Why I Backed Away From Caramel (And Why I’m Back)
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- Опубликовано: 20 июн 2020
- I backed away from Caramel Ukulele for a couple of years...here's why. It is no fault of Caramel. I'm not going to say that Caramel makes the best ukuleles, but they make perfectly serviceable ukuleles that have held up in a very rough educational setting (climate and normal school use by middle school and elementary students).
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I am 84 yrs of age and in a ukulele group, I have an Enya, a Snail, , a Lohanu and a Banjolele, and my very favorite a Caramel Tenor ukulele,
Which I love, and I am today going to order a Caramel Guitarlele.
Congrats! I have one Caramel, a solid mahogany soprano, that I have brought with me on various trips-and it is doing great. I do think that Caramel has increased its quality-but so has the entire industry.
My respect to you. It takes a lot to do what you did but it speaks to your growth as well not only as a creator and musician but in the recognition of the value of your opinion. While I watch and appreciate Barry, he does have a fault to be very subjective and I see you in the counter of that as you do your best to be as objective (as you can be when speaking on instruments) as possible and I appreciate that. Your content projects the passion you have for what you do and I hope more people continue to find your content along the way!
Thanks! Again, I’m not against Barry in any way, or trying to compete with him; it’s just a hobby. But I had to let myself trust my own opinion-which seems funny to say when you hold a PhD in Music (I really do)-but Barry’s disdain for Caramel so heavily impacted me that I didn’t trust my own opinion, and almost stopped doing this work.
However, being aware of Barry’s work and finding my own opinion again directly led to the path of my own format and focus in reviews and all the other ukulele work I do. So I’m grateful for the struggle I had to work through in this!
(I am sure that Barry would have told me to just do my own thing and not worry about his opinion, as they are all opinions!)
@@UkeStuff It did not come across like that at all 😊 I appreciate your work and Barry’s as well. I appreciate exactly that you both have different styles in how you present and unique perspectives. The Ying to his Yang if you will.
Also you’re Guide sheet inspired on the Energy Star sheet is genius! It made think of possibly creating someday a “spectrum of tone woods” for ukes but I have no knowledge of the differences but that might be an idea for someone with your knowledge!
I have 4 caramel ukuleles, 3 tenors, and a concert. All are solid acacia or solid mahogany. I consider them among my best ukuleles, and quite frankly, the solid acacia tenor is the best sounding of my 20 or so ukuleles.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I think you have got it right I with some doubts decided to buy my first baritone a Caramel Mahogany solid. I don't know if they have upped their game but I am really impressed with it, apart from the inside of the slotted headstock being a bit rough the finish and setup is very good. The ukulele plays well and sounds fantastic. Thanks for your reviews
They have definitely “upped their game” over the last years-as have all the companies. The only negative is that they aren’t readily available and go out of stock on both Amazon and their own website. I only have one remaining Caramel, a solid mahogany with electronics. It is a splendid little instrument (reviewed on this channel as well) that I don’t treat very delicately (I don’t abuse it, but don’t humidify it and it is out of its case most of the time) and I’m very pleased with it.
Landed on your channel since I was looking for a review on one of the caramel ukes. the all solid mango one. Anyway, though not the same model, thanks for your honest review of your caramel uke. New uke players appreciate reviews from seasoned players.
Welcome to the channel. Caramel has been trying to position itself in a slightly different market than they originally entered; however, you can still buy the CC102 models from Amazon (what i have at my school) in a kit for $40.
They have a number of higher level models (beyond the zebrawood laminates), and I haven't reviewed any of them---but they did announce a coming model on Facebook not too long ago that looked interesting to me. Perhaps that's the mango one you were talking about?
