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JeffC
Lokahi
USA
189 Posts |
 Posted - 02/20/2007 : 10:14:39 AM
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First off, my apologies up front to those who will know exactly what string I tried searching for, to avoid having to ask this question again. Really, truly, I spent about an hour, but couldn't find a string or a combination of strings that I'm pretty sure I read a year or so ago, germain to this very question I'm gonna throw out again.
I'm looking for a good sounding ukulele that won't break the bank to get for my kids. I'd like for my girls to be able to have unlimited access to an ukulele. They are 4 and 6 years old and get the fact that Daddy's guitars and his one ukulele are not for them to play with unsupervised. I'd like to have something available to them, which I won't worry about them bumping, scratching, or accidentally dropping, but which is well enough made to sound good and be pleasant to play.
Less than $100 would be nice, but I'm interested in whatever input you have (including those old posted I couldn't find  ).
Mahalo
JC
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Jeff
Making Trout Country safe for Slack Key! |
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Lawrence
Ha`aha`a
USA
1597 Posts |
Posted - 02/20/2007 : 10:31:04 AM
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You can get a Bushman Jenny for about that much.
They sound good enough for Gryphon Strings in Palo Alto to carry them,
and These guys are picky (pun intended) about such things.
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Mahope Kākou...
...El Lorenzo de Ondas Sonoras |
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hapakid
Luna Ho`omalu
USA
1533 Posts |
Posted - 02/20/2007 : 11:52:50 AM
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Bushman, Lanikai, Fluke and a few others (probably made in the same factories in China) represent the sub-$200 range of playable ukes. Mahalo brand and many others represent the sub-$50 range and are generally not very good, especially at staying in tune. I've bought on Ebay and from www.ukuleleworld.com and gotten good deals on Chinese-made ukes. But if they get serious about playing, you'll also want to change the strings to get more volume and mellower tone.
Jesse Tinsley |
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Mika ele
Ha`aha`a
USA
1493 Posts |
Posted - 02/20/2007 : 12:30:37 PM
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| Flukes are dang near kid-proof. You can bounce 'em off the floor and they will keep on ticking. The sound is good enough for your plans. |
E nana, e ho'olohe. E pa'a ka waha, e hana ka lima. |
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javeiro
Lokahi
USA
459 Posts |
Posted - 02/20/2007 : 6:52:20 PM
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| Another recommendation for the Fluke. I bought one for my grandson when he was 7 (he just turned thirteen) and it still looks and sounds as good as the day I bought it for him and he plays it all the time. |
Aloha,
John A. |
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Pauline Leland
`Olu`olu
USA
783 Posts |
Posted - 02/20/2007 : 8:01:40 PM
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The soprano scale Flea may fit your daughters better.
The colored Mahalos, U30(?) model, are said to be fairly decent. They are really cheap, about $30, and come in a variety of colors that would appeal to kids.
The triangular bodied Triumph is about that price, very sturdy, sound is decent they say, but it doesn't look like Daddy's instruments so it may be less appealing to the girls.
Tune them to taropatch, sort of, drop the A string, and the girls can start making music on the open strings. |
Pauline |
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andyjade
Akahai
USA
51 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2007 : 07:38:30 AM
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| Not sure how kid-friendly it is, but my Lanikai tenor is an absolute jewel...... |
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JeffC
Lokahi
USA
189 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2007 : 07:52:22 AM
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Mahalo for the information so far. I have played a couple of Flukes and was impressed with the sound. Pauline brings up a good point about the fit of the instruments to the players. When I play my uke, I most often stand up. When I was getting started, though, I was sitting all the time with the instrument in my lap. Almost certainly the girls will be doing the same. How does the triangular shape of the Fluke work for that position, for keiki or adults? Would the oval bottom of the Flea be better?
Another apology for my ignorance; I am the lone slack guitarist in the wilderness of NE California, who also dabbles occasionally with the ukulele, but there's nobody up here to play with, so my kanikapila experience and real knowledge of ukulele is pretty limited... Is the difference between concerts and sopranos just scale length? The strings are tuned the same, so playing along with Dad offers no difficulties?
Thank you all again for your input.
Jeff |
Jeff
Making Trout Country safe for Slack Key! |
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Lawrence
Ha`aha`a
USA
1597 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2007 : 09:42:35 AM
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One note about the Flukes (pun intended again), they cost around $200.
You said your limit was $100, which Fits the Bushman Jenny better.
Also the Jenny is a Soprano and the regular Fluke is a bigish Concert.
