Oscar Schmidt OU-26 Full Review
July 22, 2010 at 9:19 pm | Posted in Oscar Schmidt | 2 CommentsTags: uke, ukulele, review, posts, Oscar Schmidt, Full review, cheap, OU-2, OU-26
As some know, my first uke was an Oscar Schmidt OU-2 and I still play it. On a whole it is an in expensive ukulele and it is very sturdy. I will admit for a little while OS had quality issues but since they moved the production from China to Indonesia it seems to have solved the issues.
The OU-26 is basically an OU-2 with 6 strings. The C and A Strings have an octave string with them (C is up and octave, A is down an octave) Other than that they are identical.
Specs:
Concert
Body: Laminated Mahogany
Saddle : Bone
Nut : Bone
String : Aquila
Peg : Closed Gear chrome
Looks
First look: (4) The newer laminates from OS seem to be more red than before. I would almost say that the color is more of a cedar red. It is obvious that it is not an expensive uke since it has a plain white silk screen logo and it says “Aloha” at the top. I wish they would leave that off, it is really cheesy. One of the things that I think shows that it is at least of some quality is the binding on the fret board and the fret markers are actual inlays. The satin does not do much for it either. I have seen much nicer looking ukuleles. The fact that it has 6 strings will make most uke players pick it up above all other aspects.
Fit and Finish: (4) For the price it is really well made, saying that, it is a tank. The finish is very smooth and there are no glue marks or weird wood patterns that you may find on some other cheaper ukuleles. The laminate they use is very thick and makes it a bit heavy but sturdy. I would give this to any kid and not worry about serious damage. With a basic 3 piece neck with a nice smooth finish it is nice to play. The saddle could use a little work, it seemed kind of rough to the touch. One of my big gripes is that the edges are very sharp, not like a knife, but if you play it for an extended period it will leave a crease and become uncomfortable to play. Over all it is straight and all the parts that you would want someone to pay attention too are taken care of such as the nut and saddle are really well done and the frets are nice and dressed. I know that having the instruments setup in the USA helps with the end product.
Sound:
Sound Type: Fuller than any 4 string ukulele. The extra 2 strings make it almost lute sounding and give that base note that helps round out the sound without having to have another instrument like a guitar helping to boost the sound or having to have a low G string.
Intonation: (5) Intonation is perfect. The compensated saddle may have something to do with it. Also OS is constantly improving their ukes. Tom Ferone seems to always be tweaking the different ukuleles in the OS line to make them the best production ukes he can make.
Volume: (4) With the extra strings it is louder, but still not as loud as many of my other ukuleles. I think the thicker top is to blame for volume.
Sustain: (5) I like the way that it sings. The Wrapped A it seemed to die sooner than the others. Not a big deal.
Feel:
String Height: (Medium) Very playable. The neck is nice and straight so the strings are at a really good height
Neck Radius Depth: (3/4″) Average radius depth for a C shaped neck.
Frets: (5) I really like it when the fret board has binding on it. It is a cheat in some ways, but you can’t feel any frets on the side of the neck. All the frets are dressed nicely. Not too low or high.
Tuning: (4) This is one of those instruments that if one string is off you will notice right away. Since there are an extra 2 strings it is harder to tune and only hit the one string you want to tune. I ended up using a pick to hit each string.
Comfort: (4) HEAVY but you almost don’t notice it. Unlike the OU-2 it is very balanced. Usually the geared tuners make the head really heavy but not on this one. I think that since you know it has 6 strings you excuse that it is heavy. What bugs me is how the edges are not rounded at all. It can make it uncomfortable to play for an extended period of time.
Smell: (Elmer’s Glue)
Final Thoughts
I think that anyone who wants to have some fun and have a very different uke then this is a great addition to any ukulele players collection. I would not recommend this as a daily player though. I found that there are many songs that don’t sound right when played with it, like most songs. I really liked it for a list of Beatles songs like Let It Be, but beyond that it takes some trial and error to find the right songs to use it for. The other thing that I found is that I had to use a felt pick to get the full sound out of it, otherwise I was not hitting the low A and it sounded weird. Other than that I did like it a lot, too bad I had to give it away.
I figured that not very many people would be super excited about an Oscar Schmidt uke as a give-a-way so while I was checking out the Bluestone Folk Schools Uke building class I met Spencer, Joni’s son. Joni was nice enough to let me stay at her house so I would not have to rush home that same day. Her son Spencer is very talented and the night I stayed over we pulled all the ukes I brought to show people, I brought 6 in total, and Spence seemed to gravitate toward the OU-26. So the next morning I got up and took some pics of the ukulele and then handed it over with the promise that he would make a video. The rest is history.
All Rating on a scale of 1-5
Click here for an explanation of reviews
| First Look | 4 |
| Fit and Finish | 4 |
| Sound Type | Fuller than a 4 String |
| Intonation | 5 |
| Volume | 4 |
| Sustain | 5 |
| String Height | Medium |
| Neck Radius Depth | 3/4″ |
| Frets | 5 |
| Tuning | 4 |
| Comfort | 4 |
| Smell | Elmer’s Glue |
Places to buy on the web:
Elderly Music : $75
David S. Gill Ukuleles
July 19, 2010 at 8:05 pm | Posted in Brands, D.S.Gill | 1 CommentTags: uke, ukulele, posts, fest, festival, Spalted, cheap, Solid, Play, Gill, Divid Gill, D.S.Gill, Concert, Pineapple
Accounting System
Every so often you find something that seems too good to be true. You may find $20 on the ground or you get something for half off and you feel lucky. When I found D.S.Gill ukes at Weed Patch Music in Nashville, IN I could not believe that there was a guy making ukuleles in his garage out of solid wood for only $350, and they sound awesome.
