Thanks for your thoughtful review. Based on what you said, I also ordered one and like you am pretty thrilled with what I got for the price, a great value.. I have had it a week and am having a lot of fun. Taking some blue grass picking workshops in the fall to build up my banjole chops. Thanks again, your sweet to do this.
Thanks for the very helpful review, I just ordered one! I have 3 ukes already, this will be my first banjolele, kindly payed for by my family for my 40th :-)
Based on your review and my great experience with Kmise ukuleles I bought one of these. Wonderful! What a great sound and value. I found the action a little high on mine and following your instructions I lowered it easily enough but the body deformed just a bit and the back plate won’t fit in the original holes. No problem but I was surprised at how many turns it took to lower the action. If I have a “next time” I think I will do a combination of adjustment and sanding down the saddle. Your review convinced me to give it a try and I’ve got another fine Kmise investment. Thank you.
cheers! just got one,I play banjo, mandolin and slide dobro....most of my instruments come out of the dumpster...here in the Virgin Islands we salvage what we can...I repair and set up a few..so happy to hear your positive review...just got this little sweetheart, think i got the bridge pretty close...now have to listen and get inspired..play on! Nina
Watched this excellent review and bought one from China early November 2017. It arrived pdq! It was a Christmas present for our adult daughter! She LOVES it! Picked up the beech coloured banjolele for £52 and a bag for £8, ordered on eBay. After hearing it played ..... I want one too!!
Great review - thanks. There are retailers in this country, now. I bought one last week for £51.28 and it came in 48 hours. My seventh uke but my first banjolele and, as you say, it feels and sounds really good. It has that lovely brightness of sound that you're hoping to get from a banjo. And the Kmise bags are now £7.99 from the same company - look on eBay.
My friend Billy bought one on my advice it was 53 quid. I was shocked. They are NOT a TOY Great instrument for the money I may get one for myself to go with my collection My main one is a Barnes and Mullins UBJ 2 and to be honest at 200 quid. I think i prefer the Kmise at 53 quid. :) Would definitely recommend this instrument. GREAT REVIEW!
Excellent review, cheers. Just offered and got a maple one with case and tuner for £65. Hope it travels well from China.... Glad to see it should be ok. Cheers again.
it's great that you showed the lil gibson too. I agonized over one many years ago, but it was just too expensive for my purse. same with the gold tone plucky. Im so happy to see the kmise. thank you for your review, it is very helpful. And I don't think you should be self conscious about your uke playing abilities. No self respecting ukulele lover would dis someone for playing how ever they do, no matter the skill level. I imagine you probably play just fine.
Hi Mark, Great idea for a review - I am just starting my pre-birthday hinting to my husband and had seen these... By the way... I was told by a guitarist that if you put a capo on the 5th fret of a guitar and only play the top 4 strings, then you have a ukulele! The chords will be the same patterns. I tried this out on another guitarist friend who is still scratching his head in disbelief! Thanks again for the review I shall now put the hint programme to full throttle!
I just ordered the AKC-23 concert uke (with solid mahogany top) from Aklot (which also sells and probably makes Kmise instruments); the uke should arrive today! Exciting for me; I used to play guitars but due to an old Rugby injury I can no longer play guitars because of the pain I get in my shoulder as I place my arm over the body of the guitar; anyway, I decided to try a uke for the positioning of my right shoulder will be lowered.Anyway as I was searching Amazon I saw the uke banjo and was taken by it's looks ( the one I saw had abalone flowers in the fretboard for $119 USbut I know there are less expensive models but this one really caught my eye); I wanted to thank you for the review on the Kmise banjolele; it sounded great and you mentioned it's well built; you also mentioned that spacers may be placed on the screws on the back side so there would be more volume; how long would you suggest the spacer be?I probably won't be looking to get the uke banjo for some time since I just ordered the uke, hopefully around Christmas which is 6 months away.BTW I'm in the USA and thanks again! I appreciate it.
Great video. I was interested in picking up one of these but wanted to know if they played as good as they look. Im sold! Thanks for letting us know, mate!
Since I became disabled and am moping about all the time with nothing but TV and Video games I decided to make a change in my life and set goals. I just bought a Ukulele and want to master it. Then I want to get a higher end Banjolele. Then I want to graduate and learn the Banjo. Finally I want to also learn to play the Mandolin. This is the first time in my life I have a clear direction I want to go in and goals that I set for myself. It feels good, even if I havent received my Ukulele yet. But I know it's going to do wonders for my self esteem and my depression.
