The Magic Fluke Company Appreciation thread

Which Magic Fluke Company instruments do you own?


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I'll be adding my MFC story to this excellent thread soon (I need to take a picture) but I'd like to make a correction for Booli.

You may have misunderstood or been misinformed by someone, but LMIi has the Gotoh STEALTH ukulele tuners listed at $89 of a full set of four.


http://www.lmii.com/products/mostly...toh-stealth-cosmo-black-2l/2r/flypage-noimage


Great thread!

Scooter

Scooter thanks for the heads up! I have made corrections above and credited you for the proper information. :)
 
Here is photo of my instruments from The Magic Fluke Company.

On the left is my lava concert Flea, and on the right is my koa tenor Fluke:

IMG_0792.jpg
(click to enlarge)
 
In response to the original questions

1) Concert natural flea with plastic fretboard (bought as a 2nd from Magic Fluke), a soprano Firefly, maple with wood fretboard (also a 2nd), and my daughter has a concert atomic flea, and I just ordered my twin boys a Fluke for the cello player and a flea for the violinist (both concert).

2) Heard good reviews on it, the fact that it would be well set up made sense. It was my third uke after two I bought in Hawaii with little to no research, and it immediately became my daily player.

3) I love the tone on my flea, the ease of playing and the durability, ditto for the Firefly. The things I dislike (hate is a bit strong), no strap on the flea, the low visibility of the frets on the plastic fretboard, and this must just be a banjo thing, but getting the Firefly in tune is a pain (the flea is no sweat).

4) I've got the ones on order for my twins, and that should be good. I don't plan to buy another (unless... my boy's Fluke is too good to ignore).

5) Probably not - I'm saving for a Mya Moe.
 
NAMM 2011 with Aldrine and Jim & Liz Beloff

In this video from NAMM 2011, Aldrine talks with Jim & Liz Beloff.

You can see the birth of several products, not the least of which is their book series 'The Daily Ukulele' which has been very well received all over the world.

I have and LOVE this book and use it every day as part of my practice routine.

Also, launched as new products in 2011 are the Firefly Banjo ukulele, and the Fluke SB solid-body electric ukulele.




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5ZCkyjklkM
 
A little bird told me that I can expect a firefly concert size with wood fretboard for my 61st birthday which is only a month away. That will make for three of their fine instruments in my home. :)

Thanks for posting that video. I never thought about forming the G chord with my pinky finger. I'm going to play with that idea.
 
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A little bird told me that I can expect a firefly concert size with wood fretboard for my 61st birthday which is only a month away. That will make for three of their fine instruments in my home. :)

Thanks for posting that video. I never thought about forming the G chord with my pinky finger. I'm going to play with that idea.

I have to admit, despite using 'The Daily Ukulele' every day, I seem to have missed that tidbit, and there are a few songs now that I'm learning and using the 'pinky-G' makes much better sense for finger dexterity. I 'might have' skipped over all 'the beginner stuff' and just jumped in straight to the songs, yeah, maybe. :)

I might not feel any pain by going back to it now after I post this, and actually READING the first 10 pages of the book 'again-for-the-first-time' if you know what I mean...
 
Took today off so I thought I'd take a picture of my Fleas & Flukes.

L-R: Ukelyptus Fluke tenor, Black Lava Flea tenor, Laser Island Fluke concert, Ukelyptus Flea soprano, Natural Flea soprano

Thanks for showing them off!

That's quite a collection you've got there - I'm a bit jealous! :drool:

Are those P/W NS Micro tuners on the back of each headstock that I see?

Funny you put yours there, because I had mine in the same spot for a while...
 
I just wanted to say thanks to this thread as well as my other questions on separate threads I purchased a firefly and boy do i love it. At first I thought magic Fluke Co was weird, but then I tried the firefly and it was great! Thanks to this forum I purchased one.

Its the perfect balance between ukullele and banjo, so much punch and sound but not too too much twang. I have a plastic fretboard which i like but might have gotten the wood if it wasn't so much more, but not much of a concern.

Any string reccommendations? I know I can't go wound on it but I was thinking what can I put on it or others if have thought of a good combo.

Now playing one I am a believer and would promote to anyone
 
1. I have the Fluke Tenor walnut with rosette. Peghed tuners, hardwood fingerboard, K&K pick up.

2. I played my friend's Fluke soprano for five minutes and just thought its playability was superb. Also, it was loud, resonant and durable.

3. I would love to have the Flea Concert Tiki King or Firefly banjo uke.

4. I would definitely buy a Fluke again if lost of stolen.
 
I received my Firefly banjo uke a couple of weeks ago. Concert maple with hardwood fretboard. Loving everything about it except the friction tuners (though I haven't tried adjusting the tension yet).

It makes me smile; it is so light & just plain funny. Great sound too.
 
