Buying without trying

Joyful Uke

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Not all of us have access to a wide selection of ukuleles to try before buying, or even much of any option to try other than maybe the low end big box store choices.

For those of you who have bought a ukulele without trying it first, (or even trying the same brand first), how did you decide it was worth the risk?

Obviously, one bit of advice is to buy from a trusted place, like Mim's Ukes, or UKE Republic, or HMS, where they'll do set-up.

Has anyone bought anything from here?
https://www.gryphonstrings.com/
They say they do set-up as well, but I don't recall them being mentioned on the list.

Listening to lots of sound samples gives you some idea of the sound, though it all depends on how it was recorded. Still a bit of a gamble, but you can get an idea of sound, at least.

But, how do you feel confident that you'll be getting a ukulele that is a good fit for you? Necks vary, for example, and that matters for some of us.

How about the marketplace? A "known" UU member is probably less of a risk, but how do you make that transaction less risky?

Some of you seem to buy and sell a lot, some have more limited experience, and some seem to have decided to only buy if they can try the instrument first. I'm interested in hearing experiences and advice.
 
It all depends upon how much you have to pay. I started out buying my first off Amazon, based upon the reviews and adverting for Rubin Ukuleles. I spent $65 for my first Tenor which looked beautiful and had some good reviews. I'm pretty baroque, so I didn't want to spend much to try out a Uke.

Two weeks after I sent in the order I got it and was pretty happy but it needed a little set up so I took it to may local Uke Shop and they charged me $20 to set it up. I could have done it myself but $20 was well spent. It played so much easier it made me really happy. I wouldn't sell it for $250 now. As I learned how to C-F-G7 I spent another $30 on some different strings and got even happier. By then I could play 9-12 chords and was progressing to the point where it sounded like actual music!

If you can afford $100-150 or so by all means talk to Mim about a uke. I haven't bought from her, but I have a quality Uke Shop nearby who sold me an Ohana CK-22, after I had decided that I really liked playing, which is a very nice uke for $165. If you can't decide what size to buy, get a concert I think they may be easier to play than a soprano and don't sound so plinky-plunky.

The vendors you cited have good reputations. I don't know about Grypon Strings, but maybe some one else can tell about about them. My 2 cents. Good luck.
 
You will find as you read the posts that will be added to this thread that almost all of us here have bought most, if not all, our Ukes sight and sound unseen. You read, learn, talk and then take a chance. You will also find that most of us have had magnificent experiences and that if you do get something you don't like, you can just resell it.

Make sure you use PayPal so you are protected in case the item is not as described.

I personally would never have had the chance to experience the kind of Ukes I have played if it were not for my willingness to take a chance and would not hesitate in the least to do it again.
 
I have bought 4 ukuleles sight unseen. One was a custom. The other other 3? One was from a dealer named MGM (Mike). I called him and told him the sound I wanted. He chose and did a great job -- it was a KoAloha concert. The custom came next and it's, well....my dream ukulele. Then I bought a laminated tenor. Not so good, but the price was. I NEVER play it. I bought a Mainland mahogany tenor and it's fabulous. Mike picked it out, but I had heard and played one before.
Just be careful where you get it. Go to someone reputable.
 
Almost all of my ukes have been bought "sight and sound unseen". I live in Canada.............enough said. Best advice is do lots of research then buy used from the Marketplace right here. This is what I call buy and try university because as you say you don't know neck dimension, fret sizes, overall playability or tone until you try. If it is not for you then sell it. If it is in good shape and you got it at a fair price you can sell it for the same. Examples of ukes I have bought and sold

Pete Howlet
Koaloha KCM-00
Mya Moe tenor
Collings UT2
Compass Rose 5 string tenor
Loprinzi super soprano

With top quality instruments it is like no risk rentals. I have determined through these what I like and have bought more than those listed above, all sight unseen and I am loving them and holding on to them
 
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You will find as you read the posts that will be added to this thread that almost all of us here have bought most, if not all, our Ukes sight and sound unseen. You read, learn, talk and then take a chance. You will also find that most of us have had magnificent experiences and that if you do get something you don't like, you can just resell it.

Make sure you use PayPal so you are protected in case the item is not as described.

I personally would never have had the chance to experience the kind of Ukes I have played if it were not for my willingness to take a chance and would not hesitate in the least to do it again.
Lenny is right......do your homework..........and so far I have never had an issue with any ukes I've bought and sold here. I have never bought from Gyrphon. They seem to have a good reputation and sell a lot of high-end instruments, including Collings. I have heard, that they are not willing to negotiate on price.
 