It's a good choice, learning an instrument is a constructive use of time and energy. I first learned guitar then bluegrass banjo, other stringed instruments then become easier to play,
@@geolabuk I'm starting to pick up Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. lol I was all excited and happy. I was like "Omg I'm doing this! I'm actually doing this!" I think it was the most fun an excitement I had in a decade or more. It's something you can actually be proud of and say you've accomplished. As things around the country get more and more negative I've found solace in an instrument.
@@cultofmalgus1310 Twinkle is at least a nice tune, I started on Tune a Day Book One with Oats and Beans...... The worst set of books for learning the guitar. Fortunately I met an Au Pair who played the guitar, she put me on the right track....
Enjoyed your review and info on taking the thing apart to improve action. I'm new to uke, started w guitar (2 Martins now.) My dh plays guitar and hinted at wanting banjo accompaniment on some songs. Thanks to your input on the Kmise I got brave and ordered one. It arrived from China intact. :) Looked up how to place the bridge (a scary prospect, never thought of doing that before) and got good intonation on first try! This little instrument has a good sound, more "carry" than expected, nice action without any fixes and sounds a bit plunky like a banjo. Easy to play, feels good to hold. I like it. And had to come back and thank you for this RUclips.
Very useful video thanks. I had one delivered just today. No one should pay more than £52 including postage unless a £10 bag is included. I'm now waiting for Kmise to make a uke with resonator for a similar price!
Thank you for your review. I just got one myself. I'm still learning so I hope it's ok to ask but what chords are you playing? I'm having trouble seeing the fingering. Thanks do much!!!
great review Mark, I'm a beginner on ukulele and I bought one of these banjo ukes but the makers name is Irin. I was surprised at the build quality being so good for the price, mine was £57 but the adjusting bolt on the tailpiece was broken during transit and I asked for a replacement bolt, to my surprise they refunded me £30 so I got a good ukulele for £27 in the end.
Saw your video and ordered one, got it today, all maple. I cannot believe what my measley US$65 (49 pounds) + $3 shipping got me, good sound and intonation. I should buy 50 and sell them on the street in the French Quarter for $100 each.
I'm so glad you did this review!!! Thank you...thank you. Just put in a bid for one of a different kind of kmise.....was so worried if it was cheaply made. Now, I can bid with confidence! How well, would you say it works in bluegrass setting???
Great review, prompted me to buy one, I paid £50. and it was well worth it. not sure how they do it. I was using a cheap soprano as a beginner, this is so much better. and quite loud. I haven't taken the back off yet but I might raise the action a little. Thanks.
I bought one (maple) direct from China to Australia, love it. Got another 2 for other people, then another (sapele wood) as a backup, so interested to know I can lower the clearances, as each one is a little different. All into Aus under $100A. The "sapele" wood one is a lot louder, but higher clearance and not so easy to play as the original one. I am pleased you rate them highly. I checked reviews online, they came up the best!
I sanded down the bottom of the bridge by about 3mm after watching some "How to" posts. That lowered the action to a good level. I'm still learning so maybe later might try taking off a bit more, but the post about the 2 footed bridges might make a difference as well. Maybe buy a few and try different configurations to see which I prefer.
Hi thanks for your review. I bought one for £56 pounds took three weeks to arrive. I know absolutely nothing about ukuleles, but I was hoping it was of a reasonable quality, but it does appear to be ok. The only doubt I had was that the quality of tone or whatever would not be representative of what a musical instrument of this type would be like you have allayed my fears cheers. All I need to do now is to learn When i'm cleaning Windows and I will be an happy man.
Thanks for your review. I no longer buy direct from China. Yes it’s cheaper but If it’s faulty, it’s more of a problem sorting it out. Ideally, you should always go into a music shop where you can try many instruments before you buy and if there is a problem you can take it back for adjustment or replacement.
Interesting review and comparison.I believe Gibsons are expensive.Sound and tone all comes down to the preference of the player.Sound also more importantly comes down to the ability of the player.For just over £50,great for a learner to see if they will wish to carry on later.
