Can a £20 uke be any good? VIDEO/PICS added 22-1-18

Wow that was a great deal no wonder they sold out, well worth a punt I'll keep a eye out for them, thanks 👍👍👍

I'll be with you in Apple Blossom Time (Tilzer/Fleeson, 1920) is a grand tune. The Andrews Sisters had a hit with it in 1941. I first heard it in the early 1950s played and sung by my Ma on the piano and was entranced by it even then. Strangely I only found out a year ago, when sorting out Ma's stuff after her death, that as a teenager she had played piano in an amateur dance band.

The Enya uke seems to like the tune too. Had to use the supplied strap though as I found holding this shape of uke for anything other than thrashy strummage a bit of a problem - there's not enough body below the bridge. The bridge is in a silly place for sound too, and as such the uke is pretty quiet, though it matters little for recording. The tone is pleasant, and reasonably sustaining over the first few frets at least.

Very light and well-balanced instrument despite the body shape. The HPL is pleasant to the touch and looks passably like wood too - the edges of the sheets are black but the body joints exposure of this looks almost like proper binding.

The HPL body seems well put together; the mahogany neck and fretwork even more so. The fingerboard has a slightly rounded edge, which makes for a very playable neck. Nut (bone) action is spot on and the compensated bone saddle results in pretty good intonation except higher up on the 3rd string.

The 12th fret action is OK, though I'd prefer it a bit lower. There is scope for lowering the saddle, but as the neck is removeable thanks to a strap button bolt (allen key supplied), maybe I can improve things with a bit of shimming; we'll see.

The supplied strings are way too floppy, so some experimenting will be needed before I think about taking the neck off.

Nice geared tuners with fancy buttons too.

All in all a pretty nifty instrument, esp for quiet late-night noodling, or slinging in the car in its padded, zip pocketed, shoulder-strapped gig-bag.

Such a pity these have now gone from Amazon. £20 was the best musical bargain I've ever come across, esp as it included delivery and more than £20 quids worth of bits and pieces. The RRP was original reputed to be over £100, which would be pushing it I think, though they had been selling for a startlingly reasonable £45 before the short-lived £20 offer - presumably to clear out the remaining few prior to reintroduction at a higher price...?

I'll see about getting some pics done, hopefully later today, if I can.

Keith

Here's the whole package - very strong double boxes, zippy uppy little bag, leaflets/brochures, picks, plastic capo, allen key, strings, cloth, clip on tuner, finger shaker, gigbag, strap and even a ukulele!




The gigbag is OK!








The uke is more than OK!










Keith

Always hard to resist a well-filled package.

Keith

Can you play Orinoco Flow on it?

Nice vid, Keith. I guess you could make a lump of concrete with frets sound good.

My only concern is the risk of the shape creating a subliminal desire for a banjo and that, I should hope, would be a criminal offence were children involved.


Brian