Most expensive Uke you bought, that is unworthy of its price

abhinav

Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2018
Messages
10
Reaction score
0
Location
India
What is the most expensive uke you have purchased so far, that you think is worth way less than you paid for it?
 
None!

My most expensive is what a lot of people term an intermediate - but I think of it as expensive. :)

Every uke I bought was researched, via the internet, & bought when I was satisfied the price was worth it.

When I started out, I wouldn't have considered buying anything over £300 - but with a bit of knowledge, I stretched it up to £500 - but that is where you pay for looks &/or the name - that is where I stop. :D
 
I own 4 ukuleles that cost over $300 but less than $1000, and I'm happy with all of them. I did own one in that price range that I didn't bond with because of neck shape, but it was totally worthy of the price. I sold it to someone who was very happy with it.
 
Last edited:
This is very subjective, so I hesitate a bit, but the Blackbird Farallon that I had bought (and then returned within a week) didn't give me the feeling it was worth the price (craftsmanship, feel, sound). It cost as much as the Kanile'a GL6, which was light years ahead in every way. But many people love it, which just shows that these things can't be generalized.

At the bottom end, I'd list the Kala Waterman which was complete garbage. With molded plastic, they could have gotten action and intonation uniformly right, but at least the (early) batch that I got was not even worth the low price. It tainted my view on Kala.

On the positive side, I felt the aNueNue Moonbird concern, the Barron River tenor, Black Bear soprano, and the Pono spruce/rosewood PC baritone were all exceptional and exceeded what I expected relative to the price tags.
 
I think this is going to be a tough topic. When someone buys anything that's expensive, he'll do a lot of research beforehand. It's unlikely that he'll be dissatisfied when he gets it. I've never been disappointed by a uke, regardless of price. It will be interesting to see how this goes.

At a uke session recently, a new member was surprised that someone she knew spent $300 for a ukulele. When I first started, I was surprised that someone in our group had a Koaloha Opio that cost almost $500. "Expensive" is a relative term.
 
When someone buys anything that's expensive, he'll do a lot of research beforehand. It's unlikely that he'll be dissatisfied when he gets it.

With luthier-built instruments (often unique models) and expensive ukuleles you're unlikely to have a chance to play them before you get them (sometimes from around the world). There is no good way to predict how they'll feel or sound to you when you play them in your own home, using your own fingers. You can make a guess about size and wood, and some features you might value (radiused fretboard, side soundhole, etc), but sound and feel are hard to evaluate in advance.
 
Last edited:
"Expensive" is a relative term.

Fully agree! Also here we are talking about musical instruments which can last a lifetime or more. I also regards many of them to be a piece of art. Some people buy mobile phones that costs more than many of our instruments and are just expected to last for a few years...
 
I feel like the topic is too subjective to be meaningful. Here are my reasons:

1. Many people buy ukes sight-unseen, and develop expectations based on reviews, or appearance, or reputation. Then they expect the uke to be life changing, and are disappointed when it's, you know, just a uke.

2. "Good" isn't a universal measure. The Farallon mentioned above is a great example. My Farallon is a fantastic sounding uke. I first played it at a music store and loved the tone, and then went back and played it for a long time, to make sure it wasn't just infatuation. But up above we have a player who found it disappointing. Which of us is right? We both are. By the same token, I have owned ukes by two incredibly well-regarded makers that many would consider "grail" ukes. Neither of them did a thing for me, and both were sold. In both cases, the new owners were thrilled by their purchases, and one of them has posted frequently here about finding the "one." How could ukes I found disappointing make other people so happy? That's why I don't post the makers; why start a "brand x is disappointing" thread when obviously the "disappointment" is about my preferences, not the instrument itself?

3. I have found that my favorite instruments are ones that I live with, play often, and discover what I need to do as a player to make them sound their best. Often, "disappointing" instruments are quick-lifted at music stores, or purchased online and sent back after a few days. I'm not saying a bad instrument will suddenly sound good, but familiarity can often bring out the best in an instrument. A good example for me was Hofner basses. I never like the look, and felt the violin bass was too closely associated with Paul McCartney to be something I'd want to be seen playing. A lot of the reviews I read of Hofners dismissed them as one-trick ponies. But a couple of years ago I was playing bass in a band and was looking for an extremely lightweight bass that I could play when I started having some back problems. Hofners fit that description, so I gave them a try. At first I was unimpressed, but I gave it some time and found the style and attack that made them sound great. Now my Hofner bass is a go-to instrument, expecially when I want more of a stand-up bass tone.