I ordered one of these and when I got it I was really impressed with the build as well your video helped me decide and when I got it i just set it up real fast and liked the feel and sound of it even out of tune a friend said i like that sound so he had me order one for him and they dropped the price like $4 us now if i could only get it tuned correctly i didn't open the back at all i guess i would have to find a video on how its done and explaining that adjustment . because the sound is soooo different when the 12 fret is played , i can tell its not intonated
if your bridge is correctly placed appx. equidistant from the 12th fret as the 12th fret to the nut and still is out of tune past the 12th fret towards the bridge then yup, you probably need to open the back and lower your string height by raising the neck up like described in the video to correct the intonation. Not that difficult or risky if you don't do it under tension on the strings and have proper tools handy. Maybe a little time consuming to dial in the right height for correct intonation, that's all.
scotty j ....I brought 4 into Australia direct from China via Ebay. They are each a little different and I think priced as they are graded out of the factory, so don't get the cheapest one. The sapele wood is a lot louder than the maple. Clearances all vary. Plate at the end should not touch the drum. Holes in steel plate where string knots hold the ends at the drum can cut the strings so wind with thread.
Good review! If you want that Kmise to sound more like the Gibson, the first thing you want to do is change that bridge. Your standard ebony-topped 3-footed bridge was designed to withstand the pressure of steel strings (and is usually made too heavy for best tone with those)-- Really kills the sound of nylon uke strings! It's like playing with a mute on your bridge. What you want is something smaller and lighter, uncapped maple, with just two feet. A real skin head would be nice, but you'd be trading a lot of durability and convenience for the tone you'd gain, which likely won't be near as much as you'll get by finding the right bridge. The Kmise is never going to get quite the dry gramophone-horn bark of the Gibson, though, mostly because of its longer scale and its bridge's placement nearer the center of the head.
I just bought one of these (£51.28), and the first thing I did was take the back off to have a look at what was inside. It is all pretty solidly built, and great for the price. It is a laminated rim, which is to be expected, given the price, and I think you would have to be prepared to do a bit of "set up" work. I was lucky and didn't have to do much, but I did replace the bridge with a 1/2 inch bridge which I had lying around - the one supplied is much too high, and looks like a tenor banjo bridge. If I hadn't had a 1/2 inch bridge lying around, I would have reduced the height of the one supplied by sanding the bottom of the bridge down until it was the right height - only takes about 15 minutes!. One of the strings snapped while I was tuning up, but I wasn't surprised at that. They look like Aquila strings, which are notoriously sensitive to sharp edges anywhere. For the price, I suspect they are Chinese Aquila clones. I replaced them with nylon, and haven't had any problems since. Frets are well finished and seated, and the nut slots look just about right. Tone is fairly good, but would probably be improved with a plain maple bridge, and a little bit of foam rubber wedged between the coordinator rod, and the skin at the point where the neck joins the rim. So, thanks for your review, which was what prompted me to buy one in the first place!
I prefer the highest bridge possible as this gives a higher angle from the tailpiece and more pressure to the skin. I adjusted the neck, via the torsion rod, to bring the action very low. I prefer the tone to my UB-2 which does have a classic Formby sound.
Normally, I would agree with you, Mark, but that would have meant lowering the action using the single coordinator rod, and I wasn't sure that the rim was sturdy enough for this. That said, I am probably going to find or make another plain maple bridge that is in between the height of the one I am currently using and the one that was originally supplied, as the action is just a shade lower than it needs to be. I also play banjo, but in my case it is "clawhammer" style, so the preference for a slightly softer tone is probably in my DNA!
Thanks for this awesome comparison! I got a Kmise bano uke just like this and cannot figure out how to slot the bridge properly because the way it is slotted in the factory is way too shallow and does not keep the first or fourth string in place. Any resources you could point me to that would explain how to properly slot and banjo ukulele bridge? Thanks a ton!
I ordered from Amazon last week. Arrived 2 days later. No instructions, very unsatisfied with the online instructions regarding the bridge placement (I still doubt myself regarding that item.) But, overall, I am very pleased. My kit, (picks, pickup, tuner, bag, strap, wrench) was $99.99 US. The A string is very “buzzy “ compared to the other three, and it makes for some off-sounding chords. Thank you for the review.
Steve Smith ..mine came with a plastic template showing where to put the bridge. I've brought 4 into Australia, for different people, think the prices vary a bit as they grade them from the factory, so don't buy the cheapest. Kmise from Ebay, company is called Kmiseus, direct from China.
I just got one of these this week. I've tuned it CGDA - same as my tenor banjo, so I don't have to learn new fingering. I'm really enjoying it . . . but do you think I should learn the ukelele tuning??
just store it in a place it wont be kicked or dropped. I generally just throw mine on the bed or on my chair. They are durable as long as you're responsible with it (don't let a little kid play with it). Obviously don't leave it in a really hot car or out in the snow. Definitely don't remove the bridge as a newbie. Just go to a local music store and let them adjust it for you if you really want to see how adjusting it might change the sounds. They will do it for free and you don't have to worry about screwing something up. To find out where the bridge goes, find the 12th fret, that is the half way point from the neck to where the bridge should be. of course, any store would know that and adjust it accordingly for you.
