£48 Mahogany Top Soprano

If you live in the UK you'll know how difficult it is to get a soprano uke between the price range £25-£250. They are either cheap and nasties or top of the range.

Well I went into Hobgoblin Music today (there'll be a store in a city near(ish) to you) and they have a solid mahogany top soprano for £48 by Blue Moon. Never heard of them? I have a baritone by them and it's OK but the soprano is really nice for the price. Excellent tone; really good sustain; the action was perfect, but the tension a little tight for my liking although that is not an insurmountable problem. I played it up to fret 10 and found no significant deviation in the tuning (though I wouldn't want to attempt a chord up there). Closed gear tuning pegs (there was a friction pegs option at a similar price but I didn't try it) and decent strings for factory quality.

I know a lot of people who have bought a £20 Maholo to learn on and want a step up without forking out a fortune. I think this could be the answer. I only wish I'd had £48 to spare - I would have bought one.

Oh, they sell Aquilla strings too (another rarity in the UK) at £5 for soprano and £6-50 for Concert and Tenor.

Just thought I'd let you know.

Peace

Tony

yeah i've seen these blue moon ukes in various online stores (one of which being hobgoblin) and i've wondered what they are like but a bit of research didn't really prove that fruitful, but hobgoblin is a good site for folk instruments if in the uk (i bought a hohner melodica from there).

my stagg

is solid mahogany apparently that was about 70 quid

From what I gather those ukuleles are Romanian made by Hora.

Not all the Blue Moon stuff is good - I tried a mandolin that was pretty pap. I wasn't really aware there was any shortage; Moana, Kala and Ohana all do good instruments in the midrange prices. I'd be interested to try a sub £50 solid top.

Buy an Ohana online, which ever one you buy, you will get a quality uke. There are several dealers in the UK that sell these online.

I have bought musical instruments online before and been disappointed. I always think it is best to try before you buy when it comes to that sort of thing. Even top quality, reliable names can disappoint even if there is nothing wrong with the instrument itself. It may just not suit you.

Anyway, I put the post out there merely for information. In the bricks and mortar stores I have come across in the UK there has been a distinct shortage of mid-range sopranos.

Blue moon Tenor Ukulele

Hi
I got my self a Romanian made Tenor with a spruce top from Hobgoblin and the more I play it the nicer it sounds. There is a you tube review in German which gives it credence as a good quality instrument. There is a spruce top soprano due in to stock at Hobgoblin in May. However I don't know what they sound like! The Romanian instruments are all made in one factory by Hora they have a good reputation in Europe as a reasonable quality instrument producer.
48 quid well spent.