Show off your cheap ukes!

[spongeuke]

This was cheap when new. now?

 

[SleepyheadRooster]

I teach beginners with this sometimes. It was under $40 when I got it maybe 5-6 years ago. Surprisingly, it plays and stays in tune and doesn’t sound bad. Of course, I don’t play it much past the fifth fret.

It’s great for stickers too!

 

[Captain Simian]

Over the weekend I scored a couple of new ukes. On the left is some generic, modern concert banjo uke. I got it for free off a local FB free stuff page that the CFO is on. Two tuners were fried and no bridge or backplate. I installed some new friction tuners and by some miracle I actually had an old bridge low enough so that everything is mostly in tune. I had no strings so I took them off another banjo uke, I was anxious to see if everything would turn out like I was hoping and it did.

On the right is a Maccaferri TV Pal that I found in a comic book store for $5. Unfortunately it is barely playable. The action is very low, almost too low. Eventually she’s going to go wall hanger on me but sounds just like other vintage plastic ukes.

 

[badhabits]

$9 uke from goodwill...bought for a project, that has the potential to destroy it ... Stay tuned!

 

[Farkvam]

I’ve had a few cheap ukes in the past, including my first which was a Hilo 2652. The worst uke I’ve had, but still inspired a lot of fun. I don’t have a photo of it.

My other three cheapies were the three on the left of the photo below: Aklot concert, Ohana PK-10 and a very cheap kit concert uke off of eBay. The Aklot and Ohana sounded fantastic actually.


Here’s a better shot of the kit uke, which my parents now have. I need to figure out how to fix the intonation on it somehow, otherwise it has a decent tone. I kind of want to take it to a luthier because I spent a month’s effort on it and want it to be more playable, but I’m not sure what would be involved cost-wise.

 

[Dave Holiday]

I’ve had a few cheap ukes in the past, including my first which was a Hilo 2652. The worst uke I’ve had, but still inspired a lot of fun. I don’t have a photo of it.

My other three cheapies were the three on the left of the photo below: Aklot concert, Ohana PK-10 and a very cheap kit concert uke off of eBay. The Aklot and Ohana sounded fantastic actually.
View attachment 168103

Here’s a better shot of the kit uke, which my parents now have. I need to figure out how to fix the intonation on it somehow, otherwise it has a surprisingly decent tone. I kind of want to take it to a luthier because I spent a month’s effort on it and want it to be more playable, but I’m not sure what would be involved cost-wise.
View attachment 168105

I am interested in what you thought of the Aklot. I'd like to get a decent but very inexpensive concert uke

 

[Farkvam]

I am interested in what you thought of the Aklot. I'd like to get a decent but very inexpensive concert uke

It was actually a surprisingly good uke for the price. I had later bought a ukulele that was more than three times the cost and was disappointed it didn't sound as nice as the Aklot to my ears. I did have two Aklots at different points, both a soprano and a concert and both were great. The soprano had some sharp frets, but other than that I was pleased enough to recommend one to a friend and he liked his as well. Keep in mind the company says "solid mahogany" but it's only a solid top. Still, it's a very reasonable price for a solid top.

 

[Dave Holiday]

It was actually a surprisingly good uke for the price. I had later bought a ukulele that was more than three times the cost and was disappointed it didn't sound as nice as the Aklot to my ears. I did have two Aklots at different points, both a soprano and a concert and both were great. The soprano had some sharp frets, but other than that I was pleased enough to recommend one to a friend and he liked his as well. Keep in mind the company says "solid mahogany" but it's only a solid top. Still, it's a very reasonable price for a solid top.

Thanks so much for the review!

 

[Pyewacket]

Enya HPL Pineapple Soprano @$58 with tax ($51 on sale plus "spring sale discount")

and

Enya HPL Tenor @$92 with tax ($85 on sale and with "spring sale discount")

I'm just going straight to a stock photo as it is 5 AM and I have been up when I shouldn't have been for a couple of hours now LOL! That is, however, my pineapple in my avatar to the left there. I just ordered the Tenor and it should be here this weekend. So I couldn't take a picture of it yet. And the Mini Coco I bought for my grandson is at my son's house, so ... stock photo again.

This is every version of the Enya HPL line:



From left to right are the Pineapple soprano, soprano, tenor, concert

Mini coco, which is the same as their Mini U only in kiddy colors - $39 with some other kiddy instruments (but no gig bag or tuner) at Amazon



I was babysitting my grandson last night and we played our ukes. Well, he plucked the strings on his once in awhile while telling me "MORE!" if I stopped playing mine LOL! At least I got plenty of practice. One of the tuners on his is loose, not sure exactly what the issue is but it probably needs to be replaced. I COULD send it back but I'd rather try to get a replacement tuner. No need for the whole thing to end up in a landfill before its time.

I haven't really compared the sound between the pineapple and my grandson's mini U, but I find both perfectly acceptable. Actually I'm VERY happy with my pineapple, and looking forward to getting my HPL Tenor.

 

[John Colter]

This is my favourite cheap uke. I bought two; one for me and one for a friend. These little Aiersi Pineapples cost about £30 each (inc. p&p) direct from China. They arrived with decent strings and perfectly set up. The bodies are from High Pressure Laminate. Model no. SU-021P

They both play really well and sound much better than they have any right to!

 

[Shari]

And this is only the start.....

 

[Pyewacket]

@Shari

I like what you did there with the coat hanger ...

 

[Melodytchi]

Dug this out of my closet, a bit dusty. The cat was very intrigued.

Woodnote WK-700M

Goes for $90 at Walmart nowadays but it was much cheaper ($50 maybe?) when I got it years ago. Well, my mom got it for me so it was free to me! Had this for about 7 years now but never played consistently O-o

Edit: Found it on Amazon for $60!

 

[ploverwing]

Dug this out of my closet, a bit dusty. The cat was very intrigued.

Woodnote WK-700M

Goes for $90 at Walmart nowadays but it was much cheaper ($50 maybe?) when I got it years ago. Well, my mom got it for me so it was free to me! Had this for about 7 years now but never played consistently O-o

Edit: Found it on Amazon for $60!

I'm particularly fond of the kitteh photobombing.

 

[Poul Hansen]

40 $ for a mint(wink wink nudge nudge) Enya U

 

[chris667]

Well, this came up on a certain auction website, listed as an "Entry level instrument".

It's a Bruko no 3, made sometime between 1950-1970ish (in the 1970s they started branding them inside the soundhole). Solid maple, and in really good condition. £47.89 including postage. Even came with some acceptable quality (but knockoff) Aquila strings.

I bought it thinking I might sell it on, but it's so nice to have one again. These earlier ones have a slightly shorter scale length than most sopranos, I find them an absolute joy to play.

 

[Captain Simian]

Love the burst on the neck. I think I’m going to make that my phone wallpaper.

 

[mountain goat]

Well, this came up on a certain auction website, listed as an "Entry level instrument".

It's a Bruko no 3, made sometime between 1950-1970ish (in the 1970s they started branding them inside the soundhole). Solid maple, and in really good condition. £47.89 including postage. Even came with some acceptable quality (but knockoff) Aquila strings.

I bought it thinking I might sell it on, but it's so nice to have one again. These earlier ones have a slightly shorter scale length than most sopranos, I find them an absolute joy to play.

awesome Chris!!! fantastic score mate! i have one too but it needs a total neck reset to make it playable unfortunately, an expense i just can't justify given it'd cost triple or more what i paid for it. this model has always been my favourite style Bruko, just so gorgeous they are eh.

if you do decide to sell her on, i will buy it in a heartbeat mate. cheers!