Please don’t get me wrong, they are not made of super high grade lumber that is purchased from a high end luthier woodshop, but they still look, sound, and play like most any high end ukulele that you will find. At $350 I am hard pressed to find anything in the $1200 range that has the quality and sound that his ukes have. I will get into more about the wood, but first a little about David S. Gill.
David holding my baby
I first met David during the Ukulele World Congress (UWC). It was kind of by chance that I was able to meet him. The Saturday morning of the UWC is left open so people can explore Nashville and buy ukes from Mike at Mainland. I decided to go into town to eat breakfast and to find Weed Patch Music; I was told that there were these great ukuleles that they had that are made in Columbus Indiana. So after some searching I found the place and was absolutely amazed. I played a soprano and then picked up a mahogany concert pineapple; I said to myself “this would be great if it had a spruce top”. Also at the time I did not have $350 to spend on a new ukulele (that and my wife would kill me, 15 ukes is her limit). I went back to UWC and ran into a few friends that also played a few of the Gill ukes and told them that I love the concert pineapple but would love it with a spruce top. By chance one of my friends had called David Gill to see if he made tenors (He does not……Yet) and said I should call and ask, so I did, and he did have a concert pineapple with a spruce top at his shop. Now I did not have $350 to buy it and I figured that he would not have one, but I had to at least see it. I asked if my two friends and I could come and see it and also his shop, he said “Yes, I love when people come by and talk uke” and away we went on our 45 minute drive. We get there and we see a sign that says Handmade Ukuleles and an electric car out front.
"router"
We had heard that David is very unique. When we got there we did not know what to expect. We heard that he had not purchased gas in several years and he drove a golf cart everywhere, and both are true. David has not purchased gas in 3 years. He has geothermal heating and cooling and his “car” runs on electric, and this works for him just fine. He does not need to go very far for anything. Mostly people come to visit him, like us. David is a retired injection engineer which makes sense why his ukuleles are so spot on in every way. Every piece is precisely measured and he has jigs for every part to make sure that it is made just right, down to the micro-meter. His 2 car garage is filled wood working equipment, jigs, and wood. One of the tools he uses to make the dovetail joint for the necks and cut the body pieces is this weird looking router thing that he used to own the patent on that he invented in the 80’s. How it works is still a mystery to me, I could have asked but figured that I had too many other things I wanted to ask.
Davids Car
One thing that many do not know about Gill ukes is that they use to be sold by Bushman under the name of Bluebird and a few other models. They were new wood ukes unlike the ones he makes currently. I actually played a bluebird and loved it, but I could not afford a $400 ukulele at the time and had to pass. But it was very nice. In the end John Hall did not want to sell them anymore and stopped.
Lineup
My Spruce Top Concert Pineapple
That brings me to my ukulele. Yes I did buy it; it just was another trip a few weeks later. But we went to his basement that he has the ukuleles that he has finished. I picked up the spruce top concert pineapple (They are rareish, you can find them from a few makes like Mele and Oscar Schmidt, but you will not see many concert pineapples) It was love at first play. It is light as a feather even though it has geared tuners and it sings. Basically I love it. I am hard pressed to find anything wrong with it. What you will notice is that it is not super decorated with nice purfling or binding; this is because David feels that it weakens the joint. He also does a few other things that most builders do not do. The lining is put in backwards to add stability and he also has thinned out the bracing so that it will vibrate more with the top. Also he makes a 3 piece neck. Not in the way that most do, but it is one continues neck out of one piece but he cuts it in half and puts a strip of walnut between to reinforce the neck. He builds like an engineer and less like an artist like Geoff Davis of Hoosier ukes and the Bluestone Folk School (BSFS). Geoff will make a Ukulele and fine tune as he goes, always adjusting and trying to work with the wood. David knows every aspect of what the size will be and how each part fits and can guarantee it is made exactly to spec.
As I mentioned earlier, the wood that David uses for his ukuleles is a little bit different than most ukulele builders. For the most part David does not buy wood for his ukes, it is all recycled or reclaimed in one way or another. The mahogany that my uke was made with comes from old patterns. (A pattern is a large piece of
Aromatic Cedar Uke
wood that is carved to make molds for casting things. Mahogany was popular since it is so stable) the spruce is from some furniture, I think, and the walnut stripe in the neck if from another pattern. Some of the other woods I saw were the aromatic cedar (That uke smells awesome) that he gets from a place that makes veneers and he gets the pieces that cannot be sawn any thinner due to limitations of the machine, and they come about 1/8 of an inch thick, so perfect start for any instrument. Another place he gets wood is from is friends who happen to find really neat pieces like the spalted maple that he is looking at making into the sides and back of a pineapple.
One of the funny things about David is that there are no models per say. Yes he makes sopranos, concerts, and concert pineapples but the woods that he uses are on a whim. He loves to experiment with woods, like the spalted maple, to see how it will sound. Good or bad that is how it is. For the most part you will find he works in African mahogany and is currently on an aromatic cedar kick.
Spated Maple
In the end if you are looking for an awesome one of a kind ukulele that is made in the USA, then this is the one I would recommend. Visit Weed Patch in Nashville, IN ASAP to experience a true gem for very little money.
Side
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Nice Butt!
BackNice Butt!
Martin OXK Full Review
July 6, 2010 at 12:49 am | Posted in Martin, Reviews | 2 CommentsTags: uke, ukulele, review, posts, Full review, Martin, Chris Martin, OXK
Front
I never thought that within my first year of the site that I would have the opportunity to review a Martin ukulele. Mainly most of them (actually all until now) were out of my price range of below $300. Also it is Martin, they are huge and sell some of the finest instruments in the world.
Enough kissing butt.
I have never been impressed with a new Martin ukulele. I own a Martin DC16-GTE guitar that I love (For sale for the right price since ukuleles have taken over my life). Many love the really old Martins from the 20′s, they are awesome and sound great. The new ones, such as the Martin S-O are just not worth the money since there are so many ukes in the same price range that sound better. That is the current sentiment for most people, and Martin is working changing that, hence the OXK.
