I Should Have Known Better!

WashAshore

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As a new uke owner and compulsive gear collector, I decided that I needed to have a
baritone uke. I wanted to start with something cheap, and then in another twenty
years when I improve, buy something better. This thing was a pathetic piece of junk!
Mangled frets, glue everywhere...etc. I should feel good about them giving a blind
person a job!
 
In all fairness, it was you who decided to go "cheap." I don't know what brand you bought, but there are several ukulele companies -- Kala and Ohana come to mind -- that make inexpensive baritones that are very playable. And my own advice to people trying the uke for the first time, or a new scale for the first time, is to spend a little money and get something you're going to like. I think you waste less money buying a $300 instrument you're going to play than spending less than $100 on an instrument you're never going to play. Just my two cents.
 
I got a discounted factory 2nd for my first baritone, and I'm very happy with it. Ask Mike at Mainland, and maybe he has something. Mine has a very small chip in the finish, which you don't even see because the binding is behind it. Going too cheap is a waste of money. You could try looking for used instruments.

–Lori
 
I dressed the frets and lowered the action on a friend's concert and baritone ukes a couple weeks ago. They were Woods Instruments brand, and $69 and $79 respectively. Both had bone nuts and saddles, fully laminated, and very nice construction. The tone was dandy, and volume was very good. He bought them in a shop, but they're available on Amazon.
 
As a new uke owner and compulsive gear collector, I decided that I needed to have a
baritone uke. I wanted to start with something cheap, and then in another twenty
years when I improve, buy something better. This thing was a pathetic piece of junk!
Mangled frets, glue everywhere...etc. I should feel good about them giving a blind
person a job!


We all should know better, but usually we don't and we have to make mistakes and often over and over and over again. Take it in stride and cut your losses in any way you can and at least you'll likely not repeat that mistake for a month or two. :biglaugh:

I could have retired several years earlier had I known better. But I didn't and I still don't often. With age I've come to accept this with a certain grace.

And had you lucked out this thread would be one where you were bragging about the amazing deal you just got.
 
Consider it a learning aid to learn how to do a setup, adjust action, level frets, smooth fret ends, replace nut/saddle, perhaps better tuners. You should be able to get it to play well enough to be a decent "beater baritone". Maybe install a pickup, strap buttons, etc. etc. Get a little compound and gloss up that satin or matte finish a little. You got it now.
 
Heh, heh. Come to UWC and donate it to the bonfire...it won't be the first USO* to go up in sparks!

*Ukulele Shaped Object

John
 
Use it as your Frankenstein experimentation subject! I have been sucked in by the easy get and have gotten burned.
 
I got a Kala KA-B... from Amazon no less because I had a gift certificate. I'm in love with the thing. Yes, with the $50 ones you stand a chance of getting a buzzer with bad intonation, but spend just a little more with a decent seller and you can get a laminate with surprisingly good resonance and solid intonation.
 
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Even a $30 Ohana baritone 2nd plays decent (with a little work). But in general, you do get what you pay for.
Buy the best used instrument you can.
 
For all the reasons in the responses...I should have known better! I know how to set up, rewire and
restore electric guitars, so I figured I could correct all the issues with a cheapo. Not so with this
beast. I'll have enough saved (minus the two bucks for a powerball ticket) by the end of March. If
I hit powerball I'll buy everybody on this forum a new Uke!
 
I dressed the frets and lowered the action on a friend's concert and baritone ukes a couple weeks ago. They were Woods Instruments brand, and $69 and $79 respectively. Both had bone nuts and saddles, fully laminated, and very nice construction. The tone was dandy, and volume was very good. He bought them in a shop, but they're available on Amazon.

I'm the owner of the Woods ukuleles that FrankB fixed up. Terrific job, by the way. The Woods series (soprano, concert and baritone) are apparently a well kept secret - they are inexpensive, well made, good intonation and build, closed gear tuners. I'd recommend them highly.
 
I'm the owner of the Woods ukuleles that FrankB fixed up. Terrific job, by the way. The Woods series (soprano, concert and baritone) are apparently a well kept secret - they are inexpensive, well made, good intonation and build, closed gear tuners. I'd recommend them highly.

Hey Roy! They really are nice ukeleles, but wait until you see what Yvonne has. :cool:
 
Next chapter. I bought a 3/4 guitar thinking the smaller size would be what I was looking
for...wrong! It's going back for an exchange for a baritone uke. I haven't decided on
which one yet, Woods or Kala are peaking my interest.
Now if I can just nail that pesky E chord on my concert!
 
I got a Kala KA-B, from Amazon no less because I used a gift certificate. I'm in love with the thing. Yes, with the $50 ones you stand a good chance of getting a buzzer with bad intonation, but spend just a little more and you can go for a laminate with surprisingly good resonance and solid intonation.

To be fair, I have an expensive uke that had such horrible buzzing it couldn't be fixed. Had to send it back to the manufacturer lol
 
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