Free Mahalo Guitar Uke

Free Mahalo Guitar Uke <Gone>

I bought the black, steel string model of the Mahalo guitar uke. I tried different ways of stringing and tuning it including as a steel string baritone. The intonation is way off.

I think it could be made to be a decent player with work on the saddle, nut and maybe frets, but I'm not interested in doing that.

If you want a project, PM me and I'll ship it out parcel post. Right now it just has a few strings holding the saddle in place, but the rest of it is in new condition. I didn't change anything except strings.

Kim

Aloha Kim,
Sorry the Mahalo didn't work for you..and you're fustrated....how generous of you too...with your karma, your next uke will be a winner...Happy Strummings..MM Stan

What a drag.... I'm sure someone here on UU would like to fiddle with it. The only thing I could do with it is make a planter....

The uke has been spoken for!

Kim

Khal,

I think you did not try the right thing with this instrument. I have one, and like it. It is a good instrument--for the price! (Available on amazon.com for $35 with free shipping--three colors--red, black, or blue.) It is the cheapest guitalele I heard of.

When I first got it, kind of as a novelty, I did not know what a guitalele was. I asked at the store where I bought it how to tune it, and they said regular guitar tuning. So that is how I had it for a while, with the original strings (which were crap), tuned to EADGBE, and I thought it was just a toy.

When I realized it is a guitalele, I put on some new strings on it, and tuned it up to ADGCEA, guitalele (or requinto) tuning. It sounds nice that way. (Just put on a set of regular classical guitar strings on it. The shorter scale makes up for the higher pitch. I prefer normal tension, but high tension might also work.)

Now I also have a Yamaha guitalele GL-1. That is certainly better than the Mahalo uke-guitar, which looks rather toyish, and is made out of cheap painted wood. However, this Mahalo instrument is a good deal for the price, and certainly something one would not need to worry about bringing to the beach, camping, etc.

One advantage of the Mahalo over the Yamaha--it is a little larger, and has a longer neck, longer scale, about 19 or 20 inches compared to the Yamaha's 17 inch scale. The longer scale of the Mahalo means that the fingers are not so cramped chording on the fingerboard.

I am surprised you tried steel strings on it. I would think that could likely ruin it for sure. It is made for nylon strings. Also, at that price, probably not the strongest construction, so the extra tension of steel strings could definitely ruin something.

My advice for the person who got the free Mahalo uke-guitar--put on a good set of classical guitar strings (I would suggest trying normal tension first), and tune it up to ADGCEA