-=] OMG! Baritone uke for $15 USD ]=-

Booli

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 20, 2013
Messages
6,498
Reaction score
43
Location
Midgard
OMG! Baritone uke for $15 USD! :)

Yep, it's true.

I found out about http://rhythmband.com from this thread below:

http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/showthread.php?121304-Luna-ukulele-questions

And on the CLEARANCE PAGE, is this:
(click to enlarge)
Screenshot - 06302016 - 11:34:49 AM.jpg

http://rhythmband.com/clearance/baritone-ukulele/

Now I dunno what kind of quality it is but I'd bet it's NOT even comparable to a Kala KA-B, or Lanikai LU21-B...

but EVEN if it requires lots of setup, for a poor person who is handy with tools, this just might be a way to get started on the baritone.

I'd advise and expect, right off the bat that the strings need to be replaced either with Martin M630, D'Addario EJ87B or Aquila Nylgut, so you can figure another $6 for strings.

When I put it in my cart, and added the shipping to NJ, there was a $9 charge on top of the $15 sale price.

So $24 for a bariitone. This is STILL cheaper than the Rogue baritone from Musicians Friend for $35 w/free shipping if/when they have it in stock.

I'm tempted. Price is low enough that if it's not playable, it's worth the time either for a full setup, or to hack on it for my deranged musical instrument experiments....

But I've got no experience with nor ever heard of this vendor before.

What say the Hive Mind on UU?

EDIT: I should mention that I am posting this here for everyone else.

I do NOT need another baritone. I already have 4 baritones, all in different tunings, all decent enough and play great after doing the setup work myself where needed.
 
Last edited:
My immediate reaction is "Yes! Buy this now!" However, I have a feeling it would disappoint me and I'd end up with another uke that I don't play. I have a small apartment and have to justify the addition of instruments into an already crowded area. This one might not make it. But, might be a great deal for someone who can do the setup that will undoubtedly be needed for it!
 
Well, that is cheap, no doubt about that. Get a half dozen of those 99 cent Reverb tuners too. ;)
 
Last edited:
Hey, for someone who has wanted to try out a bari.............go for it.
I am always amazed that you find this stuff Booli. How do you do it?
 
Hey, for someone who has wanted to try out a bari.............go for it.

This was my main reason for posting the info. :)

I am always amazed that you find this stuff Booli. How do you do it?

I dunno. I must have a sixth sense or something. I do not actually go on the hunt for such deals, but share what I find when it happens.

BTW -

Rondo Music currently still has several soprano ukes for $10 that I posted about a few months ago:

http://www.rondomusic.com/product6903.html

and a different one for $11:

http://www.rondomusic.com/uk2101.html
 
I wish I had the funds. That sounds pathetic I guess, hearing myself say it. I work hard and long hours, but I also have a family which includes a semi-incapacitated wife. If I ever have even a spare $15 I try to use it as a treat for my family, even if it's just renting a couple of movies or getting a pizza.

I have a baritone already, but it would be nice to have a uke that could be taken anywhere and I wouldn't have to worry about it.

Very cool of you to find and post this. I hope some people take advantage of it and end up happy!
 
Just makes me wonder, why do we never see anything like this in the U.K. :(

Maybe because Omega Music, Southern Ukulele Store, and RUMC (Really Useful Music Company) refuse to sell uke-shaped firewood that would require a setup that costs more than the instrument itself?

If you have WalMart or Toys'R'Us in the UK, do they not sell the 'First Act' brand instruments, which are sold as "4 string childrens toy guitars" ?

Why cant you buy this $15 uke from this US vendor and have it shipped? Does VAT really kill imported things so much with the add-on costs?
 
regular price 24.95usd....probably not something to get your hopes up about...
 
regular price 24.95usd....probably not something to get your hopes up about...
[SIZE=-4][/SIZE]
You may be right, but it's gotta be better than the [SIZE=-4]Schoenhut Flea copy, no?[/SIZE]
 
[SIZE=-4][/SIZE]
You may be right, but it's gotta be better than the [SIZE=-4]Schoenhut Flea copy, no?[/SIZE]

well...the schoenhut screwed up with a product that should have technically been easy to copy for mass production. I'd put their flea under the serious if not epic failure category.
 
