I was very pleasantly surprised when I tried a concert fluke. The baritone is a winner for sure!

@GotAUkulele

2 ай бұрын

I find them so playable and nice to listen to. Always fuss free too

Baz, I visited the Magic Fluke shop today, it’s about an hour from my house. I wore a Got A Ukulele shirt. Met Dale Webb. Asked about upgrading tuners on my Flea. It took about 30 minutes, was essentially the cost of the peghead tuners and they adjusted the action on the instrument as well. Top notch customer service and support. If you find yourself in New England sometime, make sure to visit.

@GotAUkulele

Ай бұрын

Thanks William!

This could be my perfect uke for my camper and future travels.

@GotAUkulele

2 ай бұрын

Yep - perfect - would need a bag though!

oh yes! I said it before: every uke-player should have a magic flea/fluke, no matter the size 😊 … and the price, which is justified, absolutely justified! Hey Dale & Phyllis - why not leave out the dot in fret 3 and make side dots standard instead? Upgraded tuners are a must!

@GotAUkulele

2 ай бұрын

I've said this myself many times. Every uke player should own one. It's weird to do a review and get wistful, but my first dabble in ukulele with a cheap Mahalo wasn't serious. It was so bad it was unplayable. Had I not bought another I would not be here now talking to you.

The sheer fondness you and for example Matt Hicks have for Magic Fluke ukuleles, and what you say about how playable they are. makes me really want to try one (probably a soprano or concert, though this baritone sounds nice and rather different to anything else I’ve heard out there).

Sounds great to me, i only own a toy one and a half decent tenor (im a guitarist mainly). But yeh this sounds great, i just like the look of it. Since watching your channel maybe 18 months ago i did notice the one in the background. Id have to pay the bloody brexit taxes to dublin though but very interesting. Thanks for the review. Imgoing to be in birmingham in a few weeks for a week maybe i can try and train it to one of these great uke stores you have with a few quid in my pocket and try and get something. Anyway, really enjoy the videos lad. K

@GotAUkulele

Ай бұрын

I regularly say that every uke player should own a Magic Fluke instrument at some point!

I own 4 magic flukes. And i agree. The laminate tops sound great. I have purchased models with metal frets and the plastic frets. I prefer the sound with the plastic frets. And the flat on back of the necks i find very comfortable. And now im going to have to start saving my money because i dont have a baritone.. Thanks for the review.

@GotAUkulele

15 күн бұрын

Right on!

After I saw the video for the “Johnny Cash”, I ordered a Fluke Tenor. I love it! Thank you for introducing me to Fluke ukulele.

@GotAUkulele

2 ай бұрын

Ah cool!

It sounds and looks great. I have two Magic Fluke concert scale Fleas. I bought the first one in 2018 and absolutely fell in love with it. So, for my 50th in 2022, I bought another one, speced it up and had them do a bit of custom engraving on the headstock. I don't plan to buy another A standard-tuned ukulele, It's perfect for me. Though the baritone is very tempting.

@GotAUkulele

2 ай бұрын

Very cool!

Thanks Baz, this is the second uke I have bought from World of ukes. Both of them reviewed by you , the very same one this time cos of the shades on the Koa. Maybe I’m a sick puppy from Oz. It is interesting how small the uke scene is online.

@GotAUkulele

25 күн бұрын

Good choice Peter!

I have a blue laminate tenor that was a Covid purchase. (I spent too much time shopping ukes online during the Covid lockdown here in the States.) My daughter liked it so much that she requested one for last Christmas. I've restrung mine with Worth Clears in low G, and I think it sounds great. It sits out so I can grab it whenever the mood strikes. It's very arid where I live so I keep my solid wood instruments in cases with humidifiers. I don't miss the bag - I have a tenor gig bag that works fine - not crazy about the tuners. I find them fiddley to use, although once you get them set, they hold tune very well. I invested the $15 for the side dots and still had buy some stick-ons from Strings by Mail, because they didn't put one on the 3rd fret. I also have a tenor and a baritone from Pete Mai at Bonanza. I like knowing who made my instruments. It's a personal connection from the craftsman to me that you don't get with the Kalas - at least not in my price point. Anyway, thanks for this review. I probably won't buy this one, although we all know that too many ukuleles is one more than you currently own. 😁

@GotAUkulele

2 ай бұрын

Yep - that personal connection has a value too that you don't get with some other brands - they are lovely people.

What an amazing instrument Barry..wonderful workmanship thanks very much

@GotAUkulele

2 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it

My Flea has the koa top, and I’m glad I spent the extra money (Fluke is laminate… ). These are wonderful!

@GotAUkulele

2 ай бұрын

I used to have one - honestly didn't see the step up in tone to justify the extra money over the laminate myself, but all very subjective of course.

@RickHenderson58

2 ай бұрын

@@GotAUkulele I found a deal on an open-box model, otherwise I might have stuck with laminate, too. Had I purchased directly from MFC, I would have got the wood fretboard and a laminate top. This one was too good to pass on for the price. I love them too.

