Lead Paint in Cheap ukes?

Total Ukphoria · Nov 2, 2011

Lead Paint in Cheap ukes? UPDATE!

Does anyone know if there is any lead in the paint used on Mahalo ukes? I ask because I have bought MANY of them and ALL of them have back paint coming off of them. I Have kids that play them too.

The lead test came back negative! (I bought a kit from Lowes Homecenter).

Paul December · Nov 2, 2011

Only one way to be positive...
...available at Home Depot

PhilUSAFRet · Nov 2, 2011

Hmmmmm, Ukes from China? God only knows. I read a recent interview where they talked to a Chinese worker who was putting toxic ingredients in the product. When asked it he worried it might poison anyone, he replied "no, not going to Chinese people, only going to American people" or something to that effect to the best of my recollection.

itsme · Nov 2, 2011

PhilUSAFRet said:
Hmmmmm, Ukes from China? God only knows. I read a recent interview where they talked to a Chinese worker who was putting toxic ingredients in the product. When asked it he worried it might poison anyone, he replied "no, not going to Chinese people, only going to American people" or something to that effect to the best of my recollection.

That's a horrible attitude on the part of the Chinese worker.

But I'd like to think even ukes from China have to be cleared of hazardous substances.

I think the most damage comes from ingesting. So if your kids are still young enough they're going to try to gnaw on an uke, then they're too young to be given one, whether it's fear they'll ingest lead paint or that they'll ruin the finish of the uke.

Paul December · Nov 2, 2011

PhilUSAFRet said:
Hmmmmm, Ukes from China? God only knows. I read a recent interview where they talked to a Chinese worker who was putting toxic ingredients in the product. When asked it he worried it might poison anyone, he replied "no, not going to Chinese people, only going to American people" or something to that effect to the best of my recollection.

Nearly all the children that had kidney damage or died from tainted Chinese milk were in China.
I sincerely doubt the greedy/dishonest people who do this kind of thing care where the victims live.

vanflynn · Nov 12, 2011

I just bought a Hilo for my 2 year old grandniece. I'm trying to get a Uke influence on her before my brother shows her one of them nasty guitars. Knowing that this topic would be the first thing out of her protective mother's mouth I bought a Home Depot test kit and it came back "no lead". I scruffed up a spot on the back of the headstock to get to the paint. All clear. As a side note, a little filing on the nut and saddle and Aquila strings and it's a damn good starter for $35 plus strings. Hopefully in the future she'll be joining us here.

Gadzukes! · Nov 12, 2011

Be aware that manufacturers sometimes use different factories, and different runs of the same product can also use different paints. If you're worried, it's best to test all of them as opposed to one or two.

Lalz · Nov 12, 2011

Oh dear, I had never thought of that!

I like to believe that most paint manufacturers have stopped putting lead in their paint many many years ago, as it's been banned internationally for quite a long time now. A uke with lead paint on it probably wouldn't be allowed to be imported anyway, at least not to the EU that regulates imports very strictly on that level. Some chinese factories are quite dodgy but I would imagine that the majority do follow safety regulations properly and that import regulation is somewhat efficient, otherwise we'd be really screwed considering the amount of products we all buy from there everyday.
But good to know it's possible to make tests.

Total Ukphoria · Nov 12, 2011

update in original post.

kissing · Nov 12, 2011

Well think of the positives of having lead paint on ukes.
If there is a nuclear explosion or fallout, whose ukes would still have survived?

Lead Paint in Cheap ukes?

Total Ukphoria

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Paul December

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itsme

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Paul December

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