Gotaukulele's Highest Rating for "Sound"
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merlin666
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I rarely watch any videos, and for instrument reviews I prefer reading them at my reading pace to sitting through a video. My attention span is way too short for that. YouTube just has too much junk and it's a huge effort to sift through and find the morsels. For example my project right now is learning to sing Aloha 'Oe, and as I am not native Hawaiian I thought it might be nice to sing along with a YouTube video to get the language right. But the annoying thing is that 99.99% of all videos butcher the song and only have the first verse and then repeat the chorus way too many times, or arte unbearable instrumental versions. After checking out dozens and wasting considerable time I found exactly two videos with the complete song! Sorry for the rant ...
Anyway - another ukulele review from me coming tomorrow. Another instrument loaned to me that is getting sent back next week. Not a high end instrument, but far from a dud either.
Sadly for some (depending on your persuasion), there will be words / pictures, and there will also be a video. You can choose either, or, indeed neither or.. not.
Whichever way it is, it's just an opinon. You don't have to agree.
(Spoiler - I rather like this one - but you don't have to..)
Sadly for some (depending on your persuasion), there will be words / pictures, and there will also be a video. You can choose either, or, indeed neither or.. not.
Whichever way it is, it's just an opinon. You don't have to agree.
(Spoiler - I rather like this one - but you don't have to..)
Nickie
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The only ukulele reviews I watch are Barry's.
The others aren't reviews, they're demos.
Barry has saved me money, several times.
And, his reviews have high entertainment value!
The others aren't reviews, they're demos.
Barry has saved me money, several times.
And, his reviews have high entertainment value!
AustinHing
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Same here. Barry’s reviews played a huge part in my purchase making decisions for most of the ukes in my sig. although I had the opportunity to play in store before buying, it’s certainly helpful for plenty of folks who got no physical access to the uke that they wish to buy.
The detailed write up in GotAUkulele and videos are, in my opinion, very aligned to how I feel when I hold and play the uke in store. And that’s very nice thing to know. I think it’s much more informative than just playing the ukulele type of review. A good player can play a makala to sound like a MBT in YouTube.
That’s just me and there are plenty more of us with the same sentiment.
I find this helpful. Some may not. I've watched a ton of reviews, Barry's especially but this sort of gives a starting point because choosing from every ukulele ever is too much!
My only compplaint anbout Me. gotaukulele's reviews is that damn strum in the beginning. His calm voice is lovely and my son will sleep right through those reviews until. . .a new one starts! That strum is at 3x the volume of the video! Love you Barry but my kid needs sleep.
Kaelrie
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My first uke was an Enya, based on your review. And it was exactly what I expected, thanks to you.
I like GirlMeetsUke, too. She gives very in-depth reviews.
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I, for one, love both. I read your reviews but I also watch the videos. There is more detail in the written review, but I find the videos to be very entertaining. I really enjoy the ~10 minutes I get to spend "with" Baz each week. Some of the ukes are things I am genuinely interested in, others aren't for me. No matter what, I learn something new each and every time.
The reviews are only the opinion of one person, but I know that they are *his* opinions and not tainted by some brand sponsoring his videos. It's an incredible resource, and I am thankful for his efforts!
Jerryc41
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Baz's reviews have cost me a lot of money, but it was money well-spent. I figure his reviews have probably encouraged me to buy fifteen ukuleles. Of course the reviews are subjective because sound and appearance are subjective, but Baz has experience examining and playing a variety of ukuleles, so I value his opinions. Anything with an overall rating of 9.0 and up gets my attention.
besley
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Well I purchased my Farallon, Magic Fluke Banjo Uke, and Klos before Barry's reviews came out, though I was pleased to see that he liked them too. But my Beltona purchase was a direct result of watching one of Barry's reviews.
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Maz's site has long been one of the best online resources for ukulele players, especially those beginning the journey.
Long may it continue.
Long may it continue.
Jerryc41
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Funny, but for me, the worst kind of review is someone playing one or more ukes - no talking, just playing. A ukulele sounds like a ukulele. The 2" speakers on my computer aren't exactly studio quality. Every uke I have sounds a bit different, but I don't hate the sound of any of them.
I like a reviewer to describe the construction, the feel, the appearance, the weight, the balance, the tuners, and even the sound. I prefer loud to quiet, and I prefer more sustain to less.
It sounds like you might need better speakers! Some of the videos I have watched give you an instant and very distinct and obvious difference between different instruments. I think some people, particularly beginners need to be told what to buy and so like detailed descriptions of things like string height even though they have no idea what difference that makes. Some prefer to listen to a wide range of videos and sound files before making a decision. It is obvious that any ukulele sounds good in the hands of a skilled player but the more you listen and play different brands, tonewoods and string sets yourself the more you can also tell the difference when you hear one being played by somebody else, even through the speakers on a computer.
Jerryc41
Well-known member
Good idea! Send me what you think are the best computer speakers available, and I'll try them out.
Good idea! Send me what you think are the best computer speakers available, and I'll try them out.
Oh, there's probably a 'Gotsomespeakers' site for that
Jerryc41
Well-known member
Oh, there's probably a 'Gotsomespeakers' site for that
I certainly hope so. : )
Jim Hanks
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Good idea! Send me what you think are the best computer speakers available, and I'll try them out.
Or decent headphones for when 'critical' listening is needed. I find the AKG-240 perfectly adequate for my needs and is well under $100
Jerryc41
Well-known member
Yes, earphones or even earbuds are a huge improvement over computer speakers.
Baz' reviews, more than anything else, helped me to understand what to look for in a ukulele. He pointed out things like neck shape & finish, string spacing, resonance, sustain, construction, laminate vs solid woods, etc.
I can tell many qualities through the videos like sustain. Bark. Chime. Often warm or bright. And so forth. Reviews point me to listen for certain things in a ukulele before I buy. If several reviews all point to certain characteristics, them it is likely present.
One of the best things Baz and other reviewers do is to introduce new brands and ukuleles to us. Brands that we would most likely never hear of or be interested in. For that, I am particularly grateful.
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Captain America
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Take it all in stride. The great problem is the dearth of music stores selling ukes of good quality. Plenty of music stores will stock a cheap uke or perhaps two. But the good stuff? Gotta trust a long-distance store, and you can only hope it works. . . or you'll lump the cost of the shipment back.
I'm old school, like to inspect merchandise like ukes that I intend to keep 20 years or more. I'm not a gear spinner.
I dislike the current situation where there are only a few decent retailers since I'm not keen on having only one or two options.
I'm old school, like to inspect merchandise like ukes that I intend to keep 20 years or more. I'm not a gear spinner.
I dislike the current situation where there are only a few decent retailers since I'm not keen on having only one or two options.
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