Enya EUR-X1 Soprano Camp Uke: Looking for a bargain?

I have been participating on the Got a Ukulele Facebook Group (can't get enough ukulele discussion, it seems) and someone posted about a $36 Enya Soprano Camp Ukulele called the EUR-X1. HPL laminate, radius fretboard, truss rod, gig bag, tuner, etc.

At the time of the post, it was $30.99--so I bought one. So did a number of other people (including Barry Maz, who will eventually review it). Nobody has mentioned this here, and I doubt everyone is on Facebook. So, I figured: I might as well share the news.

Simply put, it isn't perfect, but it is a really, really nice soprano instrument for less than $30. I bought 10 more for our school program right away, as they were $28.99 each from Amazon yesterday. I suggest different strings...will be trying Aquila KIDS on those 10 ukuleles when they arrive tomorrow.

I know ukuleles that cost less than $50 are usually good to avoid...this is an exception. I have no idea how they afford to sell these for $28.99.

I blogged about it here: https://ukestuff.wordpress.com/2017/07/31/it-is-too-good-to-be-true-but-it-isnt-false/

And blogged again with video here: https://ukestuff.wordpress.com/2017/08/01/some-enya-eur-x1-videos/

If you are interested in buying, search "Enya 21 Ukulele Kit" or feel free to use a link in my blog (those are referral links, which I will not post here).

Chris -

Thanks for sharing here on UU as well, since I avoid Facebook at all costs. I am sure other UU folks, just have no need for Facebook either and would also be left out.

I am not really in the market now for a new uke per se (only if/when i downsize a bit and raise funds for upgrading to a Martin C1K :drool:...)

But I will be following your account here with interest as I like to keep up with the new items that are available.

Mahalo brother

I hear you, Booli. Several years ago, I had over 1,000 Facebook friends, made of family, friends, work acquaintances, and former students (the mass majority, as I was a high school choir teacher at the time). About that time, Facebook changed from just being a feed of what people were doing to a continual stream of re-posts and ads. Then a former student posted a video for all that Facebook's filter didn't catch...and that was the moment I decided to leave.

However, the active ukulele culture on Facebook drew me back, where I made an account not connected to my name, and I only follow and post ukulele stuff. The Got a Ukulele group (and Barry is still active here) is just a little more ukulele content when there seems to only be UU as an active forum on the regular internet.

Well Choirguy, I just ordered one. We need a second uke for camping and bike trips. We did do one 30 mile bike trip last year (not very impressive for real bikers).

Thanks for the review.

My brother-in-law is a guitar player, and after two years of my dragging a ukulele to every family gathering, he has decided to look into ukulele for fun, too. He's going to buy one of these.

They have removable necks...theoretically, I could order a concert neck or a tenor neck and install it on the body...

Choir guy,
Great post thank you. Neat looking ukulele. I think it sounds good. I'm temped and will now go back and see what a Tenor Enya HPL is worth. GrEat value, cool campfire, frypan look. You did good but even better for your students. I'm betting these HPL will be close to industructilbe so great for student. You said action, fret ends etc were all good. So, anyone can learn music on them and fight a badly made ukulele. I'm curious how your Aquila student strings sound on his ukulele. As a rule Aquila tend to bring out more volume. Cheers

Glad you wrote these - I think they are remarkable value. The setup on mine is absolutely superb.

No - it's not a honeycomb - it's sheets of craft paper layered together in a resin and an outer graphic on the outside. Same material Martin uses for their X series guitars and ukes and that Bonanza Ukuleles use for theirs. In fact Enya say in their product leaflet that this IS Martin HPL.

it's kitchen counter top material.

I went to Amazon and noticed they call this a kit.
How difficult is assembly?

Thanks for the info ChiorGuy. I just took delivery of a sub$30 soprano from GC and this Enya looks superior, especially for the added accessories.

Now what to do? I have money and am visiting one of my grandsons soon who attempts to play his Dad's concert Uke. He is only 4 but is he ready? Only one way to find out!

maki66 said:

I went to Amazon and noticed they call this a kit.
How difficult is assembly?

Click to expand...

It's not a kit - no assembly required. No idea why they use that term!

I could not resist!!!!:drool:

I came back to say that Chris, I think the blog pages and videos linked therein on YouTube, are really well done, informative and will be a great resource for anyone looking for more info on this uke.

Kudos to you for your generosity, time and energy for putting this all together and sharing with everyone.

So thank you for everything you do to share your experiences with the ukulele, I do appreciate it very much, and I'm pretty sure that other folks do as well.

Having said that....MUST RESIST Enya Camp uke....and put shekels in pickle jar to save for a Martin C1K....MUST RESIST....fight the Borg ...... aHHHHHHHHH ............. resist ............ resist ...... EXTERMINATE! ...... aaaahhhhh ....... EXTERMINATE!!!

UkeNukem said:

Thanks for the info ChiorGuy. I just took delivery of a sub$30 soprano from GC and this Enya looks superior, especially for the added accessories.

