Schoenhut Uke - Long Term Test

My initial review of the Schoenhut was met with many responses in defence of the poor thing.

It's had a bit more play now, and my concerns about the soft fingerboard were proved right. As I now see it, this uke is completely pointless and with some more play, will be rendered unplayable.

I'd like to think that puts an end to it...

(Pictures and explanation on this link.. http://www.gotaukulele.com/2014/07/schoenhut-ukulele-long-term-test-and.html )

I was fortunate enough to be able to pick up a real soprano flea fretboard while they were still reasonable and "upgrade" my flake. Otherwise agreed, this ukulele won't last. A shame, a few more dollars and they could use proper plastics for the fretboard. The bridge and the 2 screws used to hold it down aren't much to write home about, but mine were serviceable. I put a real flea bridge as well on my schoenhut and reused the screws with several washers under the head. I were to do it again I wouldn't bother swapping the bridge...not that I would bother again with the soft fretboard.

Well, not really applicable since yours is almost dumpster fodder...I find the worth browns to sound too thin on this ukulele. I had oasis lites (or whatever) on it and those sounded much better. When I cut a new string too short for my lanikai the resulting string walk put worth browns on this one.

And yes, second hand fleas can be reasonable. Not sure what the cost is now but I did land a concert flea with bag on ebay for 120usd or so middle of last year. Before that I landed a concert fluke on CL for 80usd. I sold fluke for about the same + shipping on here and sold the flea for about the same locally on CL. I still have the original fluke I bought new but for a very reasonable price.

bazmaz said:

My initial review of the Schoenhut was met with many responses in defence of the poor thing.

It's had a bit more play now, and my concerns about the soft fingerboard were proved right. As I now see it, this uke is completely pointless and with some more play, will be rendered unplayable.

I'd like to think that puts an end to it...

(Pictures and explanation on this link.. http://www.gotaukulele.com/2014/07/schoenhut-ukulele-long-term-test-and.html )

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I guess there's a slight difference between plastic used to make McDonald's Happy Meal toys and 'polycarbonate' compounds intended for special wear-resistant applications. Who knew?

I would adopt a homeless Schoenhut neck to be used for building a cigar box ukulele in a heartbeat! :iwant:

Thanks for the update. I agree with bnolsen that a used flea is a much better alternative than the flake if price is your biggest reason for not getting a new one.

I'll happily take all unwanted schoenhuts. I use them to paint on. =)

justinlcecil said:

I'll happily take all unwanted schoenhuts. I use them to paint on. =)View attachment 68742View attachment 68743

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Wow that is amazingly good art. Very cool

justinlcecil said:

I'll happily take all unwanted schoenhuts. I use them to paint on. =)View attachment 68742View attachment 68743

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Stunning artwork !! Pity about the canvas.
Graham

Exactly as I expected, had messages to the blog saying I am wrong..... Never quite understood why someone would so vehemently defend what is clearly a bad instrument?

You're absolutely right about the schoenhut. I bought two of them and they both wear at the frets and bridge fairly fast. But it is what it is and it's marketed as such.

justinlcecil said:

You're absolutely right about the schoenhut. I bought two of them and they both wear at the frets and bridge fairly fast. But it is what it is and it's marketed as such.

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When I started noticing fretboard wear I thought the bridge was wearing too. However the schoenhut bridge itself has slots cut into it for the strings. Are you sure you aren't mistaking this for wear? Ugh I probably shouldn't be doing this since its really not worth it especially since it sounds like the FMM people jacked up the prices on their good fretboards and bridges.

I'm pretty sure they aren't slotted. I think the horrible factory strings just inherently wear it down. I actually messaged the folks at magic fluke company about buying a bridge and fretboard and he seemed all too willing to sell me one until I mentioned it was for a Schoenhut. Then he didn't bother answering my emails.

of course, TMI. At the time I had 2 of their ukuleles already so it didn't bother my conscience too much

Its not the factory strings wearing mine - I changed them day one.

