Sound of a $1000 uke

I am probably out of step with others, but here's my take on expensive ukes, of which I am an enthusiast. It isn't about sound quality. Let's be honest; ukes are ukes. A decent $300 uke probably sounds--objectively--as good as my $2000 ukes. So what do I get out of it? I get the satisfaction of knowing that I am supporting small businesses. I get a ukulele that is unique and hand-crafted for me. I have never ever stepped inside a Walmart. I support small businesses. My ukulele choice is just a part of that philosophy. So for me it is more a matter of weltanschauung rather than sound quality. Don't get me wrong. My custom ukes have unimpeachable quality, but that isn't what propels me and my decisions.

That's my personal take on expensive ukes. I hope no one perceives my post as an attack or a rebuttal; I'm just describing me.

I agree wholeheartedly.
 
The play before you buy advice makes me wonder how anyone can buy an expensive ukulele if they don’t have access to it. I’m limited to Martin and Kanile’a because I have loyalty to my local music store and those are the only two high end brands they carry. Well, Kala Elite is a possibility too because I live in N California and can drive to their factory (so much for loyalty to my local music store).

I never understood this recommendation either. When I lived in HI, it made sense for ME to go try ukes, but having lived in, I don’t know, the middle of Indiana and not exactly the ukulele capital of the world, play opportunities would be severely limited. Even in Chicago, one of my favorite cities, and in Chicago Music Exchange, one of the best music stores in the world, they only had FIVE ukuleles.

That’s why I think sites like The Ukulele Site are amazing and worth supporting. The video demos make all the difference. Just put on some good headphones and look around. They even keep sold ukes up - you just have to google them specifically - so you can compare to your heart’s content. It was mostly through those before I moved to HI that I got a pretty good idea how I would rack and stack the four K’s and more or less confirmed it when I got there and could try them out (the big difference was swapping where KoAloha and Kanile’a were on the list).

And then I got almost all of my ukes from them, too, because I knew they’d be set-up properly and their customer service is some of the best I’ve ever come across.
 
Keep in mind, spending $1000 on a ukulele doesn't mean you'll like it. I love KoAlohas, but the few Kamakas I've tried didn't interest me. Others will have the opposite opinion. I play soprano, but if I was shopping tenor, maybe I'd prefer the Kamaka. It depends how particular you are about the sound you want and the build details/dimensions/etc. If you have the budget for it and it's the right $1000 ukulele, it's worth it. But it might not happen the first time around - sometimes even if you're lucky enough to be able to try it before you buy.
 
I buy luthier-built ukuleles because I like the idea that a master craftsman poured his sweat and passion into making something unique and wonderful, and I like the idea of supporting an artist who would undertake such a daunting task. Getting to select woods and appointments is a nice bonus. Quality control will be there... a luthier is putting his reputation on the line every time he sells one. And the voice of the ukulele will be both unique and refined.

Is it worth the extra $$$ for all of that? It is to me. Am I romanticizing things to some degree? Undoubtedly I am.

End of day, every instrument--even the low end factory ukuleles--is unique and will have its own quirks. Likewise, every player is unique and will bring their own tastes and perspectives to evaluating the sound. You really just need to try a few ukes and decide what speaks to you.
 
I comment on this from the perspective of the ukes I own. I have two Hawaiian K brand ukes, one luthier built uke, and two budget China built ukes. The tangible differences for me can be summed up as corners, as in the cheap ukes have corners everywhere and the expensive ukes are smooth and rounded everywhere and just a pleasure to hold. It's the attention to detail and finish that makes them so appealing. As for sound, I don't believe that a uke has sound but it is the player who is in charge of that. And I am pretty sure that my Hawaiian built ukes make me sound better than my cheap ukes, and they help me have a presence when I play with others.
 
I have a question about the sound of decent mass produced solid wood ukes vs ukes built in small shops. There have been other threads on this topic and they are helpful, but the answers often come down to “some people think it worth spending more for quality”. I agree quality workmanship is worth paying for, but if it doesn’t sound better and play better then that’s a different decision.

