You guys buy online or in stores?

Kobold

Kobold

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As I've searched through this site, I've noticed quite a number of people who take to buying their ukes online. Now, there are practical reasons for some of course, i.e. they live in a far off country away from the U.S. and ukes are not native to their lands, etc.

I just wanted to hear other peoples opinion when it comes to purchasing their uke. I've always opted to go to a store and play the instrument myself. Months ago when I picked up guitar there was no way I was going to buy online; I needed to make sure that the instrument was the one for me before I made the purchase.

I live near Chico, CA, and despite it's reputation as a very musical city, it's music stores suck, but I managed to find a good Oscar Schmidt concert uke that I play today. I was hesitant to buy online as I wouldn't really know how it played, and I felt a certain disconnect from the instrument itself when purchased over the net...

But let's hear some other opinions. How do you guys go about purchasing your ukes (or other instruments)?
 
its dangerous buying online, i myself get nervous from the time i buy until the uke arrive at home since you never if it will get to you in one piece, but one of the stores that u can trust online is mgm, i only buy ukes online since there's not many store here that sells ukes only guitars.
 
I have 3 ukes. 2 bought online 1 in person. I would love nothing more than to walk into a shop and have a wall of ukes to try out. Unfortunatly I do not live in hawaii or anywhere close. I know there are shops somewhat close to me that have good selections but for wahtever reason I may or may not find the uke I am looking for. Right now I think the uke I want is out there just not locally or for a good price.

Most online sellers will give you a grace period to try it out and send it back if it is not what you want.
 
Buying a uke without playing it is iffy, but not a terrible idea if you do some research. ;)

Definitely go to as many stores as possible and play many ukes. See what you like best! Look for authorized dealers of reputable brands first, but you never know what you'll find if you walk into a sketchy little store.

If the local selection sucks and you think you'll have to buy online, buy from MGM or another reputable source that's known for customer service. Check out their return policy, so on the offchance you don't like what you just bought, you can exchange it without getting ripped off.
 
Not a lot of choice in Minnesota -- or at least not that I know of. When I bought my KoAloha I called MGM and told him what I was looking for -- sound, style, wood, what type of music I played, etc. He made a recommendation and I listened to what he said. The ukulele he chose for me was fabulous. Ordering online can be a crapshoot but I totally trust MGM.
Unfortunately your best choices may be online. Good luck.
 
I live in SC, they have a tax free weekend to buy guns, but no uke stores. Closest in Wilimington NC, (200 miles from gun heaven). I buy 100% online and once in a while I get screwed.

Had to threaten to bring the USPS to small claims court over a neck on a uke they brokie in half. I try not to ship USPS and if I have to always get insurance. Had one compay that was seling tuner pegs for 1 cent on ebay I got them for 1 buck or something low but the shipping was high, they get a delivery return reciept but no insurance and their profit was in the handling, live and learn. I steer away from folks that have high shipping, usually a scam there somewhere.

I always ask folks to double box the ukes, even if it costs more. Had a friend that worked USPS said he saw employees drop kicking boxes marked fragile.

Had a package of tonewood mailed to me and USPS left out in the rain to lazy to walk ten steps to the porch.


UPS has been the best.

Read the reviews and do a general search on the company or e-bay seller name. Found one seller named in a couple of lawsuits. Oops go to go and clean my automatic squirell rifle...got quite a deal on it.

A local store would be nice, but don't see it in my lifetime.
 
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I just bought a uke from ukulele4u. He has excellent feedback, and as soon as I get my uke in the mail I'll give him a review
 
I have no idea how popular the ukulele is in West Virginia, so I went the least labour-intensive route and bought from MGM. I'm lazy.

However, I'm very happy with my uke, and bought one from the same guy for my cousin.
 
I've bought my ukes online, but I want to buy locally now (I have a nearby Kamaka dealer). I love buying strings online though. If I buy locally, I'll make sure to bring cash and haggle prices down on pricey ukes.
 
I think that if you want to buy an ukulele, it should be a personal, and heartfelt thing. To be able to feel, hear, and see everything is a leg up, and you know exactly what you're buying. If you buy it online, you can't try it for yourself to see if....you actually....want it. I would never think twice about going to an actual music store to buy. You can actually try it out, and, sometimes, you can return it if it's not working out. But you often can't return it to a store, unfortunately. I treat this matter as if adopting a pet.
 
MisoHappy said:
I think that if you want to buy an ukulele, it should be a personal, and heartfelt thing. To be able to feel, hear, and see everything is a leg up, and you know exactly what you're buying. If you buy it online, you can't try it for yourself to see if....you actually....want it. I would never think twice about going to an actual music store to buy. You can actually try it out, and, sometimes, you can return it if it's not working out. But you often can't return it to a store, unfortunately. I treat this matter as if adopting a pet.
Click to expand...

