Rebel ukulele owners I seek your opinions

EDIT: Thanks to Cadia who directed my attention to theukulelesite.com product pages where they feature video samples of the uke in question. Turns out they host a ginourmous amount of videos on Vimeo which is such a great resource!

https://vimeo.com/theukulelesite

OK, the tenor (both thicc and thinn) sound so alive it's insane:
- Creme Brulee Gloss Tenor: https://vimeo.com/528206753
- Double Creme Gloss Tenor(1): https://vimeo.com/375376796
- Double Creme Gloss Tenor(2): https://vimeo.com/528206423


The Concerts thicc and thinn sounded so similar I had to watch twice just to make sure it was not wrongfully uploaded with the wrong uke model name hah:

- Creme Brulee Gloss Longneck Concert: https://vimeo.com/345774251
- Double Creme Gloss Longneck Concert: https://vimeo.com/345774365


Also I think I have noticed that the older specimines of these mango ukes from Rebel sports a mango face plate instead of the newer ebony face plates on the headstock. Love the looks of both.

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Helloa!

Short backstory in order to let you know my musical level. Played electric bass for a total of ~10 years where approx. seven of those years were "active", meaning playing every-, every other dayish keeping the skills fresh. Practically no musical theory learnt, but hell of a good slap tone though . I recently bought a cheap uke for my son (2,5 years) which he enjoys a lot. The ease of picking it up have also awakened my lust for noodling on four strings and thus I'm on the hunt for a ukulele of my own. The use case is to catch up on all that theory my younger self ignored and to enjoy it in between kitchen timers and summer balcony hangouts.

I would go to a store and try out a bunch of ukes if there actually was a store holding a set of ukes worth the name but unfortunately music stores in Stockholm are highly lacking in the Ukulele department meaning I'll have to order online. So far I have youtubed some insane amounts of hours checking out a lot of models, but I find it frustrating as the recordings from one video to another completely changes my impression of the sound and or the playing does not quite demo the uke much (dynamics, higher up the neck and such left out)

The ukes I've found so far that have raised the most interest for me are a couple of models from Rebel - The Double Creme Longneck with gloss finish mainly but also eyeing the thin version Creme Brule. Neat looking with all non-animal derived materials as far as what's stated, great build quality according to most folks and sound seems to have a great sound. But "seems" does not convince me much if I'm about to shell out 799€ for an instrument from a site in a language I do not fully comprehend (german).

Rebel owners, would you say these clips from these videos are representative of the Double Creme concert in gloss ukulele? I have quite the pair of headphones (HE4XX) and a small but high quality DAC (E1DA).

Double Creme Concert "Longneck", Gloss - strumming: https://youtu.be/552_C6T10Ho?t=490
Double Creme Concert "Longneck", Gloss - picking: https://youtu.be/552_C6T10Ho?t=640

Here's a video from Hawaii Music Supply. They really produce high quality recordings but I found this particular Rebel-episode a bit unclear on the information and the playing a bit limited or held back as for exercising the dynamics of the instruments. The bars played were really beautifully played but I wish they would have noodled a bit more with the mango models comparing the two versions more before going on to the Particle models.

Duet of the Double Creme and Creme Brule concerts (possibly LN?), Gloss and Satin versions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuCHyFdXhRs)

What's your take on the Rebel Mangoes? Argh.. Option parallisys deluxe haha.. Help.. me...

Hejsan linkert!

Unfortunately I don't have experience with the Rebel brand beyond what you mentioned, i.e., I've heard very good things, but I can definitely vouch for Gute Ukulele. Even though the site is in German, you can just use Google Translate and everything will go smoothly. I think I've bought three ukes from that store and there were no issues with the purchasing procedure nor delivery. The shop owner, Andreas, is a decent fellow and has a really nice selection of ukes. That being said, he doesn't provide a setup when buying from him - at least not if you don't specify it, you might want to ask him - so the ukes will arrive with whatever action they were set up at the factory. If you prefer a proper setup I'd direct you towards World of Ukes. I think they offer the best service in Europe regarding ukes right now (and even though they're based in the UK you don't have to pay for VAT/import since they cover that for you).

Also, I would say those videos from Andreas don't really give the ukes justice. I don't know what kind of microphone he uses but I think his audio setup and/or his playing style don't really represent the capabilities of the ukes he plays in the videos. For example, I don't think the Kanile'a ukes he plays sound really that good but when I ordered one I was stunned how good the sound was in reality. Aside from the Ukulele site, I'd say the Southern Ukulele Store provides the best audio samples in the business. You can check the Rebel you're after for example here. Although it needs to be said that that video is over two years old and their audio quality on their videos has definitely improved further since.

If you fancy the Rebels but are on the fence you might want to have a look at the KoAloha Opio line. They're made by the same people as the Rebel so they are approximately equal quality and usually cost a bit less.

I have a Rebel Double Cream mango satin tenor. (I know, doesn't help.) And an Opio Spruce / Acacia tenor. Also satin finish.

They are pretty comparable. Neck shapes are close in shape and feel. The build quality is very similar. The Opio is a little heavier. I like the look of the ebony fretboard of the Rebel, though it is dyed. Other than that, there isn't much to choose between them. Both have 1-1/2 inch wide nuts with 3/8 inch string spacing. So there's about 3/16 inches from the A & G strings to the edge of the fretboard. Concert dimensions are, I'm sure different.

