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Pauline Leland
`Olu`olu
USA
783 Posts |
 Posted - 06/24/2002 : 9:01:30 PM
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I was gone for the morning, antsy because UPS was delivering my new uke today, and there it was on the doorstep. Ignoring the warning sign about finish checking due to sudden temperature changes, I ripped the carton open, stopped to collect the plastic peanuts (more like ribbon candy), and pulled out my new Fluke uke.
I've been plinking it, off and on, all afternoon. It's sooo cute! And so much fun! The tone doesn't compare to a guitar, but it's not bad. I heard some at a dealers that were really bad, as bad as the tone samples for tuning in the site Andy gave a link to, http://www.sheep-entertainment.nl/ukulele/chordfinder.html The Fluke is fuller, rounder, (I feel like I'm dancing about architecture) more pleasing to my ear. I've even been working on a tune, a single note melody.
That's where a problem started. Sometimes the intonation on the second, E, string is way off. The little stinker is hard to keep in tune, I think it's new nylon string stretchies, so I have to fiddle with the knobs a lot. Even beyond that, when the E string is tuned correctly per the electronic tuner, the fretted notes on that string are sharp, anywhere from 5 to 20 cents by the electronic tuner. I've tried tuning the string to the fretted notes, and the flattened open string sounds OK(?!!). If it gets too sour, I stop and retune.
Any suggestions? Should I be patient until the strings settle in? Could the strings be bad? I don't have any replacements, darn; I should have ordered spare strings at the same time. The fretboard has a zero fret and the string appears to make contact with it. Am I expecting too much from an ukulele? What have your experiences been?
I hope I don't have to return this to Elderly, but I'm beginning to wonder. I'm not a tuning freak, and this is bad enough to bother me. I haven't noticed this problem on other strings, but this little tune is almost all on E, #2.
Pauline
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Pops
Lokahi
USA
387 Posts |
Posted - 06/24/2002 : 9:11:49 PM
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Pauline,
Is our E string problem still happening? New nylon strings can be funky for a while so try it for a few days. If it's still sharp/flat, I'd call Elderly. I've returned things to them and they've been very accomodating, no hassles.
warmest aloha,
Pops
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Pauline Leland
`Olu`olu
USA
783 Posts |
Posted - 06/24/2002 : 9:24:52 PM
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I've also wondered if I'm bending the strings sharp. Don't think so, but...
BTW, any string suggestions? What's with black strings?
Pauline |
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Pops
Lokahi
USA
387 Posts |
Posted - 06/24/2002 : 10:17:43 PM
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I have a Mango Fluke that I love and black strings just look cool on it. I have it strung with clear D'Addario string now and that sound and play fine but aesthetically, the black strings are pretty neat.
I once read a post on another web site about black vs. clear strings and a fellow gave a lot of reasons why clear strings don't project as well, etc., but I have to admit when I was done with his explanation I was of the opinion that only a dog's ears could tell the difference.
By the way, did you get a concert or tenor model and what flavor?
peace, Pops
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Pauline Leland
`Olu`olu
USA
783 Posts |
Posted - 06/24/2002 : 10:54:17 PM
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Coming from the classical side (translation - I hang on CG fora, too) I'd suspect that clear nylon is better, just 'cause that's how the horribly expensive strings du jour are. Black looks good, tho.
It's a concert, but I wish now I'd picked a tenor. My voice can't hit the highs, so (after I posted the above) I tuned down two intervals. I love that little beast, I don't want to send it back. It's sort of like having a puppy. I have an elegant wolfhound (classical guitar) but the puppy is so much fun to play with.
Flavor - beast, I guess. I got the spotty leopard for fun. Out with understated elegance!
Pauline |
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ukejackson
Akahai
USA
93 Posts |
Posted - 06/24/2002 : 10:58:43 PM
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Pauline, check your tuner and make sure it's set at 440. likewise, give the strings some time.
clear vs. black strings: o used to think there couldn't be that much difference. but of late i've been comparing and have come to the conclusion that black strings do give a warmer tone with more projection. no idea why, but there you go. in any case, give the strings some time to settle, and don't EVER buy the yellow kooalau (sp?) strings. i found them to be abysmal.
btw, the intoantion on the fluke has to be right on -- that's the whole purpose of molded plastic fretboards. if yours is off, hundreds if not thousands of others are off, too. i mean it could always be one of those fluke things (sorry. couldn't resist) but it is unlikely to be the fretboard.
if you do decide to return the fluke, i highly recommend the triumph concert uke as a wooden starter uke. very well made of laminated nato. well dressed frets and good intonation up the neck. it's also freestanding like the fluke. i have one that's my knockaround uke, and a number of people i've recommended it to are happy with it. i even recorded a few cuts on my cds with mine. i think the total with a shaped chipboard case and shipping runs around $110. again, you'll want to order black strings for it, imabho.
