mikelz777
Well-known member
My Lanikai LU-21C is my first (and so far, only) uke and I did what most people here would advise against, buying it from an online store (though reputable) which basically moves instruments, they didn't do setups. The factory action was set pretty high to the point where my fingertips (especially my index finger) would get numb and my wrist would get sore after playing for any length of time. My thumb would even get a bit sore from having to squeeze the chords so hard to get a good sound. I measured the action at the first fret with a credit card. I could place the card on the first fret and there was still space between the card and the bottom of the strings! Time to get the action lowered to make my uke a little more playable.
I was a bit nervous because in talking with people, I got potential cost estimates ranging from $20 to $75 to get a setup done. That could potentially almost double what I paid for the uke so I hoped I could find a place that could do it for a reasonable cost. I called a local guitar store and they said lowering the action sounded like a $20 job. That sounded reasonable so I was all-in. When I picked up my uke, they only charged me $6.00!! Even the clerk commented that they must not have had to do much to charge only $6.00. Once I got it home and started playing it, I noticed that it didn't feel a whole lot different than before. I should have looked at it a bit closer at the store but upon closer inspection, I noticed that they only lowered the action at the bridge and not at all at the nut. I went back, the guy was apologetic and joked that they charged so little because they only did half the job! They had it ready for me the next day and when he called me, he said that playing this uke would be a breeze compared to what it was. When the clerk asked him what the charge would be for the additional work, he said that since I was made to come back twice for the uke that they would only charge me the $6.00 for the entire job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Plus they threw in a free store pen. Now that's customer service! )
He was right about my uke playing like a breeze compared to what it was. The difference is HUGE, it's like night and day. Even barre chords up on the first fret are almost effortless. Now when I do the credit card test at the first fret, the card fits snugly between the fret and the strings and is held in place by the pressure of the strings. I'm now a full-blown advocate for getting the action properly set up on a ukulele. Everyone's advice to get it done was right and I'll never buy another uke without a proper setup. Playing the uke before was fun but now it's also a pleasure!
I was a bit nervous because in talking with people, I got potential cost estimates ranging from $20 to $75 to get a setup done. That could potentially almost double what I paid for the uke so I hoped I could find a place that could do it for a reasonable cost. I called a local guitar store and they said lowering the action sounded like a $20 job. That sounded reasonable so I was all-in. When I picked up my uke, they only charged me $6.00!! Even the clerk commented that they must not have had to do much to charge only $6.00. Once I got it home and started playing it, I noticed that it didn't feel a whole lot different than before. I should have looked at it a bit closer at the store but upon closer inspection, I noticed that they only lowered the action at the bridge and not at all at the nut. I went back, the guy was apologetic and joked that they charged so little because they only did half the job! They had it ready for me the next day and when he called me, he said that playing this uke would be a breeze compared to what it was. When the clerk asked him what the charge would be for the additional work, he said that since I was made to come back twice for the uke that they would only charge me the $6.00 for the entire job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Plus they threw in a free store pen. Now that's customer service! )
He was right about my uke playing like a breeze compared to what it was. The difference is HUGE, it's like night and day. Even barre chords up on the first fret are almost effortless. Now when I do the credit card test at the first fret, the card fits snugly between the fret and the strings and is held in place by the pressure of the strings. I'm now a full-blown advocate for getting the action properly set up on a ukulele. Everyone's advice to get it done was right and I'll never buy another uke without a proper setup. Playing the uke before was fun but now it's also a pleasure!
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