Mahalo Electro Acoustic Les Paul ULP-30ECH

Pyrateknight

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Price: $99

Features 7/10

* Bought in 2009, Made in China
* 19 frets 14; frets to body
* Maple Body, Mahogany Neck, Rosewood fretboard and bridge,
* Pickups with onboard pickup system with volume and tone controls
* Cherry Sunburst Finish
* Soprano Les Paul
* NuBone saddle and nut
* Nickel-plated geared tuners with green plastic button
* Neck/Scale (Fat, Thin, Jumbo Frets, Rosewood, Maple, etc...)
* Came with Aquila strings. Not sure if it was the music shop or the factory.
* Comes with gig bag

Sound 7/10

* It fits me well as a starter ukulele. I like to play around with classic rock and with the Les Paul body style it fits pretty well.
* When I want to amplify I use my Marshall MS-2 Mini amp and usually with out effects. If I want it to sound more like a guitar for the song I kick the overdrive on.
* The volume is less than that of other ukuleles of the same size but I think that is because it has the pick ups taking up a good portion of the body.
* It has decent tone. Tinny at times but ok.

Action, Fit & Finish 5/10

* Action is a little high
* Cherry sunburst finish has a few flaws at the edges and the rim of the sound hole
* Properly routed bridge?
* There are some miner flaws in the finish, one of the plates for the tuners is bent, and it looks like the uke was strung before the glue on the bridge was dry because the back of it is not actually in contact with the body, but other than that no major flaws.

Reliability/Durability 9/10

* Ok so this ukulele has fallen of the counter at the coffee shop where I work 5 times. It has taken a beating and only with scratches in the finish.
* Pickups work like a dream
* Stays in tune
* Good beater uke

Customer Support 5/10

* Never dealt with company
* No warranty so I guess I will dock for that

Overall Rating 6.5/10

* Been playing since July 2009 and this is my first uke but in my defense I have heard a lot of higher quality ukes and its tone is not the quality of those. I long for a kamaka. But this will do until I have the money and the model I want is in stock.
* This is my only uke at the moment.
* If it were stolen or lost, I would probably buy another just for the pickups and the Les Paul body. For the money it's a decent buy.
 
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Thank you for the review. I so lust the Mahalo Les Pauls. Even though the cutout part is useless to me as a southpaw who plays her hatchets flipped. Don't care. Want one badly.
Alas the placement of the controls on the electric model renders those not in the running. The placement on the Stagg LP electric version looks friendlier to my needs but the Mahalo is so much sexier looking with those fret markers and the faux jade buttons on the tuners.

I appreciate the review. It further stokes my desire to own a Mahalo LP.
 
I know plenty of left-handed folks learn right-handed easily enough.
It's just never felt natural or comfortable for me. My right hand wants to be the fretting hand.
 
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