I bought one and I like it. Here is what I've done to make it playable to my ear. I added spacers and longer screws around the back plate of the pot to increase volume but not too much. I used the adjuster bar to raise the action a bit and ended up re-dressing about 4 frets that were buzzing on the high string side. I don't think they were pressed evenly at the factory. Considering it was $80 I didn't mind tinkering with it. I have Chinese ukuleles too, one of which is the sweetest sounding one I ever heard. I bought a second one at the same time, same brand and it sounds like sh*t, so far no amount of tinkering can fix it. My conclusion with Chinese instruments isn't that they sound bad or good, it's they are manufactured inconsistently. If you're willing to take the risk and maybe to some set up work of your own, go for it!
Yes you can. I just got the same Kmise as a Christmas gift and swapped round the middle two strings. It's a 'Concert' length so I did some research and took a guess (there was no info with the Kmise at all!) that the string gauges are .019, .028, .024, .019 thus only the middle two needed swapping over. Tuned up to GCEA no problem but the action on mine was 5mm at fret 12 and I was about to sand down the bridge when I saw this review mentioning the internal rod adjustment. That's explained in more detail here: ruclips.net/video/VprtC3cCV3Q/видео.html A couple of turns of the adjuster rod nuts and the action came down to 2.5mm which now seems fine.
Jon Boyes ...this ability to lower the clearance interests me as I have two, one much closer than the other. The sapele wood one is much louder, but got too high clearance.
If you tune the banjolele to GCEG, you should be able to play the Banjo chords. The chord shape is the same as a regular banjo capo at the fifth fret. So open string GCEG= C chords.
Yeah, I wasn't talking about chords really, I was meaning the right hand technique. Thanks for your comment though, I can now do the George Formby techniques (badly).
Kaiser should send you a nice fat cheque, you certainly convinced me. I was going to pay £229 for a countryman dub2 but having watched your video I can see that it is the same rebadged item, and they claim they are made by Hhoner??
ukulele tuning is the same as the top four strings of a guitar with a capo on the fifth fret. the fingering is exactly the same as the top four strings of the guitar
The listings SAY they're Aquila but there's nothing that confirms this. Mine came with extra strings and they are in a clear, unmarked bag. (See my comments) The strings seem adequate enough and even high-quality strings aren't very expensive if you want to change them.
As you said this instrument is good for beginners thinking of trying out one of these but please don’t compare this instrument with a Gibson UB2 which is used by professional players, Gibson UB1,2,3,4’s Ludwig Wendelhalls, Abbots, are the holy grails of this type of instrument which is why all the rest are copies from different makers
I was just learning at the time and was so impressed with the out of the box quality and tone of the Kmise, that I felt I had to tell people. As they were being sold under different names for twice or three times the price. If you read the rest of the comments, people are pleased with them. I also favourably compared it to my UB-2 which I had purchased as an investment.
Развлечения
Thanks for your thoughtful review. Based on what you said, I also ordered one and like you am pretty thrilled with what I got for the price, a great value.. I have had it a week and am having a lot of fun. Taking some blue grass picking workshops in the fall to build up my banjole chops. Thanks again, your sweet to do this.
Thanks for the very helpful review, I just ordered one! I have 3 ukes already, this will be my first banjolele, kindly payed for by my family for my 40th :-)
Thanks for the review! I have bought one as a result and I am delighted with it!
Based on your review and my great experience with Kmise ukuleles I bought one of these. Wonderful! What a great sound and value. I found the action a little high on mine and following your instructions I lowered it easily enough but the body deformed just a bit and the back plate won’t fit in the original holes. No problem but I was surprised at how many turns it took to lower the action. If I have a “next time” I think I will do a combination of adjustment and sanding down the saddle. Your review convinced me to give it a try and I’ve got another fine Kmise investment. Thank you.
cheers! just got one,I play banjo, mandolin and slide dobro....most of my instruments come out of the dumpster...here in the Virgin Islands we salvage what we can...I repair and set up a few..so happy to hear your positive review...just got this little sweetheart, think i got the bridge pretty close...now have to listen and get inspired..play on! Nina
Watched this excellent review and bought one from China early November 2017. It arrived pdq! It was a Christmas present for our adult daughter! She LOVES it! Picked up the beech coloured banjolele for £52 and a bag for £8, ordered on eBay. After hearing it played ..... I want one too!!
