Jazz tenor ukulele - steel strings - f hole arch top - budget instrument
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- Опубликовано: 26 сен 2024
- From my ukulele diary 177
Recorded 13 October 2022
I never thought I’d go for another budget instrument but I did when I saw an ideal practice instrument for my gypsy jazz learning, which met all the criteria I was looking for:
-Tenor size guitar
-4 strings
-Steel strings
-F-shaped sound hole
-Archtop
-Pickup system
-Decent tone even when fingerpicking with no nail (not for gypsy jazz though...)
This model seems like a copy of Sound Smith Electric Hollow Body Jazz Tenor Ukulele. To me, it’s not really a ukulele, it’s a mini 4-string guitar (but not tenor guitar!), something I was looking for some time. I couldn’t find any equivalent, so I went for it to see what surprises it would reveal. I bought it from Amazon UK, no review, shipping from China, so had no idea whether it’s actually real.
The package arrived, very light, wrapped in a polystyrene casing. So, it got me worried there slightly. But a real instrument was inside at least!
Although it’s a cheap instrument it’s not bad at all, certainly much better than my toy ukulele and surprisingly I like the tone even when fingerpicking without nail (unlike my piccolo guitar). Pickup system is, as I suspected, a bit noisy but I’m not using it much so it doesn’t bother me much - although less noisy when using a mobile battery instead of using the main. Also, one of the notes is not amplified as the others, it’d need fixing, no doubt.
I did some test recording (using iPad), playing a few things I’d like to use it for, including a silly experiment with a garment button. It’s definitely a playable instrument and I’ll be happy to learn on it, especially those styles that I was finding less satisfactory on ukulele.
+++++++++++++++UPDATE+++++++++++++++++
I gave this ukulele away to a charity eventually. I couldn't find the way for it to be best used for.
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Jazz tenor ukulele Brand: LD MUSOO
www.amazon.co....
Cool
Thank you!
oh i found it thanks
Great!
I feel like it would make more sense if it was a guitarlele, nice playing btw
I haven't played this instrument for a while, it kind of says it all, I guess. Having said that, I recently removed the top string to make it work like Tres Cubano (3 course chordphone from Cuba), to practise rest stroke picking technique. Kind of works!
Amazing 👍 What kind of strings do you use? Mandoline Strings?
They came with the instrument (the instrument maker said they use their own; when I asked them how I get them, they said I can order directly from them), so I'm not sure. But they're plain steel (for treble) and silver plated copper (for bass) strings similar to gypsy jazz strings. I was going to replace them with Avarez Argentine (11 46) strings (a couple of original strings are slightly thicker). Sorry it wasn't much of a help...!
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How are you enjoying this instrument 1 year later? Has it held up well? How would you rate it's sound quality? I am considering purchasing this for my son who is an intermediate level guitar player, who has recently taken an interest in ukulele as well. He is seriously into music and really enjoys discovering new sounds, so I expect that he'd enjoy the steel strings and the electric capability of this uke. At the same time, it does appear to be a knock off, as you pointed out. And though Sound Smith's instruments are considerably more expensive, perhaps it is worth going for that if really this instrument is too poorly made. Would love you to weigh in with your thoughts on this, now that you've had some time with this one. Thanks!
I haven't played this instrument enough to be able to give you a definitive answer to your question, I'm afraid... Having said that, I'm still hanging onto it as I like the playability that it offers, the tones are unique because of the steel strings. I'd like explore more with it when the time comes.
How much better is Sound Smith compared to this copy version, I'm not sure. Cosmetically, the only thing I can tell that's cheap is that f-holes are not as clean cut as they should be. Your son being an intermediate player, he'd probably appreciate the difference better than me and possibly a Sound Smith one would be a better choice for him, if you could afford it ? But I'm not sure whether the price difference justifies it as a good player can make any instrument sounds good! I hope it helps.
Is there a truss rod? Can it handle open g tuning?
No truss rod, I suspect. I have a piccolo guitar (tenor size) with a truss rod and it weighs. This one doesn't. I haven't tried open G tuning, so I cannot say. I'd test it for you but I just gave it away to a charity last month...!
where can I buy it?? thank you for sharing
I bought it from Amazon UK! - www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08VDF54PR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1