they show up used on Elderly's site too.

However if you want to buy a 'current' new model direct from MFC you need to call first and ask them to do a custom order, since each of these are made by hand, and made to order, and typically can have a one-to-two week lead time before they might be able to ship it to you.

Betsy was very helpful the couple of times I spoke to her, and other folks here on UU have reported that sometimes the owners, Dale and Phyllis Webb also have answered incoming calls.

I love their instruments, and am a big fan of this company.

Hope this helps.

Booli :shaka:
 
What strings do you prefer for the Flea/Fluke?

I like Worth Browns for my ukes generally speaking, but they're smaller gauge than the Aquilas that come standard on the MFC's lineup. (IMO, the Aquilas are too muddy for the Flea/Fluke bark.) And flurocarbons sometimes are so thin that they "chirp" in the zero-fret slot. I've had to use string spacers (thanks to Dale for the pointer) to use smaller-gauge strings, but I'd prefer to let the strings be unincumbered in the slots.

Since you've got so many MFC ukes, what's your preference, string-wise?
 
What strings do you prefer for the Flea/Fluke?

I like Worth Browns for my ukes generally speaking, but they're smaller gauge than the Aquilas that come standard on the MFC's lineup. (IMO, the Aquilas are too muddy for the Flea/Fluke bark.) And flurocarbons sometimes are so thin that they "chirp" in the zero-fret slot. I've had to use string spacers (thanks to Dale for the pointer) to use smaller-gauge strings, but I'd prefer to let the strings be unincumbered in the slots.

Since you've got so many MFC ukes, what's your preference, string-wise?


Thanks for the info about the spacers. I've not had to use them myself.

To avoid retyping, I'd like to kindly refer you to a thread I created yesterday which answers these questions for my currently installed strings, as well as other info that may interest you regarding my Fluke and Flea ukuleles...

http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com...ke-amp-Flea-installed-photos-amp-explanations
 
Thanks for the info about the spacers. I've not had to use them myself.

To avoid retyping, I'd like to kindly refer you to a thread I created yesterday which answers these questions for my currently installed strings, as well as other info that may interest you regarding my Fluke and Flea ukuleles...

http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com...ke-amp-Flea-installed-photos-amp-explanations

Thanks so much! I love the Martins, too, but they may be even smaller-gauge than the Worths. I may give Aquila Lavas a shot. I understand bazmaz likes them better than the Nylguts.

(BTW, I just installed D'Addario extruded nylons on my Fluke -- and still needed a spacer for the 2nd string, doggone it!)
 
The tenor Flea isn't listed as an option on the Magic Fluke website anymore.
www.magicfluke.com
I've emailed but not gotten a response. Does anyone know if they are still available? And if not on the website, how does one get a tenor Flea? Do tears work? :eek:
Thanks for any help! Tenor was my favorite Flea scale...

I don't remember ever seeing a tenor Flea. I thought the Fluke was always the Magic Fluke Co. option at the tenor size. I've had both concert and tenor Flukes and I recommend them thoroughly. The only problem I ever had with one was wearing the paint off the fret markers from playing the instrument so much, and having to paint the dots back on.
 
I liked the Aquila Reds on the concert Fluke. On the tenor, I use Savarez and D'addario classical guitar strings.

Thanks, Jim. I wondered what you used on your Flukes, because those strings get a workout.
 
Thanks so much! I love the Martins, too, but they may be even smaller-gauge than the Worths. I may give Aquila Lavas a shot. I understand bazmaz likes them better than the Nylguts.

(BTW, I just installed D'Addario extruded nylons on my Fluke -- and still needed a spacer for the 2nd string, doggone it!)

One thing about the Martin M620 tenor strings, is that the C string is actually thicker (0.0340") than almost every other 'set' of strings from the more than 2 dozen that I've tried, with most being either 0.0319" or thereabouts, and as such this fixes a problem for me whereby most string sets the C string sound dead and tubby to my ear. Using a wound string is not an option for me because it ruins the nails on my strumming/plucking hand.

On the Martin M620 set I'm pretty sure that the E or 2nd string is 0.0280" whereas the E or 2nd string on the Worth Browns BT tenor set is thinner, at 0.0260"

See the M620 spec here:https://www.stringsbymail.com/marti...ear-fluorocarbon-for-tenor-ukulele-12896.html

and see the Worth strings specs here: http://worthc.to/english/w_strings.html

The thickness of the C string is more of an issue for me on concert scale and for tenor if I am using a lower tuning such as Bb or A, and the M620 set is the only one that lets me tune down this far without using a fluorocarbon or Aquila RED low-g which are typically 0.0358" and the tension tuned up to A for the 3rd string is a bit much and lacks sustain, and tuning up to Bb is dangerously higher tension and has almost no sustain at all, so for my purposes the M620 set fits a sweet spot across both concert and tenor scales, and I light the fact that the 1st or 'A' string is a bit thinner than other sets as this string often gets drowned out, and I like it to be a bit bright and ring out.
 
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I don't remember ever seeing a tenor Flea....

Thankfully, they do exist...I have 2 different ones. But, I admit, they are hard to find from the MFC resellers since about a year ago.

May I kindly refer you to my prior posts above, and my signature below.
 
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I had a tenor Flea when they first came out. The top bellied on it from the additional string tension so I sold it. The gentleman who bought it from me contacted the company and they installed an additional brace under the top to eliminate the bellying. I expect that may be a factor in its being discontinued as a regular stock instrument.

I now have an upgraded Flea with the wooden fingerboard, metal frets, Peghed tuners, etc. It is a great instrument in all aspects.
 
I don't remember ever seeing a tenor Flea. I thought the Fluke was always the Magic Fluke Co. option at the tenor size. I've had both concert and tenor Flukes and I recommend them thoroughly. The only problem I ever had with one was wearing the paint off the fret markers from playing the instrument so much, and having to paint the dots back on.

From what I've heard about and from MFC, the Fluke is the preferred tenor. But I had trouble holding the Fluke; thus the search for another tenor Flea. I should have kept the one I had. I wore off the paint and the finish on some frets, but it never bothered me. That's the only uke I've ever regretted re-homing.

Thanks for the info Booli, you've been really helpful! :)

As for strings, I liked Fremont Blacklines on all scales of Fleas. But I like fluorocarbons in general. I also tried La Bellas, both reentrant and with the polished low G (a separate single string) and liked those as well. The La Bellas are thicker, more like Aquilas, but IMO weren's as muddy as Aquilas. I liked the sound, but my fingers prefer fluoros.
 
I had a tenor Flea when they first came out. The top bellied on it from the additional string tension so I sold it. The gentleman who bought it from me contacted the company and they installed an additional brace under the top to eliminate the bellying. I expect that may be a factor in its being discontinued as a regular stock instrument.

I now have an upgraded Flea with the wooden fingerboard, metal frets, Peghed tuners, etc. It is a great instrument in all aspects.

Thanks, string tension could well be a factor, especially depending on what kind of strings you use. I had one with a laminate top for over 2 years and never had a problem. But someone here, I don't remember who, mentioned a koa top tenor Flea that did belly. It's something to consider.
 
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