NUD: Famous FS-5

Ukecaster

Ukecaster

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Grabbed this one off the Marketplace, mainly to have another quality soprano, which I won't be wary of taking out to play at gatherings, or travelling/weekends away. Pic shows next to a Kamaka soprano. First impressions are excellent: nice sweet soprano tone, good volume, plays excellent all over the neck, nice string separation. Very happy with the slightly wider spacing at the nut, which is about 1/16 wider than most, at 37mm. String spacing at the nut also wider at 31mm, and wider spacing at the saddle, at 42.5mm. can see why these ukes get such positive props. It is difficult to see that it's a laminate at the soundhole, and the top is only 2mm thick.

2-ukes.jpg
 
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I own one also and feel the same way about it. It certainly shows that properly built laminated ukuleles can play and sound superbly, as good or better than many solid wood instruments. I tuned mine to D tuning with Aquila 33U strings, which added quite a bit of sweetness to the sound. I also liked it in C tuning, but can't find out what the factory strings were (I thought Titaniums, but the commercially available Titanium strings are thicker than what the instrument came with, even though the look is the same).

Congrats to your new uke! :)
 
I have this same uke and think it's a smoking deal for the money - probably the best "value" out there in my opinion. I also have the Kiwaya KS-5, Kiwaya KS-1, and Famous FS-0 as well.
They're all equally good, lightly built. The low frets are a little different though than most.
 
Ukecaster said:
Grabbed this one off the Marketplace, mainly to have another quality soprano, which I won't be wary of taking out to play at gatherings, or travelling/weekends away, so I can leave my 50's Kamaka safely at home mostly. First impressions are excellent: nice sweet soprano tone, good volume, plays excellent all over the neck, nice string separation. Very happy with the slightly wider spacing at the nut, which is about 1/16 wider than most, at 37mm. String spacing at the nut also wider at 31mm, and wider spacing at the saddle, at 42.5mm. I'm big, so that little bit of extra room really means alot to me on soprano. Neck depth is pretty average, at 16mm, but that is much bigger than my Kamaka, which is only a skinny 12mm deep. I can see why these ukes get such positive props; IMO it compares very favorably to the Kamaka, although the Kamaka has slightly more volume and the woodier tone that vintage koa ukes get after time. Pretty close though, and definitely a quality solid uke. Oh, one more thing...like the Kamaka, it stays in tune exceptionally well, I can come back to it the next day, and it is still just about right on.

It is difficult to see that it's a laminate at the soundhole, and the top is only 2mm thick, the same as my koa Kamaka. The only other uke I've seen with such a thin top is an Ohana TK-35 tenor, in solid mahogany.

View attachment 99240
Click to expand...

Glad you like it!
 
Congrats! Yes, people keep writing that the maker is more important than the type of wood. I bet I could take a perfectly great piece of wood and make crap out of it.
Enjoy that new baby!
 
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