Posts like this make me wish I lived in Hawaii like Miso. Around here, the only uke you can expect to be pulled off the wall and handed to you is a way out of tune Mahalo. I bought my Kanile'a online because the only way for me to try before I buy on a Hawaiian made koa uke would be to pay for the airfare or show up at the NY uke fest. I have not felt a twinge of UAS since that uke arrived but I am fairly certain that if I sucomb to UAS again it will be a Flea or a Fluke. Turns out my teacher is a dealer of those.
 
I have purchased ukes from internet sellers of ill-repute only to be pleasantly surprised. I have purchased other instruments from local music stores only to find the sales people rude, pushy and down-and-out liars. Online, you look, you research, and when you're ready, click "add to cart". Simple. And its really not THAT risky. If a seller has a telephone # on their site, that's a good sign. If the seller has a good feedback rating, like MGM or Ukulele4U on ebay, that's a good sign too. If a seller's shop in Taiwan has several different websites started by disgruntled former customers who's disputes were never settled due to the high price of return shipping, that's a BAD sign. Face it folks, internet buying is here, its convenient, and if you're smart about it, its one of the best shopping methods goin'.
 
I was lucky enough to find a good Oscar Schmidt concert uke here in Chico, CA, but it was the only good one that was under $250... and there was only one over $250 for that matter... beautiful uke, but I'm not swimming in cash...

In any case, this MGM site keeps coming up in this discussion... I looked it up... perhaps I'm missing something, but I couldn't find the site in question... could I get a link please?

Anyways, rather sad that Hawaii is the only place (apparently) where one can find a good uke selection... we need a federal committee to get the uke to go national... nay, we need NATO to bring the instrument INTERNATIONAL! :cool:
 
Waterguy said:
Posts like this make me wish I lived in Hawaii like Miso. Around here, the only uke you can expect to be pulled off the wall and handed to you is a way out of tune Mahalo. I bought my Kanile'a online because the only way for me to try before I buy on a Hawaiian made koa uke would be to pay for the airfare or show up at the NY uke fest. I have not felt a twinge of UAS since that uke arrived but I am fairly certain that if I sucomb to UAS again it will be a Flea or a Fluke. Turns out my teacher is a dealer of those.
Click to expand...

I guess there aren't to many quality ukes in mainland etc stores, since the uke isn't as big there as it is in Hawaii. It's too bad, really....
 
HoldinCoffee said:
I have purchased ukes from internet sellers of ill-repute only to be pleasantly surprised. I have purchased other instruments from local music stores only to find the sales people rude, pushy and down-and-out liars. Online, you look, you research, and when you're ready, click "add to cart". Simple. And its really not THAT risky. If a seller has a telephone # on their site, that's a good sign. If the seller has a good feedback rating, like MGM or Ukulele4U on ebay, that's a good sign too. If a seller's shop in Taiwan has several different websites started by disgruntled former customers who's disputes were never settled due to the high price of return shipping, that's a BAD sign. Face it folks, internet buying is here, its convenient, and if you're smart about it, its one of the best shopping methods goin'.
Click to expand...

......Sometimes I forget that I haven't traveled further than from Oahu to Kauai, and that I don't know how it is wherever you guys are. I guess, according to Holdin that the internet is the place to buy. It's just that.....I take a lot of thought and deliberation over a purchase like that. I had to think overnight once.....My ukes are more than instruments to me
 
Kobold said:
I was lucky enough to find a good Oscar Schmidt concert uke here in Chico, CA, but it was the only good one that was under $250... and there was only one over $250 for that matter... beautiful uke, but I'm not swimming in cash...

In any case, this MGM site keeps coming up in this discussion... I looked it up... perhaps I'm missing something, but I couldn't find the site in question... could I get a link please?

Anyways, rather sad that Hawaii is the only place (apparently) where one can find a good uke selection... we need a federal committee to get the uke to go national... nay, we need NATO to bring the instrument INTERNATIONAL! :cool:
Click to expand...

http://stores.ebay.com/Musicguymics-Room
 
Kobold said:
I was lucky enough to find a good Oscar Schmidt concert uke here in Chico, CA, but it was the only good one that was under $250... and there was only one over $250 for that matter... beautiful uke, but I'm not swimming in cash...

In any case, this MGM site keeps coming up in this discussion... I looked it up... perhaps I'm missing something, but I couldn't find the site in question... could I get a link please?

Anyways, rather sad that Hawaii is the only place (apparently) where one can find a good uke selection... we need a federal committee to get the uke to go national... nay, we need NATO to bring the instrument INTERNATIONAL! :cool:
Click to expand...

MGM is an ebay store. http://stores.ebay.com/Musicguymics-Room

The mainland as a whole isn't very uke-friendly....yet. In Hawai'i it's a LOT easier to find a decent uke; music stores there probably can't stay in business without them! In NY you're lucky to find a uke in a store at all, and even luckier if it's playable and stays in tune. There is approximately one Kamaka dealer and one Fluke/Flea dealer within 50 miles of here. D:
 
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