Martin has been making the X-series guitars for a while. Some have an aluminum top or special graphics such as Felix or Martin’s History. Very durable and stable guitars. You can take them anywhere since they are less susceptible to humidity and heat issues. Now they are coming out with a ukulele made the same way. A high pressure laminate body and a neck that is also a laminate. The big thing is that it is under $300 and sounds awesome.
Back
Specs: Soprano : 17 Fret
Scale:13.614″
Tuners: Grover nickel friction with white buttons
bone nut & saddle
Top: High Pressure Laminate material (Hawaiian Koa pattern)
Sides: High Pressure Laminate material (Hawaiian Koa pattern)
Back: High Pressure Laminate material (Hawaiian Koa pattern)
Neck: brown Stratabond neck with solid Morado wood fret board
Case: Padded gig bag included
Full Specs: HERE
Looks
First look: (4) When you first look at it, it is dull, average looking, and nothing special to look at, but you know that something is different about it. To me it looks like every other standard ukulele. It is not until you really look at it do you realize that you are looking at something new.
The high def printing of the top, sides, back, and head stock will fool most into thinking it was real wood. It is when you look into the sound hole to you realize that it is not wood at all, but a laminate. One thing I noticed is that the pictures that are shown on musiciansfriend.com show the edge as rounded and not black. I played another at NAMM and it was like the one they sent me with the black line around the body.
Also the neck is also kind of peculiar. It is a sort of laminate also. I personally like it, some that I have talked with are not so impressed. Since it is made of strips of wood glued then formed into a neck it has some different patterns where the glued edges kind of shine.
Side
Fit and Finish: (5) It is a Martin, they know how to make fine instruments. I found no issues with any of it. No glue under the bridge, frets sticking out. Not a single thing to complain about. Where the top meets the side it is perfectly joined.
The specs also say that the neck is dovetailed to the body, adding strength, unlike some the others that use an alternate materials for the body, that bolt the neck on.
There is still bracing, a neck block, and a tail block. They did not need the tail block since the sides are one piece joined below the neck, but it is there so if you do add a strap button or pick-up it will support them.
Sound:
Sound Type: Loud, but mellow. I was able to play a 1920′s Martin at UWC. It sounds more like that then the current S-O. Clean but held back a little. Not super in-your-face. Just a mellow nice sound, not quiet or cheap sounding.
Intonation: (5) I take all my instruments to Martin certified repair shops. Martin knows how to make an instrument have perfect intonation. Like many of the current ukuleles that are coming to market they have compensated bridges, this does not, all the strings look to be resting on the same line. This means it is made right and does not need to be fixed after the fact.
Volume: (5) I usually change the strings to Aquila, but not this time. The Martin Strings are really nice and seem to make a great sound. Why change it if it is working. For a soprano it is really loud and projects while keeping its mellow sound.
Sustain: (5) Long and loud. Fades nicely with no whine at the end.
Feel:
String Height: (Medium) It is where I would want it. Not high and not really low either.
Neck Radius Depth: (3/4″) Average radius depth for a C shaped neck.
Frets: (5) Can you call frets perky? Most frets are low and kind of look like a mushroom from the side. These seem to just come straight out of the fret board. They are a little taller than some I have seen. I find that I am able to get notes a lot cleaner than with other ukes, even when I mess it up a little.
Tuning: (4) Seem like great tuning machines, but I am not in love. They stay in tune, it is easy to get to tune without going sharp and all that. It is just one little thing that I have seen on most of the new Martins. You will start turning and it will turn, then catch and start moving. I tried tightening and loosing, made no difference. A really small thing. Nothing like the Koloa
Upclose of body at the seam where side and top meet
Comfort: (5) I would ding it for being heavy but it is a soprano ukulele, you don’t even notice when you are playing. The edges on the body are cut at a 45 so the it does not feel sharp at all, it may have been sanded a little too. Very comfortable to play and hold.
The neck it nice and smooth with nothing sticking out and with the classic Martin head stock it easy to get to any chord with no issues.
Sound Hole Smell: It smells like a new Martin. I have a martin guitar and it smelled the same. Like fresh cut wood and glue. Lovely.
Final Thoughts
Front of headstock
A funny thing happened at the UWC. Martin was nice enough to express ship me the OXK so I would have it for the UWC to show it off. Since you can’t buy this uke yet, as of the time I am posting this review, no one had even seen one yet. When I got there I started showing it off and letting people play it. The reactions were kind of weird. Those who owned Martin ukes said the same thing. “I don’t like it, sounds weird” then they would play it for a little while longer or pick it up later and basically do a 360. They said they actually really liked it. Everyone else thought it was great also. One great thing about it was the fact that it never really fell out of tune due to temp changes. It was 90 then in the 70′s later that night. Held up like a champ.
I also wonder if this is a way to be more “green” since less wood is used to make it. Just a thought.
Back of the Head
All Rating on a scale of 1-5
Click here for an explanation of reviews
| First Look | 4 |
| Fit and Finish | 5 |
| Sound Type | Loud, but mellow |
| Intonation | 5 |
| Volume | 5 |
| Sustain | 5 |
| String Height | Medium |
| Neck Radius Depth | 3/4″ |
| Frets | 5 |
| Tuning | 4 |
| Comfort | 5 |
| Sound Hole Smell | like a new Martin |
Places to buy on the web:
Elderly Music: $279 Expected arrival date 08-18-2010
Musiciansfriend: $279 Available 08-31-2010
Video:
Summer NAMM 2010
June 22, 2010 at 2:49 am | Posted in Eleuke, Events, Papas Boxes, Products, Shows | 5 CommentsTags: uke, ukulele, posts, cigar box, cigar, laser, Eleuke, BugsGear, Solid, Chris Martin, Kala
I love tradeshows. I like meeting new people and seeing new stuff. I have been to a few technology shows since by day I do computer stuff and am also a computer nerd along with a ukulele nut. Both actually come in handy from time to time.
