Swamp Yankee
Well-known member
broomstick neck profiles.
What's your absolute "Deal-Breaker"?
- Thread starter bratsche
- Start date
Bridge pins... I have a couple of instruments that have them but I had to work really hard to look past it.
Heavy headstock (unbalanced body.. common with super sopranos)
Pleasure Paul
Well-known member
Nice question.
For me it's....................... extended fretboards (12+ frets). So many nice soprano ukes have them (Kiwayas, Kamakas etc.), but they're in the way of my strumming, and they hurt my nails, I play classical guitar too, and take a lot of trouble to keep my nails in order.
For me it's....................... extended fretboards (12+ frets). So many nice soprano ukes have them (Kiwayas, Kamakas etc.), but they're in the way of my strumming, and they hurt my nails, I play classical guitar too, and take a lot of trouble to keep my nails in order.
My deal breakers are as follows.....flat fretboard, small thin fret wires and a skinny shallow neck. It all boils down to playability and what I have found that works best for me.
Nickie
Well-known member
Good thread topic, bratsche!
I won't go into defects....
Features that break the deal?
Fat, round baseball bat necks. Ouch!
Mother of pearl fretboards, UGH!
Pin bridges. A friend of mine builds all his ukes with them. I won't buy one from him.
Too heavy headstocks, bleah.
Pre-amps that take a 9V battery. No, no, no.
Sharply pointed neck butts, Ouch, again.
Friction tuners....although If I loved the uke enough, I'd buy it and change them to planetary tuners.
Great big Mickey Mouse ear tuners sticking out the sides. Ugaleeee!
Thick finishes, paint. Yuck!
Rounded potato bug back, especially plastic. What for?
That's enough!
I won't go into defects....
Features that break the deal?
Fat, round baseball bat necks. Ouch!
Mother of pearl fretboards, UGH!
Pin bridges. A friend of mine builds all his ukes with them. I won't buy one from him.
Too heavy headstocks, bleah.
Pre-amps that take a 9V battery. No, no, no.
Sharply pointed neck butts, Ouch, again.
Friction tuners....although If I loved the uke enough, I'd buy it and change them to planetary tuners.
Great big Mickey Mouse ear tuners sticking out the sides. Ugaleeee!
Thick finishes, paint. Yuck!
Rounded potato bug back, especially plastic. What for?
That's enough!
If it were from a warped or twisted neck, I'd agree. But if bad intonation were fixable....I'd fix it. Let's just say that personally, I'm surprised that these big, reputable sellers don't include those necessary adjustments as part of their awesome setups. I've had to compensate the saddles on two secondhand ukes that originated from the big uke sellers and that sounded nice otherwise, so that they now play in tune. Took about 1/2 hour with a file each time. Mandolin family instruments come with compensation, and it would be ludicrous if they didn't. Why not ukes? Romero Creations have it.
I haven't weighed in on this topic I started, but I see a lot of people mentioned things I agree with. But if a thing is easily changed, such as buying a hard case for something that came in a gig bag, or tuner styles, or fixable intonation issues, I wouldn't consider those the absolute end. I'd save that for the unalterable features.
I don't like excessive inlay or bling, onboard electronics that required cutting into the instrument - or even side sound ports, for that matter. No cutaways, either. And I dislike any fretboard that isn't ebony or really dark rosewood. Those would be my deal-breakers.
Still waiting for Jerryc41 to weigh in. I am curious to know if he even has any deal-breakers. :rofl:
bratsche
glennerd
Well-known member
Interesting the list developing here. Not a fan of the pin bridges either, but might live with it on the right instrument.
Forgot about extended fretboards on sopranos.
I'm going to assume the gig bag comment is a joke? "OMG! It's my dream uke and I'll never see one like it again! I've been looking for this exact ukulele for years! I'm in love! Oh, but it comes with a gig bag? Forget it."
Even friction pegs or cheap tuners are easy to change unless it's a super cheap uke that isn't worth upgrading. I guess it depends on how much you like the rest of the ukulele and how unique it is.
Forgot about extended fretboards on sopranos.
I'm going to assume the gig bag comment is a joke? "OMG! It's my dream uke and I'll never see one like it again! I've been looking for this exact ukulele for years! I'm in love! Oh, but it comes with a gig bag? Forget it."
