Which one is better?

Heyja, guys.

I was wondering... I have this cheap Mahalo Ukulele, which is OK, I guess. I bought it for circa 20 pounds. Then I saw someone selling a Stagg US 40-S, and he is selling it for circa 40 pounds. Do you guys think it it that much better, or should I just keep playing my Mahalo and buy a better one later on?

Thanks.

Both are very much at the bottom end of Ukes - and therefore quality control will be very variable. As such, difficult to say.

I posted on here a week or two ago in a thread where a member was raving about quality of his basic Mahalo, and the terrible quality of his basic Vintage.

I also own a basic Vintage and basic Mahalo, and my Mahalo is truly dreadful, but the Vintage was pretty much ok out the box as it were.

I would hazard a guess that the Stagg is better, but who knows - you might get a bad one.

The answer is to spend a little more money - not helpful advice I know, but if you can stretch to find another £20, you should be able to get a Lanikai LU21 online - I have one and its a lovely beginner instrument that I would recommend to anyone.

The other obvious example for no more money than the bracket you are in is the Makala Dolphin series - better than either the Mahalo or the Stagg, I promise you!

Ritloof,
I know it's hard...but try to hold off on another ukulele until you have tried it and know exactly what you want...start a small savings plan and stick to it...just put a little away each payday. Please don't start buying everything in site...fight your UAS or you'll end up like me...no friends, no family, nothing but ukeses around you....searching for the one uke to rule them all...*precccciiouuus!*:uhoh:

I've had mixed experiences with Mahalos.

Their cheapest model (U30) which are the very basic sopranos that are painted in various colours sounds OK with Aquila strings. But the action is dreadfully high, even if you sand down the saddle to as low as it can go.

I have their laminate Mahogany model with a passive transducer pickup (UK200E) which costs more than the cheapest U30. They sound OK and the action can be sanded down to low. But its intonation is very bad. Can't get it to sound in tune. And the pickup doesn't really have much output.

Their Les Paul and Telecaster models I was more pleased with.
The action they come in is not too bad, though I sanded mine down further.
The active electronics have tone and volume controls, and sound better than the passive pickups. The intonation isn't perfect, but not too bad.

So with a brand like Mahalo, it really depends on what model you got.

But as the others have pointed out, I would save up for longer for a truly reliable uke.
Even the cheapest uke at Musicguymic (Makala Dolphin) will be a huge upgrade from the Mahalo!

kissing said:

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Even the cheapest uke at Musicguymic (Makala Dolphin) will be a huge upgrade from the Mahalo!

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I have to:agree: with the above. I bought a Mahalo to decorate as a Christmas uke


and even with adjustments and Aquila strings it just does not have the punch, tone, action of the Dolphins from MGM. I bought 3 Makala Dolphins from MGM this Christmas for my kids and have played them all and the all are far superior to the Mahalo. Frankly, I love my Pink Dolphin and often reach for it instead of the Lanakai or even the Flea!

Surf MGM's store and look for the least expensive Kala/Makala line...

All right. Thanks, guys.

This Mahalo I have does not sound that bad, though. My friend has one like my own but his sounds way higher (and funnier) than mine. Don't know why. Mine ain't the best in the world, but it is OK, I guess.

My next payoff sum will be large so I guess I'll just wait till next year, and buy a better one then.

Can you guys recommend to me something good for circa 100$?

Thanks.

$100 puts you def in the Lanikai bracket - certainly in the Makala bracket, possibly with shopping around in the Ohana or entry level Kala bracket.

Check any of those names out

For me - if you could move to the $200 mark you are really getting something nice, like a Mainland or a Flea (or the nicer Ohanas and Kalas)

Slippery slope my friend - in the space of this thread alone, we have moved you from $40 to $100 - what the heck - go the extra mile!!

Go Ohana

Ritloof said:

Can you guys recommend to me something good for circa 100$?

Thanks.

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I'd go with this:
http://www.ohana-music.com/sopr/sk25/master.html


It says list is $169, but Elderly lists them at $125 http://www.elderly.com/new_instruments/items/SK25.htm--when they have them. They are hard to find in stock now. But that's perfect for you since you want to wait anyway and won't be tempted by UAS!

I'm gonna chime in here. I know with anything you can get a good one or a bad one, luck of the draw.
I adore the Mahalo Les Paul I got for Christmas. I was also given a Makala Dolphin, MGM setup and everything. But comparing these two, the Mahalo is kicking the Dolphin's, uh, tail.

The whole saving up for better is a great idea. But UAS can only be ignored for so long. It'll get you. Once you fall in love with the ukulele, want to love them all.

You're really talking about ukes that are all in the same league as each other. I really think saving up until you can afford something with a solid spruce top will give you the best, most noticeable improvement in sound and playability. If you can hang in there with that Mahalo for the time it takes to save up for something that is a clear step up, I really think you'll find it pays off in the end. I just bought three dolphins for my family for Christmas, and they are great - but I still think you're better off waiting for a clear step up.

With your budget of around £40, you could get a brand new Lanikai LU21. You might have to stretch up to about £45 for one. It has a bigger 'voice' than the Stagg in terms of resonance (bigger body), and is better made than a laminate Mahalo at that price point. Other than that wait till you can afford a solid body uke, and then look at both the Kala range of ukes, and the Ohana range.

Ohana SK25 again

bbycrts said:

You're really talking about ukes that are all in the same league as each other. I really think saving up until you can afford something with a solid spruce top will give you the best, most noticeable improvement in sound and playability. If you can hang in there with that Mahalo for the time it takes to save up for something that is a clear step up, I really think you'll find it pays off in the end. I just bought three dolphins for my family for Christmas, and they are great - but I still think you're better off waiting for a clear step up.

Click to expand...

IMHO the Ohana SK25 is a definite step up. The solid Mahogany construction will be an undoubted sound improvement. Don't be fooled by the low price. You might check out some Ohana's locally in a music shop near you, or seek out sound clips on Youtube.

I know spruce tops are marvelous (my Martin guitar, for example) and many ukes have them too. But I've played solid mahogany tops and while the sound is different, it will be a definite step up from the Dolphins or Mahalo.

Thanks, everyone.

I will keep your advice in mind when choosing my next Uke!

There are lots of good ukes out there:

$125 - http://elderly.com/new_instruments/items/SK25Z.htm
$99 - not solid, but a very thin high quality laminate http://ukeunderground.bigcartel.com/product/kamoa-mahogany-soprano
$160 - Out of your requested price range but I'd love to have one http://cgi.ebay.com/Ohana-CONCERT-s...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3a56410c0e

Also be on the lookout in our Marketplace and the marketplace on fleamarketmusic.com - preowned means more uke for less $.