Price vs Quality

I have contracted a case of UAS and am wanting some advice on how you determine how much to spend. I have been looking at an Ohana spruce/maple tenor that will sell for around 5 big ones. Now, would I be better off spending a little more and get a nice Pono, or would I be better off in the long run spending a little more than what the Pono costs and get a K brand? I don't know how to determine where the price = quality point is. Please give me your opinions.

How much money do you have in the bank?

I am by no means a ukulele expert, but I think it just depends what you WANT.

My husband LOVES his flea, he's so happy he bought it, it cost $207.
I LOVE my Kiwaya KTS-4, it cost $450.

If you're looking for a good quality uke without the expertise, I suggest you find a couple of specific ukes in your price range and try to find as much information as possible. Watch YouTube videos, read reviews, and of course ask the boards. I was stuck between the Martin SO ($339) and the Kiwaya KTS-4 (450), but after researching it and finding DIRECT COMPARISON reviews, where they showed you various parts of both, I went for the Kiwaya.

But ultimately a lot of it will be preference. Some people wouldn't want my uke because it's not koa, but mahogany is fine for me.

hmm, yeah I'm afraid it's not a case of more money equals nicer uke as spacecakegirl says. Koa ukes can cost a fortune but if you prefer the sound of a different wood then that is the better uke (KOA is not better by default! it has a certain sound that appeals to certain people). I have an Ohana SK-35G and the finish and build is perfect, the sound is second to none as far as I'm concerned. I also bought a Kala Tenor Acacia because it has so many beutifully crafted details like the custom fret markers and showy layers of wood in the slotted head stock. The Ohana is worth around £150 (243.317 USD) and the Kala is worth £270 (437.971 USD). I certainly wouldn't say because a pono or K brand costs more its a better uke, they are all well respected quality makes.

So buy well respected quality makes... like the ones you've already listed.
Check out Youtube reviews and songs as SCG says.
As always though playing them is the best sign, but with ukes its not always easy to find the ones you want locally. So maybe buy second hand and sell them on at minimal cost if you don't like them until you find the perfect uke.

As for cost, I really...really don't rate Mahalo's or Makala's but they do uke's near the £100's ( 162.211 USD), cost isn't always a sure sign, to a certain extent you do pay for what you get, if a builder told me they could build me a porch for a £200 I'd politely tell them to go away!

Obviously avoid the cheap and cheerful ukes though as the build on them will be... hmm whats the word....?

There's a basic correlation between price and quality that's generally but not necessarily true. You can find very good instruments for not a whole lot of money if you look and you know what to look and listen for. It helps to be able to try a number of instruments before you buy.

Understand many determinants of quality are relative, really individual preferences. There are issues like overall build quality, workmanship, and intonation that can be judged more or less objectively. Other things like playability and sound quality are more subjective and you reach a point where it doesn't really make sense to debate which is "better" but rather which you prefer ad why. Generally the more you're willing to spend (to a point) the more likely sufficient care will have been put into the instrument such that it has those objective attributes that are generally found in higher quality instruments that have been known to produce sound that experienced musicians will agree is good, excellent or whatever.

$500-600 can get you a really nice instrument.

A good suggestion might be to buy the best made instrument you can afford that you like the sound of. . . and here again, it helps to be able to actually try a number of instruments. . .

In my experience it is very difficult to beat the value of a KALA 'ukulele especially their solid top, and solid body 'ukuleles. I was just at a local 'ukulele shop to purchase a case for my new Milo pineapple and while there went over several KALA solid 'ukuleles including the spruce tops, solid Acacias, and their limited run solid Koa 'ukuleles and as always I was very impressed with the quality of sound as well as build. Bang for the buck I'd recommend a KALA. If they only made a solid pineapple I'd already own one.

I agree with what others have said here. A while back I was considering a "K" brand, and luckily between two music shops I could hold and play three different "K" uke's. When I held each one, they all felt and sounded very different and one really stood out to me. By the way, there was one that I wouldn't have bought for any amount as I thought the feel and sound was mediocre at best. On the other hand, I have played some mid range uke's which are wonderful. I was recently at a shop and talked a new player into a Mainland just by playing it side by side with another mid range ukulele. The best perspective I can give is look at what your budget is, and what your heart really desires. Don't be cheap with yourself, and don't buy a ukulele that doesn't make your heart sing. Then, post pictures of what you get! I love when people post pics of their new uke!

