What's wrong with my uke?

[Lideruke]

So, I have concert Kanile'a. I got it a week or so ago. It's absolutely beautiful. Best looking uke I've ever seen.
However, the C string is garbage. It buzzes and sounds dull with little sustain.
I contacted the manufacturer, and they sent out a couple replacement C strings. But there's no difference.
And to top it off, now the E string has occasional buzzing.
So I'm wondering if it's the nut. I've heard something about putting a credit card underneath the strings at the first fret, and it was a pretty tight fit. I even put the thinner warrenty card there, and it held under the strings. So maybe the action is too low?
Thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[Yestyn The Great]

Where do you live? Climate can greatly affect instroments. Buzzing should not be happening on a Kanele'a.

 

[Lideruke]

Not sure it's climate. I'm in Cleveland, OH. It's been in the 80s. My house is air conditioned. It had the same problems in a muggy house without AC. And I agree, buzzing should not be happening on a Kanile'a!

 

[BlackBearUkes]

Do the strings buzz only when played in the open position or do they buzz on any other frets?

 

[Lideruke]

Do the strings buzz only when played in the open position or do they buzz on any other frets?

C string when open, E string either/or, but not consistent in its buzzing. Again, the E string buzz is a new development. When the C string is fretted, it's dull and lacks sustain.

 

[Yestyn The Great]

I don't know? /:

 

[Doc_J]

C string when open, E string either/or, but not consistent in its buzzing. Again, the E string buzz is a new development. When the C string is fretted, it's dull and lacks sustain.

Has it been like that since you got it? I assume it came with Aquila strings?

Get new strings on it, new Aquilas or worth CD and Alohi strings. I have had good luck with those strings on Kanilea concerts.

If that doesn't fix it contact the seller or Kanilea. A new Kanilea should not be buzzing or have dead sounding strings.

 

[Liam Ryan]

Take it to a luthier and get them to give it a set up. You'll wonder why you didn't do it sooner.

 

[fitncrafty]

Perhaps you have a fret that is touching the string needs to be filed down..definitely take it to a luthier.

 

[BlackBearUkes]

Perhaps you have a fret that is touching the string needs to be filed down..definitely take it to a luthier.

Filing down a fret because is may be loose, is not the correct way to solve this, The fret needs to be re-seated and there are a number of ways to do this. The OP needs to get the uke to a professional luthier for a correct diagnosis. Many times what you may think is wrong, simply isn't.
Without actually having the instrument in front of you, its all guess work.

 

[Yestyn The Great]

Where did you get it?

 

[hawaii 50]

Not sure it's climate. I'm in Cleveland, OH. It's been in the 80s. My house is air conditioned. It had the same problems in a muggy house without AC. And I agree, buzzing should not be happening on a Kanile'a!

you know that air conditioning dries out the air right?kind of drying out the wood..

 

[Markr1]

I didn't know the air conditioning caused it to be dry inside. I have a humidity reader or whatever it's called on my wall in my room where I keep my ukes and during the summer it usually reads from 50% to 60% and I don't have them humidified. During the winter it usually reads from 25% to 30% and I keep them in their cases humidified. Do I need to be humidifying them during the summer too?

you know that air conditioning dries out the air right?kind of drying out the wood..

 

[hawaii 50]

I didn't know the air conditioning caused it to be dry inside. I have a humidity reader or whatever it's called on my wall in my room where I keep my ukes and during the summer it usually reads from 50% to 60% and I don't have them humidified. During the winter it usually reads from 25% to 30% and I keep them in their cases humidified. Do I need to be humidifying them during the summer too?

sorry Mark.. i am no real expert but if the air gets drier with the AC on i think it would affect the wood? but just trying to use logic? ha ha..maybe if the uke did not come from Kanilea directly something happened at the store he got the uke from? i live in Northern Calif..i dont need AC in the summer
i wonder how it sounded when the OP tried it out..

 

[Guitar2ukulele]

I didn't know the air conditioning caused it to be dry inside. I have a humidity reader or whatever it's called on my wall in my room where I keep my ukes and during the summer it usually reads from 50% to 60% and I don't have them humidified. During the winter it usually reads from 25% to 30% and I keep them in their cases humidified. Do I need to be humidifying them during the summer too?

From my knowledge before I got into guitars and ukes, it was my understanding that A/C units and heaters lower the humidity inside the home. By how much, I am not too sure as I didn't bother taking a reading. But when we had a contractor look at our units, he recommended a humidifier also be installed as it would make for a more comfortable environment inside for the kids. Putting one and one together, I am going to assume the same logic follows when maintaining ukes where if AC units or heaters are running daily, then a home humidifier should be used.