Thanks for the review, helps in deciding what to buy. Cheers
Great review - thanks. There are retailers in this country, now. I bought one last week for £51.28 and it came in 48 hours. My seventh uke but my first banjolele and, as you say, it feels and sounds really good. It has that lovely brightness of sound that you're hoping to get from a banjo. And the Kmise bags are now £7.99 from the same company - look on eBay.
My friend Billy bought one on my advice it was 53 quid. I was shocked.
They are NOT a TOY Great instrument for the money I may get one for myself to go with my collection My main one is a Barnes and Mullins UBJ 2 and to be honest at 200 quid. I think i prefer the Kmise at 53 quid. :)
Would definitely recommend this instrument.
GREAT REVIEW!
Excellent review, cheers. Just offered and got a maple one with case and tuner for £65. Hope it travels well from China.... Glad to see it should be ok. Cheers again.
it's great that you showed the lil gibson too. I agonized over one many years ago, but it was just too expensive for my purse. same with the gold tone plucky. Im so happy to see the kmise. thank you for your review, it is very helpful. And I don't think you should be self conscious about your uke playing abilities. No self respecting ukulele lover would dis someone for playing how ever they do, no matter the skill level. I imagine you probably play just fine.
Thanks for this. Been looking at these myself. I'm a noob player, currently soprano, but like the look of these Kmise banjoleles.
Hi Mark, Great idea for a review - I am just starting my pre-birthday hinting to my husband and had seen these...
By the way...
I was told by a guitarist that if you put a capo on the 5th fret of a guitar and only play the top 4 strings, then you have a ukulele! The chords will be the same patterns. I tried this out on another guitarist friend who is still scratching his head in disbelief!
Thanks again for the review I shall now put the hint programme to full throttle!
I just ordered the AKC-23 concert uke (with solid mahogany top) from Aklot (which also sells and probably makes Kmise instruments); the uke should arrive today! Exciting for me; I used to play guitars but due to an old Rugby injury I can no longer play guitars because of the pain I get in my shoulder as I place my arm over the body of the guitar; anyway, I decided to try a uke for the positioning of my right shoulder will be lowered.Anyway as I was searching Amazon I saw the uke banjo and was taken by it's looks ( the one I saw had abalone flowers in the fretboard for $119 USbut I know there are less expensive models but this one really caught my eye); I wanted to thank you for the review on the Kmise banjolele; it sounded great and you mentioned it's well built; you also mentioned that spacers may be placed on the screws on the back side so there would be more volume; how long would you suggest the spacer be?I probably won't be looking to get the uke banjo for some time since I just ordered the uke, hopefully around Christmas which is 6 months away.BTW I'm in the USA and thanks again! I appreciate it.
Excellent review and most helpful
Great video. I was interested in picking up one of these but wanted to know if they played as good as they look. Im sold! Thanks for letting us know, mate!
Since I became disabled and am moping about all the time with nothing but TV and Video games I decided to make a change in my life and set goals. I just bought a Ukulele and want to master it. Then I want to get a higher end Banjolele. Then I want to graduate and learn the Banjo. Finally I want to also learn to play the Mandolin. This is the first time in my life I have a clear direction I want to go in and goals that I set for myself. It feels good, even if I havent received my Ukulele yet. But I know it's going to do wonders for my self esteem and my depression.
It's a good choice, learning an instrument is a constructive use of time and energy. I first learned guitar then bluegrass banjo, other stringed instruments then become easier to play,
@@geolabuk I'm starting to pick up Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. lol I was all excited and happy. I was like "Omg I'm doing this! I'm actually doing this!" I think it was the most fun an excitement I had in a decade or more. It's something you can actually be proud of and say you've accomplished. As things around the country get more and more negative I've found solace in an instrument.
@@cultofmalgus1310 Twinkle is at least a nice tune, I started on Tune a Day Book One with Oats and Beans...... The worst set of books for learning the guitar. Fortunately I met an Au Pair who played the guitar, she put me on the right track....
Enjoyed your review and info on taking the thing apart to improve action. I'm new to uke, started w guitar (2 Martins now.) My dh plays guitar and hinted at wanting banjo accompaniment on some songs. Thanks to your input on the Kmise I got brave and ordered one. It arrived from China intact. :) Looked up how to place the bridge (a scary prospect, never thought of doing that before) and got good intonation on first try! This little instrument has a good sound, more "carry" than expected, nice action without any fixes and sounds a bit plunky like a banjo. Easy to play, feels good to hold. I like it. And had to come back and thank you for this RUclips.