Thanks Baz, great review, with knowledgeable comments. I actually like the shape and the headstock is always distinctive. The tone is surprisingly appealing, as I find some baritones too boomy for me, if that’s a thing. Agree with price reasoning as it is not an overly mass produced Chinese item. Thanks and have a great week.

@GotAUkulele

2 ай бұрын

Agreed on all counts!

Great review. We have two flukes from the early 2000s and love them. My go to uke. Cheers from Cali!

@GotAUkulele

2 ай бұрын

Thanks Joshua!

Good review. Interesting tone. I'd be hard pressed to say what it sounds like. It's nice.

@GotAUkulele

2 ай бұрын

Thanks!

Want one 😊

@GotAUkulele

2 ай бұрын

Me too!

Great review, thank you for putting Magic Fluke on my radar. I have been playing Tenor and mostly Baritone Ukulele since last December and I have been following your channel since at least October. You are by far my favorite and number one channel to go to for all my Ukulele reviews. My favorite Uke is the one you bought, the Flight Aurora Baritone. I play it constantly for hours every single day. I have to say however how disappointed I am with this Magic Fluke Baritone. The price is high yes, even for me here in the states, as I would have to pay extra for the side dots and a gig bag, but I go to lots of Renaissance faires in the summer, and this would have been perfect even at the price point. The size and shape are perfect as are the materials but the sound is a total deal breaker for me. Maybe it's just my ears, but the sound to me is full of distortion like a pair of cheap speakers. It's very muddled and the notes are not defined. The volume is good as is the sustain but the overall sound is more loud blaring noise to my ears than pleasing music, what a shame it would have fit my needs perfectly. Your also right that it doesn't sound at all like a standard Baritone. I will instead save up for the Klos all carbon fiber, Baritone. I have the Klos all carbon fiber Tenor and it is now the only Tenor I will ever play.

@GotAUkulele

2 ай бұрын

Thanks for kind words. To my ears the tone is really clear - just kind of 'not baritone' - softer and laid back. Fluke make tenors too of course (which I own!)

@nickiemcnichols5397

2 ай бұрын

It sounds different to Baz in his hands than it does to us through KZread compression.

Fluke and baritone together? OMG ukulele heaven!! 🤩 Gonna have to save my pennies for that. Definitely a fair price IMO.

@GotAUkulele

2 ай бұрын

Yep!

Early on I had a red soprano flea and a natural concert fluke. I sold the soprano because of the fluke just sounds nicer, then sold the fluke because I started to notice a tiny amount of wear on the frets. Ten years later I saw a concert fluke with hardwood fretboard on ebay for 200usd so I bid and got it. Ended up being a maxxed out version with koa top and peghead tuners. Sadly during shipping the top split. So I decided to keep it and dropped 100usd into having it professionally fixed. I really like it but don't like the strings on it, they're pretty hard fluorocarbons that I've been too lazy to change out.

Not a bad price, when only one taxman rips you off. Nice mellow, bowlback tone!

@GotAUkulele

2 ай бұрын

True - UK we get hammered

Been waiting for something like this. Sounds a bit too subdued to my untrained ears. I suspect a larger body would align more with the baritone bark I typically expect to blend more with guitar playing friends. I do like this US made brand. But, I think I'll hold off and see if they come up with a larger bodied baritone model. Thank you for an excellent review.

@GotAUkulele

2 ай бұрын

I don't think they will - not the ethos of what the Fluke is. I really like it for the different sound myself

@JonHancockUK

2 ай бұрын

The main reason they rarely introduce different sizes of body is cost: the mould required for that polycarbonate body is extremely expensive. I wrote to Dale a couple of years ago and he explained the situation.

@GotAUkulele

2 ай бұрын

@@JonHancockUK Can imagine. Besides - I like the commonality - same with the Flea Soprano and Flea Concert

Big Thief always have such great shirts...

@GotAUkulele

2 ай бұрын

Great band!

Hmm. The base does not curve inward the way it does on your original fluke. How is that ergonomically? And the lack of side dots does not dismay me as, on a baritone, I prefer to add my own so I can have one at the third (on the Bonanza Pete Mai made for me, he put the dots where I wanted). Is there a tail block so one can add a MiSi?

@GotAUkulele

2 ай бұрын

My first is a Flea not a Fluke - has slight curve to the sides. All the Flukes are the same shape. RE the pickup - really hard to fit (though I have done it). No tail block, but the plastic is strong - but needs a bolt and hard to do. Also - putting one on the base destroys the ability to stand it up! I put one in my Concert Fluke on the side

I never liked the shape because it feels strange and uncomfortable on my knee. However ,it looks fine. I don’t mind the headstock because it is not overly large. Price should be about $175-$200 it is molded plastic. I like the sound but it seems a little hollow or plastic. I do like it and I agree banjo like. Interesting review… Thanks DOC

@GotAUkulele

2 ай бұрын

If they made it for that price they may as well close up shop as they'd not make any money..

can be useful as a paddle.

