Schoenhut 5400

ok, I don't want to get in a big debate about this...suffice it to say I'm familiar with the tuners on fleas, flukes and koalohas and I know how to tighten them. These tuners suck. Maybe yours are a decent version of a grover but mine aren't. I took them apart and it looks like the plastic 'head' does not sit correctly onto the metal and so there is a lot of give before the string is actually wound or unwound. Much much more give than with any of my other tuners. Since I have to tighten them quite a bit to tune I would think this might actually get worse since the plastic might wear.

I would think we can all concede that quality control on these is not the best yes?

But much more importantly
I might actually have the most important/expensive/rarest/most amazing ukulele on the planet

It's from the FUTURE - no I did not photoshop this - see attached image
photo (6).jpg
 
seanmorr said:
But much more importantly
I might actually have the most important/expensive/rarest/most amazing ukulele on the planet

It's from the FUTURE - no I did not photoshop this - see attached image
View attachment 64852
Click to expand...

OMG, where are you hiding your DeLorean? and more importantly, when can I ride in with you? :)
 
I believe that is a typo. It was supposed to read "Expiration Date:4/02/2015"

seanmorr said:
ok, I don't want to get in a big debate about this...suffice it to say I'm familiar with the tuners on fleas, flukes and koalohas and I know how to tighten them. These tuners suck. Maybe yours are a decent version of a grover but mine aren't. I took them apart and it looks like the plastic 'head' does not sit correctly onto the metal and so there is a lot of give before the string is actually wound or unwound. Much much more give than with any of my other tuners. Since I have to tighten them quite a bit to tune I would think this might actually get worse since the plastic might wear.

I would think we can all concede that quality control on these is not the best yes?

But much more importantly
I might actually have the most important/expensive/rarest/most amazing ukulele on the planet

It's from the FUTURE - no I did not photoshop this - see attached image
View attachment 64852
Click to expand...
 
"I would think we can all concede that quality control on these is not the best yes?"
Click to expand...

No, but you can.

The tuner issue has been well covered by a number of knowledgeable posters to the contrary. Quality control? Only one of the four and more expensive Kala's we purchased was playable out of the box (see signature). Two had bad bridges, and one had serious problems with both intonation and a defective fret. Their tuners all work, but variably. If you are expecting $300 quality in any instrument under $100 you are being unrealistic. Several of the posters who answered lately, and a number of posts gathered early in this thread do not agree with you in re tuners. They're just fine, but for those who wish to be anal can beat themselves with thorns and then replace the tuners on their under $100 ukes with Grover 2Bs for under $10, if it makes them feel better.

To be fair, the quality of the Schoenhut is very reasonable, especially considering its cost and purpose - with Martins an excellent, easy playing and lovely sounding beginner's uke.

What we can concede is that the opinion quoted above is an outlier. So noted.
 
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seanmorr said:
ok, I don't want to get in a big debate about this...suffice it to say I'm familiar with the tuners on fleas, flukes and koalohas and I know how to tighten them. These tuners suck. Maybe yours are a decent version of a grover but mine aren't. I took them apart and it looks like the plastic 'head' does not sit correctly onto the metal and so there is a lot of give before the string is actually wound or unwound. Much much more give than with any of my other tuners. Since I have to tighten them quite a bit to tune I would think this might actually get worse since the plastic might wear.

I would think we can all concede that quality control on these is not the best yes?
Click to expand...

agreed on the QC. The tuner holes on mine are obviously not straight, they're drilled a bit cockeyed. Probably makes tuner swapping easier. The grover 4b upgrade on my fluke required some serious gymnastics as the opposing tuners interfered with each other. post a pic of a tuner?
 
We've had complaints about the tone of some posts in the thread. As far as I can see it's all pretty calm, but please try not to be too condescending and know-it-all in your posts, guys. Not only does it rub fellow members up the wrong way, but sometimes we don't know as much as we think we do. ;)

Have a nice weekend.
 
No, but you can.

