Schoenhut 5400

Justin - I heard the same about the fingerboards. Not convinced I would ever drop the money needed to get a replacement fingerboard from Fleamarket - which will cost you more than the uke. Just by another Schoenhut!
 
I couldn't actually find them on fleamarket when I checked? Is there something I don't know? Theres a good chance I'll be using them as a canvas, which means I'll be buying more anyway. :cool:
 
I emailed them direct and they came back with prices. Not cheap though!
 
I emailed them direct and they came back with prices. Not cheap though!

ahh they are onto us now. if the fix isn't worth it then there's no way I can suggest one of these. After having mine only a few weeks and seeing the fret wear while my fluke was still totally clean made me pretty irritated at the time. okay I'm all done now. thanks.
 
Review of this one coming soon on my site...View attachment 65054

Interesting! Your photo proves to me that the top surface of the "oak" model is NOT a decal, but probably a thick polyurethane coating over the actual wood. I say this because I succumbed to temptation, and bought one that I found on Amazon for 40 bucks (the lowest price I've seen on this model since they jacked the prices up). The grain on mine is different from yours, and different from the stock photo used on sites that sell this model, hence, my conclusion that this is actually finished wood (though I doubt it's actually oak). So although the soundboard is still much thicker than a Flea, at least it's not muted by a decal.

This weekend I'll change out the strings, but I'm already pretty optimistic. Even with the crappy black strings it comes with, it seems to have a bigger sound than my previous Parrot uke. We shall see...
 
Seriously, its not wood - just taken a safety blade to mine. Its a very very thin sticker - they must have sheets of wood effect transfer and cut them out.
 
I like that post dude!

I have been playing the Schoenhut all night. I am genuinely more divided with it than with any other instrument (and not just in respect of the build, but of the whole ethos of it).

I suspect my review will be either slammed or liked, but I don't really mind which as my review will be my review - I am but just one player.

I have had disagreements with at least one dealer and at least one manufacturer who got in touch to ask about reviews. When I said they are completely impartial, unpaid (if the instrument is too cheap to send back, it goes to charity), but I will not be told what to write, those who disagreed got quite stuffy about it.

Yeah, I know music instrument mags do paid reviews and will gloss over any old s** for a buck, but I won't.

I do however wonder, considering the massive threads on this particular review, who is going to snap back at me the most!

I bought a uke you reviewed and have read a few of the other reviews, yours seem to be fair, I also bought a dolphin first (had'nt discovered your website at the time,so your not to blame) but it was one of the poor ones.It's to be fixed shortly,it only shows you pays your money and you take your chances. The same could well be happening with this uke.
Graham
 
I guess what I am saying is - the Dolphin is far from perfect, but I have seen literally dozens and the work needed was really only on the nut and saddle. I've seen ukes costing £500 that needed that work too. Never seen a dolphin with broken tuners!!
 
Seriously, its not wood - just taken a safety blade to mine. Its a very very thin sticker - they must have sheets of wood effect transfer and cut them out.

Ah - interesting! Part of what fooled me was that the rosette and logo are obviously decals on top of the "wood" finish - you can feel the texture of them raised above the smooth finish on the soundboard.

I'm currently restringing mine with Aquilas - just getting ready to put on the last string. More soon....
 
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Thats true Thumper. I reckon they have laminate board covered in the wood transfer and cut the tops from it. A very close look round the edges shows how it curls up a bit too. A knife kind of chips it away, but even a tiny scratch will reveal the white of the transfer underneath. The logo is indeed then screened on that.
 
Incidentally, this is another "Uke from the Future" - pretty cool!

The partially blacked-out label inside indicates that this was built (or, will be built) on 4-02-2015. :)
 
Spooky! <cue twilight zone music>

;)
 
I guess what I am saying is - the Dolphin is far from perfect, but I have seen literally dozens and the work needed was really only on the nut and saddle. I've seen ukes costing £500 that needed that work too. Never seen a dolphin with broken tuners!!

Perhaps it's time you've seen "dozens" of Schoenhut's and perhaps go beyond your survey of one. Or perhaps you should add my near half-dozen defective Kala's, below, to your mini-database. That's exactly why the OP and follow-up posted soon thereafter first researched this hallowed forum and posted ALL the comments I could find (and this doesn't count my research elsewhere). Do that and you'll find the pegs are plastic, yes, but you'll also find by far most of the buyers found them ultimately adjustable and useable. Time for little due diligence I'd say.

I should add that more than a few other threads have made clear that there are some sacred cows around here, namely the Flea and the Dolphin. For example, fret wear has frequently been raised among the Fleameisters, but hasn't damped their enthusiasm much. And no one attacked decent posters like the Oldefarte, even when he took issue with the Dolphin - and was indeed, FAR more critical than herein. To wit:

"The Dolphin Hype?"
http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/showthread.php?88565-The-Dolphin-hype&highlight=butler

If I were Schoenhut, I'd have used cheap geared tuners like all the other under $100 entry ukes. But let's hope you can look beyond your single purchase and speak without prejudice. So far your teasers seem a bit hand-tipping, nicht vahr?
 
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Well - any review I do is a review of a sample of one - naturally. I'm not going to judge my review on anything but that. I've never written any review on anything other than my own experiences, and make that clear to readers. The adage - 'your mileage may vary' applies here.

I actually quite like it really, now I have it in shape. My gripe is the work a beginner will have to go through to get it in shape. Yes the pegs are plastic - but so bad that one was sheared inside the peg. That isn't ultimately useable.

