UkuleleHill
Well-known member
My guess? Could be made in the same factory?
Flea and Fake Flea - comparisons
- Thread starter UKISOCIETY
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My guess? Could be made in the same factory?
PoiDog
Well-known member
Well, I really doubt that. The fakes are apparently made in China while FMM produces their ukes here in the USA.
But if this is true, that would be embarrassing for FMM for a bunch of reasons.
njukeman
Well-known member
I don't think so, I thought the Flea was made in the US. Is the fake made here or China?
Pukulele Pete
Well-known member
Is a fake Flea a Flake ?
Freeda
Well-known member
Yeah, I'm thinking Sam's Club isn't particularly instrument savvy.
Freeda
Well-known member
Schoenhut is made in China. I asked them that in email.
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Freeda
Well-known member
I was wondering about that. Because I read that the FMM ukes are "assembled" in the U.S. But are the component parts manufactured in the U.S. as well? Or are all the parts made overseas and shipped to the U.S. for assembly? I'm sure someone here knows the answer.
njukeman
Well-known member
Hmmmmm, that's very interesting. I didn't even think about that. Not that it's a bad thing but if their parts are made over there, I wonder if the same place that is supplying them are now making these fakes?
UkuleleHill
Well-known member
I stand corrected!
UkuleleHill
Well-known member
I think thats exactly what they should be called! Flakes!
PoiDog
Well-known member
Actually, that could potentially be a bad thing.
I may be mistaken, and I am just speculating out loud, but I understood that the cause of the Flea being near $200 was because it was made in the USA. Given the cost of production here, that makes more than a little sense, as an American made uke (components and all) would cost a bit of money. But if it turns out that the components are made in China, I would think that cost of production is suddenly dropped by a lot. Certainly a friend of mine who produces things using injection molded plastics has told me that Chinese produced items are frequently anywhere from 1/10 to 1/50 the cost of American produced ones.
Not to mention that most everyone here engaged in this discussion (well, certainly me, anyway) was under the impression that Flea was 100% American made. If it's not, then Flea has done nothing overt to discourage that assumption.
I know this post can be viewed as if I am being accusatory, which I absolutely don't intend. For my part, I still believe that Flea/Fluke is made here from the plastic bits to the final polish. But if not, well, it's not that I fault them, but it does at least give me a bit to think about.
UkuleleHill
Well-known member
Which would make this scenario a little more llikely... If they purchased them from the same factory but had the factory assemble them rather than shipped in parts, it would make more sense...
hoosierhiver
Well-known member
Can't blame China, an "american" company did this.
tattwo
Well-known member
Yep...and I know you feel different about imports.
ukeeku
Well-known member
From an academic stand point. Were the strings the same between the 2 fleas?
OP
OP
UKISOCIETY
Well-known member
Yes, both were strung with Aquilas. IIRC, my Flea originally came with GHS crap strings on them. The Fleux came with i dunnowhat.
OP
OP
UKISOCIETY
Well-known member
I have to add that I've never been completely satisfied with the Aquilas on my Flea. I might try Martin Flurocarbons on it soon.
UkuleleHill
Well-known member
One point to be made is that the flake had new strings, ie not stretched... So that could account for part of the sound difference too...
UkuleleHill
Well-known member
BTW Thanks for doing this comparison Alan!
Apparently the top is a little thicker on the Flake, surely that wouldn't happen if they came from the same factory. But if the real tops came from elsewhere and everything was assembled in the USA then it could make sense.
I'm not looking to throw stones here. Everything that I've ever read from a Flea/Fluke owner has been positive.
I'm not looking to throw stones here. Everything that I've ever read from a Flea/Fluke owner has been positive.