The atmosphere at NAMM is over whelming in so many ways. You want to look at everything and the noise from all the instruments is deafening at times. It made it real hard to hear the instruments or to take any kind of video that you could hear anything on. The summer NAMM is pretty much just one giant room, not like winter, so I am told, were it is several floors and there is an acoustic floor. I really hope I can make it to that one.
Audra From Mimsukes.com with here Ohana sopranino
While at NAMM I talked with a ton of people and vendors about everything about ukuleles, straps, and home recording. I have about 30 different business cards from the vendors alone and I also made a couple connections with people that sell them like Audra from Mim’s Ukes. She Has a Hawaiian shaved ice store and she also sells ukuleles there (and online) in Charlotte North Carolina. Also in the post before this I have a pic of Chris Martin of martin guitars holding 2 of his ukes.
Funny story about Meeting Chris Martin, I actually almost knocked him over coming out of the Martin booth, so I stopped and asked if I could take his picture and he said sure. The funny part was that I texted 2 of my friends that were with me that I had just met Chris Martin. They thought I met the Chris Martin from Coldplay. It was not until I showed them the picture that they realized who I actually met. and for the record I would rather meet the Chris Martin that I met. Very cool and nice enough to talk with me for 5 minutes
Cool stuff that I saw:
Bamboo Pauleles
Bamboo ukes from Kiwaya called Pauleles. Played nicely and I am hoping that I will have a chance to review one along with their Kiwaya KS-1. I don’t have a picture since it was not at NAMM, but Cordoba is also coming out with a bamboo uke very soon.
Banjo ukuleles from Morgan Monroe, and they are under $300 street price!!! That to me seems like one of the holy grails right now. They are loud and really well built. I am hoping that sometime in November, when they catch up with orders, to get one in my hands to review and show people.
Morgan Monroe Banjo Ukulele
- Morgan Monroe Resonator Banjo Ukulele
Mahalo Camp Ukulele
So, I was at the Saga Music booth looking at the Mahalos and I see what I know to be a camp ukulele, but I look at it and it says banjo ukulele. I scratched my head and laughed a little. An owner of a music shop wanted to know what I was laughing at. She thought I was being condescending about the products on the wall. Yes they are on the lower end, but they are still ok. I said to her “that is not a banjo ukulele” She asked then what is it because she has one in her store an no one will buy it. I told her that it is a camp ukulele, I have seen several of them and it is called that. She rushed over and grabbed the sales guy and told him “you need to talk to this young man, he knows his stuff!!” I proceed to tell him what it is and he pulls out a pen and changes the name of it on the little tag hanging with it and tells the marketing guy to also change the name in the catalog. It was a good feeling to have someone change something because you recommend it. Excuse me as I go deflate my huge head.
Maholo Wall
Felix Bass
One of the interesting ukuleles I saw were the Oriolo ukes. The Oriolo family owns Felix the cat and the brothers decided to start a guitar company. They look fun. I like the way they did the base with Felix’s head, his nose is a knob of some sort.
Grapic on a Orio Guitar
Felix Ukulele
Riptide Golf Ukulele
On the topic of interesting design, Boulder Creek Guitars had a booth showing off their guitars and ukuleles. They are the ones with the off-set front sound hole and one on the side. They have the regular laminate mahogany and a line of solid wood ukes, but they are also coming out with a couple with a printed top. The designs are fun. One with a wave and the other with a golf theme.
Riptide Wave Ukulele
For completely crazy design I would give that to Eleuke. A “tie dye” electric. I like the idea, I am not in love with the colors they used.
Eleuke Tie Dye
Kala Pocket Uke
We cannot leave Kala out. They had all of their well known products like the U-bass, and that is all the guitar and bass people talked about, and the travel ukuleles. They had 2 things that I really thought were cooler than everything else. The pocket uke and the new 10 watt “Round about” amps.
Kala Round About Amps
The last new thing that I will talk about is from Papas Boxes. I did not even know they were going to be there. I just ran into their booth. They now make whole ukuleles and they are beautiful. They use lasers to etch the boxes and cut the holes. It was fun to go to a booth where the owner is really happy to meet you. I think they will be very successful with their new instruments along with the kits.
Papa's Boxes
A couple I lusted after:
A Collings
I can dream can’t I? I had to stop by the Collings booth. I played the one pictured and it is like butter. I also played a Santa Cruz, and a few of the high end Big Island Ukuleles ( I was able to take their least expensive home for a review, a SP-KRGT, so watch the site for the review). Also while I was at the Kiwya booth Augutino LoPrinzi ukuleles was also in the same booth. Very very nice ukuleles. the one pictured was really neat with the 2 shoulder holes, very loud. If I say loud I mean it, it was loud in the convention center.
LoPrinzi Ukulele
The other side:
Crappyleles
Ukuleles are popular. They are blowing up. I heard from several companies that their ukuleles sales are 75% of their sales in the last few months, so with that people want to jump into it also. I saw several like the ones below that are toys and not real instruments by any means. that makes me mad. Just don’t make them or carry them if they are such junk.
Not sure how I feel about ukulele lamps. I want one, don’t get me wrong, I just feel bad for the little guy.
Uke Lamps
I need to thank all the vendors that I talked to, I am a total spaz at times and I was also sweating like crazy, so embarrassing. Also my two friends, Paul and Marc, for hanging with me and not beating me while trying to leave and I get lost at another booth that caught my eye, and spreading the word about Ukeeku to everyone you saw.
I really want to go to winter NAMM in Anaheim CA, time will tell.