I've bought from Gryphon 2 times, 2 DIFFERENT purchases, once for a uke and the other time for a guitar, both were used items.

However, both were completely flawless and I could not find the marks described in the listing on the web site.

They shipped same day, items were well-packed and well-padded and arrived safely as expected and shipping was very reasonable for each (about $15 for UPS/FedEx ground)...

The guitar I never played beforehand, nor ANY from that brand, but it was a higher-end brand and the reviews were all positive. The uke, I had a similar model fromt he same company and knew what to expect, and in BOTH cases was NOT disappointed at all, and in FACT very HAPPY with Gryphon Strings in Palo Alto, CA.

Also, IIRC, Gryphon, like Elderly has a generous return policy if the instrument is not up to expectations, so that was a big plus, but I never had to consider sending either instrument back.

My ADVICE to you the OP, is to educate yourself enough in order to properly set your EXPECTATIONS, and if you do so, you will be happy with the end result MORE OFTEN than not.
 
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All of my ukuleles have been bought unseen. The order and experiences were as follows:

- My very first ukulele was one of those $30 bundles with a plywood soprano, bag, book. While I was waiting for it, I spent a bit of time looking more into ukuleles (mostly tutorial videos) and learned about sizes. Lesson from this purchase: Look before you leap. But, really, it was pretty minor and I got the book. These well-advertised bundles probably do the instrument a disfavor.

- Next, now educated about sizes, I bought a $150 concert ukulele with a solid top from ebay. This was considerably better, but it wasn't set up, the action was too high, and the intonation was off. I considered being done with ukuleles at this point, but persisted, found this forum here, and I learned about set up, woods, and so on.

- Next I bought a soprano and a tenor from a small store in Germany where the owner does setups (ukumele.de). They were both KPK-level instruments (from the KPK factory), solid, and very playable. I was a bit frustrated about not knowing which size to focus on, which hampered my learning process since there was a latent feeling of dissatisfaction, but this was unrelated to the instruments. They were good and the reason why I stuck with the hobby. I faded in and out of the hobby for two years, not buying anything, but also not really progressing much.

- Then the exposure to high-end instruments here on the forum caused me to want a custom ukulele, and I wanted to get more serious about the ukulele and "really learn it" (what better way to be serious about something than to drop cash on it! :p). I figured the tenor would give me the best options (versatility), so I bought a semi-custom from overseas. Fascinating instrument, and five times more expensive than my most expensive ukulele before. I'm not exactly sure what happened, but I didn't get on with it. It wasn't the instrument, it was me. I didn't feel I could do it justice, felt my abilities didn't improve fast enough, felt I should have waited longer (it is currently my most played ukulele, I just had to discover low-G tuning with a wound string), and I had second thoughts about the size. Importing was also a pain in the butt, so the next ukes were all bought within Europe so I wouldn't have to deal with the customs office (19+3% in taxes, fees, etc) and the hassle.

- Those second thoughts then let to the purchase of a KoAloha LN pineapple soprano. The problem with having a higher end instrument is that it sets a new standard in terms of craftsmanship, so now that I had experienced a custom instrument, only other customs or K brand ukuleles had much appeal. I bought the KoAloha from a European vendor. No setup, but it was fine and I could have sent it back within two weeks. Loved it, even though my size preferences would change again.

- Bought a vintage soprano from someone on here at a good price. 90 years old, still a great player. Shortly after a string ripped through the bridge and it would be a few months before I got it repaired ($100). Like the little thing, and I doubt I'll ever sell it. It's now D tuned, probably like when it was born, sounds like the 1920s instrument it is, and it's just very uke-y.

- Then I bought a KoAloha Opio concert from a vendor, also without setup, but had the guy check for intonation, and I again could have sent it back within two weeks (seller paying return shipment). This purchase was the result of my size struggles and wanting to find the "one uke" that combines everything, but I didn't want to drop $1000+ for a size I wasn't sure I would stick with. I also wanted quality, so the Opio was the best compromise. I liked it well enough, it was set-up well from the factory, but it was neither fish nor foal. Still have it.

- Detour back to sopranos by buying a used custom Black Bear from a forum member. He'd played it on a video and he checked intonation. It came perfectly set up, a really good deal. A definite candidate for a desert island ukulele. A really good shopping experience, too, that convinced me that buying used is a very viable alternative, especially when buying from someone who has been around for a while.

