Post by fuzzbox on Sept 18, 2021 12:26:39 GMT
I decided I needed a “holiday” uke, specifically for camping. I often fall into the trap of buying better than I require, believing I’m getting a superior instrument but then deciding that said instrument is too good for the intention that I originally purchased it. I am stumbling towards a wider point that I’ll make later.
So I set myself some rules. Tenor scale, case included, able to withstand regular outdoor use and the changeable UK climate. Budget as near to £100 as possible. I don’t really want to bond with it. It just needs to be playable. It needs to be hung up in a tent or spend the night in a car. I’m not backpacking or paddling a canoe with it.
So here’s what I got the Enya EUT X1. Okay, I’ll get this out of the way quickly, so those that wish to run to the hills screaming can do so. It’s not wood. It’s HPL. That’s Formica for those of a certain age. It is in what Enya describe as their beginner range. A traditional look with a 3 point crown slotted headstock.
The neck is mahogany, though the curved fingerboard and bridge is Richlite. Enya comes out of a large China factory and appear to be carving out a respectable niche for their selves, with regards to using non-wood materials. (“Eco-friendly” gets bandied about a lot, but this thing must be chock full of chemicals so I’m not sure exactly how wholesome it is.) Bracing and kerfing is also real wood. Tuners are open gears on plastic plates and feel smooth.
Does it sound plastic? In a word, yes. But to complain about that would be akin to saying lemons taste lemony. It’s not a bad plastic sound. Bright but not shrill. Reasonable sustain and adequate volume. There’s a nice string separation that makes for crisp strumming and detailed picking. The softer feeling Enya branded strings aren’t getting the best reviews so perhaps a string change would improve things even further.
The entire package is the ukulele and a 10mm foam padded fabric gigbag. In a faux-leather zip bag comes a strap, capo, tuner, 2 picks, finger shaker, cleaning cloth and spare set of strings. Oh, and an allen key which you can use to unscrew the front strap button and releasing the neck from its dovetail to allow for even smaller packing. All the gear looks to be of reasonable quality for the price.
Which was...£89.99! I’d seen it as high as £139.99. At that price there would have been lots of other contenders and I’m not sure this Enya would be worth that, but for 90 quid it’s great.
Action, string alignment and tuning (compensated saddle)are spot on. Fit, finish, fretwork are excellent with tight tolerances everywhere. The curved fingerboard even has rolled edges.
If any of you are expecting me to proclaim that this curious collection of moonman materials is the greatest ukulele ever built, you’ll be disappointed. No it isn’t. It is however such great value at a position in the market where a single strap button is often regarded as a luxury. If you’re a beginner and know nothing, all you can reasonably expect is that your first cheap uke is half decent and fault free. Enya appear to be offering this consistant, predictable level of value and quality without the risk.
To sum up, could I have bought better? I could have bought different with a particular aspect that was better. But I struggle to imagine any package as complete and at such good value for money.