Koloa KU-600/ Silver Creek Soprano Full Review
May 10, 2010 at 2:12 am | Posted in Brands, Koloa, Reviews, Silver Creek | 3 CommentsTags: uke, ukulele, review, tuners, posts, Full review, Solid, Humidity, koloa, silver creek
The Head of the Koloa
I am perplexed by this ukulele. first of all it goes by two names, Koloa KU-600 and Silver Creek soprano. Why? I have no clue, but they are the exact same instrument. Either way this is a review for both. (Side note: if it is a Silver Creek, it is one of The Music Link’s brands)
The other part that I struggle with is the overwhelming feeling that I should really like this ukulele. It is solid wood, super high gloss, looks like the tuners are high end, and is sturdy as a rock. So why am I not in love?
As I look it over I can imagine a group of people purchased ukuleles from all the major ukulele makers and decided what they liked from them all, but they really had no idea on how those things worked together to make an instrument to compete in the price point it is at. read the review below to see the good and the bad of this ukulele.
Specs:
• Solid Mahogany Top, Back & Sides
• Mahogany Neck
• Deluxe Adjustable Friction Tuners
• Bone Nut & Saddle
• D’Addario Strings
• Scale Length: 13-9/16″
Looks
First look: (5) I have never seen such a high gloss instrument. This thing is so reflective that I use it as a mirror, believe me I know what shinny is, just take a look at my bald head. Most ukuleles have binding and ornamentation, but this one is very sleek and plain and this is good. My first impression when I saw one in a store was “Man does that look expensive” One of the other striking things on it are the large tuners. they look like the ones you find on Kamaka ukuleles.
Click to Enlarge
Fit and Finish: (4.9) It is almost perfect, and I looked it over from head to heel and only found one issue. Between where the fret board ends and the sound hole there is some cloudiness in the finish. I felt every edge of it looking for a part that was not touched and smoothed. The body edges are all rounded, frets are filed back, the butt of the neck to the body is even with the back and is almost seamless. Craftsmanship is really well done.
Sound
Depth compared to a standard soprano
Sound Type: (Shallow and muted) The best way to describe the sound is to call it trapped. It is in there but seems to be stuck. I know it is weird to say but I think it has to do with the top. I do not have calipers to measure it but it is definitely about 50% thicker than most ukuleles I have. I even changed the strings to Worth clear CM to try to liven up the sound and let it escape. The other thing that may affect the sound is how deep the body is. Most ukes are 2.5″ deep, where the koloa is just under 3″. this can make a difference in the sound and make too much room for it to make good sound. That also explains why the hard-shell case does not work with any of my other soprano ukes. If this was a sub $100 I would not say any of this, but for the price it seems like it should be better.
Intonation: (4) Better than most sopranos that I have been playing lately. I find that playing an A that the C is sharp, not the case as much with this ukulele. From open string to the 12th fret it is pretty much dead on.
Volume: (3) Back to the trapped sound, it is not all that loud. You can’t even feel the body vibrate when you play it, so I am assuming that the soundboard is not vibrating much either to produce volume.
Sustain: (4) It holds a note for a reasonable time, but without volume it fades faster than most instruments. If you like the old time short sustain this is that kind of ukulele.
Feel
String Height: (Low) I prefer low strings, with this it is well done and as low as you will find. It does not buzz and you barely have to push down to get a clear sound. A lot of care was taken to get it just right.
Neck Radius Depth: (3/4″ and Very Wide) One of the selling points to this instrument is the fact it has a wide neck. It starts at about 1.5 inches and it ends at just below 2 inches. Most sopranos start at about an inch and get up to 1.5 inches. If you have large hands or issues with movement on a soprano, this is a great ukulele for you. Plenty of room get your fingers on the right strings.
Frets: (5) Well dressed. Can not feel anything when you run your finger down the sides of the neck. Also it is a flat fret board, it is preference, and makes no real difference.
Koloa Tuners
Tuning: (2) If you buy this, change the tuners out, they just plain suck. sorry to be blunt, but they are a huge pain to try to tune a ukulele with. I either went sharp or flat, never really could get it tuned in less than 7-10 tries per string. I tried adjusting them a million times. Tuning gets a 2 because it at least stays in tune when it is finally in tune. I think they thought if Kamaka had them them, they should, except Kamaka tuners work.
Comfort: (5) The edge of the body is nice and rounded off so you won’t get a nasty line in your arm and it is also very light and easy to play. The tuners make it seem like it would be head heavy but it is nice and balanced. I also like how solid it feels.
Final Thoughts
Please do not get me wrong, if you own one of these or are thinking about getting one, and you want something that is crafted really well, this is your instrument. The people that made it really tried to make a top notch ukulele. Also if you have big hands and want to play a soprano (Because you think those that play anything but are cheaters) then this is the best you will ever find.
I kept this for two months to make sure that it was not just a new ukulele thing. It did open up after a while, but I feel the sound is just a little dull for me. I play my Lanikai CK-S, 1920′s Richter, and Rogue (With the same strings that I put on the Koloa/Silver Creek) and they are all louder and more full sounding. All I can say is find one and play it. It is a dream to play and hold, just don’t lose your mind trying to tune it.
The case that came with it, sold seperatly, was really nice. It is bullet proof (have not tried it) has a humidistat built in.
Case with Uke in it
Humidistat at the head
- Case
All Rating on a scale of 1-5
Click here for an explan5tion of reviews
| First Look | 5 |
| Fit and Finish | 4.9 |
| Sound Type | Shallow and muted |
| Intonation | 4 |
| Volume | 3 |
| Sustain | 4 |
| String Height | Low |
| Neck Radius Depth | 3/4″ and Very Wide |
| Frets | 5 |
| Tuning | 2 |
| Comfort | 5 |
WINNER of the Eleuke
May 6, 2010 at 1:51 am | Posted in Eleuke, General, Giveaway, Products | 5 CommentsTags: uke, ukulele, posts, fest, festival, Eleuke, Electric, Giveaway
Meet David from Rochester, MN. He is the winner of the Eleuke!
