Martin OXK

Mine's arriving tomorrow, also from a Reverb seller - Music123.

Just a little FYI, in case you didn't know and for future reference: That company is owned by Guitar Center, just like Musician's Friend and some others.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitar_Center#Acquisitions


If I go that route I prefer M.F. because you can almost always get a discount by calling in...sometimes by just entering a code...

Sorry if this has been mentioned already, I haven't read the whole thread but right now:
https://www.musiciansfriend.com/fol...0x-uke-bamboo-soprano-ukulele/j37875000002000
A red one can be had from there. Enter code "labor19" and get 10% off ($47.85) for a total of $271.15 with free shipping.
That is at the time I'm typing this. Things can change in a hurry. Maybe a good deal for somebody here.

Just keep in mind with any of those mentioned above you are getting an instrument that is received then shipped back out without even so much as opening the box to inspect it usually. I know M.F. has a great return policy though, so the others might as well.
 
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Just a little FYI, in case you didn't know and for future reference: That company is owned by Guitar Center, just like Musician's Friend and some others.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitar_Center#Acquisitions

If I go that route I prefer M.F. because you can almost always get a discount by calling in...sometimes by just entering a code.
Sorry if this has been mentioned already, I haven't read the whole thread but right now:
https://www.musiciansfriend.com/fol...0x-uke-bamboo-soprano-ukulele/j37875000002000
A red one can be had from there. Enter code "labor19" and get 10% off ($47.85) for a total of $271.15 with free shipping.
That is at the time I'm typing this. Things can change in a hurry. Maybe a good deal for somebody here.

Just keep in mind with any of those mentioned above you are getting an instrument that is received then shipped back out without even so much as opening the box to inspect it usually. I know M.F. has a great return policy though, so the others might as well.

Thanks for the info. That's interesting. I paid $240 delivered, so I'm satisfied, and I like the natural color. I'm looking forward to its arrival tomorrow.
 
FYI, there's a brand new, nice looking OXK on eBay now for $218 shipped.

It's too bad they never made these in concert size, that would have been a cool model.
 
I got mine right after they came out, and I've loved it since day one. Plays and sounds at least as good as my S1 and I have it hanging in my middle school classroom (since it's nigh-invulnerable). Kind of a bummer but not super surprised as it's kind of a weird niche - like if you want an everywhere uke, you can get an Outdoor or a Waterman for way less, and if you want a Martin it's not like an S1 or a C1K are crazy $ and they feel a bit more "classic".
For sure glad I've got mine though now!
 
Thanks for the info. That's interesting. I paid $240 delivered, so I'm satisfied, and I like the natural color. I'm looking forward to its arrival tomorrow.
Awesome. I like the natural color too. Enjoy!
The natural and the green are my faves.. I had a green once but let it go.
 
Just a little FYI, in case you didn't know and for future reference: That company is owned by Guitar Center, just like Musician's Friend and some others.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitar_Center#Acquisitions


If I go that route I prefer M.F. because you can almost always get a discount by calling in...sometimes by just entering a code...

Sorry if this has been mentioned already, I haven't read the whole thread but right now:
https://www.musiciansfriend.com/fol...0x-uke-bamboo-soprano-ukulele/j37875000002000
A red one can be had from there. Enter code "labor19" and get 10% off ($47.85) for a total of $271.15 with free shipping.
That is at the time I'm typing this. Things can change in a hurry. Maybe a good deal for somebody here.

Just keep in mind with any of those mentioned above you are getting an instrument that is received then shipped back out without even so much as opening the box to inspect it usually. I know M.F. has a great return policy though, so the others might as well.

That is how I bought my OXK. It was a Black Friday sale and there was 30 percent off. I called in to talk to a rep at Musician's Friend and received the discount. Ended up paying about $225. The OXK was still sealed in the Martin box. MF just put it inside one of their boxes for shipping to me.
 
FYI, there's a brand new, nice looking OXK on eBay now for $218 shipped.

It's too bad they never made these in concert size, that would have been a cool model.

That one seems to be gone. There is one for $299 and another for $399. Some people don't think very much about pricing. Would a buyer think that the one for $399 is better?
 
If it is HPL with the appearance of Bamboo applied to the surface, then the pricing of these ukes is difficult to understand. I have a Chinese made HPL soprano that I keep in the car. It is well made. It sounds very decent, and plays well after a little adjustment of the string height. It cost me less than £30 delivered. When I told a friend that the body was not made of wood, he did not believe me and peered at it intensely trying to prove me wrong!

If the Martin HPL ukuleles are made in North America, then I would expect a considerable price difference - but over ten times more? OK, if it carries the hallowed Martin name, that's worth paying a few more spondulicks, but not that much.

John Colter.
 
I mean like anything, you're paying for the name, the brand's story, and your own (limited) understanding of the process and the people involved.
The Martin name is, as you say, hallowed, and a few hundred bucks makes it a lot easier to "buy into" it than if you were buying a 3K or something. The Mexican Martin factory is also well-regarded for their quality.

I definitely hear what you're saying, but it's the same phenomenon with everything, from green beans to ukuleles to cars - pricing never reflects what the thing IS so much as what the market will bear based on its perception.
And I guess in this case your view has proven accurate if the model is discontinued!
 
When people are looking to get into a Martin ukulele, I'd imagine they are looking to buy into the traditional mahogany look. The HPL and Bamboo seem more niche and the target of collectors. I'm not surprised that they were discontinued. HPL ukuleles are the cheapest of the cheap with most manufacturers (concerning price), not a lot of people want to spend $299+ for a HPL ukulele.
 