Now what to do? I have money and am visiting one of my grandsons soon who attempts to play his Dad's concert Uke. He is only 4 but is he ready? Only one way to find out!

Click to expand...

When I moved into using ukulele as a way to reach my choir students, the cheapest playable ukulele on the market was the Mahalo MK1 series. We bought 55 of them, most of them at $24 each. They aren't great ukuleles...but they worked. I also bought one for my family, knowing I was going to buy a ukulele (my first was a Makala MK-CE, which I still play from time to time). The idea with the family was that my kids could use that MK1 and leave their hands off my stuff. Incidentally, this one later had the headstock broken by my eight year old (at the time) son and his friends...and UU members suggested gluing it and clamping it...and it is still working. As for the 55 Mahalos, we sold them, with a tuner, to students for $12 each, taking a slight loss but not really as they lasted for a year of instruction. Just cheap instruments with cheap finishes and cheap strings...but they worked to teach entry level ukulele in a classroom setting.

Later, we were going through Wal-Mart and in the clearance aisle, there was a First Act Mickey Mouse Guitar for $20. My four year old was into the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse at the time, so I bought it. It was "just" $20, and while it is a truly horrendous instrument, there are a couple of nice touches (true Mickey Mouse ears on the tuners, and the sound hole makes one of Mickey's ears on the front. It is a shame it doesn't sound good (plastic uke, and not a good one).

Later I found Caramel ukuleles, and we replaced the Mahalos with Caramel concerts and tenors. For education, they work well, but do require set-up and care in term of fret end management as the fretboard dries in our cold (Minnesota) winter. The concerts are $36 and tenors $39, shipped, from China. See Barry's review about these as well (full disclosure always).

Well, this Enya is a far superior product to the Mahalo MK1, (obviously) the First Act Mickey Mouse Guitar, and all of the Caramels. It isn't perfect...but for $29 (US...seems the UK doesn't get the price), you get a very decent starter ukulele in the soprano scale, plus the accessories you really need to get going (tuner, bag).

Now...for a four year old...WHY NOT? The only possible regret is having a four year old not really playing a ukulele that is a legitimate instrument. $29 is, sadly, throw away money in our culture (the things we buy without even thinking about them)--and I can think of no reason why your four year old couldn't have one of these...and the HPL laminate should stick up to some abuse (see Bonanza Pete's videos with the HPL that they use).

There was a fellow on the Got a Ukulele Forum (Facebook) that decided to send his back...and that's fair. The ukulele isn't loud, but I find myself playing it quite a bit. I still can't believe that it has a radius fretboard...

Well, in reality his mom (my daughter) said she does not think he is quite ready so I ordered the first cheapo soprano as an experiment in tuning it like a mandolin for travel. Now with the Enya on the way I will set up the first one for the lad and use the Enya for myself! Mainly because it comes with a real case rather than the thin fibre-cloth one the first came with.

Here is the link so y'all know what I mean. http://www.guitarcenter.com/Mahalo/Kahiko-Series-MK1-Soprano-Ukulele.gc

It is an Indonesian made soprano and it really is decent. They did send me the wrong color but it looks fine and was $2 more.. Seems well made and workable tuners. It even has a serial number on the inside label!

I already have popped off the nut and started sanding the nut and saddle to lower the action. Then new strings which I have in stock. At worst it can be a loaner to have on hand.

That's half my fun anyway is tweaking cheap instruments to be better than they should. I have learned quite a bit over the years this way too.

From your review the Enya may not need any tweaking, just new strings. Thanks again!

Re the price - I spoke to Enya on this - I believe this is a temporary low price in order to build awareness of the brand. The retail / list for these in the UK is actually £129. Their standard shaped soprano (same build, same accessories) is also about that much. So I suspect these ultra low prices won't last. They are effectively giving them away.

bazmaz said:

Re the price - I spoke to Enya on this - I believe this is a temporary low price in order to build awareness of the brand. The retail / list for these in the UK is actually £129. Their standard shaped soprano (same build, same accessories) is also about that much. So I suspect these ultra low prices won't last. They are effectively giving them away.

Click to expand...

I can confirm since I just noticed the Amazon description at the top says: "$28.99 until Aug 15th"

bazmaz said:

It's not a kit - no assembly required. No idea why they use that term!

Click to expand...

Thank you.
I'm going to have to stop reading these threads.
A decent $29 ukulele? How do I resist?

been playing it tonight. I've come to a theory on the low volume. I think the bridge is set behind the most resonant part of the top. Rap the top in front of the bridge and it's like a drum. Tap near the bridge and it isn't. The birdge is not on the most resonant part and therefore can't transmit vibrations into the top as efficiently. Still, it's a pleasant tone though.

maki66 said:

A decent $29 ukulele? How do I resist?

Click to expand...

I tried using rational thinking along the "I really do't need another cheap ukulele" but gave up and ordered one anyway when I saw the "Until" note!

"Resistance is futile, buying ukuleles is inevitable!"