Jay Buckey Harp Ukulele

jgarber

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Emerald Synergy Uke vs Jay Buckey harp ukulele

I am a folk harper, harps with levers, and have found a harp ukulele perfect picking out a melody with harmony and no overbearing resonance and weights at least 10 pounds less than my bulky harps.

RE: Jay Buckey - Do not send this maker any money! I ordered a harp ukulele in Feb. 2018, put a deposit on it through his PayPal invoice and nothing yet - it is now Nov. 2019. I told him last month to cancel my order and return my deposit several times now. No reply. PayPal will not cooperate by returning my money as it is older than 180 day. I have read elsewhere in the guitar forums that someone had the same experience back in 2012. Wish I had seen that before I ordered.

I have an older model of a Jay Buckey harp ukulele (6 harp strings), purchased used through Elderly. It is ok. Not crazy about the tuning pegs or the maple wood - so not the greatest for performing. That's why I wanted the new model he was supposedly making.

I now possess a 100% carbon fiber harp uke from Emerald Guitars, came in one week and love it. The tuners, fretboard, sound and feel are superior to the J.B. and I don’t have to worry about climate effects like I do with a wood instrument. I have had to adapt to just 4 harp strings, they will custom to have more but it is not worth the extra $$$ to me for now.
 
Emerald Synergy Uke vs Jay Buckey harp ukulele

I am a folk harper, harps with levers, and have found a harp ukulele perfect picking out a melody with harmony and no overbearing resonance and weights at least 10 pounds less than my bulky harps.

RE: Jay Buckey - Do not send this maker any money! I ordered a harp ukulele in Feb. 2018, put a deposit on it through his PayPal invoice and nothing yet - it is now Nov. 2019. I told him last month to cancel my order and return my deposit several times now. No reply. PayPal will not cooperate by returning my money as it is older than 180 day. I have read elsewhere in the guitar forums that someone had the same experience back in 2012. Wish I had seen that before I ordered.

I have an older model of a Jay Buckey harp ukulele (6 harp strings), purchased used through Elderly. It is ok. Not crazy about the tuning pegs or the maple wood - so not the greatest for performing. That's why I wanted the new model he was supposedly making.

I now possess a 100% carbon fiber harp uke from Emerald Guitars, came in one week and love it. The tuners, fretboard, sound and feel are superior to the J.B. and I don’t have to worry about climate effects like I do with a wood instrument. I have had to adapt to just 4 harp strings, they will custom to have more but it is not worth the extra $$$ to me for now.

If you can please post a video.

I am a fan of harp ukuleles and really love those by Duane Noble https://www.theukulelesite.com/dl-noble-redwood-the-tree-mahogany-harp-ukulele.html
 
I will see from time to time a harp uke by Bruce Wei Arts on eBay for $1000. I have a few of his custom made ukes and a ready made that I really like.


This is Michael Kohan in Los Angeles, Beverly West near the Beverly Center
9 tenor cutaway ukes, 5 acoustic bass ukes, 11 solid body bass ukes, 11 mini electric bass guitars (Total: 35)

• Donate to The Ukulele Kids Club, they provide ukuleles to children in hospital music therapy programs. www.theukc.org
• Member The CC Strummers: YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/CCStrummers/video, Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheCCStrummers
 
Harp Ukulele comparisons

I will be posting video from my programs and gigs this month and next sometime later in December.
Here is my Jay Buckey 10 string harp ukulele that Jay is playing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smYDXhDhkXk
Here is a youtube of the Emerald Guitars Synergy Uke being played: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNW_8xz9Vqo&app=desktop
I hold and play a harp uke more like Jay demonstrates. I find the Emerald Guitars one trying to make it play like a guitar. I prefer to play it like a ukulele with resonant harp strings that can harmonize or play bass. Having 6 strings is nicer, but if the wood isn't "sharp" it gets muddy. I have played a double strung harp, so I am practiced at blended or not blending tones in a song.
 
Agreed DO NOT BUY FROM JAY BUCKEY: I paid in full for a harp ukulele on 18 April 2019 on good faith it would be posted a week later. Still waiting as of 20th Nov 2019. Too late to ask PayPal to resolve. Yes, I shouldn’t have paid in full! Jay has not responded to repeated emails and the mobile number on his invoices is convenient ly out of service.
If anyone has a phone number for Jay please post it. It appears his regular photos posted of the build of the harp ukuleles and website may be an elaborate scam. Jay if you read this please prove me wrong and I’ll let the forum know you are indeed honest...
 