Thanks
Mine came with a plastic template to show where to place the bridge.
Very useful video thanks. I had one delivered just today. No one should pay more than £52 including postage unless a £10 bag is included. I'm now waiting for Kmise to make a uke with resonator for a similar price!
Thank you for your review. I just got one myself. I'm still learning so I hope it's ok to ask but what chords are you playing? I'm having trouble seeing the fingering. Thanks do much!!!
great review Mark, I'm a beginner on ukulele and I bought one of these banjo ukes but the makers name is Irin.
I was surprised at the build quality being so good for the price, mine was £57 but the adjusting bolt on the tailpiece was broken during transit and I asked for a replacement bolt, to my surprise they refunded me £30 so I got a good ukulele for £27 in the end.
It’s for Christmas so we’ll see. I also just ordered a Kmise banjo ukulele today. I have a serious case of ukulele acquisition syndrome 😆
Thanks for your great Review! i was just going to buy a Kmise Banjo ukulele, glad i saw your Review, best wishes, Pete,
Peter Mueller Tunes ....I have one and it is a great thing!
Thanks. The tone on the Kmise actually sounds better to me.
Is the bridge easy to fix, and does it need to sit on a certain spot ?
Saw your video and ordered one, got it today, all maple. I cannot believe what my measley US$65 (49 pounds) + $3 shipping got me, good sound and intonation. I should buy 50 and sell them on the street in the French Quarter for $100 each.
Would there be problems converting it to left hand
great review, I have the Irin brand and yes I put spacers on it, boy is it noisy!!!
I'm so glad you did this review!!! Thank you...thank you. Just put in a bid for one of a different kind of kmise.....was so worried if it was cheaply made. Now, I can bid with confidence! How well, would you say it works in bluegrass setting???
Great review, prompted me to buy one, I paid £50. and it was well worth it. not sure how they do it. I was using a cheap soprano as a beginner, this is so much better. and quite loud. I haven't taken the back off yet but I might raise the action a little. Thanks.
Brilliant instrument for the money, got one as a Christmas present from my brother, really nice .
Just got mine for £62 including bag with spare strings and tuner. Jolly good!
Thanks for that I just bought one for 51.00 quid first banjo ever so its good to know they are worth having
I bought one (maple) direct from China to Australia, love it. Got another 2 for other people, then another (sapele wood) as a backup, so interested to know I can lower the clearances, as each one is a little different. All into Aus under $100A. The "sapele" wood one is a lot louder, but higher clearance and not so easy to play as the original one. I am pleased you rate them highly. I checked reviews online, they came up the best!
I sanded down the bottom of the bridge by about 3mm after watching some "How to" posts. That lowered the action to a good level. I'm still learning so maybe later might try taking off a bit more, but the post about the 2 footed bridges might make a difference as well. Maybe buy a few and try different configurations to see which I prefer.
Hi thanks for your review. I bought one for £56 pounds took three weeks to arrive. I know absolutely nothing about ukuleles, but I was hoping it was of a reasonable quality, but it does appear to be ok. The only doubt I had was that the quality of tone or whatever would not be representative of what a musical instrument of this type would be like you have allayed my fears cheers. All I need to do now is to learn When i'm cleaning Windows and I will be an happy man.
I will also be very happy if I get to that stage :-)
Thanks for the nice review :) just bought one for my boyfriend 😍
Thanks for your review. I no longer buy direct from China. Yes it’s cheaper but If it’s faulty, it’s more of a problem sorting it out. Ideally, you should always go into a music shop where you can try many instruments before you buy and if there is a problem you can take it back for adjustment or replacement.
I have a Slingerland from the late 30’s, early 40’s that my Grandfather gave to me.
Interesting review and comparison.I believe Gibsons are expensive.Sound and tone all comes down to the preference of the player.Sound also more importantly comes down to the ability of the player.For just over £50,great for a learner to see if they will wish to carry on later.
Excellent review mark, I'm going to search for one of these
Thank you for this!