I wonder if by "ebonized finger board" they mean, "cheap wood, painted black?"
 
I wonder if by "ebonized finger board" they mean, "cheap wood, painted black?"


usually

kinda like "KOA ALL WOOD UKULELE" for $40 trying to DUPE the public into thinking this is ALL SOLID top, back and sides, when in fact it's 0.5mm VENEER on 'hand-select' BASSWOOD, er BALSAWOOD, er PLYWOOD

just BLATANT lies, either that or malicious ignorance

some folks fall for it
 
I’ve been collecting cigar boxes and planning to build a couple of cigar box ‘ukuleles. I could make the necks myself according to instructions which are readily available and use fret wire (or even nails, which is evidently traditional) to make the frets, but I thought I could eliminate the potential of a mistake in that area (for my first build at least) by going with a manufactured neck.

Amazon has necks and fretboards for $17 to $19. Tuning pegs are $10 to $25 for a set of four. Fret wire seems to run around $4 to $7. Mainland sells all of these parts in a set for about $46. A nut and saddle is about $4 to $7. Then there’s the cost of strings…

Why not--I rationalized--start with a silly-cheap ‘ukulele and cannibalize it for parts? So, I ordered a couple of these, and they came today. Free shipping--by the way--because the total was over $25.

What did I get?

The rosette looks like it’s painted on, but is probably a decal.

There is no logo on the headstock, which is okay by me.

There is an orangey-mottled stain on the body, neck, and headstock. It’s not even, and readily shows fingerprints. If you love woodgrain, these are not the ‘ukuleles for you. One of them has a noticeable nick near the neck (pre-staining application) on the sound board. Overall, I find them unattractive. No matter, the bodies will be replaced by cigar boxes (which will likely be less attractive to many of you, but hey, it’s a thing), and sandpaper/steel wool can get rid of the nasty stain on the neck and headstock.

Back to the checklist.

Linear DGBE tuning was expected. Check.

Open gear tuners were expected. Check. They don’t seem to slip, or jump, which is good.

An ebonized fretboard was expected. Check. It’s an opaque dark stain. The fret markers are inserted (not decals) into the fretboard, and are not always flush. Some unknown pearlescent material.

Rough fret ends were expected. Check. :rolleyes: Fixing that is on my to-do list.

Fret markers at the 5th, 7th, 10th, and 12th frets were expected. Whoops? The 9th fret (not the 10th) has a marker. The photograph on the Summer Clearance Sale web page is small, but it shows a fret marker on the 10th fret, and that’s not what arrived. Okay, yes, I’ve seen other ‘ukuleles with a marker at the 9th fret, Kanilea’s among them. Not to make a comparison or anything.

The necks seem straight. I won’t say too much about intonation as the jury is still out. No setup has been done yet, and the strings are still settling. The pitch at the 12th fret seems accurate, but I get dead notes on strings 2 and 3 around the 2nd and 3rd frets. Perhaps the nut is too low, or the 3rd or 4th fret is too high. It’s time to watch those videos again about doing my own setup.
UPDATE: 24 hours later the buzz/dead notes are gone on one of these and still present on the other. I should have let them acclimate to the house humidity for longer before posting my initial experience. I'm going to try the baking soda + super glue trick to make the nut slots less deep.

I’m not wild about the strings, but since no setup has been made yet, I don’t think it’s fair to make a final judgement about them. The D and G strings are wound. The B and E strings are not. The wound strings look... dirty. The tint/shade changes multiple times along the length. I remember that some of you who purchased the Gambler’s Special Lanikai’s from Butler Music reported “rusty” strings. Perhaps this is what you were talking about?

At the regular price of $69 I wouldn’t call these a bargain. $15 for all of those parts? I couldn’t resist.

Like I said, I plan to take them apart and put them together again in a new form. Hopefully I’ll end up with something playable. If not, I will have learned something about disassembling an ‘ukulele.
 
Last edited:
I...start with a silly-cheap ‘ukulele and cannibalize it for parts? So, I ordered a couple of these, and they came today. Free shipping--by the way--because the total was over $25.

....

Like I said, I plan to take them apart and put them together again in a new form. Hopefully I’ll end up with something playable. If not, I will have learned something about disassembling an ‘ukulele.