- Still somewhat searching, I picked up a Pono baritone that my KoAloha vendor had in stock. Same deal: Only factory setup, but hand checked by the vendor, and risk-free 2-weeks return policy (it's a law in Europe, not a favor offered by vendors). It came set up well from the factory. I want to say that without the 2-weeks return option I would not have bought any of these expensive ukuleles without setup being included. For me, one of these two conditions is an absolute must. Loved the baritone, still do. It convinced me of linear tuning and lead to the resurrection of my custom tenor that I now love with linear tuning and play a lot.

- And finally, all of these experiences that helped me refine my preferences now result in me getting a Kanile'a guitarlele. Bit of a gamble, but I plan to get it from a vendor that DOES do set-ups, because I can't get one on a national level, and having to ship something back to a foreign country is not a desirable option. So, setup it is! Whether I will like it, I don't know, but it will be flawlessly playable.

Well, lessons? One is that preferences change. Even if I could have tried every ukulele before I bought it, I would not have been able to really determine which size is best for me. I still don't know for sure. I also learned that strings and tunings matter a lot, and that first impressions mean almost nothing when it comes to ukuleles and me. So I'm not sure if trying before buying would have done much for me outside of testing playability and intonation in terms of setup (which is an important aspect, however). But sizes, woods, construction aspects, with those I needed much more and much longer exposure to really begin to even formulate my preferences.

So, a trip to a store, even if there had been one closer than five hours (one way) where I could have tried higher end ukuleles, wouldn't really have made much of a difference when it comes to determining long-term preferences.
 
Ironic that this thread would come up today. A couple hours ago I ordered online a Martin T1K from one of the big box music outfits (great deal w/20% discount off store retail). The uke should be here on Monday at the latest.

Did all my "due diligence" online, never heard one live or played one. I know it will be shipped "box never opened" and that's all right. I do my own setup work and Martin QC is darned good. Am not expecting any problems.

Buying this way is always a risk to some degree. The risks can be reduced by a good maker quality record, vendor reputation for handling returns/refunds promptly and the vendor having a decent history of fixing problem instruments. In this case, got the first two covered and the last is nonexistent but not necessary.

Hope to do a review of the T1K next week.
 
I think a lot of this depends on where you are with your "playing" and how much you are paying (and willing to risk losing on a low end uke that you likely wouldn't be able to resell).

I was able to try out my out first 2 lower end ukes in person but I really wasn't familiar enough with the uke, or even music in general, to tell if either actually sounded good or functioned properly LOL.

But, like Dave said earlier, I live in Canada and there are limited resources so the next few purchases were on-line without "set-ups". Fortunately for me it worked out ok - but even if it hadn't, I wouldn't have been out a lot of cash so the risk was low. Then I moved up a little in price scale so I bought one from HMS perfectly set up and it was a great experience.

I then wanted to try a "solid wood" uke and really lucked out on being able to buy from experienced forum member. The transaction and the uke couldn't have been any more perfect! I think this is the best of both worlds as you get it usually at a discounted price and the known members here are very forthright and accommodating. For me, the risk was still very low because, by then, I had learned much more about the size and sounds I liked. In a perfect world I would have bought this uke as my first and saved myself the step-ups - but in reality, I might not appreciated or understood the value of it's quality. It has been a learning "process" and there is value in that.

I can envision some day moving up to a custom- I was absolutely smitten with the Kinnard Sopranos that UkuleleEddie (and DirtiestKidEver) had for sale but the currency exchange rate makes this a very long term goal when my wallet and playing skill might justify it ROTFL. If that ever happens, my first choice would be buy from a forum member, my second....from HMS or the builder direct. And I don't really see this as any more of risk than my first couple of buys because, with the higher quality, comes the ability to resell in the unlikely event that I didn't bond with the instrument.

All this to say that I think for a lower end uke "buying without trying" is fine if you can afford to lose the purchase price (either by giving it away, keeping it as a knock-about or reselling at a bargain price). For a higher end uke you'll likely have to buy sight unseen but you mitigate the risk by buying from a reputable dealer than does set-ups or a known forum member....and the really good ones retain their value for resale.
 
