Schoenhut 5400

I think it's the luck of the draw, as with just about any (perhaps inexpensive) uke - bnolsen hit it on the head in post # 11. My Schoenhut, after two string changes and much fooling around with a tiny screwdriver, is unplayable and sits in the back of a closet. My Dolphins are all in the good-to-great category (for what they are) (in contrast to bnolsen's experience). As the saying goes, "You pays your money and you takes your chances". To those who have Schoenhuts that they like, I say, "Lucky you!".
 
Last edited:
Tiny screwdriver? Sounds like you had trouble adjusting the friction tuners - which is not surprising nor uncommon with this style of tuner. Too loose and it won't hold a tune; too tight and you can ruin them.

JW over at Acoustic Guitar nails it:

"The biggest problem is people don't adjust the tension on them correctly. People have a misconception that it needs no attention until its time to replace it.

The first thing I do to any new guitar is adjust the tuners. I have never had a set that didnt need adjusting. All that has to be done is while the string is off (or very loose) is tighten the screw in the tuner button until the tuner has a little drag on it and then do them all to the same feel. Not only will your guitar stay in tune better and longer but the tuners will last a lot longer.

One reason they need adjusting is like with most mechanical devices is that when first assembeled its tight but after a few rounds everything get seated and then becomes loose and sloppy. Once seated and proporly adjusted they will live a long and productive life. I still check the adjustment on mine every string change by just the feel of the tuner.

Its really rare I ever have to adjust one after the first time.Its an excellant design but like anything it needs to be tweaked. JW "

In sum, many good banjos and other fine stringed instruments (think violins) use this type of tuner. The fault is not likely Schoenhut's, although they should probably include a guide on adjustment. If you PM me I can try to help you, as it may be recoverable, unless you actually broke them).

Don't hesitate, happy to try.

Based on all the comments I gathered (on page one), most people discovered how to adjust them properly. BTW, the tendency is to overtighten them when they feel loose.
 
Based on all the comments I gathered (on page one), most people discovered how to adjust them properly. BTW, the tendency is to overtighten them when they feel loose.

My philosophy is to only tighten them when they actually slip. Takes a few tries to get them to that point sometimes, and then weather changes hit and it's the tightening routine all over again. I hope that's just your issue kvehe!
 
nongdam nrever qualified "piece of junk". piece of junk how? not a compass rose junk? really bad intonation a set of strings couldnt fix? twisted/bent neck? warped top?

It looks good and intonation is good up the neck. However, the sound is horrible...sounds like a toy, the notes are "plinky". I can imagine the sound being the same as putting strings on a piece of wood and plucking away. Tuned it up to D and it was a tad better but not much.

My wife heard it and asked why I wasted money on it. She and I agreed that the one from Toys R Us was significantly better...both had Aquilas. Sound is most important and it didn't cut it. I owned a flea as well and I think it's worth it and pay more for a used flea.

BTW, why do you reference a Compass Rose?
 
BTW, why do you reference a Compass Rose?

no idea why. tossed out the first high end that came to mind. it sounds like you should try to pass your "flake" off to someone who's a real beginner. Having good intonation and decent action is the most critical thing in a first ukulele.
 
no idea why. tossed out the first high end that came to mind. it sounds like you should try to pass your "flake" off to someone who's a real beginner. Having good intonation and decent action is the most critical thing in a first ukulele.

yeah...my son! ;)

I don't think good intonation past the 5th fret is required for a beginner. Most learn to play chords so a good sound is most important but decent action is very important as it'll make it easier to play.

As I get better, I haven't check the intonation on the 12th fret but used to check it all the time when I first started...go figure
 
Last edited:
It looks good and intonation is good up the neck. However, the sound is horrible...sounds like a toy, the notes are "plinky".

My wife heard it and asked why I wasted money on it. She and I agreed that the one from Toys R Us was significantly better...both had Aquilas.

Although Aquilas are needed to power up say a Dolphin or other less expensive laminates, they are probably the worst possible choice for the Schoenhut, short of the original cheapo strings. The Aquilas easily overpower this uke, which doesn't really need that kind of "help".

A number of users have had great results with the Martin 600 fluoros which produce a truly lovely bright, clear, smooth and harplike sound, with good sustain. Very pleasant. Aquilas on this uke come off as harsh and unpleasant. FWIW, Alan of the Ukisociety did a nice sound comparison and posted sound checks of the Schoenhut with both the Dolphin and a Flea, and found the Schoenhut performed quite admirably. He liked it, and the sound check received some nice comments. See page 1.

I wouldn't give up on what is really a very competent ukulele that performs quite favorably in the under $100 range. Fits in well with our Kala laminates, and my partner prefers the Schoenhut.
 
Last edited:
Although Aquilas are needed to power up say a Dolphin or other less expensive laminates, they are probably the worst possible choice for the Schoenhut, short of the original cheapo strings. The Aquilas easily overpower this uke, which doesn't really need that kind of "help".

