It's fun to create serious music with toy instruments. One thing I remembered that I forgot to mention before when we talked about toy instruments was that two instruments I've used are a plastic flute and a plastic trumpet that I won at an arcade years ago. One weird idea I had with the watermelon one is play the G on that the same time as on your regular ukulele to create an octave effect. Funny thing is until about 5-10 years ago, most ukuleles you could buy were like the five below ones, it was just seen as a novelty toy bought at souvenir shops in Hawaii and not a serious instrument so there weren't many high quality ones constructed.
Toy instruments are really fun, but I was kinda bummed that it wouldn't tune exactly like a real uke. But I tried haha! Hmm... interesting. Well, I'm glad there are so many options for actual ukuleles that aren't just toys!!
im fourteen and ive been wanting to learn how to play a ukulele for ages now. so naturally, without any knowledge of ukuleles besides how badly i wanted one, when i saw a “natural wood” ukulele at five below today, i excitedly bought it thinking it would be amazing. after this video and many others ive watched tonight... im having doubts. but it’s my first one, so i suppose that it’s fine for right now until i get enough experience to buy a more expensive and higher-quality one. ive seen videos where you can tune it half decently and still be able to play it okay, so im not going to complain about it. if it doesn’t work im not going to be upset because it was five dollars, but im determined to try and make it work
I'm glad you're wanting to play uke! It is super fun :) The only bad thing is that the Five Below uke didn't work out that well for me, but for some people the ukuleles seem to work fairly decent. I would definitely recommend spending a little bit more on a ukulele, but you wouldn't need to spend a ton of money either. If you're just starting out, you should be able to find one between $20 to $35 on Amazon. But also when buying a cheaper uke, I would definitely read the reviews because you don't always quite know what you're gonna get with the quality lol! Hope that helps :)
You can change the strings on it. If you don't have access to new strings I suggest using a felt or rubber pick. Finger strumming on the five below uke is terrible.
@@skittlekitty7264 ya but I mean changing strings it is going to improve it but the strings are like 20$ that's more expensive than the instrument itself I recommend just maybe save those 20$ Until u get enough money to buy a 40 or a 50$ ukulele to start with I did the same until I got my 310$ rubber strings ukulele after I finally had enough skills from 2 different past ukes and had enough money to buy my 310$ ukulele
For the first 5 weeks your ukulele will be out of tune because the ukulele you just bought it it hasn’t been played so you need to mess around with it so that the ukulele can get used to you playing it so don’t worry it!
So glad you made this video. I have a uke from five below and I find that changing the strings makes them sound pretty mines the natrual wood one but I customized mine with acrylic paint. The watermelon one is adorable. Also using a rubberish pick with them helps if you keep the cheap strings. But yeah it's best to just cut the fake strings and switch them out with real ones. If you want to keep the real strings they came with use a felt pick.
I got a blue one with design's on it and i really like it! It works pretty good for me p.s. you can out rubber bands on the nobs and then they wont break cuz that is what i did;)
I got one and I got a blue Hawaiian one and it tuned well. I guess my ukulele as just easier or maybe its that pattern. After Christmas I’m going to get a good ukulele. Where are some good places to get one??
I'm glad it worked out well for you!! I would recommend going to a local music store, if you have one nearby, that way you can test out the instruments and see what works well for you :) That's how I bought my first instruments and it worked really well! Now I buy them online, like at Amazon, and at music stores. It just depends on what I'm looking for and what is in stock at each place. Hope that helps :)
This was extremely helpful. I literally had them in my cart but I don’t have time for them to not work. Most of the people reviewing them were like sponsored
I too sadly just purchased one of these because I really want to learn how to play and it sounds horrible! I guess itll be used for practicing cords until I get better.