The tuner issue has been well covered by a number of knowledgeable posters to the contrary. Quality control? Only one of the four and more expensive Kala's we purchased was playable out of the box (see signature). Two had bad bridges, and one had serious problems with both intonation and a defective fret. Their tuners all work, but variably. If you are expecting $300 quality in any instrument under $100 you are being unrealistic. Several of the posters who answered lately, and a number of posts gathered early in this thread do not agree with you in re tuners. They're just fine, but for those who wish to be anal can beat themselves with thorns and then replace the tuners on their under $100 ukes with Grover 2Bs for under $10, if it makes them feel better.

To be fair, the quality of the Schoenhut is very reasonable, especially considering its cost and purpose - with Martins an excellent, easy playing and lovely sounding beginner's uke.

What we can concede is that the opinion quoted above is an outlier. So noted.
Click to expand...

wow...seriously?? I think that I qualified my statements regarding the cost and my expectations...I fully realize its a $30ish uke and I wasn't expecting it to be anything but that. I also stated that it was just my impression of a single ukulele that I purchased off of craigslist. Sample size matters.

Really not sure why you are getting so aggressive over a cheap ukulele

I'll take solace in the fact that my Schoenhut is from the future...the fact that the manufacture date on my uke is over a year in the future doesn't speak to their quality control at all ;)
 
seanmorr said:
wow...seriously?? I think that I qualified my statements regarding the cost and my expectations...I fully realize its a $30ish uke and I wasn't expecting it to be anything but that. I also stated that it was just my impression of a single ukulele that I purchased off of craigslist. Sample size matters.

Really not sure why you are getting so aggressive over a cheap ukulele

I'll take solace in the fact that my Schoenhut is from the future...the fact that the manufacture date on my uke is over a year in the future doesn't speak to their quality control at all ;)
Click to expand...


You left out stubborn, lol. To at the same time admit a survey of one, and at the same time castigate the quality control of the whole lot based on repeated references to a "gotcha" label might just be a minor contradiction, eh? Kindly forgive me for disagreeing with you. I for one don't find that a misprinted label is cause for the tarring and feathering of a company that is a 100 year American institution long known for making quality entry-level musical instruments.

The tuner issue has been well covered. As the wise "Buddha" (buddhuu) suggested, let's please do stop the personal characterizations and go on. Perhaps we can continue this in 2015, lol. Thank you for your kind attentions...
 
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Ok. I've been following this and the other 'Flake' threads rather intently, and I want to know, if I get one of these, how hard is it to remove the eyesore of the butterfly or parrot or old-glory?

it is a sticker? is it painted on? can I pull it off an use naptha to reveal the bare wood, and the afterwards put a nice cherry stain on the top?

if the 'art' can not be removed, then I guess I'd have to cover the fretboard, neck and bridge with painter's tape and hit it with several coats of flat black Krylon spray paint.

Those that have one in hand, can you please look at it and report back how the art is affixed to the top, and your impressions for it's removal?

I would really appreciate it!
 
seanmorr said:
wow...seriously?? I think that I qualified my statements regarding the cost and my expectations...I fully realize its a $30ish uke and I wasn't expecting it to be anything but that. I also stated that it was just my impression of a single ukulele that I purchased off of craigslist. Sample size matters.

Really not sure why you are getting so aggressive over a cheap ukulele

I'll take solace in the fact that my Schoenhut is from the future...the fact that the manufacture date on my uke is over a year in the future doesn't speak to their quality control at all ;)
Click to expand...

MjAxMy0xZmM1MjQ2OWIzN2E2NTY4.png
 
Every fire needs more fuel. Here's a closeup shot of the tuners on my schoenhut parrot. As you can see the holes weren't drilled straight but honesty it doesn't have any negative impact.

I would say these look like grover 2bs but if you notice there are cuts visible on the tuner in the gap more like what a 4b tuner has. The 2bs are smooth on the string side. And of course the screws are black and not silver like grover's.

The newer schoenhuts still have the same tuners?

tuners.jpg
 
Booli said:
Ok. I've been following this and the other 'Flake' threads rather intently, and I want to know, if I get one of these, how hard is it to remove the eyesore of the butterfly or parrot or old-glory?

it is a sticker? is it painted on? can I pull it off an use naptha to reveal the bare wood, and the afterwards put a nice cherry stain on the top?

if the 'art' can not be removed, then I guess I'd have to cover the fretboard, neck and bridge with painter's tape and hit it with several coats of flat black Krylon spray paint.