I am an Elementary School Music teacher that was getting into Ukes in the classroom & watched your original Caramel review. I had purchased about 5 different name brand Ukes in the $100 or less range, trying to figure out what direction I was going to go. I ended up buying a couple Concert Caramel Ukes & found for the price, these were as good if not better than all the others I had bought. I ended up getting a class set & am still using them today 6-7 years later. I live in Coastal CA. where I I have never had any frets pop off. They have held up well, & at times I have 4 different classes a day using them. For the price, I don’t think you can buy a better Ukulele!
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts!
I appreciate this video. I am a middle school band director down in Houston, TX, and I am in this middle school music world as well. An instrument that can take the wear and tear of middle school students (especially those middle school boys lol!) that sound decent at an affordable price is the type of instrument that you need to use. It also has to be affordable for parents, which is tough. We have to be very creative at times so that we can teach music to kids and keep them engaged. The struggle is real. I’m very nervous about going back this coming school year and how it’ll look for the music classes with what’s going on with COVID-19. Also nervous about parents being able to afford instruments. It’ll be an interesting school year to say the least! Love your channel! Take care.
Hopefully I'll make it back to TMEA sometime and we can say hello in person! I didn't apply this year because I don't know if TMEA will happen!
There are some other ukuleles I would recommend for schools, and they are all plastic-based in one way or another. The Flight TUS or TUSL models ($50), The Enya Nova ($90), and the Outdoor Ukuleles ($110 to $150). Each is much harder to justify than a $36 Caramel--but the concerts aren't available at the moment. These models all have a plastic based fretboard which means they won't develop sharp fret ends, and the Outdoor Ukuleles are incredibly rugged.
Thanks for bringing ukulele to your students--it is relevant to them, and fun--and can solve a host of discipline issues (and only create a couple of new ones!).
I hope you are doing well. I usually voice my opinions on a instrument from a songwriter/composer perspective, even if I watch any review from anyone out there. I play 14 instruments including ukulele and ukulele hybrid instruments. I've seen a few reviews out there that claim one brand or another is "great" and then the one that I get has quality control issues. There is always a chance of that people will get a "bad apple out of the bunch" as that factoies pump out these ukuleles as fast as they can. Over the years, I also have learned to fix and upgrade all of my acoustic instruments, but end game always buy from a retail site or store that has a great return policy. Have a great week.
Thanks for your thoughts, Mr. Tom! They are appreciated!
@@UkeStuff You are are Welcome, I'm glad you are doing well.
I like your honesty... sadly, a rather rare commodity these days.
Thanks for your thoughts. It's easy to let loud voices drown you out or influence your own thinking. Thankfully, we can all hit "reset" every now and then.
Meanwhile, I have two more Caramels in the house to review...
I appreciate your candor about your experience. It is hard to not be influenced and swayed by what we see online. As you well know, instrument reviews are hard to do because there are a lot of subjective items to consider. And the exact same ukulele model can vary considerably depending on how it was built.
On a TOTALLY different note, I’m taking a look at a ukulele made by a famous electric guitar company this week. I know there will be some people who will hate it just because it’s shaped like a guitar. But so far, I like it. 😀
I am looking forward to that review.
I was surprised to see comments here already; it turns out that I didn't schedule it quite right (I usually aim for a 7am CST release).
My review this week is the Enya Smart Ukulele. There will be a comparison between that and the Populele soon, too. And I also have a comparison of strings coming on the Ranch I reviewed last week!
UkeStuff right on. I’ll watch for those videos. If I’m lucky, the Fender vid will be up on Wednesday or Thursday.
I bought a laminate ebony tenor from Caramel. It was a factory defect with one little flaw. It was otherwise a really nice ukulele. I am very happy with it and would definitely consider getting another one. In my assessment, they are a good value for the money.
I really don't like steering people wrong. Barry's review really unsettled me, making me ask, "How did I get this one so wrong?" The answer is that I didn't--and neither did he. They aren't perfect ukuleles, and there are certainly better ones. But they are tanks, and they works as legitimate musical instruments without compromises. If I ever see the mahogany or acacia Caramel concerts, I'll buy one and review one (as long as they don't remain $100+). I sort of feel like I owe Caramel that much.