Buying sight-unseen is scary - but kind of exciting too. There just aren't a whole lot of options around if you want to try them out beforehand. I would recommend joining a local ukulele group/meet-up and trying them out there. That's how I found out that a Blackbird Clara was awesome (it is).
Also just asking around here is a good start. But some of it comes down to preferences - things like sizes/ sound/ neck shape/ action, etc can all be very personal. So that's hard to learn what you like without churning through a few (or a few dozen in my case)!
 
Hi Joyful:

Gryphon Stringed Instruments is a very reputable well known place in the Bay Area. They sell high end acoustic instruments, mainly guitars. I work near them and I've bought stuff from them a few times.

Luke
 
I bought a National Style 2 Uke from them a couple months back. Extremely professional, friendly and willing to go the extra mile. After I bought it, it disappeared from their site. I asked them if they could send me the pictures from the listing and I had all 20+ in a couple hours. Packaging left me speechless. It was wrapped in tissue paper and the neck, which was basically unsupported by the hard case, was wrapped in bubble wrap over the tissue paper to ensure it wouldn't move an inch during transit. While I am a neophyte, the setup is very nice and every bit as good as my son's Kanile'a K-1 purchased from HMS in May.

Matt
 
Just returned from a trip to the Bay Area where I spent an afternoon at Gryphon. Great people, friendly place, incredible instruments remarkably well cared for. Gryphon is one of the top shops in the world. Feel comfortable buying from them. And since I played most of their ukes, tell me which one you're looking at-- I probably tried it out!
 
Always do your research and buy from reputable builders, and players, I've found buying from some musicians to be the best because they are quite picky in choosing the tone and feel they like. Not all, but many
 
Just returned from a trip to the Bay Area where I spent an afternoon at Gryphon. Great people, friendly place, incredible instruments remarkably well cared for. Gryphon is one of the top shops in the world. Feel comfortable buying from them. And since I played most of their ukes, tell me which one you're looking at-- I probably tried it out!

No specific ukulele in mind right now. Just was browsing their website before I started the thread, though, and it does look like they have some very nice ukuleles.

It sounds like people have had very positive experiences in buying before trying, which is good fuel for UAS.
 
It sounds like people have had very positive experiences in buying before trying, which is good fuel for UAS.

The lack of sellers offering setups, and my inability to do it myself, really kept my UAS in check often. If I felt I could safely buy ukuleles in the $300 or less price region on eBay or from large music stores and chains, I would probably have made quite a few impatient impulse purchases, which would then have made it impossible to buy something more expensive.

But since here in Europe I really only have two sources for set-up ukes that I know of (ukuMele, which has a very small selection only, and Southern Ukulele Store, which is in the UK, so there are higher shipping costs and wait time), and a few places for high end ukuleles that typically come with good setup from the factory, my purchases tend to be more planned. Or at least somewhat planned, since most of my ukulele acquisitions only cooked for a few days or weeks, and it's only the upcoming one that I have been pondering for months and that I sold some stuff for. It makes the purchases more deliberate, but also bigger.

So I guess it's both a good and a bad thing, depending on one's perspective. Perhaps I'd still only play that eBay bought concert from the start, if it had been set up and caused me to look for something else (and then discovering so much that the tyranny of choice became a problem).
 
I understand if you live in a place where you can't try before buying, but remember this:

- ukes can vary in tone from uke to uke. I bought a well respected brand tenor without trying that I'm assuming was a total dud (ukes half the price had better tone and projection). Others from that brand I've played had a much better sound.

- Sometimes you don't know what you want - just because the rest of the world likes it doesn't mean it will speak to you.

- keep your eyes and ears open. I never thought I'd find a place in my town with a Blackbird Clara I could try, but it happened. I played it bit, thought it was nice but nothing special. Then I thought a little, brought in my current uke and played them back-to-back, and started to get a sense of the difference. Talked to my wife, bought the Clara and sold the ukes I'd bought without trying first to finance my purchase. I'm still impressed every time I pick up the Clara.
 
- Sometimes you don't know what you want - just because the rest of the world likes it doesn't mean it will speak to you.

I bought all my ukuleles without trying them first. If there is one I am thinking about I do a search and see if anyone else owns one. If so, I PM them and get their opinions. What they like, what they don't like. I ask about things that I find to be important to me (I.e. Neck thickness) and I make a decision from there. Has it always worked? No. As PTOEguy said, just be a others like it doesn't mean you will. I got a flea because everyone raves about them and I wanted a uke to take outdoors. I personally cannot stand the neck. I hated playing it. I did buy it second hand and was able to sell it quickly for what I paid, so it was a free trial period of sorts.
 
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