Custom uke on Ebay?

CintiMS

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I ran across a tenor pineapple Koa sunburst uke on Ebay and fell in love but am leery. Link here to the Ebay listing

When I asked the seller more about it, they said:

"It doesn't have a brand name. It is handmade. I have it on consignment here in the shop from a collector in __. He has put about half a dozen ukes on consignment and this is one of them."

So you more experienced uke shoppers, it this one a "Buyer Beware" or could this be a good purchase? Are there any follow-up questions I should ask in a situation like this?

Thanks,
Mark
 
I ran across a tenor pineapple Koa sunburst uke on Ebay and fell in love but am leery. Link here to the Ebay listing

When I asked the seller more about it, they said:

"It doesn't have a brand name. It is handmade. I have it on consignment here in the shop from a collector in __. He has put about half a dozen ukes on consignment and this is one of them."

So you more experienced uke shoppers, it this one a "Buyer Beware" or could this be a good purchase? Are there any follow-up questions I should ask in a situation like this?

Thanks,
Mark

I'd be sure to ask whether there is a return policy in place, because if you find out that instead of a solid koa uke you got yourself a pine laminate, you want to be sure you can give it back.

That said, if this is a solid koa (and not "acacia"), I am appalled by the damage done to the natural beauty of the wood from that silly "sunburst" finish. just horrible.
 
A no-name uke from a seller that does not specialize specifically in ukes? I'd pass.

Truth be told, unless the seller already had a known and positive reputation, I would avoid buying a uke on eBay, sight unseen, at all. Even with reputable manufacturers, there are variables from uke to uke.
 
I doubt it's real Abalone at that price. May even be one of those stickers. The only ukes I've seen for similar money with that amount of bling was one of the Vietnamese ones (forgotten the name).


<edit> And this is what happens when you type a reply, leave it open to go have something to eat, come back and hit POST an hour later and find all the bloody ninja posters have crept in above you!!
 
Thanks for everyone for your input on that pineapple sunburst uke! I hadn't thought of how the sunburst finish might affect how it sounds. I've also got my eye on some of the spalted mango ukes sold by Lanikai and others.

Tattwo: I am not, in fact a spammer, just an enthusiastic noob trying to start a tiny uke collection w/o breaking the bank. Seems like defeating the CAPTCHA on this forum would be nigh impossible for a spammer.

Cheers all,
Mark
 
Too expensive to "gamble." The overall finish, look and shape of it seems a litte "off" to me. It's acacia or blackwood or an Asian relative....if you are lucky. For a little more you can get a great one. Save up for a Covered bridge pineapple, a Mainland long neck concert or ??????????
 
on ebay, a 98% feedback is suspect. i'd never buy anything from a 98%'er.

less than 98% is a bottom feeder on ebay based on their generous feedback system.

let it pass. plus, it looks lame to boot
 
When I asked the seller more about it, they said:

"It doesn't have a brand name. It is handmade."
A handmade uke was crafted by a luthier. I don't know of any luthier who wouldn't put his/her name on their creations.

The sunburst finish is suspect, as is the fretboard inlay.

I would walk away from it. There are much better options out there.
 
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