How to test a ukulele and what to listen for

Patchenu

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I was thinking about what I do to "test" a new ukulele and I realize that I just strum a little, play a scale and one check a few chords and from that I get my overall impression. I wanted to see how others check the quality of a uke. I found this online but it is really for violins/cellos but it highlights things I haven't really thought about.

http://www.thestrad.com/what-to-play-when-trying-out-a-new-stringed-instrument/

Is there an equivalent for ukulele?
 
Checking the intonation - open strings and at the twelth fret - springs to mind.
 
Apart from the physical inspection (overall craftmanship, fretboard edges, look inside for excess glue) I would as well quickly run through all frets on all strings to check for any dead notes or buzzes.

But I am not aware of any "standard repertoire" to check - I guess ukulele buyers' skills are too widespread for such a list.
 
Definitely check the intonation. Have a look at the saddle height; if you want to lower the action, you need enough to work with. Check for buzzes, which means play each string at every fret. If possible, have someone else play the ukulele while you are in front of it to better hear what it sounds like. I find this is most relevant with smaller ukuleles, sopranos in particular. Of course, people have different preferences when it comes to neck shapes, but you should play the ukulele for a while to make sure that it is comfortable for you. It's an unhappy experience when you like the way an ukulele sounds but your hand cramps up or feels sore while you are playing it.
 
Let's see..... Check for intonation, check tuners, try to feel the neck making sure its the right fit for me.
 
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