Applause uae 148 opinions?

ItsMrPitchy

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I do not yet own a ukulele with a pick up and would like to purchase one. I hear a lot of good stuff about this uke but they are hard to get in the UK. If someone could give me pros and cons and advice on if its worth getting that would be very helpful. Or if you could it would be really good if you know a place i can buy them in UK.
 
Pro: Solid build, good playability/action, very nice amplified sound
Cons: Acoustic sound is thin. Many complain about battery change but it didn't bother me.
 
Thank you for the info. Im not to bothered about the thin acoustics since i already have a good uke for acoustics.
 
It has its fans, but I'm not one of them.
It's only real pro's are

A) Looks
B) Plugged in sound


Other than that, it's a pretty lousy sounding acoustic. Thin, weak, muted.
Yet louder than a solid-body electric, so you can't really use it for 'silent' practice in the middle of the night.

And the battery changing on the tenor model borders on open heart surgery.
So if you're out of battery suddenly, when it really matters, you're out of luck.


I don't think it's worth it as an acoustic-electric. There are better, more userfriendly options out there.
Unless you are particularly attracted to the looks...
 
http://www.ovationguitars.com/applause/product/uae148

iTSmRpITCHY--What's yr updated take on your U148. I just scored one with a hard case on eVilbay, always wanted to try one (familiar with Ovation guitars here), and will get it soon, likely in next week or so. Thoughts?
 
I had a UAE20 (the soprano sized one in red) and loved it. I miss it a lot (an ex took it... along with my dog). It was a lot of fun plugged or unplugged. I do think it was a little muted unplugged but it still had a great tone. I now have a UA10 and really enjoy it, too. The only thing I don't like about Ovation ukes is the super low action. I like my action a little higher than most. The neck is great though and I love the feel of it. I'd imagine the tenor is simillar. I have heard the battery replacement is difficult though.
 
We play our UAE-148 a lot. It's reliable, sturdy, and nowhere near as sensitive to the dry desert air as our nice acoustic ukes, so we can leave it sitting out all the time (along with our eleukes).

But it definitely has some limitations...

The acoustic sound is very quiet, but not quiet enough for silent practice.

It sounds great plugged in, but changing the battery is a PITA. (Make sure you unplug to extend battery life.)

It is freakin' heavy, and the back is slippery as snot. (I use a strap with my ukes anyway, but it's not really optional with this one.)

We've had this uke for several years, have used it and abused it, and it's held up like a champ.
 
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