My first ukulele was a tenor caramel.I have to say it's a little work horse very sturdy kind of thick maybe a little heavy on the neck,but its a good ukulele🤠🐾🎸
I like acacia a lot...one of my goals is to get one of those newer solid models...whenever they start pushing out to buyers again!
Nice video. I have a Caramel Blue quilted maple soprano Uke. Funny but I found I did not like it when I first got it. After a few weeks however I found myself playing it more and more. It is not the loudest or the nicest sounding, but it is nice to play. The soundboard seems thicker than others to me, but no matter what I may see as a defect, I still find myself playing it instead of any of the 12 other Ukes I own. Nice gig bag too. Best $29.00 I have spent.
I have one of these to review in the coming weeks; and I have a similar willow from Ohana that we just bought for my son on a visit to The Uke Republic. While I loved the maple Caramel I recently reviewed, I haven't been thrilled with the blue one so far...but I will be spending more time with it in the coming weeks.
My Caramel zebra wood tenor is one of the best values in my collection. It may not look as pretty but it plays and sounds as good as others that cost 2 or 3 times more. One of my favorite ukuleles is a Caramel acacia tenor. It replaced one that had to be returned due to a crack in the back. I have been pleased with my half dozen Caramel instruments. I came into the ukulele world 4 years ago, also starting with a Mahalo soprano. I like the instruments far beyond my ability to play them. I've been liking your channel!
Thanks, Gary! I appreciate it. I'm watching Caramel daily to see when new models will appear!
I have the 2 solid wood guitaleles and they are terrific! From caramel. Smooth frets too! Prices of caramel are so reasonable. 12 /23
Excellent, I congratulate you for maintaining and defending your opinion and your channel. You already have a new subscriber. Do you have any experience with the Caramel CT402A, I have it in my Amazon cart and I would appreciate your opinion before buying it, I see it very complete, solid wood, good design, comes with a lot of accessories and allows to adjust the neck. Thanks
Hello! I do not have any experience with the CT402A. Caramel had been pretty quiet for a while, but they are now releasing new models and they have really been focusing on producing "next level" ukuleles beyond their original zebrawood models. For $60, from Amazon, there is no way can you go wrong with the ukulele. The biggest risk, I think, is that the soundboard could be thicker than would be ideal and not allow the instrument to resonate the way it should. And that's a risk, not a guarantee. And if it doesn't match your expectations, you can send it back. There's no risk in that!
I do have some issues with their ad stating that "Tenor is better than Soprano or Concert." But all the companies feel some need to hype up their products and can put a bit of a spin on truth.
But $60 for a solid mahogany tenor? Worth a shot.
@@UkeStuff Hi, I appreciate your answer,I live in Colombia and returning it is complicated, if it is possible, I will investigate it today, that's why my questions before the purchase. I am really looking for tenor for comfort more than for sound. When I have it I will share my appreciations with you. Thank you
Good for you! I love Baz but not all ukuleles are the same. I bought a certain ukulele he recommended and it came unplayable. I'm sure the one he had was great.....but mine wasn't. I feel like I know myself what is good and bad now. I love watching reviews! I love your channel and his channel as well! But what he says is true. Get your uke from a reputable dealer.
If you know how to set up a ukulele, you can buy them from anywhere; but the advice to buy from a reputable dealer is solid. There are exceptions…you can buy any Enya (for example) from Enya or Amazon with confidence. But nearly all other brands benefit from a final inspection and setup from a dealer that knows what they are doing (whether the setup is included in the price or an additional fee).
@@UkeStuff Yes I have a cheap ukulele which I'm working on learning to set up. I have an Enya which I just filed the nut slots a bit to help with intonation and that worked out well. I do get my ukes from Amazon. The music store where I live only has ukuleles that I can't afford. You are right it is good to learn how to set up instruments.