I really enjoy the somewhat mellow sound of the Rebel mango with the fluorocarbon strings that came with it. Compared to the brighter sound of the Opio with LivingWaters fluorocarbon strings. Both are strung Low-G.

The quality of the concerts should be very similar.

Hi! I don't have a mango Rebel. Or a concert. But I do have a Rebel - a Double Cheese tenor, spruce top mahogany sides. Rebel makes wonderful instruments. Light as a feather. easy to play, great tone. They are made by the same peeps as the Opios, but are a step or two above them and very similar to the Hawaiians in build quality, particularly the KoAlohas, which I also have. This is the video that sold me on a Rebel: https://theukulelesite.com/shop-by/...e-top-mahogany-tenor-double-cheese-tenor.html Of course, it could have been Kalei's wonderful playing, but if the uke were not capable of sounding so good then it wouldn't.

I was talking to a young lady on another forum who was debating on an Opio or a Martin, as well as a couple other ukes. I suggested that she consider Rebel, though it was a little more than she wanted to spend. She was leaning more towards the Opio because of the price and the many recommendations for it. Luckily she was able to visit Mim 's in person and try out the different ones on her wish list. She chose, much to her own surprise, the Rebel mango concert. She liked the tone and playability the best, and was very, very happy with her choice. I have heard a couple demos of mangos that have me considering adding one to my collection down the road a bit. Another consideration for you might be the ANueNue AMM2. I have the tenor version and it's also quite wonderful. Particularly fingerpicked.

Cadia said:

Hi! I don't have a mango Rebel. Or a concert. But I do have a Rebel - a Double Cheese tenor, spruce top mahogany sides. Rebel makes wonderful instruments. Light as a feather. easy to play, great tone. They are made by the same peeps as the Opios, but are a step or two above them and very similar to the Hawaiians in build quality, particularly the KoAlohas, which I also have. This is the video that sold me on a Rebel: https://theukulelesite.com/shop-by/...e-top-mahogany-tenor-double-cheese-tenor.html Of course, it could have been Kalei's wonderful playing, but if the uke were not capable of sounding so good then it wouldn't.

I was talking to a young lady on another forum who was debating on an Opio or a Martin, as well as a couple other ukes. I suggested that she consider Rebel, though it was a little more than she wanted to spend. She was leaning more towards the Opio because of the price and the many recommendations for it. Luckily she was able to visit Mim 's in person and try out the different ones on her wish list. She chose, much to her own surprise, the Rebel mango concert. She liked the tone and playability the best, and was very, very happy with her choice. I have heard a couple demos of mangos that have me considering adding one to my collection down the road a bit. Another consideration for you might be the ANueNue AMM2. I have the tenor version and it's also quite wonderful. Particularly fingerpicked.

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Oooh, HMS has a Vimeo account with 4500+ videos showcasing bunches of ukes?! Thank you, this really solves the sampling issue!
https://vimeo.com/theukulelesite

I have owned or played multiple Rebel models, though not the Double Creme Brulee in a concert size. I'm personally not a fan of longneck ukuleles, but that's mostly because I like to play in every size, so there's not as much advantage in changing scale lengths for different bodies. But that's just me, if you want a concert with a tenor neck, I think Rebel's are a great choice. I think their ukes sound better for fingerpicking than strumming, and this is particularly true for their mango models.

I think their double bodies sound better than their thinlines. The thinlines are great for comfort, if you want something slimmer. They do sound great, but the doubles are definitely better sounding. Rebel concerts sound great with high or low G, but I've found the low G doesn't go as well with thinlines. As for gloss vs. satin, that's more subjective, but in my case, I find Rebel's gloss to cause more stickiness than my other gloss ukuleles. I don't think that's a universal thing, just depends on body chemistry, but I don't have as much of a problem with other brands. If I could, I would change the Rebels I own to satin.

Having also owned an Opio and KoAloha, I would say despite being made by the Opio folks, they're closer in quality to KoAloha (in terms of build and sound). Opios are great, but I definitely think the Rebels are a step up. All in all, I think Rebels are in the sweet spot of quality and price, and they are one of my favorite ukulele brands.

rafter said:

I have owned or played multiple Rebel models, though not the Double Creme Brulee in a concert size. I'm personally not a fan of longneck ukuleles, but that's mostly because I like to play in every size, so there's not as much advantage in changing scale lengths for different bodies. But that's just me, if you want a concert with a tenor neck, I think Rebel's are a great choice. I think their ukes sound better for fingerpicking than strumming, and this is particularly true for their mango models.

I think their double bodies sound better than their thinlines. The thinlines are great for comfort, if you want something slimmer. They do sound great, but the doubles are definitely better sounding. Rebel concerts sound great with high or low G, but I've found the low G doesn't go as well with thinlines. As for gloss vs. satin, that's more subjective, but in my case, I find Rebel's gloss to cause more stickiness than my other gloss ukuleles. I don't think that's a universal thing, just depends on body chemistry, but I don't have as much of a problem with other brands. If I could, I would change the Rebels I own to satin.

Having also owned an Opio and KoAloha, I would say despite being made by the Opio folks, they're closer in quality to KoAloha (in terms of build and sound). Opios are great, but I definitely think the Rebels are a step up. All in all, I think Rebels are in the sweet spot of quality and price, and they are one of my favorite ukulele brands.

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That's interesting, I don't have any issues with the gloss causing stickiness. I find the gloss on mine is very nicely done, so light and smooth, and beautifully finished. I do agree with all your other comments, particularly the thinlines. My spruce/mahogany is a good strummer.