Ordering instruments on the internet:

The web is a blessing in that it makes it very easy to order stuff. There are plenty of reputable people that sell instruments online. It opens up a world of possibility to folks that don't have opportunities to try or purchase quality instruments locally.

The issue, for me, is the lack of ability to try them side by side and actually compare them in a time frame where you can really critically evaluate one against the other.

firstly:

MGM put up two clips of Koa and Mahogany Collings ukes. It was easy to hear differences which are consistent with my more limited experiences with mahogany and koa ukes. Both sounded very very good. A YouTube clip, though, is not really an accurate representation of what the instrument sounds like in an environment other than that in which it was recorded. Acoustics is a very funny thing. Furthermore, a .wav file recorded at 24bit 44.1 may or may not not be an accurate representation either depending on who recorded it and how much they know about recording. Additionally, the quality is degraded by compression for web delivery.

No slight on MGM, he's a reputable seller and for what I do know, he records his samples well enough that you do get an idea of differences between models. . . I'm just saying. . .

secondly:

You can't judge playability online. When dealing with a stand up guy like MGM or anyone else with a good reputation for service, he'll set it up for you and probably he will do as you ask, provided that you do. But what if you don't know what you want, or don't know what to ask for? As Ryan correctly pointed out, there are pricey instruments by good builders that just may not meet your expectations for any of a number of reasons.

thirdly:

You can often return instruments to reputable sellers who have a return policy but understand that this represents a cost in shipping. You won't be able to A/B/C instruments in real time unless you order several and keep the one you like most.


If you know the make/model you want you can order online and chances are you will get a good instrument with the option to return it if you are not satisfied. You will, however, have to pay shipping and insurance costs. If you're ordering an expensive one, say > $500, from a maker who turns out a good product you will likely be satisfied, especially if you're upgrading significantly What you'll lack is the ability to compare ukes in your price range against each other unless you're willing to add an additional sum to the price (shipping and insurance costs). . . Trying instruments side by side is something you really need to be able to do if you're considering stretching your budget a bit to accommodate an additional level of quality/features.

In Praise of Mistakes: Part II

scottie said:

$500-600 can get you a really nice instrument.
.

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IMHO, it is all subjective.

To Scottie, $500-600 gets you a nice instrument.

To me, $35-$295 have gotten me wonderful instruments.

To someone else who is perfectly happy with an instrument using laminate (or even plastics) $35-$150 will get you a very nice instrument.

As I said in another post, in every hobby there is a personal learning curve. It is personal because you will have your own personal preferences that will develop, with time, and with mistakes! Yes, mistakes! You will buy instruments and they will be personal mistakes, but your personal understanding of your likes and dislikes will grow faster and deeper than it would have if you had not taken the risk and made mistakes. Fear not your mistakes, grasshopper.
ld:
I'll give you an example. I have ukes ranging from a $35 Dolphin to a $295 hand made Sprucehouse. Some might think my mistake was the $35 Dolphin, and to some it would be. But to me, my mistake is A FLEA. And a FLEA is a very beloved and well made instrument. it just isn't for me.

So, I'd say that everyone on these boards have stories to tell--good stories--and we can all learn about what we like by reading and listening to others' preferences, and then by taking the chance and trying an instrument on by owning it. Almost all of us fly the colors of our choices in our sig line, and that can form the basis of an understanding of what is out there that others like, and it helps me make my buying decisions.

Because of this forum I "scratched my itch" and bought a Pink Makala. It fit, and I love it. I bought a watermelon Kala. It fit, and I love it. I bought a Flea--that one doesn't fit, and I'll soon be posting it for sale/trade. I bought a Sopranino. A keeper. A pineapple all wood Ohana. Another keeper. And finally, I fell into a Sprucehouse at a local shop, and found I could not walk away from it.

Now, because of Ahnko Honu's words about Kala, I feel much more certain that I'll try an all wood Kala soon. It may not fit, but I'll learn a lot by taking a chance and maybe making a mistake.

Have fun!

scottie said:

Ordering instruments on the internet:

But what if you don't know what you want, or don't know what to ask for? .

