Got my Maccaferri Islander

So I won this Deluxe model plastic Maccaferri Ukulele on E-Bay and was surprised! $38.77 + $27.20 shipping for a grand total of $65.97. I got it yesterday, it was shipped from Hawaii which doesn't really matter but I think that's cool. The action is really low but it doesn't buzz at all. The tone is very nice and I like the way it looks and feels. Here's the problem. The front has a crack in the plastic that's about 4 inches long and runs into the bridge. I think the crack it contributing to the action being so low. The person that listed it never said a word about any crack and I do not believe it cracked during shipment. Looking at the pics again on E-Bay I can see a slight line where the crack is. My question is what would you do? Sending it back will cost me $31. I like it but I could never get my money back. Should I just cut my losses and love it anyways? The woman who sold it to me is a newbee to E-Bay. I feel like I got ripped off but I don't think she did it maliciously. What do you guys think?

Contact the seller and see what they'll do first.

i would contact the seller and see if they could offset the cost a little bit so you both walk away feeling comfortable with the deal.

I contacted her and am trying to negotiate a settlement. I love the little plastic Uke already! I wonder if there is any way to fix it?

flyingv8 said:

I contacted her and am trying to negotiate a settlement. I love the little plastic Uke already! I wonder if there is any way to fix it?

Click to expand...

Super glue...


not kidding.

Super glue is the way to go. UUer ukester brown has a great youtube video with Islander repair tips:

+1 for the super glue fix. I bought one in a flea market a while back that had a fretboard that was splitting away from the neck. I put some super glue in there, clamped it overnight, and it's been playable for several months now without any sign of the crack. It was a biggie too.

If the seller is unreasonable, contact eBay Buyer Protection. They will put a little pressure on her to settle this amicably. If she still won't budge, though, eBay may tell you to ship the uke back and they'll refund your money. Given that possibility, you might want to hold off on repairing the uke until you've heard from the seller or eBay.

She agreed to refund $20. My total is still a bit high for a cracked Uke. $46! I will give superglue a try! Thanks guys!

I think you would have been well within your rights to ask for a full refund, given that the crack was not disclosed and is a significant defect. With that being said, I think $46 for an Islander that plays well and has a highly repairable crack is a pretty good deal. Those Maccaferris are a unique part of instrument history (for a while, Maccaferri was making everyhing out of plastic, including violins) and you'll probably enjoy it for years to come.

I agree Rich. I'm not sure if I can repair the crack or if it even needs repaired. The plastic won't seperate enought to allow superglue into it. The face warps inward lowering the bridge and likewise the action. I was thinking maybe a dowel post to give it some support. The weak face is causing it to go out of tune as I play.

Sorry to hear this. One thing I've learned from buying plastics on Ebay is to ask for a side picture so I can see the action. Many plastics have warped and the action is way to high to fix.