I wanted that one but they were sold out so I got a rainbow striped one but I really wanna know how to play but Idk if it's actually good to play or just a toy so I hope j find out in this video
6:59 Looking at the bridge, you must have noticed that each set of two strings is Connected. That is why you get of the two Connected strings tuned the other goes out of tune. 🤨🤔 I am very grateful to you for sharing this. I just bought the wood-toned one. I play guitar myself and have been missing my guitar. I thought this might be a pacifier for me until I am able to bring me and my guitar back together. 🙄😒 😏😏🤔 there is still hope. Dear One, do you think that these instruments could handle Real Ukulele strings??? In the interim, I will perform minor adjustments to see if my theory above mentioned will hold water. As to the gears, try loosening the screw on the popping one. Had a Classical Guitar with metal gears that did the same thing. Tightening or loosening should fix it.😔😌😇 With Profound Gratitude! ! !❤⚜️❤ Blessed Be! ! !❤🙏❤
Oh my god. I just got my first ukelele today at a Five Below, first time ever experience with one, because I really want to learn to play ukelele seriously. I only realized now, way after the purchase, that it's a kids' toy ukelele. I hope it can still work out well, but all I know so far is that the tuning things to turn are, ironic enough for a kids toy, EXTREMELY hard to turn. I'm determined to make my first ukelele work though
my 310$ rubber Strings ukulele is really high quality and expensive but if ur a beginner just dont buy an expensive one just practice notes on a cheap one then maybe start getting up in quality
I got some of these and they look really cute but the frets are in no way accurate on mine and they are basically wall decore only. you could make a little cute wall display with them. put the fruit ones on a background that looks like a fruit bowl. since they are plastic you could use them outside as garden decore. or mabee planters for an air plants in the sound hole
I have one, it’s a light wooded one, I thinks it’s great, although I have no experience with ukuleles I really want to learn how to play one, I just got it today and I have been using it all day, I try to follow RUclips tutorials for plastic ukuleles but that hasn’t worked out so far, mine tunes and it sounds ok but I only got this ukulele because I want to learn first before I buy a real good expensive version, I don’t know
I bought a 5 below Banjo ukulele .. The shit doesnt stay in tune . I fixed it kinda by tightening the screw on the back by the gear . By fixing it i mean it can now get threw a 1 minute song . Considering the limitations of a toy it would be a good present for a child with a curiosity about music.
there's three problems I can see without handling the thing. The nut is the wrong distance from the first fret, the worm gear in the tuner is too far from the worm wheel, and the strings are doubled up. You can maybe cut the strings and attach them correctly. the tuners maybe you can stick in hot oil and bend the supports, or shim up somehow. the mis-placement of the nut is nasty, but you could maybe capo to the first fret. hey greenbriar, you need an instrument designer. presidentbyamendment
Exactly! I teach Music K-5, and have "Fixed" so many of these ukuleles. Cut the strings, tune, and sometimes, Restring and tune. FYI, Aquila Strings work 'Better,' but I still wouldn't recommend these instruments.
no hate but for the people who are thinking 5 below instruments are bad well atleast u can use it for a beginner or if ur learning be grateful bc most good ukelele are like 50 dollars
I must have gotten lucky--because I bought one just for fun as my real uke is in storage in the middle of a temporary move--and it tunes just fine! It's quieter, and goes out of tune faster--but it works. haha
Ngl considering this is my first uke and I'm poor this is a pretty good option, except for the fact that that it's really damn weird It plays decently tho
You should pay them and then put them on your wall like inside there's honey you close it what in the world do you think else you can do with them so just hang them on your wall okay
So I wasted five bucks on this SpongeBob ukulele that doesn't even work for nothing, I'm going to throw away my SpongeBob ukulele and I'm never going to buy these crappy Five Below ukulele ever again
Mine seems fine, and in tune.... for someone who has never played ukelele
I went there and got a blue one
And it actually plays pretty good
Yay! I'm glad it worked out well for you :)
Thank you!☺️
@ParkJeon same
Hamburgers And Sprite same
I like hamburgers...and sprite
I got my ukulele from five below, I wish I could get the wood one. My store was out of them
I hope you find the wood one at one of the stores! I actually went to two different stores to find them all.
Sameeee
It's fun to create serious music with toy instruments. One thing I remembered that I forgot to mention before when we talked about toy instruments was that two instruments I've used are a plastic flute and a plastic trumpet that I won at an arcade years ago. One weird idea I had with the watermelon one is play the G on that the same time as on your regular ukulele to create an octave effect. Funny thing is until about 5-10 years ago, most ukuleles you could buy were like the five below ones, it was just seen as a novelty toy bought at souvenir shops in Hawaii and not a serious instrument so there weren't many high quality ones constructed.
Toy instruments are really fun, but I was kinda bummed that it wouldn't tune exactly like a real uke. But I tried haha!
Hmm... interesting. Well, I'm glad there are so many options for actual ukuleles that aren't just toys!!