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You will have made a mistake, and you will have learned a great deal. The cost of our education= mistakes!:2cents:

I do wish there were better quality wav samples online. Real comparisons of all the K brands against each other, throw in some higher priced Ukes, some lower priced Ukes, a Uke shootout. Recorded with high quality microphones like DPA or Neumann. Finding these kind of shootouts is easy with acoustic guitars.

It's all good. . . really.

At the risk of sounding like George Costanza I said "really nice" as opposed to "nice" which is a really simple way of saying pretty freakin darned good. A positively qualified nice as opposed to a standard nice. I'm also on record as having stated that my laminated Lanaiki koa tenor sounds pretty darned good as well, loud, clear, well intonated, even thought the plastic saddle does not fit perfectly in to the tie block and there are other aesthetic flaws which I overlook because it sounds pretty darned good. but I would not recommend my Lanaikai to anyone looking for the level of quality in a Compass Rose or a Martin 5K or a Moore Bettah custom.

Some people find the soprano charming and awesome sounding despite the tuning and intonation difficulties posed by the size of the instrument compared to the diameter of the strings. I don't care for instruments that won't intonate correctly but that's just me. If that's what you're looking for then it's awesome. For me, it'll give me reason to look somewhere else.

I understood mangorockfish to mean "Is there a price point that assures you a given level of quality and if so is it $500.00 - $700.00 or somewhere between Ohana, Pono and K. which presupposes the price/quality correlation. There IS a price/quality correlation, the problem is that it's loose and there are many variables that inform the way in instrument sounds/looks/feels.

Go KoAloha

For $500 you can get a KoAloha soprano from MGM with case and all. You won't be getting a good instrument, but an incredible one from a company that is beyond amazing!

Yes, there is obviously a strong connection between price and quality - BUT there is what economists call diminishing returns.

Generally the difference between a $20 Uke and a $200 Uke is very significant.

But the quality between a $200 and a $400 less so...and the difference between $600 and $800 even less noticeable.

I am a soprano man and so I will talk on that scale alone... (Tenors have a totally different price scale...)

I have a few sopranos a couple of which are very pricey which i enjoy a lot, but if I make a real honest evaluation my kiwaya at $450 plays as well as any of the higher end ones. Each uke is unique, but in terms of raw quality, the kiwaya can kick it with the other top tier ukes of much higher price.

So, for me, the price point where I stopped seeing a noticeable improvement for more money spent was around $450. (Which, interestingly enough, jives with what others are also reporting here...)

Of course the above does not take into account the physical appearance of ukes (some people get really into the physical trappings...) and of course all sorts of other personal preferences.

I would be interested to hear if others have also noticed a comparable tippping point for the tenor and concert scales...

scottie said:

I understood mangorockfish to mean "Is there a price point that assures you a given level of quality and if so is it $500.00 - $700.00 or somewhere between Ohana, Pono and K. which presupposes the price/quality correlation. There IS a price/quality correlation, the problem is that it's loose and there are many variables that inform the way in instrument sounds/looks/feels.

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Oh. Right. Misunderstood that. So... nevermind...

I think Mangorockfish prefers tenors (or concerts but it seems that you have a few tenors right?) and he did state a price reange of $500-$600. There is no need to compare makala dolphins and what not. Nothing against those instruments (I own 3 dolphins) but he is looking for a keeper. MRF, I own Meles (need to look into them), and KoAlohas. I have played all the major K brands except ko'olaus and keli'is. I think that kamaka and kanileas are overrated and prefered my Mele to them. Many folks love their Kanlieas but I just didn't find the one that made me want it. When I was uke hunting in Hawai'i this summer I took my mele everywhere and used it for comparison. Now I also had the KoAloha bug and that might have led to my dissatisfaction with the other K brands (ok who am I kidding it had everything to do with). GreyPoupon maight have made the most valid point in this thread. You can get a very nice ukulele in your price range and you will probally be happy with it. You can lower your price and still find one that you love. I was not happy with one of my Pono purchases but that is b/c it was an 8 string. It sounded good and was pretty but i didn't like the extra strings (i do like the 6 string though). I am looking at a spruce top mahag back and side Pono that ukeRepublic has now. I really din't like spruce but I do like the p/u option. So in summary of my rambling, If you can get a K brand get one. The chance of you getting burned are slim IMO. The Ponos afre hit or miss but the new ones ar super nice. I'm not a big fran of ohanas but their higher end ones are nice looking. Check out Mele. Before you buy check them out.