I appreciate the workmanship, but what do they do in small shops that make ukuleles sound better? I have an Ohana mahogany TK-35 which I love, but I’m thinking about getting a more expensive all-mahogany. My Ohana has some minute flaws in the finish, some glue showing on the inside, but why would $1000 ukulele sound better, assuming same strings?

I could try expensive ukes at my local music store, and I will, but I don’t want to rely on my ear in a store. I’d like to have some objective reasons for better sound as well.

I’m not looking for a justification for my less expensive uke, I’m actually looking for a justification to buy a more expensive one. I love the beautiful hand-made ukes, but if they don’t sound better than my Ohana I can’t justify the purchase.

The issues here are diminishing returns for the sum spent, individual perceptions of value, and variability in product quality.

If $1000 isn’t a particularly noticeable sum to you then the diminishing returns are irrelevant and the higher spend virtually guarantees you a high quality product. Of course you need to be careful what you spend the $1000 dollars on or you’ll get a perfectly made and well voiced instrument that isn’t perfect for you.

I’ve a CK35 which I quite like and the more it gets played the better it sounds, it has a simple construction and looks nice enough. However Ohana do ‘make’ better instruments than the 35 series, those instruments might look similar to the 35 series but their better construction and materials make them sound better and cost more.

Typically more $’s spent equates to a fuller sound. I sometimes play my (perfectly good) Ukes next to friends with dearer instruments, their instruments sing in a way that mine don’t but they do cost multiple times what I’ve spent and for my purposes that additional spend would be wasted money. How well you play does, I think, form part of the justification process. Music played poorly on a $1000 dollar Uke can still sound awful and music played well on a $100 Uke can give great joy and satisfaction - of course if you spend much less than $100 then you’re at risk of ending up with a Uke shaped object rather than something that sounds quite reasonable and you can happily play with others.

My second hand CK35 is my most expensive Uke; after a careful set-up and some simple modifications it plays well, it sounds quite acceptable (nice) and it meets my not un-fussy expectations. I’ve no plans to spend $1000 (three to four times the CK35’s price new) to make only a small gain in sound quality and playability. However if you have less regard for such sums than me or can’t (if needed) do simple remedial work then there is an alternative choice.
 
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The OP (Kidlowell) says, "I have an Ohana mahogany TK-35 which I love", and wonders whether they can justify spending four times as much to (hopefully) get a better sound. Only Kidlowel can answer that question - by listening to more expensive instruments. If, for you, it's all about the sound, then only you can say what sounds better and whether you would pay comparatively big money to own it.

I know it is not always possible to "try before you buy", but if you don't, then you are taking a chance. In the case of a $250 ukulele, that's not a big risk. However, I would not risk $1,000 on the chance that I might get something noticeably better.

A very good example of an Ohana can be better (sound-wise) than something costing four times as much. Conversely, if you are used to playing an inferior ukulele, a more expensive one can sound WAY better.

This is just stating the obvious, but if it's all about the sound, then only your own ears can answer the question.

John Colter
 
"try before you buy"

I just want to add that "try before you buy" sometimes can lead you to the wrong instrument. Some instruments can sound wonderful initially but tiresome after an hour; or be influenced by the instrument's setup; or the many other issues that you may not notice in the store because you are too excited trying before buying. So, while I'd definitely will not pass up a "try before you buy" opportunity, I'd also want to look into the store's return policy.
 
I agree with Clear. Other factors would be the acoustic characteristics of the space within which you try the instrument, and how the uke sounds when someone else is playing it, and you are the listener.

John Colter
 
I read an interview where players of the Ukulele Orchestra Of Great Britain play relatively inexpensive ukuleles. Maybe they're the ones they tour with.
During Covid-19, the UOGB has put out a series of YouTube videos in which their members present their personal uke collections.

Indeed they have very interesting collections and feature some bespoke luthier-built ukes, but my impression is that they include very, very few examples of high-end brands.

I asked the UOGB about the reasons for this, particularly the absence of K-brands.