And finally, sometimes we have to admit that "disappointing" lives in our hands, not the luthier's. I took banjo lessons for a while from Tony Trischka, one of the finest players in the world. At the time, Tony was playing a custom Stelling Sunflower (a *very* pricey banjo) and I was playing an inexpensive import Fender. Tony's banjo sounded fantastic, of course, and mine was sort of plinky-plinky. At one point, Tony wanted to show me something on my banjo, so we swapped for a bit. Shockingly, Tony's bazillion dollar banjo sounded awfully average in my hands, while my cheap import sounded pretty damn impressive in his.
 
And finally, sometimes we have to admit that "disappointing" lives in our hands, not the luthier's. I took banjo lessons for a while from Tony Trischka, one of the finest players in the world. At the time, Tony was playing a custom Stelling Sunflower (a *very* pricey banjo) and I was playing an inexpensive import Fender. Tony's banjo sounded fantastic, of course, and mine was sort of plinky-plinky. At one point, Tony wanted to show me something on my banjo, so we swapped for a bit. Shockingly, Tony's bazillion dollar banjo sounded awfully average in my hands, while my cheap import sounded pretty damn impressive in his.

This..

Kimo Hussey has said this often that each ukulele has a personality and it is up to the player to play to it. Most expensive ukuleles have good sound and their own personality. The beansprout banjo I got second hand did not wow me for the price I paid but the sound is like any other banjo uke and I have no clue how to use a banjo. Unlike a ukulele banjos are not as forgiving.

I do think in ukulele festivals semi prof players should offer a paid service where they play your uke to let you know the additional mileage in ones instrument that one had not tapped into.
 
I do think in ukulele festivals semi prof players should offer a paid service where they play your uke to let you know the additional mileage in ones instrument that one had not tapped into.

Like cars and cameras, an expert can get the best out of any equipment. Having James Hill make one of my ukes sound fantastic would be depressing. :eek:
 
I have bought and sold off many expensive ukes. Mya Moe, Collings, Compass Rose, Koaloha, Blackbird, Howlett, Kinnard etc. etc. None and I mean NONE would I deem unworthy of the price. I sold them off because they just weren't exactly what I was looking for in either tone or playability. Those people that bought them from me might think it was the perfect instrument for them.

It is all personal, those instruments were all worth the price paid, they just weren't right for me.
 
Like Croaky Pete I’d also say none. The only Uke that I was disappointed in was my first and equal cheapest of all the Ukes I have ever purchased. I read somewhere recently some advice that said don’t buy an inexpensive Uke with an inbuilt pickup because your getting a $50 Uke with a $150 pick up. I wish I had heard that advice before I made my first purchase. Every Uke since then just got better and better, even if they were still what many would consider as inexpensive. I have been happy with them all. Ultimately I came to value the craftsmanship and talent of Luthiers enough to commission the instruments you see in my signature field. All of which I treasure every time I play them.
 
I think when this is most likely to happen is when as others have said, someone buys a higher end instrument without the real chance to try it themselves first. Of course, quality issues can be a factor too, there are two very well known brands that are notorious for factory quality issues according to staff at a couple of retailers I know.

Regarding instruments people don't really get to try first, the Farallon is a great example. Its sound is really unique, at least to my ear. If you're buying it based on review that tells you it sounds a lot like an old vintage wood instrument... It doesn't. It doesn't sound like a wood instrument at all to me in fact. Blackbird's fingerboard is a little different, the playability is great but it feels different, the ekoa material feels different in the hand.

So then if you've bought sight unseen based on sound samples and enthusiastic reviews, I can see why it might not speak to you. I'm fortunate enough to be out near the Bay Area where I've gotten to try it in store at a couple of locations, and I got to shop it against a Clara... I bought the Clara. Others may choose the Farallon or say no thanks to both.

And people may wonder too for some high end instruments, "it's great, but it's not $1500 great". In Blackbird's case, you're paying a premium for new materials they invented, a new process they invented, and for having an ukulele that was built in San Francisco, a place with high labor and overhead costs. Being from California I am happy to pay that premium to support a business in my state, but others just may not see it.
 
I don’t think my answer quite fits into the question.

I have only sold one ukulele because I didn’t bond with it, even though I was able to buy it at a bargain price (and sold it for less). That was my Pono. It was a beautiful instrument...cedar and rosewood, and all of the appointments. It sounded just fine. For some reason, the sound and “more bare” look of KoAloha appealed to me, so when a UUer put a KoAloha Opio Concert up for sale, I decided to sell the Pono.