David rocking out with his spiffy hat and shirt
I must thank all 354 of you that entered, many people commented many times, and that was the real point of this. I really wanted to just get people to my site and get people involved in spreading the ukulele love. I will have more in the future.
I will be at the Ukulele World Congress and Milwaukee Uke fest (and Windy City if it happens) this summer giving others away. Also I will have some on the site.
OH, and if you are ever in need of a pick-me-up, hold a contest to give away a ukulele. People are extra nice and say some of the craziest stuff! Way better than Prozac.
Eleuke Giveaway
April 1, 2010 at 4:15 am | Posted in Eleuke, Giveaway | 339 CommentsTags: Electric, Eleuke, Giveaway, posts, uke, ukulele
CONTEST ENDED – Winner will be announced soon!!!
I reviewed it, I loved it, Now you can have it!!
The one being given away
I am going to giveaway the Eleuke that I just reviewed to one lucky reader.
Why?
Honestly I don’t feel right keeping the instruments companies let me keep after I review them. Not all of them will be given away on the site. I will also have some at the festivals that I attend, so watch in later posts for where I will be this summer.
How?
It is very simple to enter, just comment on any post between now and April 30, 2010. Make sure to enter your e-mail address, which is how I will contact the winner. I will not send any other things, you are not signing up for spam I promise.
As much as I would love for you to all subscribe to my blog, and well you are here you could, I don’t want to bother people with more e-mail that they will ignore.
Rules:
1. One entry per person, you can comment as many times as you like, but you will only be entered once. Please just be cool and not fudge this with multiple e-mail addresses.
2. If you are related to me you cannot enter. Sorry, I will find you all great ukes if you want one.
3. If you live in the continental U.S. I will send it to you for free, otherwise you will have to pay for shipping.
4. Any inappropriate or spam posts will be deleted and entry nullified.
5. If the ukulele is not claimed in 30 days I will find someone else who wants it.
6. Must be willing to let me post a picture of you and the uke, with first name and location, on Ukeeku.com.
7. Contest ends April 30, 2010
Eleuke Concert Full Review
March 23, 2010 at 3:28 am | Posted in Brands, Eleuke, Reviews | 36 CommentsTags: BugsGear, Electric, Eleuke, Full review, posts, review, Solid, Strap, uke, ukulele
Full Front View
Imagine if back in the day when Led Zeppelin was forming and Jimmy Page decided that his main instrument would be a ukulele!!! If that did happen, and Eleuke was making these ukuleles, he would have played it. I think Led Zeppelin would have been even bigger than they were!…….. Maybe not, But it would have been cool to see.
When someone says ukulele most think of the standard design of a 3 inch deep hollow box with a wood neck, with the wood grain showing, and friction tuners. They don’t think of a 1/2″ thick solid sparkle blue ukulele with a cut away body, geared tuners, no sound hole, and 3 jacks in the end. But why NOT! Uke players can rock out with the best of them gosh darn it!!! (Gotta keep it family friendly) And with the personal MP3 player input you can rock out along with the best of them without disturbing the whole house when you use the built in amp with your headphones plugged in
Eleuke was nice enough to send me a concert sized eleuke a few weeks ago and below is the full review, enjoy.
Specs:
Full Rear View
Model: CCK100BL-MP3
Concert : 19 Fret
Bridge & Saddle : Rosewood
Nut : Rosewood
Pickup : Eleuke original
Output : 1/4″ Phone Jack, H/P output
Input: MP3 Input with connection cable for your MP3 player to play along with backing track.
String : Aquila
Peg : Closed Gear chrome
Bag : Softbag Included
Looks
First look: (4) Its Bright blue, you can’t miss it. My 2009 Honda Civic is the same color (Atomic Blue) I like it because it makes a statement. For some it may not be to their liking, but you can get these in a pineapple, natural wood (Really cool looking since they do strips of different wood), and they also come in purple and red. One of the details that is really hard to photograph is the sparkle in the paint. It looks like car paint, which is not uncommon and means that it is a really sturdy finish. With the mother of pearl binding around the edge of the body and fret board it makes it look like a well made instrument that people took care in making.
My only real turn-off is with the headstock. It has mother of pearl inlay around the body and the position markers, but the headstock logo and design is screen printed on in a flat gold. Just takes away from the overall look.
Headstock
Close-up of the paint
Fit and Finish: (5) When making and instrument there are telltale signs that it is quality. One of them is smoothness of the edges. Every edge has been rounded (Except the bridge where you want it to be crisp). The paint is perfect with no weird blotches. I will say at first I was worried about the paint because it will look kind of dark at the edges when you look at it at an angle. I think this is a two part thing with the sparkle and major thick gloss finish they use.
Other things like the fret board are also just great. The frets are filed back with no edges to catch on. Every joint and part that is not suppose to have paint on it was handled very well. You can tell that it was taped because you can see a small micro space around the fret board at the body from the tape. Not noticeable unless you A) have your face an inch away looking for it , or B) just too picky and expecting a sub $200 ukulele to not have any tiny finish flaws. Either way top notch.
Sound
Sound Type : Depends on where you have the tone knob. All the way down it is mellow and muted, all the way up sharp and tinny.
Intonation: (4) The intonation is not perfect, but I have yet to find a ukulele that is perfect from the factory. With a professionals help it would take a little time to shape the saddle to make it perfect. The only people that would notice are those who are crazy sensitive to pitch. No matter where you play on the fret board it will sound really awesome and right.
Regular Jack, Headphone, MP3 Player in
Volume: (NA) How big is your amp? Unplugged you can hear it, kind of, it is a solid body electric. If you plug this baby into a Marshall double stack and crank it, you could level a house, if that is how you roll. Don’t forget that this has one really unique feature, A built in personal amp. Just plug in some headphones and turn the volume up to make it as loud as you want without disturbing anyone else.