Those that have one in hand, can you please look at it and report back how the art is affixed to the top, and your impressions for it's removal?

I would really appreciate it!
Click to expand...

Looks like a sticker to me. Schoenhut also makes a 5400 that appears to be sticker-less:

http://www.amazon.com/Schoenhut-116...qid=1394826484&sr=8-4&keywords=schoenhut+5400

I'm confident you can find it for less, but even if not it may be worth an extra $10 or $15 to not have to struggle to remove the sticker. To be sure you could contact the seller to make sure this "wood" finish isn't also a sticker. Hope this helps...
 
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Kayouker said:
Looks like a sticker to me. Schoenhut also makes a 5400 that appears to be sticker-less:

http://www.amazon.com/Schoenhut-116...qid=1394826484&sr=8-4&keywords=schoenhut+5400

I'm confident you can find it for less, but even if not it may be worth an extra $10 or $15 to not have to struggle to remove the sticker. To be sure you could contact the seller to make sure this "wood" finish isn't also a sticker. Hope this helps...
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. I will follow up and see if the seller can tell me. It seems that the wood-looking version of this uke, with the 'rosette' is a higher price of at LEAST $40 everywhere I have found it, instead of the average $25 of the parrot, butterfly and flag graphic versions.

I will report back here if I have any useful info, again - thanks for your help...

-Booli
 
Booli said:
Thanks for the info. I will follow up and see if the seller can tell me. It seems that the wood-looking version of this uke, with the 'rosette' is a higher price of at LEAST $40 everywhere I have found it, instead of the average $25 of the parrot, butterfly and flag graphic versions.

I will report back here if I have any useful info, again - thanks for your help...

-Booli
Click to expand...

I suspect that the wood finish is itself a sticker. I owned the Parrot version for several months - it was definitely a sticker or decal, covering the entire soundboard. I have not seen the "oak" version in the flesh yet, and the price difference has kept me from investing. I do know that when it first came out, it only cost a few dollars more than the Parrot, Flag and Butterfly models; then a few months later, the price jumped by 20 bucks. (Those dirty bastids!)

As an owner of multiple Fleas and a Fluke, I'll stand by my assessment that the Schoenhut is nowhere near the same in sound quality, but I'll grant that the one I owned was decently assembled and well-intonated. Still, the sound sucked. I actually liked the kitschy look of the Parrot uke, and was disappointed that I couldn't make it work as something I'd be willing to perform with. I even tried drilling a side port with a hole-saw, but the sound improvement was negligible.
 
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Thumper said:
I suspect that the wood finish is itself a sticker. I owned the Parrot version for several months - it was definitely a sticker or decal, covering the entire soundboard. I have not seen the "oak" version in the flesh yet, and the price difference has kept me from investing. I do know that when it first came out, it only cost a few dollars more than the Parrot, Flag and Butterfly models; then a few months later, the price jumped by 20 bucks. (Those dirty bastids!)

As an owner of multiple Fleas and a Fluke, I'll stand by my assessment that the Schoenhut is nowhere near the same in sound quality, but I'll grant that the one I owned was decently assembled and well-intonated. Still, the sound sucked. I actually liked the kitschy look of the Parrot uke, and was disappointed that I couldn't make it work as something I'd be willing to perform with. I even tried drilling a side port with a hole-cutter, but the sound improvement was negligible.
Click to expand...

It's funny that everything you've said here confirms all of the thoughts I've had about this. Being that so many feel that the sound is poor, I've even thought of using that expanding foam insulation that comes in a can to fill the body cavity after I install a pickup, basically neutralizing all meaningful acoustic sound, and sort of making it like a solid-body uke in the shape and size of a Flea.

I have a real problem with items that have garish logos or certain flowery designs, and if they just came in solid colors, I might have bought one already. Not that I have a problem with Old Glory, but to me, I feel it devalues the meaning of the flag to paint it on an instrument, and would never buy one like that.