A UOGB rep answered:

"In regards to the representation of certain ukuleles, there is no intentional reason why they don't appear in our collections. As musicians (not collectors) the ukes we use are ones that work and are playable! Some of the ukes in our collections we’ve bought ourselves, some were presents from family, some were gifts from pals, fans, craftsmen or manufacturers. There is no specific thinking behind what instruments we use and we don't represent any brand as an orchestra. The videos we have posted also do not include our whole collections, as you may have seen from George's video, some members of the band have vast collections which we just couldn't get through every single one! "

The reality is that should these big-brand ukes just happen to be used by some of the members, this would be seen as promotion. Perhaps behind the scenes, there is either an understanding or even a policy about this?
 
I am probably out of step with others, but here's my take on expensive ukes, of which I am an enthusiast. It isn't about sound quality. Let's be honest; ukes are ukes. A decent $300 uke probably sounds--objectively--as good as my $2000 ukes. So what do I get out of it? I get the satisfaction of knowing that I am supporting small businesses. I get a ukulele that is unique and hand-crafted for me. I have never ever stepped inside a Walmart. I support small businesses. My ukulele choice is just a part of that philosophy. So for me it is more a matter of weltanschauung rather than sound quality. Don't get me wrong. My custom ukes have unimpeachable quality, but that isn't what propels me and my decisions.

That's my personal take on expensive ukes. I hope no one perceives my post as an attack or a rebuttal; I'm just describing me.

I think this hits pretty close to the mark.

We don't buy ukuleles to listen to someone else play them while we close our eyes. There's a lot more to this than just how they sound. If your desire was to buy a great tone, you could just spend $5 a month on Spotify and listen to all the great tone you wanted.

We buy then so we can play them - and playing them involves much more than sound, or even "quality." It involves touching them, feeling them, looking at them. Admiring them. Connecting with them. Getting inspired by them. Buying a ukulele is about an indulgence in our senses. It's an experience. We are spending money on an experience that makes us happy.

Yes, we should try to buy a ukulele that sounds nice. And yes, we should absolutely expect that expensive luthiers are pouring their heart and soul into making instruments that sound nice. We should expect that a builder's instruments have an identifiable voice. But that's table stakes, it's not the whole story. Focusing on "is an expensive ukulele worth it because it sounds better?" seems like an over-simplification that really takes the heart and soul out of the experience. You can't come up with a math equation to justify an expensive ukulele. You can't justify it by objectively comparing anything quantitative to a cheaper ukulele.

Further, and perhaps more importantly, when it comes to buying from small one man shops, I think there's something much deeper going on. Part of the human experience is needing connection to other humans. Buying a ukulele from a builder fulfills that need. When I buy something mass produced in a nameless factory, the thing I buy may be functional, reliable, and beautiful, but it doesn't really make me feel connected. Building a ukulele is a very intimate experience. It requires connection between the luthier and the material. Your hands are touching and manipulating the parts for tens of hours as they evolve and take shape. You know every twist in the grain. You know what the shavings of wood looked like piled up on the workbench as the braces were carved. You know what the sides felt like as they bent to shape. You know how smooth the corners of the tail block are. You know the soft sound of the finish being buffed to just the right level of shine. There is an inherent and deep connection between the builder and the product. Buying a mass-made factory instrument, for most people, probably doesn't involve that sense of connection. But, as a player, when you buy from Mr. So-and-So's-Ukuleles, you preserve the connection. You know who built the instrument. You may even talk to the very person about the very instrument. The connection is preserved. That can be a very magical experience, since it helps fulfill a basic human need.

Go look at the facebook pages for a major factory brand. Yes, there are a lot of devoted fans of the brand. But they're generally following or liking posts that were curated by a marketing department. Or at least by a named person who's function it is to be a public brand ambassador. Then, go look at the facebook pages of the guys building and selling ukuleles all on their own as one or two man shops. That's where you'll see actual friendships, not brand fans. As far as I can tell, that's a lot more fulfilling.
 