As for fret wear - yes, my Flea is showing that, but after five years. If the Schoenhut shows it after 5 months I will do a supplemental review to report that.

But either way - I seem damned on this one whatever I report - only a few posts ago you were happy that I was going to be impartial!
 
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I actually quite like it really, now I have it in shape. My gripe is the work a beginner will have to go through to get it in shape. Yes the pegs are plastic - but so bad that one was sheared inside the peg. That isn't ultimately useable.

But either way - I seem damned on this one whatever I report - only a few posts ago you were happy that I was going to be impartial!

So... based on your one Schoenhut, you can't possibly be predicting that all beginners "will" have to go through a lot of work to correct their purchase? Really?

Apparently the multiple quotations of owners (including several here) who did not share your seemingly rare experience is of little consequence. Nor the fact that the ukulele is fully guaranteed, including return postage, to vendors through Amazon (as also reported by another poster in this now out of control thread). A fair review would surely report the experiences of others. Last, I think you have me confused with Uke-Conn who stated "Am waiting for bazmaz's review, he seems reasonably objective on the subject", rather than moi who made no claim whatever insofar as your "impartiality". Do get it right, please.

Last the good news is that you "quite like it, really". Finally. That doesn't sound a "crappy toy" to me. Perhaps this will quiet the hopping mad throngs of naysayers just itching to continue the trashing of a lovely sounding little uke (puns intended, lol). It sounds like (more puns) you might be in agreement with Alan of the Ukisociety, or with the multiple owners who likewise changed their strings (to Martins) with their somehow intact and working tuners, and who likewise rather "liked it" lol...
 
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Kayouker

I have read good reviews, i have read bad reviews. Neither will have any sway on my own review - that is the way I have conducted every review I have written. The moment I start writing reviews based on other peoples views, then it will be time for me to give up as all impartiality and opinion will be gone. I tell it like I see it - you don't have to agree, I don't really mind. But if every bad uke I reviewed I said 'actually, this one might just be the only bad one, so tell you what, I will give it 10/10 anyway', then I suspect nobody would ever read my reviews again.

Comments after my reviews, forum discussions etc are the place to debate, not in my review itself.

but from what I have read - issues with the uke are not 'rare'.
 
Up spirits!

Good for you! That's my boy, standing up for his position no matter what, jolly good! Just so that you know, I very much enjoy your website despite any minor truffles or imperfections we might encounter on the way.

I perhaps am not quite so ready to attribute an occasional failure to the brand at large. Otherwise, I'd be inclined to stop buying Kala's, which I obviously haven't.

The list of failures for most of the under $100 ukes are legion. Bridges, tuners, strings - you name it. What's more important is knowing that (a) it's warrantied, (b) returnable without question or cost and (c) that most of the time you'll get a good one. And most important for the buyer is...

...that you "quite like it, really". Quoting a famous reviewer who felt exactly that way, lol...

Again, bully for you! Now THAT is what I wanted to hear.
 
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A warranty from Amazon is no reason to give a uke a better review. Amazon provide a warranty on everything they send out.
 
Now I am SOOOOO confused.:confused:

Kayouker, your last few posts are quite interesting, and possibly pejorative, possibly contradictory, and possibly evident of self-ridicule.

Please understand, I am not judging you, I merely am trying to figure out how to follow the last 10 posts or so.

Whatever your experience and opinions may be, I respect them and encourage you to express them, but I can not follow you now.

Maybe it's me? I wholly admit to having flaws. Maybe this is my failure?

I am not sure if you are for or against the Schoenhut 5400 uke.

I am not sure if you are praising or being patronizing in a passive/aggressive manner of bazmaz and his efforts.

I am not sure if you've given up on trying to be reasonable and have decided to troll your own thread or if this is your sense of humor, which I have yet to experience.

For the sake of clarity, please state the obvious for me, and possibly others. :anyone:

As they say on reddit:

"Explain it like I'm five (yrs old)"

I can't ride this train any more without having some idea of the direction we are heading...

Thank you kindly,

Booli

Good for you! That's my boy, standing up for his position no matter what, jolly good! Just so that you know, I very much enjoy your website despite any minor truffles or imperfections we might encounter on the way.

I perhaps am not quite so ready to attribute an occasional failure to the brand at large. Otherwise, I'd be inclined to stop buying Kala's, which I obviously haven't.

The list of failures for most of the under $100 ukes are legion. Bridges, tuners, strings - you name it. What's more important is knowing that (a) it's warrantied, (b) returnable without question or cost and (c) that most of the time you'll get a good one. And most important for the buyer is...

...that you "quite like it, really". Quoting a famous reviewer who felt exactly that way, lol...

Again, bully for you! Now THAT is what I wanted to hear.
 
"Explain it like I'm five (yrs old)"

I can't ride this train any more without having some idea of the direction we are heading...

Thank you kindly,

Booli


(Whispering) Booli, thank you for your kind inquiry. I dare not speak too loudly, else I'll wake the children and Lord knows they need the sleep and we, well we need the peace. Actually, I'm exhausted so we'll have to rely on the Magic Cube...

Magic Cube sez (first reading);

"It's a great uke for a five-year old... if his first name is Jake"

Second reading (at dinner time):

"Jake, I'll let you play my Schoenhut, but first you'll have to finish your sacred cow."

And last:

"End of the line - please check for personal items and exit the car. Thank you for choosing Metro."

OK, OK just one more roll...

"I rather liked it, really"
 
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