I know what its marketed as, and the 'toy' connection, but I personally think they are playing this a bit clever. MANY uke players are actually buying these. I've had emails from adults asking me if they make a good first uke. I'd wager more sales are going to those looking for a musical instrument than wanting a toy - and thats a worry - same as I would call out ANY cheap uke that would quickly become useless on account of the build.

Lets also look at some of their marketing blurb, using phrases like "provides clear, authentic Hawaiian tones", and "A birch soundboard which offers excellent tone and resonance". Nothing I read in the blurb suggests toy to me, yet that seems to be the defence argument to those who have them and know they are dreadful. Now of course, those on UU are a knowledgeable bunch - but what worries me is the first time buyer thinking they are getting an instrument when they are getting an ornament.

Those who like it don't ever mention it as a toy but a solid instrument for the price. I know I bought it as a cheap alternative to the flea and was hoping it was more than a toy. Even more educated buyers get duped for a bargain. hahaha

bazmaz said:

Its not the factory strings wearing mine - I changed them day one.

I know what its marketed as, and the 'toy' connection, but I personally think they are playing this a bit clever. MANY uke players are actually buying these. I've had emails from adults asking me if they make a good first uke. I'd wager more sales are going to those looking for a musical instrument than wanting a toy - and thats a worry - same as I would call out ANY cheap uke that would quickly become useless on account of the build.

Lets also look at some of their marketing blurb, using phrases like "provides clear, authentic Hawaiian tones", and "A birch soundboard which offers excellent tone and resonance". Nothing I read in the blurb suggests toy to me, yet that seems to be the defence argument to those who have them and know they are dreadful. Now of course, those on UU are a knowledgeable bunch - but what worries me is the first time buyer thinking they are getting an instrument when they are getting an ornament.

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nongdam said:

Those who like it don't ever mention it as a toy but a solid instrument for the price. I know I bought it as a cheap alternative to the flea and was hoping it was more than a toy. Even more educated buyers get duped for a bargain. hahaha

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It's kind of like an average looking guy who suddenly gets more attractive when you find out he is rich.

justinlcecil said:

I'm pretty sure they aren't slotted. I think the horrible factory strings just inherently wear it down. I actually messaged the folks at magic fluke company about buying a bridge and fretboard and he seemed all too willing to sell me one until I mentioned it was for a Schoenhut. Then he didn't bother answering my emails.

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I understand the irritation that the Schoenhut has caused the MFC staff. I also understand that they reserve the right to only sell parts to confirmed Flea/Fluke owners but Dale and Phyllis are normally very responsive to product owners.

Since the Schoenhut "Uke-Gate" scandal I believe they changed their warranty policies for the ploy fretboards. If you mail your Flea/Fluke to them they will replace the fretboard for free if warn or damaged from normal playing. They will then mail it back to you at their cost which is more than fair.

My first post after lurking for five months (as long as I've been playing a uke)! I found a solution for the flake's notorious fret wear--super glue.

I picked up a Schoenhut flake about 3 1/2 months ago, and confirmed that after only a week and half, I started seeing fret wear on the 2nd and 3rd frets of the 'A' string. After some musing, I remembered when I repaired a too-deeply-cut nut slot with the tried and true baking soda/superglue method, how impressed I was with the toughness the resultant composite.

Unstring the uke and mask the fretboard with blue painter's tape like you would for dressing frets (except I left a tiny "air gap" between the tape and the fret bar). The nut had to to be taped off (vertically) as well (make sure the tape doesn't touch the zero fret). Get some tightly rolled cotton swabs (such as Q-tips (TM)), and saturate the end of a swab with thin superglue and roll the the end quickly over some scrap cardstock to squeeze out excess. Then wipe each fret from left-of-center toward the right past the end, and then do the same thing from right-of-center past the left end. Don't press down hard--you only need to coat the top of the fret bar and you don't want to squeeze/wipe so hard that the masking tape is glued to the fretboard. If you work quickly, one swab can be used to do 3 or 4 frets before the glue gets too thick. Wipe with the stick part of the swab almost parallel with the fretboard and perpendicular to the fret bar.

