Sadly, two independent musical instruments stores in my area recently closed permanently and a third in a nearby city is struggling to stay in business. I think that the online sellers are killing local shops like Walmart killed local retailers through price undercutting.
I've bought many inexpensive ukuleles on Amazon and eBay. They often needed some tender loving care to file off sharp protruding fret wires or to file down random high fret wires that caused string buzz. So check your purchase carefully while you can still return it.
Nice review of everyday ukes for everyday players. My first uke was not very expensive but it got me playing and really loving the ukulele. All of them sound very nice. Support your local music store. peace out.
I have a Kmise concert ukulele in my collection too and have been very impressed with it. I bought it several years ago from eBay and have enjoyed playing it enormously. It's quite loud and arrived perfectly set up as far as I'm concerned.
My uke-bass is a Kmise. Made it fretless and added Kala flat-wounds. Love it! $190 canadian with all the kit. My barytone is a Honolua from Alberta Canada! Very good quality ukes...
I bought my first ukes (soprano and a few years later, the baritone) at a local music store. 12:24 I was very satisfied, but when I wanted to switch to uke bass, the local stores didn't have any uke basses, so I got my first bass from an online store (Music Store) and my second bass uke (fretless - Batking) came from Amazon. All quite ok. Now I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of a more expensive (APC - custom made fretless) uke bass, which I will pick up myself at a store (2 hrs drive from where I live). It should arrive in about 2 or 3 weeks. I sure hope it will be worth the money. The first ones were worth the money! Keep on your great work!
After various ukuleles and my time noticing the nuances. I can say they are worth it depending on your expectation. After a certain price point the improvements are gradual. I would say my Enya S-1 Tenor is 80% of what my Kanilea K1 tenor. But at about 20% of the cost. Does it mean it’s 80% better? No. But as you reach that threshold incremental improvements in an instrument are pricier.
An interesting subject. I've bought Ukuleles from eBay that have been sold by music stores not local to me. My last purchase was a Makala Baritone from Clifford Essex Music. I love my Kmise Concert, nothing special, but it is robust & takes quite a knocking as it's left out to easily pick up & play.
Hi Rachel, I've had 3 ukes and one banjolele from Amazon and had no problem with any of them. The furst was a Flight Pineapple, the other two were Enyas and the banjolele a Kmise. If we had a local music store selling ukes I would support it. Thanks for the reviews, not a lot to choose between them I didnt think. But I do like that green one! x
Off topic, but when Rachel brought up the Amazon link for the Kmise, there was a line about the Amazon credit card with a 39.7% variable rate. Ouch! Seems predatory.
Pin bridges aren't great iron ukulele because the strings don't come with ball ends like acoustic guitar strings. So I wouldn't say they are straight forward. You have lots of ukulele content on your channel reviews, songs and some tutorials.
hi there, can you tell me how to re-string a 0.197 rubber E that has no ball end? edit: actually checked your restring vid and during the removal, i can see they're just huge knots... 😅