Sustain: (5) Beside the fact that it is an electric, and you can hear the sound as it degrades for longer, it has really good sustain. The Aquila strings have a lot to do with the sound and sustain.
Feel
String Height: (Medium-High) Both the nut and saddle are higher than I would like. Not slide guitar high. The nut could come down a mm or two, and the saddle has room also to come down a bit.
String Height
Neck Radius Depth: (3/4″) Average radius depth for a C shaped neck.
Frets: (5) I measured the fret spacing and found that they are perfect. Along with the frets they are very well dressed with no issues. For the price I was surprised to not to be able to feel the frets from the side of the neck. This is something that shows that great care was taken on the fret board.
Tuning: (4) I know I will get flack for this, but I think ukuleles should come with friction tuners. The ukulele stays in-tune after the strings have settled. Tuning it is very easy with the geared tuners. Perfect ratio for tuning a ukulele. small turns make small changes.
With a Strap
Comfort: (5) The rounded edges, no frets sticking out the side, and the fact that it is very small makes it very comfortable to play. It can sit on your knee while you are sitting. Also has a strap button/amp jack lets you put a strap on it, you just need to tie it to the head on the other side. Very comfortable to play and nothing gets in the way with the cut-out in the body so you can hit the highest notes.
Final Thoughts
I own a Risa solid soprano, so this is not the first electric uke I have played. I love the volume and tone knobs. Very useful when you are playing and need to adjust the sound. The Eleuke is bigger and less compact, but it comes with a great padded clothe case (No kidding at least 2 inches of padding on both top and bottom) and also easier to hold if you don’t want to strap it on. Just a really well made instrument for anyone who wants to play on stage, practice without having others hear it, or just being loud for loads sake.
IF this was my instrument I would take it in to have the action lowered. The way I got it was totally playable, I just am really picky. I would also buy some more fun knobs like these that got to 11. The last thing I would do is put a strap button behind the neck where it meets the body.
If anyone asks me what solid body ukulele to buy, I would say that this is my top choice.
All Rating on a scale of 1-5
Click here for an explanation of reviews
| First Look | 4 |
| Fit and Finish | 5 |
| Sound Type | Depends |
| Intonation | 4 |
| Volume | NA |
| Sustain | 5 |
| String Height | Medium-High |
| Neck Radius Depth | 3/4″ |
| Frets | 5 |
| Tuning | 4 |
| Comfort | 5 |
Papas Boxes Concert Build: The Build
December 31, 2009 at 4:03 am | Posted in Brands, Papas Boxes | 1 CommentTags: cigar, cigar box, DIY, home made, laser, learning, posts, uke, ukulele
ITS ALIVE!!!!
Well here I am ending the year with a built, and by no means finished cigar box ukulele. In all this project took me a few more weeks than I thought it would. Part of it was life and part of it were things that I did not expect while building this crazy thing. Below I will talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly. (Most of it good with the ugly things stemming from my issues)
Finish
As I said in my last post I would start with the finish I used on the box and the neck. Just like with the whole build I do not have the tools to do the awesome finishes that you might see on professional grade instruments so I went with the best one I know, Traditional Tung Oil Finish from Formby’s. It is simple, I think it looks great, and it is really hard to mess up.
Body Hung by its Jack. The painters tape is coving the area that the fret board is glued to
All I did was hang the body from the pick-up jack that I installed (I think this only works because it is so light) and the neck by some wire strung through one of the screw holes. I used a little painters tape so I would not get it in the top of the fret board (It is not recommended to finish the top of a fret board, I only did the sides). Tore up an old t-shirt to wipe on the Tung oil finish (not actually all oil, I used a modified Tung oil so it has some polyurethane in it)
After a regimen of 6 thin coats of Tung oil, sand with 400 grit sandpaper, another 3 heavy coats of Tung oil, sand with 400 grit sandpaper, followed by 6 thin coats of Tung oil, sand with 400 grit sandpaper , then 600 grit sandpaper. ending with 1 last really really thin coat of Tung oil (Just enough to make it shine and remove sanding marks) I was done. Took about a week to do, but there were issues.
The neck is perfect, no issues, it was with the body that things turned out a little ugly. As you can see in the pictures there are spots. I tried sanding them out but I can only conclude that it is glue from the “plywood” top that seeped through and there was no way to remove it. It is only visible in certain lighting situations. If It was a professionally made instrument it would have been scrapped or thrown away for such defects but I just figured I would soldier on with the build and roll with it and report my issues.
Back Issues. You can see the same type spots that are on the front
- Front Finish Issues. You can see the Spots on the left side by the mouth.
Assembly
A Closer look on how the Neck and Body are Joined
I could bore you with how good I am at following directions, and they are pretty good, I will only touch on what I did and note some interesting things that I encountered.
I will start with attaching the neck to the box. Unlike a normal uke neck that is glued on, the only thing glued to the body is the end of the fret board. The actual neck is held in place with an L bracket and two screws. The beauty of this design, if you follow the templates given, it gives you the ability to adjust the action, kind of acting like a truss rod in a guitar, And I used it to get the best action possible.
The other place of note that I have is with the optional tuning block (I would not do this kit unless I had it). Since the box is a bit shallower that a normal cigar box I had to shorten it about 1/8th of an inch to make it flush with the bottom of the box. With that I also rounded all the edges and did a few coats of the Tung oil. Beyond that I attached it as center as possible, this time I used the extra fret wire to make sure the strings don’t dig into the box.
Tuning Block
Beyond that I put the strings on and slipped the bridge into place, and tuned it. From there it is just some minor adjustments of moving the bridge for intonation (If you look it is a little crooked, that is to compensate for the minor differences that are needed between the G and A strings), and tightening the screw that attaches the neck to the body to lower the strings a little bit.