I've had half a mind to do exactly as you are planning myself for a while now. These are cheap enough 'victim' ukes from which to strip parts that if you totally ruin one in the process, it's no great loss...

if that orange wood-stain is similar to the finish on the Rogue baritone and Savannah (that I have), you might be able to do what I did (as per a suggestion that I tried from Sven (in the builder's lounge) in reply to someone else on a different issue), and that is to use nail polish remover or pure acetone.

With rubber gloves on, I soaked a paper towel with the acetone nail polish remover (this stuff stinks and is not good to breathe so you need to wear a mask and have good venitlation - like do it OUTSIDE) and simply wiped the paper towel across the top of the uke and after a few passes on the same spot, all of that nasty burnt-orange color simply and completely comes off. You are left with bare wood. Rinse and repeat until all the color is gone.

Then set the uke to dry in a ventilated area away from flame or sparks (acetone is flammable). You are now ready for refinishing...

Also, wanted to point out that it seems that you've definitely done your research for parts, just like I have, betw CB Gitty, eBay, Amazon, Mainland, guitarfetish.com, Suntek Store, and Meritline, there are LOTS of places to get uke-ish or guitar-ish parts...

I have a J&R Tobacco Shop near me that lets you fill a large bag with as many cigar boxes as possible for $10, (I got about 12 in there last time) or purchase 5 paper-covered cardboard for $1 each and get one free or 5 solid wood boxes for $2 each and get one free...

Last time I went there, I came back with a nice haul, and ended up using them for storage of all kinds of small parts. Much nicer than those cheap and crappy Sterilite pencil boxes that cost me $3 each at Staples that all cracked, hinges broke or failed to stay shut...

My problem with this kind of project is how to get the neck off the body without destroying the dovetail or bolt-on structure so it might/can be able to be re-used. I dont have lots of tools nor space, and my first inclination is to see what happens with a simple hammer and/or chisel and then hacksaw as needed...but I'm afraid to have a big mess with wood chips and splinters all over the place...

we could probably make a whole new thread about this too

Futurethink - please stay in touch, either here or via PM - and maybe we can compare notes...

Mahalo - Booli :)
 
I should mention that with this kind of hack-project that Futurethink and I are talking about - my access to a cheap baritone-scale banjolele might be easily realized since I've got an old, extra snare drum bouncing around somewhere, I think it has 12" or 13" dia head, and this would be great for a cello banjo or similar that is in octave-mando 5ths tuning....hmm....ideas are churning now......
 
Like I said, I plan to take them apart and put them together again in a new form. Hopefully I’ll end up with something playable. If not, I will have learned something about disassembling an ‘ukulele.

Sounds intriguing and fun! Good luck, and let us know how it goes.
 
I’ve been collecting cigar boxes and planning to build a couple of cigar box ‘ukuleles. I could make the necks myself according to instructions which are readily available and use fret wire (or even nails, which is evidently traditional) to make the frets, but I thought I could eliminate the potential of a mistake in that area (for my first build at least) by going with a manufactured neck.
...

At the regular price of $69 I wouldn’t call these a bargain. $15 for all of those parts? I couldn’t resist.

Like I said, I plan to take them apart and put them together again in a new form. Hopefully I’ll end up with something playable. If not, I will have learned something about disassembling an ‘ukulele.

So Futurethink...any follow-up you can offer as to your having had these for a few weeks now?

How is your cigar-box-rebuilding project going? Please share if you have made any progress...:)

Mahalo - Booli
 
So Futurethink...any follow-up you can offer as to your having had these for a few weeks now?
How is your cigar-box-rebuilding project going? Please share if you have made any progress...:)
Mahalo - Booli

Booli, I have determined that the buzz is due to a back-bow in the neck. I am researching solutions, and trying to determine my best course of action. Here are the options I have found;
--heat the neck to soften the glue between fingerboard and neck, shim the high spot, clamp to a straight steel bar, let cool
--pull the frets, check to see if the neck is then straight; if so, widen the slots slightly, install frets
--pull the frets, plane the fingerboard level, install frets

I'm not in a hurry, and I'm enjoying the research. I'm trying to avoid buying too many new tools, but may end up with a fret-puller from Stewart-Macdonald.
 
Top Bottom