Even friction pegs or cheap tuners are easy to change unless it's a super cheap uke that isn't worth upgrading. I guess it depends on how much you like the rest of the ukulele and how unique it is.
Jhud
Well-known member
Interesting the list developing here. Not a fan of the pin bridges either, but might live with it on the right instrument.
Forgot about extended fretboards on sopranos.
I'm going to assume the gig bag comment is a joke? "OMG! It's my dream uke and I'll never see one like it again! I've been looking for this exact ukulele for years! I'm in love! Oh, but it comes with a gig bag? Forget it."
Even friction pegs or cheap tuners are easy to change unless it's a super cheap uke that isn't worth upgrading. I guess it depends on how much you like the rest of the ukulele and how unique it is.
Ha Ha ! Couldn’t agree more Glenn.
Just bought a Rebel Mango Super Concert Uke that came with the ugliest , most god awful gig bag known to mankind but it didn’t stop me spending good money on buying the Uke.
I do dislike ALL right handed strung Uke’s though as I’m left handed.
Jon.
Nickie
Well-known member
Ubulele,
I'm curious as to why a radiused fretboard is a liability???
Will you share that with us?
I really fancy mine.
bacchettadavid
Well-known member
My dealbreakers are any of the following:
1) closed-gear tuners
2) Pono- or Kala-style neck profile
3) narrow nut width (or narrow string spacing)
4) tightly radiused fingerboard
I know several of these can be addressed quite easily, but I'm finicky.
1) closed-gear tuners
2) Pono- or Kala-style neck profile
3) narrow nut width (or narrow string spacing)
4) tightly radiused fingerboard
I know several of these can be addressed quite easily, but I'm finicky.
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70sSanO
Well-known member
A nut width less than 1-3/8”. Doesn’t matter how nice it sounds.
Intonation only if it were miss placed frets. I can compensate most anything. I have one ukulele where the bridge is almost off by 5mm and compensated it.
John
Intonation only if it were miss placed frets. I can compensate most anything. I have one ukulele where the bridge is almost off by 5mm and compensated it.
John
José de Londres
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Sound holes anywhere other than the traditional place, or non-traditionally shaped sound holes, are usually a turn off for me. I'm fine with a variation on a circle like the Koaloha shape or the Maccaferri ovals, but hearts or butterflies or violin style holes on either side of the top are a no-no. Can't stand sound holes set off-centre either.
Don’t hate me but Koa. I know, I know! I’ve had every K brand made out of solid Koa and I’m just not liking the tone. I don’t mind sides and back made out of Koa (beautiful wood) but for soundboard I prefer cedar or redwood.
Intonation.
Action/Feel.
Tone.
Dynamic range.
Tuners.
Looks.
The higher it is on the list, the more likely a flaw in a particular ukeulele attribute will be a dealbreaker for me. Lower on the list, I can be much more forgiving.
Action/Feel.
Tone.
Dynamic range.
Tuners.
Looks.
The higher it is on the list, the more likely a flaw in a particular ukeulele attribute will be a dealbreaker for me. Lower on the list, I can be much more forgiving.
ricdoug
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I do not give a scat about appearance or other's opinions. As a paid performing musician, it's totally about sound, playabilty and price.
Jan D
Well-known member
A pale fretboard. They just don't work for me.
Jan D
Jan D
I can't get past rope binding. I just don't care for it no matter the sound.
Well, sound is always first, but if there's an equivalent sounding uke with no rope binding then I'll go for it.
Like others have said, I don't care for bling either.
Well, sound is always first, but if there's an equivalent sounding uke with no rope binding then I'll go for it.
Like others have said, I don't care for bling either.
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"What specific "feature" on a ukulele would make you wrinkle your nose and say "No, thanks!" more than anything else?"
I like a ukulele to look like a ukulele. Too many of today's products are wannabe guitars, but smaller.
John Colter.
I like a ukulele to look like a ukulele. Too many of today's products are wannabe guitars, but smaller.
John Colter.
Croaky Keith
Well-known member
Bling (especially that ugly rope binding) - bridge pegs - string through bridge - skinny neck - slotted head heavy neck (I've got one on a bari, & don't like its weight) - fancy pattern woods, I like quality plain finishes (not keen on gloss finishes either).
Jerryc41
Well-known member
Too much bling.
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