Strings for the Flea

Hi:

I had a Soprano Flea Soprano that had black strings. I recently sold it and bought the Concert Flea as I wanted a little bigger fretboard. It was not new so I assume it's broken in. It has the plastic fretboard and is the natural finish model Uke. This one came with white strings, which I don't think sound as good as the black strings.

Any idea what brand and model the the black and white strings are (I believe both are factory) and what suggestion can be made for a string that has a little thinner E and A string than the white ones and that offer a bit of a brighter sound as the Flea has a enough bottom end for me.

I have a set of DAddario Ukulele T2 Titanium Concert Strings that I was given as a gift that I can put on now, but will wait for suggestions. Don't want to restring twice.

I also have a set of Aquila Nylgut Soprano strings. Will soprano strings work on a Concert Flea?

Thanks in advance.

Lenny...
 
The black strings are more than likely Hilo's, and white strings Aquila's. I have Martin's on my concert Flea and I think it sounds pretty chimey with those. You can also try Oasis bright high G's. I have those on my natural Flea soprano and those also make her nice and chimey sounding.

my white strngs when i got mine had D'addario on them so i dont think they are aquilas. My other ukuleles have aquilas and it deff sounds and feels differnt than what i have on my firefly....

but also mine is a firefly so it may be different for flukes and fleas
 
I purchased a Fluke Tenor (ukalyptus) about two months ago. My first fluke, and my 3rd ukulele over all. No complaints whatsoever, and I'd buy another one in a heartbeat.

I do a fair amount of travel back and forth to Africa, and next time I go, my Fluke is going with me!
 
Speaking of Firefly's, I want one again. I sold mine last year for some reason that I don't remember. I may have a Fluke concert in mango to trade for one.

Aha, sorry i love mine too much. maybe post in the market place
 
[DISCLAIMER: I am in no way affiliated with or compensated by this company in any way, just a very VERY HAPPY CUSTOMER!!!]



Who loves :love: their instrument(s) from The Magic Fluke Company?



I'm talking about the Fluke, Flea, Firefly, Fluke SB ukuleles and the NEW Cricket Violin...


I have been a multi-instrumental musician for 35 years and I am (or was prior to discovering the ukulele) primarily a guitarist, and I discovered the ukulele in December of 2012, and have owned, and still own some very high end instruments.

The quality of these instruments from The Magic Fluke company are simply some of the highest level I have ever seen, used, or owned. These folks take pride in their work and their acute attention to the details are easy to see.

I LOVE these ukuleles! I have a basic lava (black) concert Flea with the plastic (polycarbonate) fretboard and original friction tuners (soon to be replaced with the Gotoh UPT-L planetary geared tuners), and the top-of-the-line Koa tenor Fluke with rosewood fretboard, and pegheds tuners....both have Worth Browns mediums, high-g on the concert and low-g on the tenor. BM and BM-LG.

These are my best sounding, playing, feeling, LOOKING and intonating ukuleles, and at the moment my UAS is cured, and soon I might sell off all previous acquisitions in order to fund the purchase of more products from this company...

My concert Flea and tenor Fluke are my most prized and precious ukuleles of the 6 that I currently own, and while some may prefer to spend $1,000-$5,000 on a custom instrument from all the favorite names so frequently discussed here on UU, unless it has BETTER intonation than a Flea or Fluke, I'm simply not interested.

Unless the instrument is both manufactured and assembled in the USA, I'm also not interested. (I have nothing specifically against instruments made elsewhere, but I'd like to try and invest my money 'locally' if possible)

Instruments made by The Magic Fluke company are also affordable to the average joe, and by the reputation of The Magic Fluke company with their ukuleles, and my own personal hands-on experience (which is confirmed by at least a couple hundred other UU members) with the high quality, playability and tone, I can confidently say that you are getting a very good value for the money.

So, my fellow Ukulele Undergound members, please tell me:
1) What you got?

2) Why did you buy it?

3) Tell me what you like about it, and what you hate about it?

4) Tell me if you plan to buy another and why?

5) If it got stolen, lost or damaged would you replace it immediately?


Bonus points if you share pictures of your instrument(s)!

Be sure to mark your entries on the poll at the top of this thread!

(as per suggestion from eugene ukulele (Jon) below, and since I can not edit the poll [don't know how] this thread and poll is for both past and present owners to participate, so if you do not own a Magic Fluke company instrument right now, but have had one in the past, please consider yourself included by default, and please add your voice to the discussion here)

Also, don't miss the NAMM 2014 video with Aldrine, down below in post #11.

Please share and discuss below...

-Booli


can someone tell me what this cricket thing is never heard of it.
 
I have a concert Tiki King Flea on the way. Should be here Tuesday, so I can't answer most of the questions. That being said, my biggest pet peeves regarding ukes are intonation and volume (not necessarily tone). It certainly sounds like the Flea will be right up my alley. Looking forward to Tuesday!
 
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