Interesting that this thread is being revived... I'll comment on mine one more time, although I did a review of it when it first arrived just short of one year ago. (see reviews section, almost exactly one year ago... there is a photo there also)
I bought a shallow body "travel" tenor... I'll admit it, I was smitten by the inlay work in the photo. I paid $340 I think, and after $80 in shipping and tax it was $444 total. It has a cut out, those wing like inlays with holes drilled through them (like an ovation has) on the face, and three small square sound holes on the side of (only) upper bout. It has no insignia on the head stock and no label inside. It came with a photocopied half sheet of green paper stating is was a genuine BruceWeiArts production and admonishing me to keep it is a case with a humidifier. I also came with a cheap vinyl case.
It sounds and plays really nicely. But the output is really low. I've grown used to my Kala SSTU-T travel tenor - which absolutely roars. The tone is a bit thin on the SSTU, but the volume is remarkable!
Although the tone and intonation is really excellent on the BWA, and the set up also very good, it doesn't stand up when being played with other instruments. If I was doing that a lot, I'd need to add a pickup and amp. I played it outdoors with a small group of guitar, cajon and a second uke and it just disappeared. It just doesn't cut through like my Kala does (which I switched back to for our recent performance).
It sounds really magical when I'm alone on my couch however. There is something very special about the tone, which reminds me of a mandolin sometimes. Really sweet sounding in it's own quiet way.
But of course, there is also a horror story included with this purchase, as well. A story I've read about before...
So, I took it out of the box (very well packed BTW) and removed the (sealed) plastic bag. I enjoyed it right from the first strum. I played it for a couple of hours, set it on the couch, and went to bed.
I picked it up the next day, and to my horror, two big cracks had opened up in the face below the bridge. One was advancing toward the bridge and threatening to spread under it. I immediately put it into a (solid) case with a humidifier and didn't touch it for a month.
I attempted to contact BWA via the email on the sheet enclosed, but never received an answer.
But also on this sheet, at the very top... and first thing written there... is the following statement:
"To protect your instrument in the best condition and to prevent it's body from cracking as well as prevent it's neck from flexing, a 'Humidifier' is encouraged to use. As you know if the temperature is so dry or humid is able to damage your instrument".
Well, to be fair, I did not follow this advice to the letter and so I guess it's my fault that this happened... I was warned. I never in a million years would have guessed that this would have happened over the course of 12 hours, however.
Anyhow, I still play it all the time and love how it plays and sounds. It's a bummer that any re-sale value it might have had has disappeared but I don't really think about that too much. It's fun and easy to play and a bit magical in how it sounds.
So the Bruce Wei cracking problem is real, a common problem from what I've gleaned from these boards... but the frets are not an issue thankfully. The neck is... bound? Is that the right term? Anyhow the fret ends are buried behind a strip of wood so there is no way they can stick out.
I'm looking at those two cracks now as I type and they are widening as summer begins. They closed up in the winter and are opening again as it dries out here in Sonoma County in Northern California (Currently: 91 degrees, 22% RH) so I think I'll soak a humidifier and put it back into a case until the current hot spell passes.
I really love this great sounding thin body uke, but it's been difficult to watch these two cracks evolve over the past year. They appear to have stabilized but who knows what the future holds. If I knew then what I know now, I'm not so sure I would have made the purchase. It just too nerve racking...
One more thing: As KohanMike has commented, BWA's shipping prices have gone up. Last summer it was $80, this summer it's $100 for most of the ukes listed on eBay. That does indirectly run the cost up a bit but probably does not help BWA any... shipping is costly these days!