A number of users have had great results with the Martin 600 fluoros which produce a truly lovely bright, clear, smooth and harplike sound, with good sustain. Very pleasant. Aquilas on this uke come off as harsh and unpleasant. FWIW, Alan of the Ukisociety did a nice sound comparison and posted sound checks of the Schoenhut with both the Dolphin and a Flea, and found the Schoenhut performed quite admirably. He liked it, and the sound check received some nice comments. See page 1.

I wouldn't give up on what is really a very competent ukulele that performs quite favorably in the under $100 range. Fits in well with our Kala laminates, and my partner prefers the Schoenhut.

I'll trust the hundreds (thousands) of people who have purchased a dolphin if I can find one...maybe a few might have survived the onslaught from the dolphin killer.

Again, everyone's entitled to an opinion :p
 
I think I am going to buy one to do a painting on. =)
 
i now have 2 flukes. a newer one with aquilas and an older one I aquired with the black hilos. the aquilas are serviceable but the hilos need to go! I put martin m600s on a schoenhut... which is the right choice for that instrument

Actually, it was bnolsen who led me to discover the HUGE difference by putting Martins on the Schoenhut. As we discussed, the Schoenhut (licensed by Fluke) uses a similar plastic body that is naturally much, much brighter in sound than a Dolphin, or even some of the $100 laminates.

These laminated instruments tend to absorb sound and can appear dull and lack projection; thus the standard recommendation is to use Aquila's, an excellent choice to power and brighten them up. The issue with the Schoenhut is just the opposite - it is ALREADY quite bright, and the objective is to smooth them, but without losing clarity or sustain. A good fluorocarbon string does exactly that, and the Martin 600's are frequently recommended.

As both bnoulson and I have discovered: just like the Aquila's will greatly improve the Dolphin, likewise the Martin 600's with the Schoenhut, resulting in wonderful clarity and sustain, smooth and lovely.

The reverse would also be true. Putting soft and subtle Martins on a dull Dolphin wouldn't really help; likewise putting brassy Aquila's on an already bright Schoenhut will sound terrible. Using the right quality string with the right characteristics on the right instrument is key. No ukulele should be rejected based upon the strings on it. Not to mention personal taste - some players actually dig Hawaiin "plinky" sounds.

Oops, gotta go - I'm sauteing a nice Dolphin filet, or as some call it, Mahi Mahi. Did you know they glow in the water when you catch them? They simply look magnificent in death. BTW, the choice of pan is critical...
 
Last edited:
So I got mine today. I replaced the strings with the Martins and I didn't even get them to tune and the bridge flew off. Fortunately amazon is phenomenal. But are these not to be tuned GCEA?
 
So I got mine today. I replaced the strings with the Martins and I didn't even get them to tune and the bridge flew off. Fortunately amazon is phenomenal. But are these not to be tuned GCEA?

That's up to you, the most common tuning is gCEA (high G), not GCEA (low G): there's an online tuner that will give you the tones for gCEA, here...

http://www.get-tuned.com/online_ukulele_tuner.php

As far as popping bridges, this is more common than you think - I just went through two Kala Tenors (list $155) with bad bridges, so this does happen, and yes Amazon was quick to replace, no questions asked.

There are two causes: first and less likely, a faulty bridge. Second and perhaps a bit more likely is trying to achieve full tune right out of the box. Strings need to stretch, over anywhere from a few days to a week or more. Try to do it all at once and it is possible to pop the bridge. Happens to many, and on other ukes.

When you first tune up, keep plucking the string as you turn the tuning knob. You should hear the pitch increasing as you turn. At a point you'll notice that you are turning, but the pitch isn't increasing as fast as it did. Stop there.

If you keep going you can overstretch the string - do this with all four strings and bingo, bango. So take it easy, stop too early rather than too late. Although there are many methods, during the stretching period, I increase the pitch carefully 2 or 3 times a day, give the strings a chance to stretch inbetween.

There are also methods to manually help stretch the strings, but in your case perhaps it might be better to take your time and avoid overstretching them too fast. Hope that helps. I'm sure others will chime in, hopefully constructively...
 
I'd like to state that it isn't my first string change rodeo. high g is what I am going for. =) The bridge is held on with two small screws from the bottom. I wasn't even close to reaching pitch. And I do bring them to tension very slowly while plucking. It just broke free of the sharp small screws. I am working on reattaching it currently.
 
I received the second uke and it is strung up and tuned with the Martins. I can see a gap in the bridge on either side though. This was scary while tuning. =) Not a bad sounding little uke though.
 
just picked up one of these, unused off of craigslist for $20...the parrot version. Hate the design but I wanted to try one of these out.
First, history. I've had a flea and a fluke. I was never really happy with the tone of the flea(for the price) and so sold it. I like the tone of the fluke but not the shape so will be selling it. I've not been crazy about the plastic fretboard of either uke at all. Just not much of a fan. I do love the fact that they are almost indestructible and the flat end for setting down.