I regret to say that I am another victim of Jay Buckey

Jay Buckey is a charming rascal and seems to be running a scam in both the L'viv, Ukraine and Batumi, Georgia (country not the U.S. state). Fortunately, I lost only a $300 USD down payment on a Jay Buckey 11-string Harp Ukulele special build: "Curly Redwood top, Bolivian Rosewood B/S, Gaboon Ebony finger board, Cocobolo & Abalone Trim" for $500.00 USD plus estimated $100 to $125 shipping (photos attached). I met Jay Buckey online in February 2019 through various Ukulele and Harp Guitar forums. I purchased "life-time membership for only $25" in his newsletter package, a basic tutorial with a complete series of PDF sheet music/tabs. His communications were cordial and helpful. Then he said he had a "factory second" harp ukulele with a defect in the higher frets near the sound hole that he could fix for 50% discount and I jumped for it. Throughout 2019, we corresponded and there was always a delay. Jay promised he would play it when finished to demonstrate that the buzz was gone from the 12th fret. I am still waiting. He stopped replying by December 2019, though I continued to receive his newsletter until August 2020. Like "ladywhoplaystheuke", I acquired the 8-string Emerald Synergy Harp Ukulele, plus an 8-string Bruce Wei Harp Ukulele during the long wait for Jay Buckey's build, and it has become my favorite instrument by far. For those of you seeking Mr. Buckey, his mailing address in the August 2020 newsletter is: Jay Buckey, 13 Yunosti street, Kiev, Kyiv city, Ukraine, Kiev 08340 Ukraine. Or on YouTube: https://youtu.be/OeGukBrJeAk Good luck! Jay Buckey 11-String Ukulele.jpgJay Buckey 11-string ukulele build.jpg
 
Dear Charlz , I just purchased a Bruce Wei harp Ukulele and am interested in your experience with it in terms of its set up and “playability. I’m assuming you set it up with GCEA tuning, what were the base string notes? Also any tips on playing it would be appreciated.
 
Harp Ukulele update

I will be posting video from my programs and gigs this month and next sometime later in December.
Here is my Jay Buckey 10 string harp ukulele that Jay is playing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smYDXhDhkXk
Here is a youtube of the Emerald Guitars Synergy Uke being played: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNW_8xz9Vqo&app=desktop
I hold and play a harp uke more like Jay demonstrates. I find the Emerald Guitars one trying to make it play like a guitar. I prefer to play it like a ukulele with resonant harp strings that can harmonize or play bass. Having 6 strings is nicer, but if the wood isn't "sharp" it gets muddy. I have played a double strung harp, so I am practiced at blended or not blending tones in a song.

Just an update for those who think Jay Buckey is building new harp ukuleles - I contacted him in August as I found he was selling one of his new 11 string ones online and this was his reply, which immediately after he took down his website: "Hello ......., yes, a couple of harp ukes are complete, they came out very nice. The extra strings offer some nice variations. There were residency/business/tax issues in Ukraine and the project was moved to Georgia last year, then this virus thing slowed everything down again. However, everything's starting to move forward again, albeit slowly. As International borders begin to open, they're being shipped one at a time, The time frame is June-August providing no more unexpected issues. I'll give you a heads up."

I am not ever expecting my deposit back, but want to continue to warn musicians of ever trying to purchase an instrument from him.

My Emerald harp ukulele (4 harp + 4 uke) continues to play nicely after one year, but I still want more strings. I sold my 10 string maple wood one and have ordered a custom 11 string (7 harp +4 uke) from Tonedevil Guitars in Sandpoint, Idaho. I look forward to continue playing my Emerald for more contemporary music and the new one from Tonedevil for more complex and therapeutic music.
 
On my 8 string harp ukuleles, I setup the harp strings as F2 (F#2, E2), G2 (Bb2) , A2 (Bb2 C3) and C3 (C#3, D3). In ( ) are notes I adjust these strings to depending on the key signature - main chords of the song.
I have a low g on the ukulele strings, their tuning is: G3, C4, E4 and A4.
 
8-string harp ukulele tunings

On my 8 string harp ukuleles, I setup the harp strings as F2 (F#2, E2), G2 (Bb2) , A2 (Bb2 C3) and C3 (C#3, D3). In ( ) are notes I adjust these strings to depending on the key signature - main chords of the song.
I have a low g on the ukulele strings, their tuning is: G3, C4, E4 and A4.

I have two 8-string harp ukuleles, my first is a beautiful acacia koa instrument from Bruce Wei (Vietnam) and tune my strings similarly to your setup. I use the low g for the ukulele strings.View attachment 133340

Like you, I put a down payment on June 11, 2019 with Jay Buckey for an 11-string harp ukulele that was never delivered despite many promised delivery dates. While waiting for the Buckey instrument, I listened to Jan Laurenz play his 8-string harp ukulele from Emerald Guitars of Ireland: https://youtu.be/MiTN0fv-nVs and that convinced me to make that purchase which arrived quickly. For this instrument, I found that I enjoy the high g tuning on the ukulele strings, otherwise my set up is similar to yours. View attachment 133341

Aloha and Cheers!
 
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