Yes
im fourteen and ive been wanting to learn how to play a ukulele for ages now. so naturally, without any knowledge of ukuleles besides how badly i wanted one, when i saw a “natural wood” ukulele at five below today, i excitedly bought it thinking it would be amazing. after this video and many others ive watched tonight... im having doubts. but it’s my first one, so i suppose that it’s fine for right now until i get enough experience to buy a more expensive and higher-quality one. ive seen videos where you can tune it half decently and still be able to play it okay, so im not going to complain about it. if it doesn’t work im not going to be upset because it was five dollars, but im determined to try and make it work
I'm glad you're wanting to play uke! It is super fun :) The only bad thing is that the Five Below uke didn't work out that well for me, but for some people the ukuleles seem to work fairly decent. I would definitely recommend spending a little bit more on a ukulele, but you wouldn't need to spend a ton of money either. If you're just starting out, you should be able to find one between $20 to $35 on Amazon. But also when buying a cheaper uke, I would definitely read the reviews because you don't always quite know what you're gonna get with the quality lol! Hope that helps :)
You can change the strings on it. If you don't have access to new strings I suggest using a felt or rubber pick. Finger strumming on the five below uke is terrible.
Me too I took it to a music store and they said it couldn't be tuned so I'm just going to use it to learn the fingering untill I save up for one
@@skittlekitty7264 ya but I mean changing strings it is going to improve it but the strings are like 20$ that's more expensive than the instrument itself
I recommend just maybe save those 20$
Until u get enough money to buy a 40 or a 50$ ukulele to start with
I did the same until I got my 310$ rubber strings ukulele after I finally had enough skills from 2 different past ukes and had enough money to buy my 310$ ukulele
For the first 5 weeks your ukulele will be out of tune because the ukulele you just bought it it hasn’t been played so you need to mess around with it so that the ukulele can get used to you playing it so don’t worry it!
I just bought one today, and honestly it's not bad!! It's in tune, too, which is always a plus. 😅😁👍
Glad it worked out well for you! That's great! 😃
Now I want one just to try it out or to have it as a novelty
And there aren’t 4 different strings, it’s just 2 very long strings
I have a regular colored one but I don’t know how to play the ukulele so that’s unfortunate ☹️
I hope you learn to play it soon! Ukuleles are super fun! :)
Brianna April yes they are thank you I’ll keep practicing 😄
It’s really easy to play! I know you can do it. Search up youtube videos and chords!
Swedish Fish haha thank you but i’m more into the piano now !
juliana c Good for you! Piano is so pretty 🥰
So glad you made this video. I have a uke from five below and I find that changing the strings makes them sound pretty mines the natrual wood one but I customized mine with acrylic paint. The watermelon one is adorable. Also using a rubberish pick with them helps if you keep the cheap strings. But yeah it's best to just cut the fake strings and switch them out with real ones. If you want to keep the real strings they came with use a felt pick.
Glad you like the video! That's a good idea to change the strings! Thanks for the idea :)
Cleopatra Vain what strings did you put on?
I got a blue one with design's on it and i really like it! It works pretty good for me p.s. you can out rubber bands on the nobs and then they wont break cuz that is what i did;)
I am a ukulele player who bought this and i love it more them my main uke- lmao
I have a pineapple ukulele from five below, I’ve been wanting to learn how to play it so hopefully it works 🤞
I got one and I got a blue Hawaiian one and it tuned well. I guess my ukulele as just easier or maybe its that pattern. After Christmas I’m going to get a good ukulele. Where are some good places to get one??
I'm glad it worked out well for you!!
I would recommend going to a local music store, if you have one nearby, that way you can test out the instruments and see what works well for you :) That's how I bought my first instruments and it worked really well! Now I buy them online, like at Amazon, and at music stores. It just depends on what I'm looking for and what is in stock at each place. Hope that helps :)
I got the pineapple one and It plays pretty good and just looks so cute
I have a rainbow one from 5 below and I tried to tune it and it sounded terrible and now I don’t know how to make it go back to how it was
I got one from 5 below and my tuned fine, it was a lighter wood color.
This was extremely helpful. I literally had them in my cart but I don’t have time for them to not work. Most of the people reviewing them were like sponsored
I have one and idk how to properly tune it but i made it so it at least it doesnt sound like a scary movie
I too sadly just purchased one of these because I really want to learn how to play and it sounds horrible! I guess itll be used for practicing cords until I get better.
