Graham Greenbag
Well-known member
I’d be glad to hear other members’ experiences on what they have done to improve the sound of their own or a fiends basic Uke.
I’ve had several basic laminate Ukes over the years and have made them all sound better. It seems to me to be a process of getting marginal improvements here and there that add up to a noticeable change.
Some years back I bought a Makala Concert Uke - it was my second Uke. As supplied it sounded fine to me then but as you play for a while your ear starts to change. I discovered Aquila strings and they sounded better than the black ones (?? nylon GHS) originally fitted. I sort of did work on the nut and again it sounded better and I think that I must have done the saddle too, but after that it wasn’t played by me for a long time.
I started playing the Makala again recently and it seemed quiet and out of tune down the neck - that surprised me as years back I’d thought it sounded good. So with skills learnt since last playing it I set to to improve my earlier work on the nut. The intonation all along the fretboard is now perfect, my earlier efforts hadn’t taken the strings down quite far enough.
Next I replaced the ‘Aquila’ strings with Martins, nothing wrong with Aquila Nygluts but I usually prefer Martins and the ‘Aquila’ strings where, IIRC, supplied from China so could have been fakes. Anyway another improvement - a louder and more pleasing tone.
I them replaced the cheap saddle with a better plastic one - something already sitting in my parts box - to get a further improvement and I also made certain that the saddle seating area within the bridge was good - a bit louder and better tone again, maybe more sustain too.
Finally I made a bone saddle and fitted it, again there's a small but noticeable improvement (more bass and more sustain), and I think that it now sounds better than the other Uke that I have been judging earlier improvements against.
I’d love to hear what others have done, please share your experiences.
I’ve had several basic laminate Ukes over the years and have made them all sound better. It seems to me to be a process of getting marginal improvements here and there that add up to a noticeable change.
Some years back I bought a Makala Concert Uke - it was my second Uke. As supplied it sounded fine to me then but as you play for a while your ear starts to change. I discovered Aquila strings and they sounded better than the black ones (?? nylon GHS) originally fitted. I sort of did work on the nut and again it sounded better and I think that I must have done the saddle too, but after that it wasn’t played by me for a long time.
I started playing the Makala again recently and it seemed quiet and out of tune down the neck - that surprised me as years back I’d thought it sounded good. So with skills learnt since last playing it I set to to improve my earlier work on the nut. The intonation all along the fretboard is now perfect, my earlier efforts hadn’t taken the strings down quite far enough.
Next I replaced the ‘Aquila’ strings with Martins, nothing wrong with Aquila Nygluts but I usually prefer Martins and the ‘Aquila’ strings where, IIRC, supplied from China so could have been fakes. Anyway another improvement - a louder and more pleasing tone.
I them replaced the cheap saddle with a better plastic one - something already sitting in my parts box - to get a further improvement and I also made certain that the saddle seating area within the bridge was good - a bit louder and better tone again, maybe more sustain too.
Finally I made a bone saddle and fitted it, again there's a small but noticeable improvement (more bass and more sustain), and I think that it now sounds better than the other Uke that I have been judging earlier improvements against.
I’d love to hear what others have done, please share your experiences.
Last edited: