Great Expectations Reality Check

kkimura

kkimura

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New guy here trying to buy his first uke is in need of a reality check. Long story short I've already ordered, received and sent back one due to some marks and chips that I thought shouldn't be on a new uke. No issues with the seller who refunded my money. But now I need to know if I'm setting to high of a standard.
Is it to much to expect a new uke in the $100 to $200 range to not have marks in the finish or chips in the wood?
 
kkimura said:
New guy here trying to buy his first uke is in need of a reality check. Long story short I've already ordered, received and sent back one due to some marks and chips that I thought shouldn't be on a new uke. No issues with the seller who refunded my money. But now I need to know if I'm setting to high of a standard.
Is it to much to expect a new uke in the $100 to $200 range to not have marks in the finish or chips in the wood?
Click to expand...

No it is not too much to expect.

Since you are buying from a distance there are several good online businesses that get consistently good reviews on the UU forum.

TheUkuleleSite.com
Mim's Ukes
Uke Republic
Mainland Ukes

They will do setups and quality inspection before they send the instrument. Setup is important, especially at your price range. It will make the difference between a ukulele you will play and learn on, or an instrument that will fight you every step of the way.

I have no interest in any of these businesses. I have purchased from TheUkuleleSite (Hawaii Music Supply) and it was a first class experience all the way.
 
As a consumer you should expect an item to be free of any noticeable defects. The seller should inspect and notice any defects prior to packing & shipping. Every so often there will be a slip up and the vendor once notified should rectify/correct the problem. The vendors often mention here believe in customer satisfaction and relations. That's just how they do business.
 
PereBourik said:
No it is not too much to expect.

Since you are buying from a distance there are several good online businesses that get consistently good reviews on the UU forum.

TheUkuleleSite.com
Mim's Ukes
Uke Republic
Mainland Ukes

They will do setups and quality inspection before they send the instrument. Setup is important, especially at your price range. It will make the difference between a ukulele you will play and learn on, or an instrument that will fight you every step of the way.

I have no interest in any of these businesses. I have purchased from TheUkuleleSite (Hawaii Music Supply) and it was a first class experience all the way.
Click to expand...

Exactly what Pere said. Those 4 are the best places online to buy from and buy with confidence. Setup is crucial if you're new to it. I almost gave up on my non-setup Kala but got a Flea, then a Firefly. Those were much easier and funner to play. A quality setup is priceless.
 
PereBourik said:
No it is not too much to expect.

Since you are buying from a distance there are several good online businesses that get consistently good reviews on the UU forum.

TheUkuleleSite.com
Mim's Ukes
Uke Republic
Mainland Ukes

They will do setups and quality inspection before they send the instrument. Setup is important, especially at your price range. It will make the difference between a ukulele you will play and learn on, or an instrument that will fight you every step of the way.

I have no interest in any of these businesses. I have purchased from TheUkuleleSite (Hawaii Music Supply) and it was a first class experience all the way.
Click to expand...

PereBourik, thanks for the good info and feedback. Nice to have a 2nd opinion on the "quailty" question. I notice you have a Luna Tattoo Concert. Would you share your thoughts on it? iI was on my short list.
 
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Kanaka916 said:
As a consumer you should expect an item to be free of any noticeable defects. The seller should inspect and notice any defects prior to packing & shipping. Every so often there will be a slip up and the vendor once notified should rectify/correct the problem. The vendors often mention here believe in customer satisfaction and relations. That's just how they do business.
Click to expand...

Well said and for the record my vendor did refund in full. Thanks for the "reality check".
 
igorthebarbarian said:
Exactly what Pere said. Those 4 are the best places online to buy from and buy with confidence. Setup is crucial if you're new to it. I almost gave up on my non-setup Kala but got a Flea, then a Firefly. Those were much easier and funner to play. A quality setup is priceless.
Click to expand...

I agree about the setup 100% Sad 'cause the uke I got seemed to have a great setup but that's all water under the bridge now. There's a hand full of uke places in driving range of where I live and I can inspect for flaws but am not skilled enough to check setup. (Can't play yet and feel funny about bringing measuring instruments into a music store.) So buying online is my only choice.
 
kkimura said:
I feel funny about bringing measuring instruments into a music store..
Click to expand...

Don't. I've done that. When I was looking for tenors, I made a paper template of the top part of my concert so I could compare neck widths and fret spacing. If you specific goals in mind, any music store worth supporting will be happy to help you find what works for you.
 
