NUD: Koa Soprano Flea

hendulele

Check your fleas
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Hi gang! I was looking for my travel/camping/beach uke and this is the one. I found a good price for it on Reverb and snapped it up immediately. It's my second Flea (sold the first) and I also have a Fluke and Firefly. Dale and Phyllis are the best, and whenever you can find an instrument this beautiful, durable, and sweet-sounding, go for it!

koa-flea.jpg
 
You can't say that the Flukes or Fleas copy anyone else...a very unique look. That Koa top looks nice; I would (personally) worry about humidofication in the winter.

However, I did not humidify my Kala Travel Tenor (that has a solid spruce top) last winter, and nothing happened to it last winter (our house stays in the mid 30% range during the winter) and I have a new Aklot Concert that I think I will put through a torture test (no pampering for humidity) and report back on it in March.
 
I haven't humidified my solid top-laminated backed ukes in the past and have had no problem. Dale at Magic Fluke says as long as you don't have the Koa close to a forced-air heat vent, it should be fine.

My solid wood ukes have needed to be stored in humidified cases in the winter.

I'll probably make an exception for my Ohana cedar topped willow uke. I dropped it at a jam and it cracked at the top joint. A local luthier did a fantastic repair, but I'm not taking any chances.
 
Congrats hendulele it looks really nice! :)

On their site Magic Fluke says it's "Solid Koa" does anyone know if it's really solid, or laminate?

I hope you'll put up a video soon so we can hear it. ;)
 
Congrats hendulele it looks really nice! :)

On their site Magic Fluke says it's "Solid Koa" does anyone know if it's really solid, or laminate?

I hope you'll put up a video soon so we can hear it. ;)

Thank you! It is lovely.

The top (according to MFC) is indeed solid Koa. The back is polycarbonate, like the other Fleas/Flukes.

I hope to have a vid to share soon.
 
Both Fleamarketmusic and MFC are based in a country that has actual advertising standards, the USA, they would be quickly called out and possibly prosecuted for false advertising if they portrayed ply wood as solid wood in the tops. The MFC factory is actually in Sheffield Massachusetts, not southern China, it operates under the constraints of USA laws and regulations.
I am glad I ordered my koa flea with the wooden fretboard and pegheads and hard case when the $AU = $US, the current exchange rate makes them a bit more expensive in Australia.

I know they are in the USA if you are replying to me, and I know the USA has standards... ;)

My understanding is laminate doesn't always have to mean plywood, but a Koa laminate as an example would be thin sheets of Koa laminated together.

And of course I never meant to imply, just in case anyone thought that they were being deceptive, I was only asking to clarify is all...

Thanks
 
I have the same one! I even have the same tuner!
 
Booli has some nice info on Magic Fluke, he seems to be a real fan, which I'm surprised he hasn't jumped in here yet to have a few words.

Oh Booli... ;)
 
Booli has some nice info on Magic Fluke, he seems to be a real fan, which I'm surprised he hasn't jumped in here yet to have a few words.

Oh Booli... ;)

Thanks for thinking of me.

I'm pretty sure that fellow UU brother hendulele has seen, and posted previously on the Magic Fluke Company megathread, but just in case not, or as a reminder for other folks, you can get to it from the linked page in my forum signature below.

Having said that -

CONGRATS on the new baby! :)

She sure is a beaut, and as you know, will be a reliable companion. :music:
 
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