Ok guys and gals.. Here is the 1st of several reviews I plan to post on this uke. This specific one is 1st impression out of the box.
1st, I am very familier with Epiphone guitars, and I keep in mind that they ARE factory built instruments. The uke is no exception. I have found that Epiphone are very nice guitars, and actually very well built, and a quality instrument in comparison to other factory built instruments. In fact, I have seen some late model Gibsons and Epiphone is not a far 2nd to those in craftsmanship.
This Uke. 1st impression is what I expected. An well built, good quality factory made instrument, as all the epis I have seen and played before it. It is an Epiphone in all those respects. Good instrument, but not a "perfect" instrument with a few small details that miss slightly. I have some pictures below point out a few small inperfections that in a hand built custom would be disappointing. But again, in an instrument like this, not so much, and is fully acceptable.
It is a heavy little uke. Very robust feeling. In fact, from 1st holding it, first thing I thought was this would make a great travel uke. Feels "tough" and well built. Again, kinda funny because the Gibson Les Paul is reknown for it's heavy weight and robust feel and sound. There IS a family resemblance.. It is pretty. Very glossy, nice finish. Wood looks great as it does on the big boy Les Pauls. They have been reknown for being a beautiful instrument. This is no exception. Finish is awesome. Binding looks like a typical Epi Les Paul. Nice, and finished.
Tuners are decent for a uke like this. I personally think they could be upgraded maybe, but they are decent so far. We'll see more about that as time passes. The only real thing I think that Epi could have done was at least clean up the nut work. The nut was rough filed, and there are burrs and shavings hanging off the nut. I think they could have taken a minute more and at least knocking the shavings off and deburred them a bit. But, that's an easy thing to deal with too. The strings it came with, I am not sure about. Kinda stiff for me. I will be putting on Aquilas and comparing them later. This will be addressed in sound too.
Sound? Acustic, seems kinda low volume to me. Might be partially the strings, but I haven't really "gotten onto" it yet either. It sounds decent, but kind of shallow I think. It might be because I am used to the sound and volume of the Ohana. It's not bad, but a little shallow I think for me. We'll try that again with the Aquilas. Connected to an amp? Now THIS was fun. I ran it through clean, with a blues tone, with a metal distorted tone, and with a weird scifi type wawa tone (weird). Running it through some effects was really fun.
Clean through an amp, it sounded REALLY cool. Loved it. Also put some blues effect on it, and ran a couple blues riffs, and it sounded even cooler. Ran some heavy metal distortion though it, and that didn't do well at all. It sounded like a rash of mess. Don't try that at home people.. lol.. Ran some other effects through it, and it was fun, but weird. It did really well under amplification. But then again, it's a Les Paul, go figure, hahhah.. Family humor again.. .
Should you get it? Hell yeah, it's only $100 bucks.. It will probably be the best and funnest $100 uke money you spend. I wouldn't make it my main Uke, but for fun, and especially travel, I think this is it. It's a really cool lil uke. Now for some pics.. I will try to do some sound samples tomorrow..
Lil Lester next to his new big brother Ted.
Here is a couple flaws. Some should be expected for a factory, and this price point. But thought I would at least mention.
The pictures really don't do this thing justice. It really is a cool looking lil axe. Or maybe I should just say hatchet .
finish and wood looks great on the back.
1st, I am very familier with Epiphone guitars, and I keep in mind that they ARE factory built instruments. The uke is no exception. I have found that Epiphone are very nice guitars, and actually very well built, and a quality instrument in comparison to other factory built instruments. In fact, I have seen some late model Gibsons and Epiphone is not a far 2nd to those in craftsmanship.
This Uke. 1st impression is what I expected. An well built, good quality factory made instrument, as all the epis I have seen and played before it. It is an Epiphone in all those respects. Good instrument, but not a "perfect" instrument with a few small details that miss slightly. I have some pictures below point out a few small inperfections that in a hand built custom would be disappointing. But again, in an instrument like this, not so much, and is fully acceptable.
It is a heavy little uke. Very robust feeling. In fact, from 1st holding it, first thing I thought was this would make a great travel uke. Feels "tough" and well built. Again, kinda funny because the Gibson Les Paul is reknown for it's heavy weight and robust feel and sound. There IS a family resemblance.. It is pretty. Very glossy, nice finish. Wood looks great as it does on the big boy Les Pauls. They have been reknown for being a beautiful instrument. This is no exception. Finish is awesome. Binding looks like a typical Epi Les Paul. Nice, and finished.
Tuners are decent for a uke like this. I personally think they could be upgraded maybe, but they are decent so far. We'll see more about that as time passes. The only real thing I think that Epi could have done was at least clean up the nut work. The nut was rough filed, and there are burrs and shavings hanging off the nut. I think they could have taken a minute more and at least knocking the shavings off and deburred them a bit. But, that's an easy thing to deal with too. The strings it came with, I am not sure about. Kinda stiff for me. I will be putting on Aquilas and comparing them later. This will be addressed in sound too.
Sound? Acustic, seems kinda low volume to me. Might be partially the strings, but I haven't really "gotten onto" it yet either. It sounds decent, but kind of shallow I think. It might be because I am used to the sound and volume of the Ohana. It's not bad, but a little shallow I think for me. We'll try that again with the Aquilas. Connected to an amp? Now THIS was fun. I ran it through clean, with a blues tone, with a metal distorted tone, and with a weird scifi type wawa tone (weird). Running it through some effects was really fun.
Clean through an amp, it sounded REALLY cool. Loved it. Also put some blues effect on it, and ran a couple blues riffs, and it sounded even cooler. Ran some heavy metal distortion though it, and that didn't do well at all. It sounded like a rash of mess. Don't try that at home people.. lol.. Ran some other effects through it, and it was fun, but weird. It did really well under amplification. But then again, it's a Les Paul, go figure, hahhah.. Family humor again.. .
Should you get it? Hell yeah, it's only $100 bucks.. It will probably be the best and funnest $100 uke money you spend. I wouldn't make it my main Uke, but for fun, and especially travel, I think this is it. It's a really cool lil uke. Now for some pics.. I will try to do some sound samples tomorrow..
Lil Lester next to his new big brother Ted.
Here is a couple flaws. Some should be expected for a factory, and this price point. But thought I would at least mention.
The pictures really don't do this thing justice. It really is a cool looking lil axe. Or maybe I should just say hatchet .
finish and wood looks great on the back.
Also, looking closer, I don't think the sides are bent. I think they are carved, or routed out of block wood, which would explain some of the weight of it. The sides are thick, and the horn and the other side of the neck is solid. You can tell by looking inside that it is, besides knocking on it in relation to the body. It's solid. Which may also be why the volume is kinda low too in acustic.