I ordered one of these and when I got it I was really impressed with the build as well your video helped me decide and when I got it i just set it up real fast and liked the feel and sound of it even out of tune a friend said i like that sound so he had me order one for him and they dropped the price like $4 us now if i could only get it tuned correctly i didn't open the back at all i guess i would have to find a video on how its done and explaining that adjustment . because the sound is soooo different when the 12 fret is played , i can tell its not intonated
if your bridge is correctly placed appx. equidistant from the 12th fret as the 12th fret to the nut and still is out of tune past the 12th fret towards the bridge then yup, you probably need to open the back and lower your string height by raising the neck up like described in the video to correct the intonation. Not that difficult or risky if you don't do it under tension on the strings and have proper tools handy. Maybe a little time consuming to dial in the right height for correct intonation, that's all.
scotty j ....I brought 4 into Australia direct from China via Ebay. They are each a little different and I think priced as they are graded out of the factory, so don't get the cheapest one. The sapele wood is a lot louder than the maple. Clearances all vary. Plate at the end should not touch the drum. Holes in steel plate where string knots hold the ends at the drum can cut the strings so wind with thread.
Good review!
If you want that Kmise to sound more like the Gibson, the first thing you want to do is change that bridge. Your standard ebony-topped 3-footed bridge was designed to withstand the pressure of steel strings (and is usually made too heavy for best tone with those)-- Really kills the sound of nylon uke strings! It's like playing with a mute on your bridge. What you want is something smaller and lighter, uncapped maple, with just two feet.
A real skin head would be nice, but you'd be trading a lot of durability and convenience for the tone you'd gain, which likely won't be near as much as you'll get by finding the right bridge.
The Kmise is never going to get quite the dry gramophone-horn bark of the Gibson, though, mostly because of its longer scale and its bridge's placement nearer the center of the head.
Dan Gellert Hi, I am happy with the sound, it's mellow. Yeah I know about banjo sound, I have played bluegrass for over 40 years. The UB-2 is mine.
I just bought one of these (£51.28), and the first thing I did was take the back off to have a look at what was inside. It is all pretty solidly built, and great for the price. It is a laminated rim, which is to be expected, given the price, and I think you would have to be prepared to do a bit of "set up" work. I was lucky and didn't have to do much, but I did replace the bridge with a 1/2 inch bridge which I had lying around - the one supplied is much too high, and looks like a tenor banjo bridge. If I hadn't had a 1/2 inch bridge lying around, I would have reduced the height of the one supplied by sanding the bottom of the bridge down until it was the right height - only takes about 15 minutes!. One of the strings snapped while I was tuning up, but I wasn't surprised at that. They look like Aquila strings, which are notoriously sensitive to sharp edges anywhere. For the price, I suspect they are Chinese Aquila clones. I replaced them with nylon, and haven't had any problems since. Frets are well finished and seated, and the nut slots look just about right. Tone is fairly good, but would probably be improved with a plain maple bridge, and a little bit of foam rubber wedged between the coordinator rod, and the skin at the point where the neck joins the rim.
So, thanks for your review, which was what prompted me to buy one in the first place!
I prefer the highest bridge possible as this gives a higher angle from the tailpiece and more pressure to the skin. I adjusted the neck, via the torsion rod, to bring the action very low. I prefer the tone to my UB-2 which does have a classic Formby sound.
Normally, I would agree with you, Mark, but that would have meant lowering the action using the single coordinator rod, and I wasn't sure that the rim was sturdy enough for this. That said, I am probably going to find or make another plain maple bridge that is in between the height of the one I am currently using and the one that was originally supplied, as the action is just a shade lower than it needs to be. I also play banjo, but in my case it is "clawhammer" style, so the preference for a slightly softer tone is probably in my DNA!
Stu Weetman It is....
Fantastic value for money....a quality instrument!
Thanks for this awesome comparison! I got a Kmise bano uke just like this and cannot figure out how to slot the bridge properly because the way it is slotted in the factory is way too shallow and does not keep the first or fourth string in place. Any resources you could point me to that would explain how to properly slot and banjo ukulele bridge? Thanks a ton!
You need a fine saw like a piercing saw or a fret saw
I ordered from Amazon last week. Arrived 2 days later. No instructions, very unsatisfied with the online instructions regarding the bridge placement (I still doubt myself regarding that item.) But, overall, I am very pleased. My kit, (picks, pickup, tuner, bag, strap, wrench) was $99.99 US. The A string is very “buzzy “ compared to the other three, and it makes for some off-sounding chords. Thank you for the review.
Steve Smith ..mine came with a plastic template showing where to put the bridge. I've brought 4 into Australia, for different people, think the prices vary a bit as they grade them from the factory, so don't buy the cheapest. Kmise from Ebay, company is called Kmiseus, direct from China.
I just got one of these this week.
I've tuned it CGDA - same as my tenor banjo, so I don't have to learn new fingering.
I'm really enjoying it . . . but do you think I should learn the ukelele tuning??
mavismyrtle ..Yeah, then you can clawhammer!
