Product: Kay BU-10 Deluxe Baritone Ukulele
Price Paid: USD 40
Submitted
09/12/2007
at
05:38pm
by
Larry C
Features
:
6
Baritone uke - "Koa Finished Mahogany [whatver that means] , Rosewood Fingerboard, Rosewood Bridge, Nickel Silver Frets, Covered Machine Heads" - covered tuners, nylon strings
Sound
:
8
I've played guitar for years and own a few- bought this uke to teach my kids and to carry around, backyard etc. I like to sing so I play a lot of ballads and some jazz and bossa standards- and I jam blues or flamenco sometimes. The sound is what you'd expect from nylon strings on a small body, but much, much more than you would expect for a $40 instrument. The tone is very warm and the notes are accurate. It's portable so I can walk into my toddler's room and croon him to sleep and walk out without bumping the doorway. I love the wide string spacings - set up like a classical guitar in that respect- great for playing with fingers and thumb. The extreme portability due to its tiny size, and the ease of playing (soft nylon strings and wide neck) make it the ultimate instrument to sit on any couch, patio etc and play for total enjoyment. I love playing this thing.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
7
The action is a bit high-- and I could easily adjust the saddle without creating buzzing-- but with nylon strings it is not really an issue. There is a cosmetic blemish on the fretboard, which seems to be why I paid only $40 and not $70 (still a bargain if I did). Everything else seems quite nice. I had to add a strap button - most ukes don't come with them. No case came with it, but I can spring for a gig bag.
Reliability/Durability
:
8
If you perfomred live you'd have to be a solo artist with a good mic in front of you. Otherwise the other instruments would drown you out. But it is perfect for singing and playing solo. The hardware seems as good as any low to mid level guitar. The finish might wear off - not sure- it is a "flat" finish as opposed to glossy. I installed my own strap button with no problem. There is a nice block at the end where you put the button. It seems quite dependable and I am shocked at that knowing how little I paid. Backup?- I don't play uke publicly, but I might pull it out for one or two songs as a novelty- it's really cool. I'd say it would be great for singing and playing soft bossa nova or jazz in the background at a party.
Customer Support
:
10
Amazing...5 year warranty!
Overall Rating
:
7
I've played guitar for over 30 years...Ovation, Epiphone, Applause, Ibanez, Regal, Kay...
If lost or stolen I'd probably upgrade to something with built-in electronics - but otherwise I have no complaints about this instrument. It's so cheap-- every guitar player should get a baritone. I think it is a better alternative than a so-called "travel guitar".