We have both (and a Lanikai and a Kamaka) and I generally like the
sound of all of them (Kamaka is best - no surprise!). However the fluke
did not hold up all that well after Falling off the kitchen counter,
still playable, but the top chipped and separated a little. (My fault -
which is how the Bushman arrived  )
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Mahope Kākou...
...El Lorenzo de Ondas Sonoras |
Edited by - Lawrence on 02/21/2007 09:42:58 AM |
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andyjade
Akahai
USA
51 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2007 : 10:22:26 AM
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| I believe the tunings are the same, and that the main difference is body size. I'm a tenor player, so I could be wrong..... |
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Pops
Lokahi
USA
387 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2007 : 2:20:52 PM
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Jeff,
As noted above, the Fluke and the Flea are great for the money. I have two Kamakas and a Fluke which I started on. It fits fine in your lap if you're sitting. Too many of the more traditional ukes that I've played in the sub-$200 price range just plain disapointed me with their craftsmanship and sound. While they're funky looking, the Fluke and Flea are well made and will last if you take normal care of them. Good luck! |
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Absolute
Lokahi
275 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2007 : 3:00:17 PM
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I KNOW ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ABOUT COMMERCIALLY MANUFACTURED UKULELES. Having said that, you may want to take a look at the link below, which was making me think that someday I might know something about this particular, commercially manufactured ukulele.
http://www.ukuleleworld.com/uw_con.html#ou5
I'm not making a recommendation, but it certainly LOOKS like a nice instrument. Of course that's what matters, right, how it looks? The one below it at this link is right at $109.00, but it doesn't have the koa look to it. Best of luck. |
Thank you. |
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Absolute
Lokahi
275 Posts |
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hapakid
Luna Ho`omalu
USA
1533 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2007 : 3:56:27 PM
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The Oscar Schmidt/Aloha brand work okay (and look good), but they're built a little heavier than the similar Lanikai so I don't think they're as loud.
But virtually all Chinese made ukes come with skinny black strings and will benefit from a heavier string to make them louder. Spending the $5-$9 for a set of Worths/Aquila/Ko'olau Golds is a good idea even if its just for kids.
Jesse Tinsley |
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Tonya
Lokahi
USA
177 Posts |
Posted - 02/22/2007 : 06:46:51 AM
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For the "slightly higher than $100" cost for two young players, I'd go with the Fleas. Cute colors, sturdy as heck. They'll put out lots of sound, stay in tune nicely and your girls will be thrilled. I've had experience buying direct from the FMM folks for a Fluke that had a very minor (cosmetic only) flaw for a decent discount. Call them directly and see what they might have that would fit that category in the Flea lineup. I also think the shape/size of the Flea (while it has a "rounded" shape, it still can "stand up" on its own) would be easier for a smaller body to hold on to than the Fluke.
If you'd like to spend the $30 for the Mahalo (or you want the "traditional" shape), I can vouch that they're a good beginner, don't worry-about-it, throw-it-in-the-backseat instrument--but *only* if you put Aquila strings on 'em. My college son loves his brown Mahalo and says he doesn't want a replacement for it because he'd rather have an ukulele he can take with him to the beach and not worry about. It could use some fret dressing, but is very playable and (with the Aquila strings) has a pretty astounding amount of sound.
The tenor, concert and soprano can all be tuned re-entrant GCEA just fine. The success in low-G tuning on a soprano is questionable (note that I didn't say 'impossible'); I've heard many concerts tuned low G. |
http://www.uketreasures.com
http://www.ukuleletonya.com |
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JeffC
Lokahi
USA
189 Posts |
Posted - 02/22/2007 : 08:23:02 AM
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Thanks again one and all. While it would be nice to spend less than $100, I think I'm leaning toward the Fluke or Flea. No offense Absolute, but I'm more into the sound than just cosmetics (that said, my own instrument was a carefully selected hand-made koa in which I wanted both). At this time, I'm looking at just getting one instrument that the girls can pick up whenever they want. If they both need to play at the same time, I can get mine out and make sure they are supervised.
We are all taking a short trip to Ashland Oregon over my girls spring school break and I know a few music stores in that area, at least one of which carries some Flukes. I'll find out if they carry the Fleas as well. I'll take some for a test drive before I commit.
Thanks also for the info on the info on strings, Jesse, and the tuning, Tonya. This helps a lot. I don't spend as much time on the Uke side of the patch. You guys are great! (I know Jesse, because he plays both sides  ).
Mahalo |
Jeff
Making Trout Country safe for Slack Key! |
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