Initials setup issues with my ukulele

I purchased a Kala KA-TEME3 at a local shop here in Joplin, MO. After a month of becoming familiar with it I finally realized the buzzing and rattling it was making was not suppose to be happening and wasn't due to my playing. The C, E, and A strings all buzzed when fretted on the first fret, and the battery rattled when the C string was open. I returned the instrument and they gave me a new one that didn't buzz or rattle. With this new one however it is much more difficult to bar the first fret (such as with a C#). My question is, are these two conditions opposite extremes of each other with buzzing on one end and difficulty barring the first fret on the other and there being some perfect place in the middle or are they two completely different issues?

The shop gave me a new instrument because they had to send the buzzing one to another store in Springfield (about an hour and a half away) to be fixed. So I'm figuring there isn't anyone at my local shop that is able to properly setup a Uke.

Also, is there any kind of break in period on a Uke? Might this new one gradually become easier to bar on the first fret like the old one was? Since I was learning on the old one and increasing my hand strength I didn't notice if there was any change over that month.

The simple answer is no your Ukulele
E was just not setup properly. The reason you find the second harder to play is that they sent you one with very high action to make sure it'd won'tz buzz. A goodsetup person should be able t get it to2.5 mm at 12th fret without buzz

Thanks MGM. I'll see if I can find another shop in town that can do the setup.

You guys at Hawaii Music Supply have an incredible selection of ukes. Wow. If/when I have the cash for an upgrade I may very well be ordering it from you. Would love to know I was getting an instrument that was properly set up rather than the silliness I'm dealing with now.

If you are a crafty, handy guy, sanding down a nut or saddle is not rocket science. Lots of good instruction on line including here. If you are serious about ukes, you are going to want to do it eventually.

What I'd like to know, is why a shop will sell ukuleles (or guitars, for that matter) without at least one staffer knowing how to do setup?

money money money all they see is ctach the new ukulele craze wave