My wife got me this as an early birthday gift!

My wife picked up a Kohala soprano for me for like nothing today. It's a $45 retail uke apparently, but i owned no soprano's until today so im pretty stoked! im having a bit of trouble keeping it in tune though. the keys seem fine, but i was wondering if crappy nylon strings (prob the ones that came on it) can do this? also the previous owner had the strings cranked up super tight. i don't have spare strings laying around to trow on and test it at the moment, so i was just curious if this could be the nice easy simple problem. here is a pic btw:

bad nylon strings aren't stable and take a long time to settle. you can probably grab some martin m600s and be in good shape.

Yep, change the strings. Aquilla or order some Ken Middleton Living Water strings if you can stand the wait to receive them from the UK. I think they make everything sound better. So far anyway

Hello tburkhart,
Happy early birthday, you are indeed fortunate to have an understanding wife. As others have said a string change may transform your new present. Lucky guy.
regards
Jim

1931jim said:

Hello tburkhart,
Happy early birthday, you are indeed fortunate to have an understanding wife. As others have said a string change may transform your new present. Lucky guy.
regards
Jim

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we met a little over 5 years ago because we both played in bands, so it works out! I buy her instruments and she buys me instruments... then i buy her clothes... and shoes... and we both stay happy! Thanks Jim!

Congrats. If it's all laminate, I'd try Aquilas. Also, check the little screws on the tuning machines to insure they are tight enough. Only have to be tight enough to not slip. Don't "over tighten."

'grats on your new uke. I hope you have as much fun learning as I'm doing.

Another here recommending changing strings.
I recently changed out some new Aquilas (I'm sure they weren't genuine) on a new uke I imported from S.E Asia, for the Martin M600s and so glad I did. They're lovely to play, much nicer than the original strings. Also much silkier and seemingly easier to play than the original labelled Aquilas on my first, Risa acacia, uke. For my ears the M600s sound waaaay better than the Aquilas. It's all personal taste though.
I'm new to ukes too, although not new to string instruments, and it felt like such an achievement when I managed to do the classical guitar style tie at the bridge end.

hey congrats on your new soprano!

Soprano,mezzo soprano, contralto and alto. When I was a wee lad I was a boy soprano. Now I am just a metro barracuda. Gigglegiggle. OOps time for my nap.