Where is it made?

Markr1

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I just bought a Nalu Hokua HM1GTCEF Tenor Uke. It hasn't arrived yet. I was just wondering if anyone knows where it's made. I see a lot of specifics on it just not where their made. I was also wanting to know if anyone has had any experience with this brand of Uke and how good it is. It was a little more costly then a lot of them out there but it looks a lot better too.
Thanks.
 
Hi Mark, Stu here.... The uke is made in China. The guys from Nalu (Gary, Rick and Mark) scoured all the uke factories and chose what they consider to be the premier factory over there. The craftmanship is superb, the woods are EXCELLENT. It is as good and even better than anything coming out of China. You won't be dissapointed...
 
It's important to not look at China as a pejorative. There are some really good things made there. The tricky bit is figuring out which is made with pride and which is made just to lower the cost. Sounds like the Nalu belongs in the former category!
 
It's important to not look at China as a pejorative. There are some really good things made there. The tricky bit is figuring out which is made with pride and which is made just to lower the cost. Sounds like the Nalu belongs in the former category!

This is true. Same with guitars, and also applies to made in Japan. Both Japan and China have some really nice stuff with build qualities that will rival the USA. But then again, everything from the USA isn't top shelf either. Ya got to know how to find the good stuff and avoid the bad stuff from all over the globe. Both Gibson, and Fender have sued companies in Asia for building copies of their equipment. There are tons of copies from over there, but Fender and Gibson has sued some of them soley because not only did they copy their design, but rivaled them in quality, some being built even better... So, that always tends to shake the USA big names up.
 
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Well, when you put a Fender or Gibson logo on them you've crossed over into counterfeiting. ;)

Yeah, that is simply not only unethical, but also illegal. There are those too, but I am talking about the others that don't carry the logo or name, but obviously copies of the design. I don't count "Epiphone" as one of the copies, because even though make in Asia are actually owned by Gibson, and on the Fender side, "Squire" is not owned, but at least licensed by Fender to build their Asian built lower cost of their design. But, there are many, many that build the copies that don't have those licenses and agreements. Fender and Gibson don't bother with many of them, because they are simply not even close as far as quality, but there are other's that gave them a run for their money building their designs, like "Fernades" made in Japan builds very nice guitars that Rival Fender. They have been sued in the past by Fender, AND Gibson, because they built as fine of a guitar as both those American companies, and doing it using their designs. I have a Fernades Telecaster (Lawsuit era) that many would rather have than the Fender Tele. It is every bit the quality of it's American inspiration.
 
Eastman guitars and mandolins are made in China, and they are excellent instruments. I think Eastman just started making banjos, but no ukes... yet!
 
Thanks guys and Stu. I was wondering where it was made and must say when hearing China I was a bit concerned till I read a few more replies and I feel better now. I'll post pics as soon as I get it and let you all know how it plays and how the craftsmanship looks.
 
The asian ability to copy technology developed .researched and paid for by others is excellant. Course it may be why you don't have a job. ie there is no longer ANY american made machine tools. the last company went bankrupt about 10 years ago thanks to the practice and the ability to evade the US tax and copyright laws.
 
The asian ability to copy technology developed .researched and paid for by others is excellant. Course it may be why you don't have a job. ie there is no longer ANY american made machine tools. the last company went bankrupt about 10 years ago thanks to the practice and the ability to evade the US tax and copyright laws.

Yep.. then there's that... It's the fault of the US and the countries that actually copy our technology. We allow it, & American's aren't willing to work for wages that will allow US manufactures to compete with the salaries of the Asian worker, not to mention trying to compete with the sweat shops that no one should be willing to work in. But, it has gotten worse since we opened up a can of worms and started freely trading goods. That was a good thing, but also a bad thing, so here we sit.. But, that is a totally other thread, and/or forum.
 
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The asian ability to copy technology developed .researched and paid for by others is excellant. Course it may be why you don't have a job. ie there is no longer ANY american made machine tools. the last company went bankrupt about 10 years ago thanks to the practice and the ability to evade the US tax and copyright laws.

And we won't even get into how the US Government has no problem with US companies transferring their HQ address offshore to evade taxes, while actually keeping the company in the US. (Think Stanley Tools as one shining example.) Heck, the government (starting with deregulation in the 70s) even subsidized many of those offshore moves.

Grumble, grumble.


-Kurt

(I still say that Ketchup IS NOT a vegetable!)
 
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