Magic Fluke Firefly: How are they holding up?

BigJackBrass

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The Firefly banjoleles have been out for a few years now and I was wondering how people have found them performing in terms of durability.

Initially there seemed to be a lot of sceptical comment on how the drum - the non-tunable drum - would not last and could only be replaced rather than repaired, but since the release I have not read much about failures. For those of you who have put in considerable time on the Firefly do you consider them worthwhile for the long term?

I do rather like the more recent iteration, but alas they only make it in tenor scale.
 
Well, if it helps...

I have the Soprano Firefly Serial Number 26.

I ordered the uke after spending an hour or two playing two prototypes at Magic Fluke, after that year's NAMM, but before the instruments had been released.

I have the wooden fret board, and PegHed tuners, have changed the strings once, and love it (Aquila banjo uke strings, wound G). I like hard shell cases, and found that the Ohana Vita Uke case fits very well, so that's what my Firefly lives in.

The ukulele has been to numerous festivals, open mics, farmer's markets, and jam sessions, has been played by many people, and has had not one issue. If I have a problem, I will just call Dale and Phyllis, and follow whatever they recommend.

One of my fellow local ukers played mine for an entire evening, then ordered the concert size the next day. Another person played mine at a local uke fest, and bought one that night.

I have one other banjo uke - a 1920s Stella that I bought years back as a wall hanging, before I started playing ukulele. It has a tunable goatskin head, the fret wires are sunk directly into the neck without a fret board, the friction tuners are identical to Champion friction tuners (can't tell you the year...), and it sounds almost as good as the Firefly, as long as you stay at the 5th fret or below.


-Kurt​
 
That is helpful, thank you. It's interesting to me that here in the UK the Fluke and Flea don't seem to be widely stocked these days, but Fireflies are quite readily available.
 
Well, if it helps...

I have the Soprano Firefly Serial Number 26.

I ordered the uke after spending an hour or two playing two prototypes at Magic Fluke, after that year's NAMM, but before the instruments had been released.

I have the wooden fret board, and PegHed tuners, have changed the strings once, and love it (Aquila banjo uke strings, wound G). I like hard shell cases, and found that the Ohana Vita Uke case fits very well, so that's what my Firefly lives in.

The ukulele has been to numerous festivals, open mics, farmer's markets, and jam sessions, has been played by many people, and has had not one issue. If I have a problem, I will just call Dale and Phyllis, and follow whatever they recommend.

One of my fellow local ukers played mine for an entire evening, then ordered the concert size the next day. Another person played mine at a local uke fest, and bought one that night.

I have one other banjo uke - a 1920s Stella that I bought years back as a wall hanging, before I started playing ukulele. It has a tunable goatskin head, the fret wires are sunk directly into the neck without a fret board, the friction tuners are identical to Champion friction tuners (can't tell you the year...), and it sounds almost as good as the Firefly, as long as you stay at the 5th fret or below.


-Kurt​



My report is very much like Kurt’s, except...

Mine is number 24 (also has wood fretboard and Pegheds), it lives in the old standard bean shaped MFC gigbag and I’ve changed the strings more often than he has. Like his, mine has been played and lugged around for years and played by many folks with no issues whatsoever.


Scooter
 
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