Uke Jackson, from farmers markets to festival mainstages, from crossroads cafes to cosmopolitan cabarets |
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marzullo
`Olu`olu
USA
923 Posts |
Posted - 06/25/2002 : 6:09:46 PM
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aloha e pauline,
for what it is worth, i had a similar problem with two of my ukes when i first started playing. it turns out that it is very easy to bend the strings on most ukuleles, especially smaller ones, by pressing too hard. it will make the string go noticably sharp. try playing it with a more gentle left hand and see what happens.
i've had problems with flukes going out of tune more quickly than other ukuleles, but that may just be me.
the black strings are more of a hawaiian thing; martin strings are clear, and ko'olau strings are yellow. they sound different: ko'olau seem to be tbe most meaty and martin the most delicate. i play with hilo blacks.
quote:
It's a concert, but I wish now I'd picked a tenor. My voice can't hit the highs, so (after I posted the above) I tuned down two intervals.
sounds like a perfect excuse to me for getting another ukulele! they like company, you know...
tuning it down can exacerbate the strings going sharp when played with a heavy left hand. a tenor is tuned like a soprano and concert, and so you'd not notice any difference (tenors are louder and fuller sounding; there's more air moving in them). you can always play the songs in more comfortable keys.
what tunes are you working on? "hawaiian war chant" is gratifyingly easy, take a look at jim beloff's version in his hawaiian songs book.
aloha,
keith
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Pauline Leland
`Olu`olu
USA
783 Posts |
Posted - 06/25/2002 : 7:48:54 PM
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Thanks for suggestions, all.
I'm working from Heeday Kimura's How to Play Ukulele Solos by "Ear", Hawaiian Style, revised 1992. It starts with the melody line from "Michael Row the Boat Ashore" and "Old Smokey" then starts adding chords. Today I've just been practicing chord changes and haven't noticed the sharp notes I heard in "Michael". I think now it was strings or bending. Of course, that's what I want to believe. The sharping occurred with normal tuning, darn.
Kimura's book is a fun one, all done by hand, even the chord chart grids. He drew his own illustrations on how to hold the hand, the uke, tap rhythm with the foot, and threw in occasional corny cartoons. It looks to be a good book, covers several kinds of strums and single and 4-string tremolo, with 20-plus songs.
Side note - are all uke frets as diminutive as the Fluke's? They are more a suggestion on where to place the fingers than a fret. I don't have a way to measure them, but eye-balling, they must be only 0.5 mm high.
Aloha,
Pauline |
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wdf
Ha`aha`a
USA
1153 Posts |
Posted - 06/26/2002 : 12:16:38 AM
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Pauline,
The Fluke is the brainchild of Jim Beloff. Drop him an email at jim @ fleamarketmusic.com and ask his advice.
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Dusty |
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ukejackson
Akahai
USA
93 Posts |
Posted - 06/26/2002 : 10:08:09 AM
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Dusty,
actually, the fluke is the brainchild of jim's brother-in-law. he's a designer in connecticut. jim's the promoter/impresario.
i had my table next to the fluke family's table last year at the uke expo. they are all a great bunch of people and i'm sure someone among them will help Pauline with her questions, if she hasn't already resolved them with a lighter touch (as it sounds may be the case.)
btw, i don't own a fluke. but those that i've played were quite a bit of fun and sounded sweet.
peace,
uke jackson
Uke Jackson, from farmers markets to festival mainstages, from crossroads cafes to cosmopolitan cabarets |
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Pauline Leland
`Olu`olu
USA
783 Posts |
Posted - 06/29/2002 : 7:53:42 PM
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Ukejackson, you're right, the intonation problems are going away. They may have been player induced.
Anyone considering a Fluke, please be assured. They do have a sweet tone, too. The fun factor of a uke is off the chart.
Aloha,
Pauline |
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