So when I saw this one for $20 I thought I'd check it out.

First impressions are that it 'feels' just like a flea. the neck, plastic, soundboard all feel just like my flea did.
The strings, as others have mentioned, are terrible.
The tuners, as others have mentioned, are terrible. Really really bad tuners. They seem to have a lot of 'give' before they actually turn the string end. I'm not sure whats going on there, but they are hard to use.

I have been able to get it in tune briefly and I have to say the sound is quite decent. Same plastic fretboard that I don't like very much, but for $20 I can live with it.

I'm going to change the strings to either martins or aquilas and see what happens

I might also either paint the horrible parrot design or put a bunch of stickers over it.

How much do you think stickers would alter sound?

and does anybody know what tuners might work as a replacement?

my initial impression is that to give one of these to an absolute beginner with no knowledge of how to fix things would be a very bad idea.

but for someone who has played a uke before and might be willing to tinker a bit they might be a heck of a deal.

For an absolute beginner I think a shark/dolphin is still the way to go at least from a reputable dealer. The tuning issue would frustrate a child or beginner too much.

just my impressions, others might have a different experience.
 
and does anybody know what tuners might work as a replacement?

my initial impression is that to give one of these to an absolute beginner with no knowledge of how to fix things would be a very bad idea.

but for someone who has played a uke before and might be willing to tinker a bit they might be a heck of a deal.

For an absolute beginner I think a shark/dolphin is still the way to go at least from a reputable dealer. The tuning issue would frustrate a child or beginner too much.

Grover 2b will replace the tuners. However they won't be a big improvement. In fact the stock tuners are either grover 2b or very close copies. That's the grover 2bs with the black plastic under the head and not the metal finishing type washer (which both my flea and fluke shipped with). You get used to the tuners pretty quickly and they aren't a problem for fine tuning, even if there is a little slip.

Grover 4b would be an improvement but cost more than the ukulele itself.

If a beginner is taught how to deal with friction tuners and the screws it shouldn't be a problem. Many classical instruments, violins, etc use friction pegs.
 
I've used friction tuners on my flea, fluke and koaloha without problems and I actully like friction tuners.

Mine on the 5400 are not good at all though. There appears to be 'slack' when you turn the pegs until it turns the string end if that makes sense. It makes it very difficult to tune accurately. maybe the tuners are slipping inside the holes in the headstock?
 
The slip happens with some tuners when you go between tightening and loosening the string. Kind of like a transition gap between when they grab and don't grab right? One of the tuners on my concert flea does that a bit (I think). And a couple on the schoenhut do as well. Something to get used to. For fun I may just go ahead and swap out the schoenhut tuners for some genuine grover 2b (black plastic under the head style).

Btw I agree with you about the friction tuners in general. I actually like them a bit more. A good quality friction tuner like a grover 4b (I think martin uses these) are pretty sweet. I put some of these tuners in my concert fluke although it's been mostly bagged since I've been working on finally fixing the nut on my old dolphin and also working on a production prototype plastic bugsgear.
 
"The tuners, as others have mentioned, are terrible. Really really bad tuners. They seem to have a lot of 'give' before they actually turn the string end. I'm not sure whats going on there, but they are hard to use"

Actually, the Schoenhut's tuners are a decent version of a Grover. All friction tuners need adjustment before attempting to tune. This is actually pretty easy - one common method is to completely loosen the strings, then slightly tighten the adjusting screw until you feel a little friction. That should do it.

Since excellent intonation and easy fretting are especially important for beginners, it's hard to recommend a Dolphin, whose setup will be of the quick 'n dirty variety. It will be playable, but both the action and intonation cannot be predicted, and at 2 to 3x the price.


A word about the bridge: even mine has a visible but inconsequental "gap" between the bridge and the soundboard, as it is not glued on, but rather attached with screws from below. Not an issue.

BTW, it appears your tuners were slipping, which is not a fault of the tuner, but does mean that you likely need to tighten them. You can proceed as above, or you can loosening them a turn, tightening the screw a quarter-turn, then tighten again, and repeat as necessary. The adjustment screws are there for a reason.

When I did a search for comments on the Schoenhut, there were a number of posters who had loose tuners (which is the proper way to ship the instrument), but who had no problem in adjusting them. Once adjusted, they are extremely reliable. With my Martin 600 strings our Schoenhut holds tune better than any of our four other Kala's with Aquilas and standard tuners.


And string selection: do not - I repeat - do not put Aquilas on this. Enough of us have used and strongly recommend Martins for this uke. The reason is that due to the plastic design, the Schoenhut is already quite bright, and will be overpowered by the Aquilas - loud, harsh and dull. The Martins provide much improved clarity and good sustain, almost harplike, lovely - and they are easier to play. But it's your money...
 
Last edited:
Top Bottom