I have a yellow and blue striped uke from there
I wanted that one but they were sold out so I got a rainbow striped one but I really wanna know how to play but Idk if it's actually good to play or just a toy so I hope j find out in this video
Just got one of these. I wanted to learn how to play. Would you recommend it for literally someone who’s never touched an instrument to start off?😅
I got one from there and I learned how to tune in tighter so now it sounds like a real ukelele
6:59 Looking at the bridge, you must have noticed that each set of two strings is Connected. That is why you get of the two Connected strings tuned the other goes out of tune. 🤨🤔
I am very grateful to you for sharing this. I just bought the wood-toned one. I play guitar myself and have been missing my guitar. I thought this might be a pacifier for me until I am able to bring me and my guitar back together. 🙄😒
😏😏🤔 there is still hope.
Dear One, do you think that these instruments could handle Real Ukulele strings???
In the interim, I will perform minor adjustments to see if my theory above mentioned will hold water.
As to the gears, try loosening the screw on the popping one. Had a Classical Guitar with metal gears that did the same thing. Tightening or loosening should fix it.😔😌😇
With Profound Gratitude! ! !❤⚜️❤
Blessed Be! ! !❤🙏❤
This is cool I love Ukulele
I got one today and was hopeful. My hopes were dashed. But for $5 what can ya expect 🤷🏼♀️
i got a guitar at dollar tree and tuned it to ukulele notes. I mainly play alto sax so the tuning took me forever!
I picked up my kids and started to try and learn lol I guess not the best to learn on!?
It’s not working. It won’t tune. There’s like a plastic bump on the gear. I have the wooden one too. We both have the same problem
Oh no! :( I feel ya, though...same here
@@BriannaApril I don't know how to tune and I don't think it will tune anyways 😔🙁
my mom got me one of these for my birthday and it’s literally impossible to tune 😭😭 i’ve been trying for hours it’s so bad
I actually had to unscrew the back of my Five Below Ukelele and switch around the "gears" and tuners to get it to sound good! It took a while...
100th like! I love your videos by the way!
Thank you for watching my videos!! 😊
@@BriannaApril No problem !
Oh my god. I just got my first ukelele today at a Five Below, first time ever experience with one, because I really want to learn to play ukelele seriously. I only realized now, way after the purchase, that it's a kids' toy ukelele. I hope it can still work out well, but all I know so far is that the tuning things to turn are, ironic enough for a kids toy, EXTREMELY hard to turn. I'm determined to make my first ukelele work though
my 310$ rubber Strings ukulele is really high quality and expensive but if ur a beginner just dont buy an expensive one just practice notes on a cheap one then maybe start getting up in quality
i have a blue flower one
I got some of these and they look really cute but the frets are in no way accurate on mine and they are basically wall decore only. you could make a little cute wall display with them. put the fruit ones on a background that looks like a fruit bowl. since they are plastic you could use them outside as garden decore. or mabee planters for an air plants in the sound hole
Mines tuned
I found an acoustic 3 string guitar there, it was black and i got it, and i have to say, it's marvelous!
maybe you can change the strings? because the designs are so freakin kyot
hey Brianna, yesterday i got one and it works perfectly fine, just twist until tuned.
I have the watermelon one too!
can you upgrade the tuning pin and change the ukulele strings and show us how they would sound? Thank you for sharing
I have a blue and purple swirl one and I’m still trying to get it to stay in tune
I hope it stays in tune for you!!
I have one, it’s a light wooded one, I thinks it’s great, although I have no experience with ukuleles I really want to learn how to play one, I just got it today and I have been using it all day, I try to follow RUclips tutorials for plastic ukuleles but that hasn’t worked out so far, mine tunes and it sounds ok but I only got this ukulele because I want to learn first before I buy a real good expensive version, I don’t know
I tuned mine and it worked
Yay! I'm glad it worked for you! :)
Hello, I just came here to thank you for saving me from making a terrible purchase! ♥
wow the ukulele is so cute .what size of it ?