Final Thoughts
I have a long way until I would say that this ukulele is finished. I want to tweak it until I am absolutely happy with it, don’t get me wrong I could stop here but that is not my style. My plan is to change the strings to either Worth or Aquila, install some strap buttons, and make sure the strings don’t pop out while playing.
Decrotive Hindges
The kits from Papa’s Boxes are the best I have seen around. You can go to places like Mainland Ukes and buy a premade neck and then figure out the bridge, or even go and make a neck yourself. Both are just other paths to go. I don’t have the tools and expertise to do those, that is why this kit rocks. The neck is made, the bridge is done and since it is floating it is forgiving on placement.
Please do not get me wrong, this is a serious kit, you can screw it up if you are not detailed oriented. The best rules to live by for this and any other project is:
1. Measure, Measure, and re-measure
2. Dry fit before you commit. Don’t glue, drill, or screw until you are sure.
3. You are never done. You can always go back and correct or at least cover up your mistakes. Sometimes the worst things can turnout good if you put your mind to it.
The next post on this will be next year. Expect it to follow a few others, but it will be on how I made it better or at least how I tried.
Enjoy my video below.
Papas Boxes Concert Build: The Box
December 22, 2009 at 2:22 am | Posted in Brands, General, Papas Boxes, Products | Leave a CommentTags: cigar, cigar box, DIY, home made, learning, posts, uke, ukulele
Current Dry Fit
Being that the cigar box is the main part of a cigar box ukulele I felt I had to make it really interesting and fun. Since I used a box that never held a cigar in its life I also had to make it look like a cigar box, but how to do that is a challenge. On the other hand since it was not a real cigar box it gave me a great opportunity to do whatever I wanted, so I did!
The first thing I did was separate the top from the bottom by removing the hinges, they would not let the box close and I knew I would be gluing it shut anyways.
AnaRosa Guitars logo on the Top of the box
Since all cigar boxes have a logo or brand on the top of the lid I had to find something that would do the same thing. I toyed with a play on Ukeeku, or my last name, and then I remembered that I have the perfect logo, a small guitar import company that my friend started called AnaRosa Guitars. It is really nice, and I have used the logo for a few other ukes that I customized. Now how do I get the logo on the ukulele? I could have painted it on, bought some transfer paper that I printed it on, but in the end I laser etched it on, essentially burned it on. The really awesome people who work in the signs and promo area at the school I work at agreed to burn the logo on the back and whatever other design I had for the front.
Laser engraving the top design, on its first pass
Basically it is a laser engraver that can etch metal, wood, stone, just about anything. The one issue was that it was not powerful enough to cut through, no big deal. So I gave them the .eps file of the logo on the back and the design for the front. It took 3 passes to really carve the designs into the box. This type laser is found in most awards and trophy places. It is how they engrave the plaques and stuff. I have found that they will like you better if you give them the design in a vector format like an .EPS or illustrator file. That way they have to do a lot less work to prep your design to be burned on to the wood.
UKEEKU.COM pattern in the tiki
The top is a tiki, obviously, but I used UKEEKU.COM as the texture in the tiki to give it some interest and to promote my blog (Sorry, had to get my site on there somewhere). I had the line for the mouth cut in by the laser but I had to go back in and cut it out with a little coping saw (not fun). I refined the sound hole with some rasps. One note of issues that I had at this point: Since the box is plywood it kind of splintered inside around the mouth. Not a huge deal.
T block before it was glued in
Now for Bracing. The last time I made one of these I was confused by this step. This time I read the directions several times and I referenced this book: Ukulele Design and Construction by Henry Wickman. Since the top was thick I figured that I would need less bracing to keep it flat, hence the single brace near the sound hole. Where I messed up my last build was with the T block that you use for the side the neck will attach to the box. On my first cigar box uke I glued the top of the T to the top of the box. When really what that is for is to be a brace for the side of the box so it has more structure for when you attach the neck.
Close up of the brace glued to the top
As you can see I modified the bracing by cutting some wood off and making it more like regular bracing you would see in a professionally made instrument. I even rounded off all the corners that were not going to be glued down. I then glued the end blocks in and the bracing in the middle. As you can see I used 2 basic clips with a small piece of wood on the outside part of the box so I did not dent it. The bracing in the middle I just held in place with my hand for an hour. (I don’t have a clamp that would work that did not tip it on its side)
Lable on the inside.
- Top with clamps holding the end blocks in place
GRRRRR. Pickup plug damage
The last thing I did, before gluing the box shut, was to install the pickup, should have been easy. I figured out where to put it, marked the hole, and then drilled what I thought would be the right size hole, I was really wrong. The hole was way too small and I do not have a bit big enough to make the hole any bigger. So I fudged it a little, but that only lead me to realize that the pickup plug is too shallow to make it all the way through the side wall. At this point I was pissed because I accidentally chipped the wood on the outside when I drilled the hole. I ended up carving out the hole on the inside to a depth that I could secure the end (See picture to see the damage).
Pickup glued and taped down
I then glued down the pickup and taped down the wire, so it wouldn’t buzz, with Gorilla tape.
After everything was burned, the sound hole cut, supports in place, pickup installed, and box glued shut I started to sand. One of the things that I look for in a nice instrument is how it was finished. I am not just talking about the lacquer, but if the person making it thought about comfort. Since you hold most ukuleles up by wedging it between your body and arm, the edges need to be rounded. In general I like no hard edges at all. I rounded every corner on the box with some rough 80 grit sandpaper (DO NOT SAND THE TOP OR BOTTOM, YOU COULD SAND OFF THE DESIGN). I then moved to a 400 Grit to sand the rest of the box and the edges I sanded down. The box was pretty smooth when I bought it so not much sanding was needed.
Box in bondage
This is already long enough. Thank you for sticking with me this far, I am currently working on a tung oil finish for the neck and box. That is where I will start in the next post when I am assembling the thing.
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