@GotAUkulele

2 ай бұрын

Absolutely!

I love the banjouke. But the others, no thanks. We had a concert scale Flea once, and couldn’t hold onto the darn thing. It reminded me of trying to play a potato bug mandolin. To tell the truth, the difficulty in playing it cost me liking the tone. The squarish neck is very uncomfortable, I say. I don’t care for the appearance either. But I’m really glad Baz got his, or he may not be here.

@GotAUkulele

2 ай бұрын

Grippy strips on the back!

What was the tuning?

@GotAUkulele

Ай бұрын

DGBE

To my ears it sounds... er... Hawaiian? The soft jangliness conjures up surf, sand, sea breezes. Or is my imagination getting the better of me?

@GotAUkulele

2 ай бұрын

I think I get that - where I was struggling was expecting it to sound like a big bodied baritone - but it never could really. It kind of sounds like its own thing - but in a good way.

Looks and tone do nothing for me I’m afraid (I just do not like the shape at all!) It just sounds like a cheap travel guitar to my ears.

@GotAUkulele

2 ай бұрын

Fair enough!

Well, I'm not sure you were able to remain objective on this one, Baz. I think your fondness for the brand affected your review a bit. But that's okay, it's not an exact science.

@GotAUkulele

2 ай бұрын

They are hard to do. Kanile'a are the same as I've said so often how much I love their instruments. It helps that I genuinely did think this one was great. Did point out some issues which are negatives (paying for side dots? CRAZY!) - so I will do that even with brands I like. I suppose the question is - if this was the first MF I ever saw - would I like it - I think the answer is yes - its cool as hell!!

I am normally a big fan of your reviews (got two different ukes recommendes by you and they were great), but not this one: 1. As a player I do not care where the uke is made (and normally you claim that nor do you, when it comes to Chinese-made ukes like Anuenue). Being "made in the USA" is not something that I can see or feel when I play, and I would not pay more for that label. 2. To me, a good baritone should sound like a small guitar. Instead, this one sounds like a big plastic uke, which is what it is. I appreciate the practicality of the shape (minus the difficulty of finding a suitable bag), but the sacrifice in terms of sound is not worth it.

@GotAUkulele

2 ай бұрын

Re the China / USA thing, you are conflating two different points. When I have said I like Chinese instruments it's in response to people who assume that China = poorly made (which is simply not true). When I talk about USA here i'm not referring to quality of production but simply the inescapable fact that something made in the USA will cost more in wages / power / taxes / etc. You are not 'paying more' for the USA label, but you are paying more for the things you can't control. I also said this doesn't sound like a baritone and not sure I agree that it 'has to'. I said it sounds like it's own thing and I really like the tone. Each to their own on that point though!

@gustau4764

2 ай бұрын

@@GotAUkulele I agree. But my point is rather that, since being made in the USA is not an objective advantage (the quality of the product does not depend on it, as you rightly point out), I don't see why anybody (especially outside the USA) should pay a premium price for that. I know luthier-made instruments are necessarily more expensive, but for that you get a customized product. But these are factory-made instruments. Does it make sense to pay more for an uke made in a factory the USA vs elsewhere? If you are an American economical protectionist, maybe. Otherwise, I don't see it. As for the tone, I agree: it is a subjective opinion. I rather like that at some point you mention other instruments that sound a bit like it... Maybe they should have fully embraced the difference and gone for something sounding like a 4-string balalaika or small bouzouki?

@GotAUkulele

2 ай бұрын

@@gustau4764 I didn't say it was an advantage. But I do talk about other things that add value - like people wanting to work with locals who are nice people with excellent and very personal after sales. And people certainly buy them. Same applies to Pete Mai at Bonanza. These are cheaper. Both hand made, US made, quirky instruments made simply. He couldn't make them fast enough when he was building. Anyway, my scoring knocked it down a bit on the value for money, yet it still did well. If this was made in the far east and half the price the value for money element would have been higher

They look crappy to put it nicely. For the price I’ll pick something else. The tone is dead.

@GotAUkulele

2 ай бұрын

Subjective of course. More importantly, they play brilliantly.

@nickiemcnichols5397

2 ай бұрын

I find it’s impossible to judge any instrument’s tone on KZread. Compression and all, ya know. I wouldn’t go by that.i gotta hear something in person before I make a decision about it.

@GotAUkulele

2 ай бұрын

@@nickiemcnichols5397 Well quite Nickie - saying that - i've reviewed hundreds and been doing these now for nearly 15 years.. as subjective as it is, if I thought something sounded lousy to me in person I WOULD say so. This one confused me a bit as it doesn't sound like a baritone, but I certainly don't think it sounds 'dead' either. Just very different. I liked that.