Magic Fluke

Made the pilgrimage this morning, okay so maybe not a pilgrimage, it was only 10 minutes out of the way.

Being in the market for my first concert uke I went in to try out the Flea and Fluke for fit. My mistake was trying a number of the ones that have out for the purpose. Koa, spruce, and laminate, numerous fret boards, as well as the 2 kinds of tuning pegs, in all sorts of combinations.

Never should have picked up the Flea spruce top with the side hole in it, man does it sound nice. The problem is I want/ed a laminate so I can go anywhere with it.

I did manage to not buy it while I was there, which would have been easy to do. This way I can beat myself up over which to get for a while longer.

Question: Do I have to treat a plastic uke with a spruce top and like a solid wood uke, or can I kind of treat it like a laminate and not worry much about humidity and temperature changes? Would like it to be my traveler, if I find I like playing a concert size. Don't plan on using it to paddle my canoe.

Did find the Peghead tuners worked a lot better then the originals, although the originals aren't exactly difficult either, just kind of touchy.

I'm thinking plastic fretboard, and the standard tuners, to keep it affordable, but go with the spruce top with the side port for the sound. I'm taking it the fretboard and tuners have nothing to do with how it sounds. Edit: I just looked and the wood fretboard is standard with the spruce.

All the solid top ukes on display had wood fretboards and mostly the Pegheads.

Comments welcome of course.


Just noticed I put this in the Beginners Forum, which I am, but it probably should have gone elsewhere. If one of the admins wants to move it, please do.

This might sound crazy, but I prefer the laminate top Fluke to the koa one-- I have both. The tuners are fine for me and after catching the new stretch slack, barely need adjustment. I love the plastic fretboard, but I'm always paranoid about the wearing away. It's such a chore shipping, as I'm in PA. The first Flea I had about six years ago, I shredded the board. I guess my touch has gotten lighter as the newer Fluke plastic board is holding up better, but I'd rather have the wooden board so as to not have to worry. The solid koa Fluke I have is almost too articulate- that must sound weird, but I prefer doing my usual strumming on the laminate plain mango Fluke I have. -- Matt

Cool story Padlin!

Thanks for sharing.

One day I hope to be able to visit the MFC shop in person, but from NJ it is not so close to me.

Also, you may find the following thread, and the threads linked here in the first post of interest to you:

The-Magic-Fluke-Company-Appreciation-thread

I often wonder why people buy solid wood fluke or flea if you have to take care of it like a regular uke. I thought fluke and flea are supposed to be maintenance free for outdoor , all weather kind of instrument.
Once you get into solid top, solid this and that the total add up to equal or even cost more than an all solid uke while the body is still plastic.

SoloRule said:

I often wonder why people buy solid wood fluke or flea if you have to take care of it like a regular uke. I thought fluke and flea are supposed to be maintenance free for outdoor , all weather kind of instrument.
Once you get into solid top, solid this and that the total add up to equal or even cost more than an all solid uke while the body is still plastic.

Click to expand...

First, the SOUND is different as opposed to the common birch top and some folks want that. I have a koa Fluke and it is my only Koa or Acacia instrument and I also have Fleas with the birch top, they all sounds different, but I like the sound, and they also ALL play the same (AWESOME) with near-perfect intonation. Some folks might share my opinion.

Second, with all the upgrades and whatever cost, it's like if you bought a Toyota Corolla, but then spent like another $10k for ALL the upgrade packages because you love the Corolla the most, as opposed to just buying the base-model Toyota Avalon that has most or all of the options included already. Maybe a Kamaka is like the Avalon?

Third, some folks like me, LOVE the whole Fluke/Flea concept, AS WELL AS the people involved AS WELL AS the fact that the entire business, the whole luthier workshop and all the offices are run 100% on solar power, and in such a way that any surplus energy is fed back into the community electrical grid. I want to SUPPORT these people, especially since they are doing the right things as far as I'm concerned, and that is (one reason) why I have FOUR of their instruments, instead of just ONE of the K-brands or a custom.

Fourth, even though it might have a solid-wood top and upgrade to wooden fretboard, BECAUSE of the plastic back, it is still less trouble, and less worrisome than say an all-solid KOA from Hawaii or Vietnam which is likely to be MUCH more humid than where ever the uke lives with it's owner.

I dont know if I answered the question, or if this helps, but I try to do my best to share what I know.

Very informative. Thanks Booli!
Visiting the Fluke factory is on my list!
Would be a nice road trip from Toronto

SoloRule said:

Very informative. Thanks Booli!
Visiting the Fluke factory is on my list!
Would be a nice road trip from Toronto

Click to expand...

No worries!

I'd love to go there too, but have to fatten up my bank account so I can place orders from the wood that I see in hand when I get there....

Many other UU folks have reported being able to actually select the specific piece of spruce, koa, mahogany or walnut tops that are used for the uke that they order...

I also want to give actual BIG HUGS to Dale Webb and to Phyllis Webb (Owners of MFC) for all the awesome that they are and that they do, so that would be something added to look forwards to. (Yes, I am a weirdo in this way)

If you do make the trip, please take some photos or video to share with us when you get back...I am sure plenty of other folks besides me would love to see them

Besides visiting The Magic Fluke, it's a very nice area. Wouldn't be a bad place to spend a few days touring.

Booli said:

...
Second, with all the upgrades and whatever cost, it's like if you bought a Toyota Corolla, but then spent like another $10k for ALL the upgrade packages because you love the Corolla the most, as opposed to just buying the base-model Toyota Avalon that has most or all of the options included already. Maybe a Kamaka is like the Avalon?

Click to expand...

I think the Kamaka is at least another brand of car - perhaps an Accura? I find the natural progression from the Flea/Fluke high end to be a Blackbird of some kind (Clara for me..).

Makes me wonder if there are natural progressions from certain less expensive to more expensive brands?

PTOEguy said:

I think the Kamaka is at least another brand of car - perhaps an Accura? I find the natural progression from the Flea/Fluke high end to be a Blackbird of some kind (Clara for me..).

Makes me wonder if there are natural progressions from certain less expensive to more expensive brands?

Click to expand...

Well, yes for me it would likely be the Blackbird Carbon Fiber BTU (instead if the Clara or Farallon), but Kamaka is a name everybody knows and I thought maybe the BTU would not be recognized as a mainstream instrument.

I dunno if any 'official' upgrade channel has been carved out along a well-worn path - those here on UU with a hobby of statistics or actuarials may enjoy plotting the trends, I am not sure of how to source this info...

When I visited Magic Fluke, they had just opened - I was the first visitor through the doors not involved with MF in either an official capacity( building inspector, for example), vendor capacity (cabinet maker, electrician, plumber, etc.) or employee.

I didn't walk in planning on being a customer that day. But after spending 3+ hours playing the "2nds", and 1/2 hr playing the Firefly prototypes (which Dale would not let me buy!), the credit card came out.

I got a Fluke Tenor, Pegheds, Rosewood fretboard, B&B pickup, and the old Gator hard Shell Case for about 50% off list, and ordered a Firefly (I have S/N 22!), also with pegheds.

I've been back once with my wife, and have bumped into Phyllis and Dale on a couple more occasions. They are lovely people.