That’s cool, but can it djent?
i just got a wood one yesterday works pretty good
I bought a 5 below Banjo ukulele .. The shit doesnt stay in tune . I fixed it kinda by tightening the screw on the back by the gear . By fixing it i mean it can now get threw a 1 minute song . Considering the limitations of a toy it would be a good present for a child with a curiosity about music.
there's three problems I can see without handling the thing. The nut is the wrong distance from the first fret, the worm gear in the tuner is too far from the worm wheel, and the strings are doubled up. You can maybe cut the strings and attach them correctly. the tuners maybe you can stick in hot oil and bend the supports, or shim up somehow. the mis-placement of the nut is nasty, but you could maybe capo to the first fret.
hey greenbriar, you need an instrument designer. presidentbyamendment
Exactly! I teach Music K-5, and have "Fixed" so many of these ukuleles. Cut the strings, tune, and sometimes, Restring and tune. FYI, Aquila Strings work 'Better,' but I still wouldn't recommend these instruments.
Sometimes the uke's don't come tuned when you first buy it.
I tuned one before and it was from Five Below
good vid btw
Thank you!!
I have one
You got pretty ones, mine looks like used fireworks
Honestly, why did they try putting fancy gear tuners on them? Friction tuners would at least be adjustable with the help of screwdrivers.
I actually have one of those
no hate but for the people who are thinking 5 below instruments are bad well atleast u can use it for a beginner or if ur learning be grateful bc most good ukelele are like 50 dollars
I’m learning how to play
I got a black star and moon one it works pretty well
Thanks for doing this, I thought I broke my Ukelele, but it's just because it wasn't a good kind.
I'm glad the video helped! I'm sorry that it broke! That's so sad 😔
@@BriannaApril Aww it's okay, I'm getting a real one for my birthday.
@@madelinesoliven3462 Yay!! That's super exciting!! :)
@@BriannaApril Yeah! I'll turn 13.
@@madelinesoliven3462 Have a happy birthday!!
How about just lowering the tension and compromise with a lower tuning?
My brother also has it but a little big in size like the brown one
Wall decor it is then!
If you bought new strings do you think you could tune it properly??
And new gears I guess? Ugh
Kiwi ukele is best ukele. I would legitimately get a kiwi print ukele like that tho.
Change the gears to metal
I have a five below one the wood one
I must have gotten lucky--because I bought one just for fun as my real uke is in storage in the middle of a temporary move--and it tunes just fine! It's quieter, and goes out of tune faster--but it works. haha
99 cent only store has them for $3
What if you changed the strings on it if that’s even possible
Ngl considering this is my first uke and I'm poor this is a pretty good option, except for the fact that that it's really damn weird
It plays decently tho
please buy the banjo kathy guinto
I'm gonna get my own I have my own one at school but its not my so my mom bought one for me
Try one from Ross
My daughter has one and at her age it's a noise maker. Maybe if she shows any interest I can get her an actual instrument to learn on.
I have one the galaxy one
I have a five below uke and my Mom had to fix it and I already made a song out of it
Do you have a fire place if you do burn them lol
Mines a little out of tune
I got the watermelon 🤣
Can I have one of your ukulele please the red one
I got one of those and
it was terrible
:(
take the tuning machines out of some beat-on guitar, & crazy glue them in? maybe?
I think u need to distribute those plastic Ukelele to us😅
You actually didn't tune it right that's why it doesn't really sound great
I play most of my ukueles with a Low G. I like the sound better. I have a sopranino uku that is that size. Mine sounds better. LOL
Fun! I've been wanting to get a sopranino!! How do you like it?
It is hard to play with normaal sized hands. Sounds a little "pluncky" but can go anywhere. :-)
Gotcha. Just curious because they seem so tiny and cute! I've never played a uke that small before, except for the Five Below ukes.
Sooooooo it doesnt work.. 😭
😢
It'll just be a low g I guess
The thing is that...i already got one from there... *AND ITS HORRIBLE*
:(
🥝🍉🥰😘😍💜💜💜
You should pay them and then put them on your wall like inside there's honey you close it what in the world do you think else you can do with them so just hang them on your wall okay
A low-G tuning is actually a thing. Just sayin'
I was able to tune mine!
Yay! I'm glad 😁
they are toys 99% just use them to pretend, want them to work put real ukulele strings and probably replace the tuners
Give dem away
no.
It sounds better than the worse ukulele on amazon tbh
So I wasted five bucks on this SpongeBob ukulele that doesn't even work for nothing, I'm going to throw away my SpongeBob ukulele and I'm never going to buy these crappy Five Below ukulele ever again