Rather than try to remove the top in order to affix a piezo transducer to the bridge plate, what do you think if I used a 2-7/8" hole saw opposite the bridge on the back in order to access that area, and then crafted a cover for the hole out of some spare ABS plastic sheet that I have?

Would cutting such a hole weaken the structure of the plastic too much?

What do you think?
 
Booli said:
It's funny that everything you've said here confirms all of the thoughts I've had about this. Being that so many feel that the sound is poor, I've even thought of using that expanding foam insulation that comes in a can to fill the body cavity after I install a pickup, basically neutralizing all meaningful acoustic sound, and sort of making it like a solid-body uke in the shape and size of a Flea.

I have a real problem with items that have garish logos or certain flowery designs, and if they just came in solid colors, I might have bought one already. Not that I have a problem with Old Glory, but to me, I feel it devalues the meaning of the flag to paint it on an instrument, and would never buy one like that.

Rather than try to remove the top in order to affix a piezo transducer to the bridge plate, what do you think if I used a 2-7/8" hole saw opposite the bridge on the back in order to access that area, and then crafted a cover for the hole out of some spare ABS plastic sheet that I have?

Would cutting such a hole weaken the structure of the plastic too much?

What do you think?
Click to expand...

The hole wouldn't weaken it. There are reinforcing ribs inside, and the plastic shell itself is very solid and sturdy. It's not quite the same color as the plastic used in Fleas and Flukes, but still seems very rugged. You probably wouldn't even need to cover the hole, unless it was bothering you aesthetically.

Your idea of using it as a "solid" electric instrument is intriguing! The only downside I see is that the fretboard is apparently made of a softer plastic than what is used on Fleas. I started seeing some visible fret wear on my Schoenhut early on, and it got nowhere near as much playing time as my Fleas or Fluke, which I've now owned for several years, with only minor fret wear on the plastic fretboards. So I suspect there will be a finite lifespan for the Schoenhut fretboard.

Still, at that price, you could go through several of these for less than a basic Flea would cost. If you end up doing this, please post about it!
 
Thumper said:
The hole wouldn't weaken it. There are reinforcing ribs inside, and the plastic shell itself is very solid and sturdy. It's not quite the same color as the plastic used in Fleas and Flukes, but still seems very rugged. You probably wouldn't even need to cover the hole, unless it was bothering you aesthetically.

Your idea of using it as a "solid" electric instrument is intriguing! The only downside I see is that the fretboard is apparently made of a softer plastic than what is used on Fleas. I started seeing some visible fret wear on my Schoenhut early on, and it got nowhere near as much playing time as my Fleas or Fluke, which I've now owned for several years, with only minor fret wear on the plastic fretboards. So I suspect there will be a finite lifespan for the Schoenhut fretboard.

Still, at that price, you could go through several of these for less than a basic Flea would cost. If you end up doing this, please post about it!
Click to expand...

yes, I will definitely share if I do this. One thing about the fretboard is that when it wears down, I'd just go on ebay and buy a pre-fretted rosewood soprano fingerboard with a zero fret from China for like $18 and then just fix it on with the hot-melt glue gun, and voila - UPGRADE!

I have a lava concert Flea with the plastic fretboard since Nov 13 2013 and a koa tenor Fluke with all the upgrades except for the pickup since Jan 15 2014, and was thinking I want to start rounding out the set, with a soprano, their Firefly banjo uke, the Fluke SB and the Cricket Violin, but I dont have the cash right now, so if I had a 'project' like the Schoenhut, maybe I would be distracted long enough until I had the money for the next UAS effort that was not a toy.
 
Definitely a decal of sorts on these ukes. It does not look like it's going to be easy removing it. As of now, I am going to sand it down with some fine grit. I just finished a larger painting I have been working on and will start painting one of my Schoenhuts very soon. Any ideas or images you would like to see on a uke, feel free to give suggestions. I am thinking nautical as of now. A ship in a storm perhaps.
 
I forgot to mention that I have been playing the heck out of the 5400 that I was able to string up. It's sound is fairly impressive for what it is and outstanding for how cheap it is. I might advise some lower tension strings from southcoast. I believe I am going to attempt a string-through bridge on the one that popped off.
 
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