When people are looking to get into a Martin ukulele, I'd imagine they are looking to buy into the traditional mahogany look. The HPL and Bamboo seem more niche and the target of collectors. I'm not surprised that they were discontinued. HPL ukuleles are the cheapest of the cheap with most manufacturers (concerning price), not a lot of people want to spend $299+ for a HPL ukulele.

As Ukulele Magazine said in 2016, "Each year, Martin introduces a handful of limited edition models..." This was probably never intended to stay in production indefinitely.
 
If it is HPL with the appearance of Bamboo applied to the surface, then the pricing of these ukes is difficult to understand. I have a Chinese made HPL soprano that I keep in the car. It is well made. It sounds very decent, and plays well after a little adjustment of the string height. It cost me less than £30 delivered. When I told a friend that the body was not made of wood, he did not believe me and peered at it intensely trying to prove me wrong!

If the Martin HPL ukuleles are made in North America, then I would expect a considerable price difference - but over ten times more? OK, if it carries the hallowed Martin name, that's worth paying a few more spondulicks, but not that much.

John Colter.

I can tell you from personal experience that the Martin 0X series sounds *much* better than the description "HPL ukulele" would imply.

I also have a relatively cheap HPL Chinese made ukulele, and there is a huge difference in sound quality between it and my Martin 0X-K.
 
I've had my hands on 2 or 3 of these (OXK and OX bamboo). One I bought and kept for a while before selling. It was a green OX bamboo. I put some geared tuners on because I hate friction pegs. I loved the look of it.
They were all well built. It was a very clean build and I think lived up to the reputation that a buyer would expect from Martin as far as build quality goes. It seemed to warrant the price at the time...That said, I got it with a big discount from Mus. Friend on a coupon, like some others.
To me the weight and balance felt pretty odd...It has some heft to it. I could never quite get into the sound either. There was something in there that my ears didn't like regardless of the strings I put on it. I wanted to love it, but just couldn't.
Oh I have to mention the smell too, as some others do.. It had a great smell thanks to that solid wood bracing inside..and I think maybe the kerfed lining. .At least that's what they say causes the smell. Personally, I think it would've been better to make the bracing out of HPL too. A Martin rep told me I should humidify the uke when needed just like any others because of the solid wood bracing. HPL bracing would've eliminated that need.
 
I can tell you from personal experience that the Martin 0X series sounds *much* better than the description "HPL ukulele" would imply.

I also have a relatively cheap HPL Chinese made ukulele, and there is a huge difference in sound quality between it and my Martin 0X-K.

Martin takes a lot of care with materials, construction, setup, and the like. Same with Pete and Shelley Mai at Bonanza, who also make HPL (and solid wood) ukes. Quality costs more.

And I'll add that while the Kiwaya/Famous laminates may not be considered HPL, their quality is impeccable. So's the playability. So they can charge higher prices and players generally are willing to pay them.
 
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.........To me the weight and balance felt pretty odd...It has some heft to it. I could never quite get into the sound either. There was something in there that my ears didn't like regardless of the strings I put on it. I wanted to love it, but just couldn't..........A Martin rep told me I should humidify the uke when needed just like any others because of the solid wood bracing. HPL bracing would've eliminated that need..

I had the opportunity to try one for a bit. They are very solid which does make them feel somewhat indestructible. A Martin rep told me that because they are glued the same as a standard wood instrument you would have to be careful of temperature extremes as well. As far as sound, they do sound good and well balanced, although not quite like a wooden instrument. They are a good instrument, but I could see they may not fit everyones needs or tastes.
 
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When people are looking to get into a Martin ukulele, I'd imagine they are looking to buy into the traditional mahogany look. The HPL and Bamboo seem more niche and the target of collectors. I'm not surprised that they were discontinued. HPL ukuleles are the cheapest of the cheap with most manufacturers (concerning price), not a lot of people want to spend $299+ for a HPL ukulele.

Exactly, and what really turned me off is that they used wood design on the HPL. They could have been much more creative and make it look cool. I am not opposed to alternative materials, as my Ovation Adamas is my favourite guitar and it has a beautiful blue burst top. The OX models remind me of these "alternative burgers" that are all the hype nowadays. I love the flavour and texture of vegetables and beans etc, but when they are processed into something that looks like a meat patty it's just gross.
 
Exactly, and what really turned me off is that they used wood design on the HPL. They could have been much more creative and make it look cool. I am not opposed to alternative materials, as my Ovation Adamas is my favourite guitar and it has a beautiful blue burst top. The OX models remind me of these "alternative burgers" that are all the hype nowadays. I love the flavour and texture of vegetables and beans etc, but when they are processed into something that looks like a meat patty it's just gross.

My used OX just arrived, and it looks brand new. I like the imitation bamboo appearance. If it looked something like a Formica counter top, I never would have bought it. That's why I didn't want a red or green one. "You can fool some of the people some of the time..." :D

Picture to follow, but I think we all know what one looks like.
 
The OX models remind me of these "alternative burgers" that are all the hype nowadays. I love the flavour and texture of vegetables and beans etc, but when they are processed into something that looks like a meat patty it's just gross.

That is funny. I have often said to people that if I wanted something that tasted just like a burger, I would eat a burger.

I agree that the look of the laminate models could have been something funky. Perhaps they could keep some faux wood for the traditionalists in the crowd.
 
My Chinese cheapie really does look like real wood. If only the name on the head stock were not so - er - quaint, it could easily fool the casual observer, and listener, into thinking it was a much more expensive instrument.

Amazing value for money.

John Colter.
 
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