Oscar Schmidt Tenor

adam2180

adam2180

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Hi I'm new in these parts. I have been lurking on this forum for a week and haven't read anything positive about Oscar Schmidt ukes. I have recently purchased a solid mahogany Tenor. It is a fantastic sounding instrument. It's not especially loud but the tone is wonderful. Its very well balanced, great for finger-picking or strumming. I'm not trying to advertise for them or anything but I really dig my Schmidt. Does anyone play one? Whats your opinion on them?
 
I've got a Oscar Schmidt concert. You're right... it's quiet (especially compared to my Flea). The tone is a bit thin, but not unpleasant.

The main problem with mine is the intonation. The nut's probably too high, and one of these days I'll get around to adjusting it.

I think the rep that OS is getting has a lot to do with that sort of thing: The hit-and-miss quality control. Sounds like you got one of the good ones.

JJ
 
I got the OU4 tenor for my birthday back in March. It's a spruce top w/ rosewood sides, so it's a little more twangy than mahogany making it a little louder. I love the abalone binding and around the sound hole, as well as the high gloss finish. For a little over a hundred bucks, I'd say it's beyond worth it!

yhst-78457497489010_2052_45171136
 
I got an OU-5 concert last month, and I've been playing it whenever I have the chance. It's a great little instrument, and the intonation is nearly perfect, as far as I can tell.
 
The intonation on my OU-240 is dead on. The sound is full with just a bit of brightness. I wouldn't say its quiet, its just not overly loud.
 
Moving to Uke Talk . . .
 
Ukulele JJ said:
I've got a Oscar Schmidt concert. You're right... it's quiet (especially compared to my Flea). The tone is a bit thin, but not unpleasant.

The main problem with mine is the intonation. The nut's probably too high, and one of these days I'll get around to adjusting it.
Click to expand...

That's my experience too. I've got an OU2E concert and I also feel the nut is too high; barring the first fret is not so easy, and the E string has never sounded right. I've got some nylguts on the way, and if that doesn't help (specifically the E string problem) then it's off to a local luthier to adjust the action.

The low volume is ok for practicing, you really have to get string-aggressive to get the best sound out of it. Apart from that, I think it's a very good uke for the money, but a comparative Kala would be a better investment.
 
The Sam Ash near my house has a couple of spruce-top Oscar Schmidts. Not the worst ukes, but for the money, I'd go with a Fluke or a Kala or a Mainland.
 
I have an Oscar Schmidt OU-6 tenor and I love it, both aesthetically and acoustically.
 
We have a review of the OU220SWK solid-wood concert uke in the coming issue of Ukulele Player Magazine (due online this weekend).

We are also giving this one away to some lucky reader.
 
I've had an OU-2 for about eight years. I lowered the action on it myself (one of the only "uke-work" projects I've ever undertaken). Strung it with Aquilas-- sounds pretty good, and intonation is good to my ears as well (better than it was before). Still sounds a little bit thin, but not too bad. I think it has actually improved in sound quality as it has aged. I don't really have any other concert to compare it to yet, but I have a Mainland on the way in the next few weeks for my birthday, so we shall see...
 
I've got a OU5, It is really quiet, so i play it when I camp so I don't bother th other campers. Nice tone just quiet. My wife as a OU13, beautiful but I had to do a lot of work to make it playable, also one of the frets is crooked!!!! I agtree withthe quality control thing.
 
I'm not crazy about there laminate models. The solid mahogany I would put up against any Mainland or Bushman. There probably from the same factory in Indonesia.
 
:shaka: Hi there another noob here....just wanted to chime in about my first uke which is a OU-3 thats the RW and Spruce Concert model...I like it works great for me as a beginner....mine is a little quite as well...and I may have figured out one reason....when I was changing strings the other day I pulled out the saddle and it was shimmed with a piece of plastic that looked like one of those coffee stir sticks that was folded up on itself like an accordion!!! I've got some bone saddle blanks and I'm going to have to get one shaped ASAP and drop it in there I'm hoping that it will improve tone and volume.

So if you haven't yet....take a peek under your saddle at your next string change and see whats going on under there!

Blue
 
i have the ou-4 tenor, and it's a very good ukulele. the only problem is the strings that came with it were for g tuning. but hopefully i'm getting them fixed.
 
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