The Pono was worth every penny...gorgeous, great case, good sound.

I later ended up buying a 2004 KoAloha Koa Concert for less than $400 at a second hand music store. I ran out the door with that one. Ultimately: the KoAloha Koa Concert is the most valueable ukulele that I own; the Pono is the instrument that I have paid the most for.

*Incidentally, I dropped the Koa Concert (strap slipped off the strap button) and put a ding into it...and it already had a few other dings. Still...my heart dropped. Seems okay, though, so I am going to leave it as is for now.
 
I haven't sold any yet. I don't think "unworthy of its price" applies in my situation, either. But the fact is that, ironically, the uke I paid the most for, my Pono MTD-CR, is the most difficult one for me to play. And it's the only one that has a radiused fretboard. It sounds lovely, though. This was a surprise to me, as I've had no problems picking on radiused boards on a couple of my mandolas. Nor bowing on my violas and violins, obviously. ;-) But on this uke, I find I am too often playing the inner two strings louder than the outer two strings - and sometimes I miss notes altogether on the first string. But I am working on it. Time will tell if I overcome this obstacle.

bratsche
 
My two cents - I bought a new, set up by HMS, KoAloha sapele soprano Opio August 2014 based on the glowing reviews here. It still is the most expensive uke I own. I had been playing for 8 months at the time. I liked it, but did not love it. I bought a Martin OXK w/gig bag & no set up three months later at a Black Friday sale for about half the price of the Opio w/hard case. I loved the OXK right out of the box, played it all winter since I did not need to baby it, and rarely played the Opio. About 15 months later, I picked up the Opio, played it nonstop for a week, and fell in love with it. I think my playing ability caught up to the uke.
 
Regarding instruments people don't really get to try first, the Farallon is a great example. Its sound is really unique, at least to my ear. If you're buying it based on review that tells you it sounds a lot like an old vintage wood instrument... It doesn't. It doesn't sound like a wood instrument at all to me in fact. Blackbird's fingerboard is a little different, the playability is great but it feels different, the ekoa material feels different in the hand.


And people may wonder too for some high end instruments, "it's great, but it's not $1500 great". In Blackbird's case, you're paying a premium for new materials they invented, a new process they invented, and for having an ukulele that was built in San Francisco, a place with high labor and overhead costs. Being from California I am happy to pay that premium to support a business in my state, but others just may not see it.

I agree with this. The price premium for the Farallon is due to unique materials and build process. Not a fair comparison to wooden instruments. I gladly "overpaid" for the Farallon because it served a purpose for me. I am not afraid to take outdoors because it is less susceptible to temperature and humidity changes, more resistant to scratches and dings, and has a pretty decent sound although not exactly like a wooden instrument. Therefore it has its place in my stable of instruments.
 
There is only one ukulele I regret buying and that was a used Clara. The soundboard had been re-braced at Blackbird and unfortunately it didn't hold up. The neck also has a bow. I knew about the soundboard repair and should have checked the neck closer. I don't know the history, but I think the neck was caused by being left in a very hot car based on the temp I was given to possibly straighten it. It still plays and sounds nice tuned to Bb, but any higher tension volume and tone falls off a cliff. The folks at Blackbird have been nice and will give me an estimate if I send it up to them... Maybe I'll drop it off if I'm I the area. It has prompted me to order a KLOS.

John
 
I don’t see the purpose of bad mouthing a product that wasn’t right for someone in particular but might be right for someone else. If you don’t like a product express it to company that produced it as constructive criticism. Bashing it in public doesn’t downgrade the instrument it downgrades you as a person. Why not ask a positive question about the most expensive uke you bought that was worth every penny, that one I’ll happily answer....my Beau Hannam custom Selmer Mcaferri Tenor
 
Since no one else will answer, I will. My Graziano concert 'flamenco' uke I had built in 1997 while gorgeous and very well built was set up so poorly that it intoned worse then my $200 Harmony Johnny Marvin that was my most expensive uke at the time. I made a zero fret thing to fix the intonation and once that was done it really was worth the price but I should never have had to do it. I never really bonded with it either but that is more due to the fact I had no idea what it would really sound like before I had it built. I just knew I wanted something bright and liked flamenco so it seemed like a good choice. Live and learn....

John
 
Top Bottom