What Travel Uke Do You Recommend?

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voland2000

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Update 8/19/11

The Flea is a clear winner with 25+ votes, and some awesome personal anecdotes my favorites being:
1. Ukulele graffiti: http://fleamuseum.blogspot.com/2007/07/grafitti-flea.html

2. "The son of a friend of mine took a motorcycle trip through Mexico, Central America, and South America a couple of years ago, and took along his ukulele (don't know what kind), and he thinks it completely transformed his experience. In so many of the little towns it helped break the ice with the locals, and he felt like he made so many more connections because of it. " - Dougf


Update 8/15/11

+11 votes for Flea



Hey UU Peeps,

I'm planning to go on a 6-month backpacking trip to South America in January, and planning to get a travel uke.

Currently have: Lanikai Soprano Ukulele
-I'm worried this will break

Considering:

Soprano Flea
Pros:
-Cheapest at $179
-Durability: molded polycarbonate
-Low stealability
Cons:
-Appears to be awkward to hold

Risa Solid Soprano Uke
Pros:
-This looks 2nd sturdiest
Cons:
-This is most expensive at $275
-Moderate stealability factor.
-Quietest of all, needs amp.

Captain Ukulele Backpacker Uke
Pros:
-This is inexpensive at $207
-Looks a little sturdier than the Kala
-Seems least likely to be stolen cuz it's ugly
Cons:
-Wood, so subject to moisture/temp issues

Kala Travel Uke
Pros:
-Seems to have great sound
Cons:
-This seems expensive at $225
-Seems fragile.
-High stealability factor.
-Wood, so subject to moisture/temp issues

Kiwaya Thinbody Pineapple
Pros:
-Looks beautiful
Cons:
-This is most expensive at $285
-High stealability factor
-Wood, so subject to moisture/temp issues


I appreciate your ideas!
 
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There is no better travel uke than a flea or fluke. They sound great and are extremely durable.
 
+1 on a fluke or flea. While my tenor flea is not my "go to" ukulele, it has a really nice sound and I feel comfortable bringing it to places where it might need to be cleaned up afterwards (like the beach, picnics, hiking, food fights, etc.) While fleas were originally soprano scale and flukes were originally concert scale, you can now get fleas in soprano, concert or tenor scale and flukes in concert or tenor scale.

You can buy direct from the manufactuor, Flea Market Music.
Fleas: http://www.fleamarketmusic.com/store/scripts/prodList.asp?idCategory=6
Flukes: http://www.fleamarketmusic.com/store/Scripts/prodList.asp?idCategory=5

Here's a sound sample of a soprano flea and a concert fluke, courtesy of UU member bazmaz.

 
Another vote for a Flea/Fluke. With molded back/sides, a laminate top and plastic fretboard, it would be much more impervious to the weather (I'm assuming you might have heat/humidity issues) than a solid top/wood.
 
If I was in your situation, I'd get a soprano Flea... less expensive and more durable than the other options... plenty ugly (at least to some folks---I think they're cute)... and great sound!
 
Flea

It's pretty much bomb proof, and it's a good sounding instrument with good intonation.

Makes a great travel and camping uke. Just tune it up it plays.
 
I am going to have Eleuke Peanuts in stock in about a week. Just to throw that into the ring as an option. It it small, has a MP3 input, headphone and audio output... and is only about $110. Will have a more firm price soon.

Not good if playing to a crowd unless you have amp capabilities, but a good option if you are playing to yourself in a hotel room and do not want to disturb neighbors, etc.

It looks like this:

 
Another vote for the Flea. The smaller size would reduce the liklihood of damage as well as construction method and be a better choice for backpacking.

I'm also hoping one of those peanuts will find their way into my christmas stocking!
 
I've bought a $100 (selling for $65) Kala for that purpose. If it get's broken, no big deal. However, after reading this thread, and playing with some friends, I'd also consider a Flea. I bought one of the pocket ukes and was disappointed in the sound when tuned GCEA. That was my only complaint. It was well made and looked nice. I returned it.
 
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I'll have to say the Fea or Fluke. I own both. They are pretty much bullet proof regarding weather changes, play and sound exceptionally well.
 
Mim, I sent you a PM of FB. Just saw this video.
 
I agree with all of the Flea and Fluke recommendations.
 
Flea and Fluke are both good travel ukes. I would also add the Makala Dolphin. I just returned from a backpacking trip to Yosemite, and I carried both a Flea and a Dolphin, at least until I managed to get one of my fellow backpackers hooked on the Flea, then he volunteered to carry it. Last year I took a Fluke, and it also worked out great.
 
Thanks everyone for their feedback, I've updated my initial post so people can easily reference it.

One more question, for those of you with fleas (haha, of the uke variety) can you comment on whether the rounded back is awkward to hold? Also, does it fit well into a bag?
 
voland2000 said:
One more question, for those of you with fleas (haha, of the uke variety) can you comment on whether the rounded back is awkward to hold?
Click to expand...
I have a concert Fluke and don't find it awkward to hold at all. The back is basically flat with rounded edges.

On the other hand, I have a Mid-East "baroquelele" which has a rounded bowl back, and it's nearly impossible to hold without a strap, even then, it slides all over the place.
 
The round back is no problem to hold. With it's flat bottom, you can easily cradle it and it stands by itself on the floor. The Flea comes with a denim gig bag, but you can throw it in any bag you like.
 
A flea, of course.
 
the flea looks kind of ugly to me, I'd prefer laminated kiwaya any day!
 
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