NUD: $10 soprano

SpaceForRent · Jan 31, 2019

Yeah, that’s not a typo. I’m a rank newbie in need of something to play to get me started. This afternoon, I came across a like-new Pacific Soprano. It’s a super cheap Chinese made uke that’s just one step above a toy. But it’s going to get me playing and learning, which is the important part.

The good:

It was $10. I will certainly get $10 of use out of it.
It actually came with Aquila Nylgut strings.
The action is a bit high, but not terrible.
To these untrained ears, the sound is decent.
It came with a (super cheap) gig bag.

The bad:

The nut slots are all the same width (meaning 3 are too wide) and are U-shaped.
The nut was installed about 1mm off center and slightly tilted, high on the A-string side.
Two of the tuners are installed a bit crooked.
It won’t win any beauty contests.

Verdict: It’s playable and was $10. I’m a happy, if not proud, owner.

captain-janeway · Jan 31, 2019

Bought from online or someone? I've been picking up a few cheap ukes to chop up for the necks to make into cookie tin ukes.
They're priced at about what it would cost me to buy parts. Did get one with godawful fret spacing that hit the trash.
Good luck with yours. I'm still learning but throwing a couple of these toys has been fun!

SpaceForRent · Jan 31, 2019

captain-janeway said:
Bought from online or someone? I've been picking up a few cheap ukes to chop up for the necks to make into cookie tin ukes.
They're priced at about what it would cost me to buy parts. Did get one with godawful fret spacing that hit the trash.
Good luck with yours. I'm still learning but throwing a couple of these toys has been fun!

Facebook Marketplace. I haven’t had time to check the intonation up the neck, but I hope it’s not too bad. I think it really is new. The Aquila strings hadn’t even been stretched and settled in yet. My plan is definitely to only play this short-term until I acquire or build a better instrument. I hadn’t thought of tearing it apart after that to make something custom, but now you’ve got my mental gears turning.

Nickie · Jan 31, 2019

Hey, that's great, it's playable! Give it heck!
Even a cheap uke can teach us lots.

Joe King · Jan 31, 2019

FYI: nut slots are supposed to U-shaped as opposed to V-shaped or squared on the bottom.

If the nut slots are V-shaped, they will usually bind the string in the nut which will cause tuning problems and/or the string to snap at the nut.

If the nut slots are squared at the bottom, the string will tend to wiggle laterally and might buzz in the slot.

OTOH - a U-shaped nut slot follows the rounded profile of the string diameter, and allows the string to glide freely in the slot, and this is the preferred shape of the nut slot.

Hope this helps.

Jerryc41 · Jan 31, 2019

It was a similar inexpensive uke that got me started.

SpaceForRent · Jan 31, 2019

Joe King said:
FYI: nut slots are supposed to U-shaped as opposed to V-shaped or squared on the bottom.

OK, makes sense. Right profile, but wrong width for 3 of the 4 strings. It looks like the slots were molded into the nut during manufacture, not cut after the fact. Luckily, replacing the nut is cheap and something I'm confident I can DIY if it turns out to be a problem. And hey, a new nut would double the value of this instrument! LOL

Kenn2018 · Feb 1, 2019

SpaceForRent,

If you bought it for $10, I doubt the strings are genuine Aquila Nylgut. More likely they are Aquila-like strings.

Either way, as long as it sounds reasonably good to you, it's just fine to learn the basics. Most importantly, have fun!

SpaceForRent · Feb 1, 2019

Kenn2018 said:
If you bought it for $10, I doubt the strings are genuine Aquila Mylgut. More likely they are Aquila-like strings.

This was attached to the bag's zipper pull. The outside box also mentions that it comes with Aquila strings. I don't think Aquila would let them get away with lying about that. To clarify, I think the MSRP is around $40. I paid $10 for used, like-new.

tangimango · Feb 1, 2019

yeah china makes there own tags and strings , nobody can stop china.

SpaceForRent said:
This was attached to the bag's zipper pull. The outside box also mentions that it comes with Aquila strings. I don't think Aquila would let them get away with lying about that. To clarify, I think the MSRP is around $40. I paid $10 for used, like-new.
View attachment 115273

Kenn2018 · Feb 1, 2019

Ah, well perhaps they are Aquila strings.

Interestingly, Aquila nylon strings fluoresce under UV light.

Have fun. You'll have a great time. If there is a ukulele club near you you should check it out. That's what got me hooked. Terrific people, and a blast to play with others. And don't worry, most groups are not judgemental. They all know we had to start somewhere. Plus it's a great way to get tips and information.

As a beginner, I found the Gotaukulele.com blog by Barry Maz to be an excellent source of information, tips and reviews aimed squarely at beginners.

SpaceForRent · Feb 1, 2019

Kenn2018 said:
Interestingly, Aquila nylon strings fluoresce under UV light.

Is that all nylon strings, or unique to Aquila? Could be an easy way to spot knock-offs. I think I have a UV bulb kicking around somewhere. [SUB](wanders off muttering to himself about needing to clean the basement...)[/SUB]

Jerryc41 · Feb 1, 2019

Joe King said:
FYI: nut slots are supposed to U-shaped as opposed to V-shaped or squared on the bottom.

If the nut slots are V-shaped, they will usually bind the string in the nut which will cause tuning problems and/or the string to snap at the nut.

If the nut slots are squared at the bottom, the string will tend to wiggle laterally and might buzz in the slot.

OTOH - a U-shaped nut slot follows the rounded profile of the string diameter, and allows the string to glide freely in the slot, and this is the preferred shape of the nut slot.

Hope this helps.

Good to know.

SpaceForRent · Feb 15, 2019

So, I found the perfect use for this $10 uke. I've started experimenting on it to practice "lutherie". (I used quotes so as not to offend the actual luthiers here on UU who genuinely know what they're doing.) I have no qualms about bodging on an instrument with no monetary value in order to learn more about the craft, perhaps in preparation for working on more expensive instruments in the future.

So far, I have:

Corrected the nut position (centered and removed tilt)
Replaced the plastic saddle and bridge with rosewood and bone
Corrected the position of the bridge, which was too close to the neck and at a slight angle
Attached the saddle with both glue and screws, where the original plastic was just screwed in
Lowered the action at the bridge by sanding down both the new saddle and bridge

I must be doing something right, because it's a bit more playable and the intonation is better up the neck. I wouldn't call it great, but it's better. The strings aren't all off in the same direction, so a compensated saddle would have to be the next step. Not sure I want to take it that far. This uke will live its life around the first 5 frets anyway, so it's good enough.

The action at the nut needs to come down just a bit, and I'll do that next once I get a set of nut files. Once I get that dialed, I might take the bridge down just another hair.

NUD: $10 soprano

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