Specifications of the right uke

Hi,

For most of the people in France, ukes are bought on line and a try is

not possible.

In your opinion, is the weight of your uke important ?

I mean is it better to choose a light uke ?

Speaking about thickness of the neck , what should be the best choice?


thanks

Sound, comfort and playability are the most important factors.....light ukes may have a hollow brighter sound and may sound better with adjusted tunings..
Call the store and ask them to play the uke for you on the phone...believe me it is worth it.. good luck and happy strummings

Sorry Stan, but hearing a uke over the phone wouldn't personally help me, unless it was really really bad. I think your question is a matter of personal opinion. I play mostly soprano ukes and I like them light and well balanced. If you are just starting out Ohana and Mainland are really nice ukes. They are not the lightest, but light enough and well balanced. I prefer tension tuners because I believe they are a little less weight and I find it does make a difference in the overall balance of a soprano ukulele.

Neck is so personal - For example the Firefly Uke I've got (which is generally well liked) has a neck that I don't really get on with - too thick for me. And Ko-Alohas have a rather flat profile which isn't too my taste either. Note, these are both fine instruments, just not to my personal taste. For me Kalas feel 'just right'. You really need to try a few and see what you like.

In general better ukes are lightly built but it's not the weight that's the factor - it's the affect that being "overbuilt" - and thus heavy - has on the sound. For example, I had a Kala solid acacia pocket uke (10" scale, tiny body - basically a "sopranino") that weighed only two ounces less than the KoAloha concert uke that I had at the same time. Was that Kala "overbuilt?" Absolutely.

Of course, there are other factors, too. If a uke with a thick neck weighs a little more than one with a thin neck that doesn't necessarily mean that the body and sound board are overbuilt.

As far as favoring a neck profile - that is so personal and subjective - and has little real impact on the sound (some will argue that a thick neck gives more sustain but I've yet to see it proven in a real scientific test). In this case there really is no other answer except that you may over time come to realize that you favor a particular neck profile for the way it feels in your hands or the way the uke balances.

John