Let the frets completely dry, and go over them lightly (couple strokes) with 400 grit sandpaper to knock any high points down. Wipe the dust off, and repeat the process 4 or 5 times (the layers are very thin). You can leave the last layer unsanded.

I've been playing my flake regularly for almost 3 months after doing this and don't see appreciable fret wear. The only noticeable difference between an untreated fret bar and the treated one is the latter are somewhat glossy. I also used superglue to (carefully!) fill the wear in the frets and level them off again.

Hope this is helpful to someone.

bandarlog said:

My first post after lurking for five months (as long as I've been playing a uke)! I found a solution for the flake's notorious fret wear--super glue.

I picked up a Schoenhut flake about 3 1/2 months ago, and confirmed that after only a week and half, I started seeing fret wear on the 2nd and 3rd frets of the 'A' string. After some musing, I remembered when I repaired a too-deeply-cut nut slot with the tried and true baking soda/superglue method, how impressed I was with the toughness the resultant composite.

Unstring the uke and mask the fretboard with blue painter's tape like you would for dressing frets (except I left a tiny "air gap" between the tape and the fret bar). The nut had to to be taped off (vertically) as well (make sure the tape doesn't touch the zero fret). Get some tightly rolled Q-tips, and saturate the end of a Q-tip with thin superglue and roll the tip quickly on scrap cardstock to squeeze out excess. Then wipe each fret from left-of-center toward the right past the end, and then do the same thing from right-of-center past the left end. Don't press down hard--you only need to coat the top of the fret bar and you don't want to squeeze/wipe so hard that the masking tape is glued to the fretboard. If you work quickly, one Q-tip can be used to do 3 or 4 frets before the glue gets too thick. Wipe with the stick part of the Q-tip almost parallel with the fretboard and perpendicular to the fret bar.

Let the frets completely dry, and go over them lightly (couple strokes) with 400 grit sandpaper to knock any high points down. Wipe the dust off, and repeat the process 4 or 5 times (the layers are very thin). You can leave the last layer unsanded.

I've been playing my flake regularly for almost 3 months after doing this and don't see appreciable fret wear. The only noticeable difference between an untreated fret bar and the treated one is the latter are somewhat glossy. I also used superglue to (carefully!) fill the wear in the frets and level them off again.

Hope this is helpful to someone.

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It sounds like a great solution, but I have to think that if you are gonna do all that, maybe you should just sand down the frets all together, cut some fret slots, and then get some REAL metal frets from StewMac or CB Gitty and then just superglue in the metal frets somehow (maybe need to nip off the barbed tangs since there's no wood for them to bite into.

Otherwise just let nature take its course and you end up with a 'fretless' ukulele and then can teach your self microtonal music, like that of Turkey...or some other place that does not use an equal-temperament 12-tone scale....

another way when the frets are gone, is to actuate the pitch of the notes with the top of your fingernail on your fretting hand, like they do on the Cretan Lyra....(from Greece) and then frets dont matter at all...

I'm just trying to (as my Grandmother used to tell me it was not possible), as in trying to "make a silk purse out of a sow's ear..."

Booli said:

It sounds like a great solution, but I have to think that if you are gonna do all that, maybe you should just sand down the frets all together, cut some fret slots, and then get some REAL metal frets from StewMac or CB Gitty and then just superglue in the metal frets somehow (maybe need to nip off the barbed tangs since there's no wood for them to bite into.

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It's very little work, less than an hour cumulatively (assuming the strings are being replaced anyway). Maybe 15 minutes to tape up the fretboard, and around 5 minutes max each time you coat and then sand and wipe the frets. I would go off and do something else while the superglue fully cured between coats. I had thought about alternative ways to take care of this problem, but the level of effort made them unattractive.

It was filling in the couple notches that were already worn into the fret bars that took time.