Mine came to low, I will eventually adjust it
Best review of the Kmise banjolele. I love that you compare it to an lovely old gibson! Thanks!
Thanks
I bought one no regrets
Thanks mate
Wao, interesting..
I just bought one, and unpacked. i need to know how to store it. Should we remove the bridge? Where should the bridge be? Thanks
just store it in a place it wont be kicked or dropped. I generally just throw mine on the bed or on my chair. They are durable as long as you're responsible with it (don't let a little kid play with it). Obviously don't leave it in a really hot car or out in the snow. Definitely don't remove the bridge as a newbie. Just go to a local music store and let them adjust it for you if you really want to see how adjusting it might change the sounds. They will do it for free and you don't have to worry about screwing something up. To find out where the bridge goes, find the 12th fret, that is the half way point from the neck to where the bridge should be. of course, any store would know that and adjust it accordingly for you.
Thanks so much!
They are great little imstruments
I bought one and I like it. Here is what I've done to make it playable to my ear. I added spacers and longer screws around the back plate of the pot to increase volume but not too much. I used the adjuster bar to raise the action a bit and ended up re-dressing about 4 frets that were buzzing on the high string side. I don't think they were pressed evenly at the factory. Considering it was $80 I didn't mind tinkering with it. I have Chinese ukuleles too, one of which is the sweetest sounding one I ever heard. I bought a second one at the same time, same brand and it sounds like sh*t, so far no amount of tinkering can fix it. My conclusion with Chinese instruments isn't that they sound bad or good, it's they are manufactured inconsistently. If you're willing to take the risk and maybe to some set up work of your own, go for it!
Mr Photorooster b
Hi, Could the strings on this be reversed so it can be left handed, And Thank You for such a good and honest review
Yes you can. I just got the same Kmise as a Christmas gift and swapped round the middle two strings. It's a 'Concert' length so I did some research and took a guess (there was no info with the Kmise at all!) that the string gauges are .019, .028, .024, .019 thus only the middle two needed swapping over. Tuned up to GCEA no problem but the action on mine was 5mm at fret 12 and I was about to sand down the bridge when I saw this review mentioning the internal rod adjustment. That's explained in more detail here: ruclips.net/video/VprtC3cCV3Q/видео.html A couple of turns of the adjuster rod nuts and the action came down to 2.5mm which now seems fine.
Pretty much all ukes can be turned into left handed ukes with swapping the order of the strings, so I’d say...yes!
Jon Boyes ...this ability to lower the clearance interests me as I have two, one much closer than the other. The sapele wood one is much louder, but got too high clearance.
If you tune the banjolele to GCEG, you should be able to play the Banjo chords. The chord shape is the same as a regular banjo capo at the fifth fret. So open string GCEG= C chords.
Yeah, I wasn't talking about chords really, I was meaning the right hand technique. Thanks for your comment though, I can now do the George Formby techniques (badly).
I believe these are all Chinese made. (Just ordered one from Amazon).
Kaiser should send you a nice fat cheque, you certainly convinced me. I was going to pay £229 for a countryman dub2 but having watched your video I can see that it is the same rebadged item, and they claim they are made by Hhoner??
ukulele tuning is the same as the top four strings of a guitar with a capo on the fifth fret. the fingering is exactly the same as the top four strings of the guitar
Sam Robinson No, they are not tuned the same.
the tuning may not be the same but i would recommend watching the relationship between the guitar and the ukulele.
Do they have nylon strings
Yes
They have Aquila
The listings SAY they're Aquila but there's nothing that confirms this. Mine came with extra strings and they are in a clear, unmarked bag. (See my comments) The strings seem adequate enough and even high-quality strings aren't very expensive if you want to change them.
@@marksandal4852 I haven't changed mine yet, they stay in tune and sound OK still.
I bought the same one! No instructions what so ever!
As you said this instrument is good for beginners thinking of trying out one of these but please don’t compare this instrument with a Gibson UB2 which is used by professional players, Gibson UB1,2,3,4’s Ludwig Wendelhalls, Abbots, are the holy grails of this type of instrument which is why all the rest are copies from different makers
I am a Gibson fan myself, as you can probably see behind me. But, this is a good quality instrument and has a good tone, I use it all the time.
A review without playing, ok.
I was just learning at the time and was so impressed with the out of the box quality and tone of the Kmise, that I felt I had to tell people. As they were being sold under different names for twice or three times the price. If you read the rest of the comments, people are pleased with them. I also favourably compared it to my UB-2 which I had purchased as an investment.