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I read an interview where players of the Ukulele Orchestra Of Great Britain play relatively inexpensive ukuleles. Maybe they're the ones they tour with.

Correct. Several members have show-and-tell on YouTube. They mention how some touring ukes have been damaged, not something you want for a $3,000 uke. I'm the same way. I don't mind bringing a "regular" uke somewhere, but I'd hesitate to bring a special one, whether expensive or not.
 
I read an interview where players of the Ukulele Orchestra Of Great Britain play relatively inexpensive ukuleles. Maybe they're the ones they tour with.

I too watched many of their ‘show and tell’ YouTube presentations, to me they were really interesting. They play a diverse selection of instruments and it seems to be a case of what works for a particular player is what that player buys and uses. There were a few mass produced Ukes in the line-ups but that’s all about functionality and replaceability, there were also some treasured Luthier built instruments too. Many of their instruments had been played by them for years, some to the point of being literally worn out. Fundamentally what they use are (to them) tools and their various skills are so strong that what they play isn’t that important - so long as the Uke in their hands right now is sufficient for their purposes right now it will do, leave the more treasured ones safe at home if you can. Well that’s my interpretation of what I saw and what I heard.
 
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We buy then so we can play them - and playing them involves much more than sound, or even "quality." It involves touching them, feeling them, looking at them. Admiring them. Connecting with them. Getting inspired by them. Buying a ukulele is about an indulgence in our senses. It's an experience. We are spending money on an experience that makes us happy.

I agree with this, and well said. But I have already accepted that the craftsmanship that leads the experience you describe is worth the extra money. My question is “does it also sound better and why?” Questions like that help me quantify an intangible, which is important to the way my mind works. This thread has given me good answers to the question. Tolerances, consistency, care in selecting materials, etc.

There has also been a fair amount of talk about “what is better sound?” I agree that comparing a Koaloha with a Kanilea is subjective. Better does not apply. But at some point we all know what better is. Does a Koaloha sound better that a Waterman? I suppose some people would prefer the Waterman, but most would not. So I think it’s a legitimate question to ask whether a $1,000 uke sounds better than a $250 uke. The answer might be no, but it sounds like most people would say yes.
 
"I think it’s a legitimate question to ask whether a $1,000 uke sounds better than a $250 uke"

The answer is that it should sound better, but it might not. In most comparisons it can reasonably be expected to sound better.

John Colter
 
can it be said that your chances of finding a $250 uke that sounds like $1000 uke are better than finding a $1000 uke that sounds like a $250 uke?
 
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"Can it be said that you your chances of finding a $250 uke that sounds like $1000 uke are better than finding a $1000 uke that sounds like a $250 uke?"

It can be said, but it would be untrue.

John Colter
 
"Can it be said that you your chances of finding a $250 uke that sounds like $1000 uke are better than finding a $1000 uke that sounds like a $250 uke?"

It can be said, but it would be untrue.

John Colter

Can it be said that your chances of finding a $1000 uke that sounds like $250 uke are better than finding a $250 uke that sounds like a $1000 uke?
 
So I think it’s a legitimate question to ask whether a $1,000 uke sounds better than a $250 uke. The answer might be no, but it sounds like most people would say yes.

I do agree that it's a legitimate question but as you pointed out there are some qualifying factors. It's easy to say that "everyone's definition of better will be different" and it is definitely true. But I think there are some aspects of that which we can qualify - if you're playing at home, in your living room, you may have different tonal needs than if you're playing in a group of two dozen other ukes an instrument that sits well in a group might not sound great to your ear when played at home alone. And so on.

But I agree that in general a more expensive instrument will sound "better". That said, I also think that smaller builders will have more potential variation in tone and features, and sometimes that may actually add up to a "less popular" instrument. If you're trying to sell twenty thousand, or two thousand, ukuleles a year, you have to aim for the middle ground. But if you're selling 20 a year, you can afford to have a voice that may be more polarizing, because you only need to find 20 people that like it. So in a sense, I think there are probably some $1,000 ukuleles out there that many people would like less than cheaper mainstream ukes.
 
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