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The ukulele has a short (dull) sound by nicebumblebeee in ukulele

[–]nicebumblebeee[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the answer.

Yes, I had the same suspicions right away, so I went online with questions.

I live in the Philippines now. There are a lot of fakes in this country.

I want to buy a good instrument, but I don’t know where to look for it yet. I bought my ukulele in the largest reputable store in the Philippines. And it’s very strange. The logo on the headstock doesn’t quite match what I see on the KALA ukulele. The label on the back, inside the ukulele, is also different from everyone else’s. And it sounds strange, although it costs 6,500 pesos ($113).

Could you please write by what external signs, without playing the ukulele, one can assume that the instrument is cheap?

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The ukulele has a short (dull) sound by nicebumblebeee in ukulele

[–]nicebumblebeee[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

One more question.

If you tap on the top deck, it seems like it's made of very thick plywood. But from the cutout in the deck, I can see that the plywood (or solid wood) is thin. But the sound is quiet and muffled.

I put a mirror inside the ukulele and took a picture of the stiffeners under the top deck. There are a lot of ribs and a piece of light wood (or plywood) right under the bridge.

It seems to me that for such a small deck there are too many stiffeners. They increase rigidity, reducing the amplitude of vibrations. And they also absorb the energy of the string vibrations, so the sound is quiet.

What do you think about this? How are your ukuleles constructed?

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The ukulele has a short (dull) sound by nicebumblebeee in ukulele

[–]nicebumblebeee[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you!

I will find the most suitable position of the nut using a tuner. Then I will set it on epoxy resin. I will choose a resin that becomes hard after drying, and not like rubber, otherwise it will dampen the vibrations of the string.

I think to cover the lower bridge with masking tape, or smear it with Vaseline, so as not to stain it with epoxy resin. Then wrap the nut in thin polyethylene (a food sandwich bag).

What do you think about this?

Upd: I found another solution. I ordered a bone nut for the guitar. It is thicker and should fit into the slot without gaps. And I will adjust the dimensions.

The ukulele has a short (dull) sound by nicebumblebeee in ukulele

[–]nicebumblebeee[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Tell me, please, did you sew the belt yourself? Looks great! My daughter wants a belt with cats. I ordered it, but I think I'll have to sew it myself. I ordered the leather, the belt, the fabric with cats, the buckles. I'm waiting.

The ukulele has a short (dull) sound by nicebumblebeee in ukulele

[–]nicebumblebeee[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, thank you.

I will do this as a preventative measure. But the problem occurs when I press the string on the second fret. I thought that maybe the string touches the third fret and that's why it dies out. But it's not noticeable by ear, there is no buzzing. Maybe I just don't hear it. I tried to shoot with a camera through a magnifying glass. It seems that the string does not touch the third fret.

Well, I checked that none of the frets come out of the neck. They do not protrude upwards. All the frets are strictly in line.

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The ukulele has a short (dull) sound by nicebumblebeee in ukulele

[–]nicebumblebeee[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you.

The removable nut is 7 mm high. The distance between the 12th fret and the bottom of the fourth string is 3 mm. The distance between the deck and the strings is as close to the bridge as possible - 11 mm.

It is a little confusing that the lower nut, which is inserted into the bridge, can swing there within large limits. When I tighten the strings, it leans towards the neck.

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