Hello Chris. Can you recommend a RUclips or Vimeo video about fixing sharp fret ends?
Let me know if this does it...about 45 seconds into the video...ruclips.net/video/cBlkV0b0mNw/видео.html
UkeStuff Yes. That did it! Thanks!
Greetings from Holland.
Fred
Can you put those old vids back up?
Long gone! I have reviewed other Caramel ukuleles on this channel.
I have 2 caramel ukes.all solid acacia tenor and solid cedar top concert.my only complaint is that they’re both heavy maybe because the wood a little bit thicker. But over all they are good ukuleles after i made some changes.
I haven't tried the solid models from Caramel...it is on my wish list.
I got it on ebay with factory defects last year.
what strings are those on your caramel?
They are the Aquila KIds strings, which are made for education. I have a few videos about them on this channel, including a short video today!
The only time I ever communicated with Barry M was on the video you mentioned (Caramel supposedly having "dipping" tops); it was civil at first and then he got asinine when I kept saying I had 6 Caramels with no issues. He reviewed the cheapest uke they have, meaning he was pissed that he didn't get a free one. I would probably recommend Kmise / Aklot over Caramel now but the older Caramels were better and they had a huge variety then. My favorite uke (out of about 45) remains my older Caramel spruce top concert, even some of my awesomer ukes (Martin C1K, Aiersi resonator, Enya Nova) cannot touch it.
Sorry for the long reply...
My main goal in all of this is to help people with an instrument that has personally brought me a lot of joy. The last thing I want to do is to lead them astray. Barry's review came early in 2017; just over a year after I started playing--and my own (now deleted) videos were made at the very start of my playing experience. And I deleted the videos in the summer of 2019, when I should have known better.
I just wasn't confident in my own opinions and experiences yet--but I am now; and as I add some things to my reviews (e.g. the harmonic analysis), I am verifying that I am hearing things correctly. I'm not saying others are wrong--I'm just talking about my own experience.
What I want others to take out of this is to let various sources give you a complete picture of the ukulele, and to trust their own ears and minds.
I have a KoAloha (Opio) tenor, and on one of the forums someone wrote about a "Wolf Tone" on the C string. Sure enough, something about the construction of a KoAloha--whether in Hawaii or Thailand (like the Opio) results in a slight issue on the C string. Some people actually sold their ukuleles after that--and the owner of The Ukulele Site (which sells a lot of KoAlohas) had to respond to the thread. I chose to store the knowledge, admitted that the "problem" existed, and decided to keep playing and loving the instrument.
Do I think Caramel made instruments that were shaky in terms of QC? Yes. But every ukulele that was shipped to us from China made it; and every one we bought is still in service...even the model that the student broke the neck of this year!
@@UkeStuff I never had construction issues with my Caramels, the newer ones are kinda heavy and dull sounding, plus they used to have engraved designs and now it's the usual abalone sticker.
Go, Keef!
I don’t know the 'other' reviewer but I do value your opinion.
Thanks so much! I'm looking forward to seeing Caramel's new models that they have been sharing on Facebook.
If you had complained about Caramel, I'd have to throw away 15 ukuleles! Since I haven't had weather issues like you have, I have had few sharp frets. The dip Barry mentioned, I have in a Glarry uke, but not a single Caramel. Obviously, I think very highly of Caramel ukuleles. I have always mined the factory defect list on eBay and gotten Caramels for 50 or 60 cents on the dollar. These days with China shipping questionable, those bargains aren't so prevalent. Great video, Chris. I felt you were talking to me. Rich
Thanks, Rich! That last line is really meaningful to me-thank you (the goal is to communicate!). I’m now waiting to see if Caramel brings any concerts back!
@@UkeStuff You inspired me to talk about my Caramels, which I just have done for about 18 minutes. The camera finally quit so that was the end of the video. It does seem to me Caramel is struggling right now and Amazon and eBay prices are crazy.
I look forward to watching it!