Setup...Setup....Setup

AcousticBuckeye

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I recently started out on a Lanikai lu-21. Not knowing any better I strummed along happily. I recently received an ebay pruchase of a Kala TEME3 and the action is nice and low and makes playing both notes and chords sooooooo much easier that I simply have no desire to pickup the lanikai now.

So lesson learned. Setup is very important. This particular uke was originaly purchased Music guy mike(business card was in case for uke). Do you think Mike did this setup or came from Kala setup nice and low?

AB
 
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I recently started out on a Lanikai lu-21. Not knowing any better I strummed along happily. I recently received an ebay pruchase of a Kala TEME3 and the action is nice and low and makes playing both notes and chords sooooooo much easier that I simply have not desire to pickup the lanikai now.

So lesson learned. Setup is very important. This particular uke was originaly purchased Music guy mike(business card was in case for uke). Do you think Mike did this setup or came from Kala setup nice and low?

AB

I have a kala that was not setup and the action is high-- too high. I got it before I learned about setup. All of my ukes since have been setup and a world of difference. From what I know about MGM, if his card was with the uke then he set it up. And it it plays beautifully, then he set it up.
 
I recently started out on a Lanikai lu-21. Not knowing any better I strummed along happily. I recently received an ebay pruchase of a Kala TEME3 and the action is nice and low and makes playing both notes and chords sooooooo much easier that I simply have no desire to pickup the lanikai now.

So lesson learned. Setup is very important. This particular uke was originaly purchased Music guy mike(business card was in case for uke). Do you think Mike did this setup or came from Kala setup nice and low?

AB

Take your Lanikai to your local guitar tech. They can easily do a setup for you and get your lanikai playing like butter!!!
 
Though keep in mind that with a few files, 0000 steel wool, and sanding blocks, one can learn to do a decent setup. I found that knowing a little bit about basic repair and setup comes in very handy. It's fun and it will save you money in the long run. That said, finding the right luthier to help is a good idea. But with a relatively inexpensive uke, you don't have that much to lose.
 
No one sets up a uke like Mike does. I have two of his, and one of them, at a year old, is about to look like Willy Nelson' guitar. If it plays like a dream- highly likely he made it do so.
 
Have you noticed we have quite a few Mikes who do great set ups? (Not even including Ukulele Mike who puts out some great tabs!)
 
I bought a Lanikai LU-21C for my first uke a few months ago and felt the action was high compared to my guitars. I took the uke to the tech that worked on my guitars and wow...what a difference! The cheap $100 instrument plays like a dream now. Also just bought my second uke last week which is an Ohana CK-35L and it was setup pretty good from the beginning. It was purchased at a local uke only store www.anacapaukulele.com and the advantage to buying local instead of online was that I got to try many instruments before selecting the Ohana.
 
If it came from MGM it's a pretty good bet he set it up. Kala ukes aren't bad but they're like everything else in that price range, factory "setups" are all over the map.

Now, I haven't purchased a uke from every vendor out there so I can't legitimately say that Mike is the best setup person in the business, but I've never received a uke that is set up any better than the humble little Lanikai LU-11 soprano I bought from him for my granddaughter last year.

John
 
If you bought a uke without knowing the importance of set up before hand (like I did) you can check it and consider doing it yourself (or at least the action at nut and saddle). http://reyalpeleluku.wordpress.com/...video-how-i-adjust-the-action-on-a-cheap-uke/

This video is the first place I actually saw defined what is "good action" (measure strings above frets: 0.8 mm at first fret, 3.2 mm at 12th fret).

I'm not saying this is a substitute for good professional set up before you buy but if you've got a lower end uke and want to give it a go after the fact, here's some instruction.

Jim B
 
I learned how do do set-ups on a $60 Lanikai. It is easy but I would not have had the nerve to try it on an expensive uke. Every uker who can use a file should buy a $60 uke and set it up, just for the experience.
 
http://www.theukulelesite.com/about-us

As a side note, how times change. I remember being flamed for even suggesting that all factory instruments should be set up properly, especially if there's a string change involved. That was one of the reasons why I don't come out of the lounge too often.

Now, it seems that setups are the buzzword, where once the noobs EXPECTED a pos instrument to come with a setup included (partially, if not wholly supported by what MGM used to do without charge), it's okay to have someone do it if it's not already done. Not complaining, just an observation.

Aaron

After hanging out on these boards for a few weeks. It seems like everyone understands the importance of correct string height.

I don't find that many people fully grasp how elusive correct intonation is. All it takes is something as simple as changing to a different guage of string to throw intonation off.

Every uke demo video you see some guy play the 12th fret note and then the 12th fret harmonic. And then announce that the intonation is perfect as if their hearing is as good as a quality strobe tuner. I doubt they can hear the diference between 440 Hz and 443 Hz.

That's why electric guitars allow you to adjust each string individually.
 
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