Jim Hanks said:
Don't. I've done that. When I was looking for tenors, I made a paper template of the top part of my concert so I could compare neck widths and fret spacing. If you specific goals in mind, any music store worth supporting will be happy to help you find what works for you.
Click to expand...

May I ask what your goals were, and how you quantified them?
 
moontowerman said:
May I ask what your goals were, and how you quantified them?
Click to expand...

My goals were just to make sure I was comparing apples to apples, e.g. that wider string spacing wasn't contributing to comfort decisions and that scales were as reported. As it turns out, all the ukes available at that time (just Guitar Center and Sam Ash, so not too surprising) had identical 1-3/8" nut widths and the scales were as advertised, I.e. my concert was exactly 2 frets shorter than the tenors. It was enough to convince me I needed a tenor, which I got (not there - Mims), and have now sold the concert. All part of the learning process.
 
Jim Hanks said:
My goals were just to make sure I was comparing apples to apples, e.g. that wider string spacing wasn't contributing to comfort decisions and that scales were as reported. As it turns out, all the ukes available at that time (just Guitar Center and Sam Ash, so not too surprising) had identical 1-3/8" nut widths and the scales were as advertised, I.e. my concert was exactly 2 frets shorter than the tenors. It was enough to convince me I needed a tenor, which I got (not there - Mims), and have now sold the concert. All part of the learning process.
Click to expand...

I'm thinking that with a six inch machinist scale I could get a sense of nut width, action and if any fret was higher or lower than it's neighbors. That plus a "how does it sound" should do it for me.
 
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depolu place

Hello,

Mike from Mainland Ukes do a serius job for a good price... is a full-gain option for me.
 
kkimura said:
PereBourik, thanks for the good info and feedback. Nice to have a 2nd opinion on the "quailty" question. I notice you have a Luna Tattoo Concert. Would you share your thoughts on it? iI was on my short list.
Click to expand...

Sorry not to have seen this earlier. I cannot recommend the Luna. Bought one, my starter uke, from local Guitar Center. I had no experience playing. It bellied badly (top warped at the bridge) within a couple of weeks. GC had me return it to Luna. Replacement took 5 more weeks. The replacement is OK, but now that I have better ukes I can tell that the action is high and it's just plain harder to play. Lesson: buy a set up uke from a ukulele specialist.

That sends me back to my first post. Any of those sources will sell you an ukulele that has been inspected for defects and set up to play as well as it possibly can: accurate intonation, medium action, no buzzes due to loose parts on the uke. This is important.
 
PereBourik said:
Sorry not to have seen this earlier. I cannot recommend the Luna. Bought one, my starter uke, from local Guitar Center. I had no experience playing. It bellied badly (top warped at the bridge) within a couple of weeks. GC had me return it to Luna. Replacement took 5 more weeks. The replacement is OK, but now that I have better ukes I can tell that the action is high and it's just plain harder to play. Lesson: buy a set up uke from a ukulele specialist.

That sends me back to my first post. Any of those sources will sell you an ukulele that has been inspected for defects and set up to play as well as it possibly can: accurate intonation, medium action, no buzzes due to loose parts on the uke. This is important.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the "heads up" Pere. Having access to the collective UU experience is invaluable to someone just starting out.
 
kkimura said:
Thanks for the "heads up" Pere. Having access to the collective UU experience is invaluable to someone just starting out.
Click to expand...

Heya, I agree with Pere that setup is important. I just got my first uke two weeks ago and it's a Luna. I'm happy with it, no beginner uke problems (so far). I'm attributing that to a really good setup from HMS which is where I got it from. If you still want the Luna Tattoo Concert, only get it with a setup. I doubt it's good out of the box...
 
srpompon said:
Hello,

Mike from Mainland Ukes do a serius job for a good price... is a full-gain option for me.
Click to expand...

Thanks. nice looking ukes on their web site but maybe on the high side for me. This is almost like buying that first car. You dream of Camaros and Mustangs but end up with something else.
 
silveraven said:
Heya, I agree with Pere that setup is important. I just got my first uke two weeks ago and it's a Luna. I'm happy with it, no beginner uke problems (so far). I'm attributing that to a really good setup from HMS which is where I got it from. If you still want the Luna Tattoo Concert, only get it with a setup. I doubt it's good out of the box...
Click to expand...

Good setup seems to be what comes up the most so I definitely need to make that my number one priority. Second and third (maybe interchangeable priorities) are price and whether or not the uke "speaks" to me. Koa Kanilea's speak to me but their price makes it hard for me to hear them. (for now anyway)
 
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