Got A Ukulele Review - Octopus Soprano

[@PurdyBear1]

Thanks for the wonderful review, I've just an Octupus, as my standby Uke, I'm playing a cheaper version, just for the first few months of learning.

[@PurdyBear1]

I've just checked on Ebay and they are in the mid £20s so pretty good price.

[@susansutton2012]

Just bought one of these based on this review from Southern Ukuleles for £25 postage included. I have a couple of nice concerts and wanted a a reasonable quality soprano to mess around with. I too am very impressed with my sparkly blue addition. The frets are are rolled but still a little rough but its not a problem when playing, intonation is good but SU did include a set-up with the price. I am very pleased with my purchase. Disclaimer- I have nothing whatsoever to do with SU but I definitely recommend getting one from a reputable dealer as SU said these take some setting up.

[@GotAUkulele]

+susan sutton A great store - and one of only three that I regularly recommend in the UK. Proper ukulele specialists. In fact my advice is always to get ANY ukulele from dealers like this as set up issues can occur (though less frequently) on higher priced instruments too. SUS will weed them out. In the interests of balance, the other UK stores I recommend are Omega Music and Eagle Music.

[@trs1385]

Octopus soprano ukes are really nice to play. I doubt there is anything as good for the price.

[@GotAUkulele]

At the price, yes, hard to beat

[@666ozwaldo]

Hi I have been given the task of buying 15 ukes for my school and have been tempted by the tangle wood Union series tu6 but now not sure whether to go for the slightly cheaper octopus. Your thoughts On this would be really helpful. Thanks

[@GotAUkulele]

+martyn ozzie Personally I would rather have the Octopus than the Tanglewood!

[@lulugengler-saint2803]

I bought one right after watching this. Thanks!

[@GotAUkulele]

+Lulu Gengler-Saint they are fun little things!

[@ApertureWarrior]

Cheers for the reviews man, I'm not sure how i ended up watching your videos :p I'm a guitarist and I barely touch my ukulele but glad i do, think this is a great gift idea for my best friend shes been hinting at wanting a uke for a while and the blue one is pretty cute too

[@GotAUkulele]

My pleasure, and thanks!

[@wheezyfridge]

Oh god I'm going to have to go buy one now

[@theody8977]

Great review, made me pick this up. I don't have experience with ukes (my first one) but I think it lived up to my expectations soundwise. However there's glue and splinters everywhere. Glue on the frets and inside the body. The bridge (which is a bit narrow compared to yours) is kinda of chipping. Either way it's fun and for this price I can't complain too much. Thanks!

[@GotAUkulele]

I'd complain! Thats simply not right - no matter the price!

[@ToWnHeAdAARON123]

This or Makala Dolphin for a beginner?

[@GotAUkulele]

This is much much better than the Stagg you mentioned - the Dolphin and this are comparable

[@chuckvt5196]

Nice review! Finally an inexpensive uke that is NOT a useless toy! I had a Makala and it was fun, but this does sound a bit better! Long live the Octopus!

[@GotAUkulele]

What I like best about these Chuck are the necks and fingerboards - really decent

[@andypandy1488]

Hi i bought the £50 tenor octopus.As a beginner not knowing anything i alsohavea plastic clearwater concert both with aquila strins on . The £18 Clearwater played i thought surprisingly good sound and tone straight out of the box. However the Otopus tenor had a buzz a rattle and not such a clear sound , rough edges to the frets . Now i have swapped the strings for new aquila low g sanded the bridge down to drop strings to 2.75mm at 12th fret sprayedlemon oil inside gave the whole thing a coat of patina wood treatment and the difference is tremendous. The 18 quid plastic Clearwater still sounds like it did out of the box playable with no interferance . Your right a minefield

[@GotAUkulele]

Thanks Andy!

[@davidbishop466]

I have several students who play The Makla Dolphin and the Makla Shark. I believe they are the best instruments in the price range; particularly for the middle school age group I teach.

[@GotAUkulele]

For me it's a close run thing between the Dolphin and the Octopus

[@derkarlotto]

my musical talent is about as limited, as my finances, I've played the recorder and steel drum as a kid, but never got the hang of any of them. I'd love to try uke, but I really dont want to spend much on it, since i might just not be made for music. so im thinking about getting an octopus, but does it need to be tuned often?

[@GotAUkulele]

+Kaja Lillesoster All ukuleles need to be tuned often when the strings are settling. It can take weeks for them to settle but eventually they hold. Having to tune a ukulele is an integral part of owning one!

[@derkarlotto]

+GotAUkulele good to know. thanks.

[@GotAUkulele]

+Kaja Lillesoster No problem - a lot of bad advisors will class a 'good' ukulele as one that holds tune and a 'bad' ukulele as one that won't - that is just wrong - unless the tuners are defective a 'bad' ukulele will still hold tune. The thing that stops that happening is usually the strings stretching which can happen no matter how expensive the instrument. Friction type tuners CAN slip but they can be tightened to stop that happening. But again - friction tuners can slip on the worlds most expensive ukes if they are not properly set up.

[@derkarlotto]

okay, thanks.

[@amypb467]

You said the saddle needs adjusting- how would you do this? I'm waiting for this to arrive right now so I was wondering if this would be a big issue, it's my first ukulele, so I don't really know what the difference would be. Thanks for the review!

[@GotAUkulele]

+Amy B (GWires) I don't think because one needs the saddle adjusting means that every one will - it's something that varies from uke to uke. To lower it - take off strings and remove white saddle. you need to sand down the base dead flat. do it in small goes, restring and check - repeat if needed. Go slowly as if you go too low you make the strings buzz. A high saddle can make for unformfortable playing at best or it playing out of tune at worst. To check it - the bottom of the string should be no more than about ⅛ inch above the crown of the 12th fret.

[@amypb467]

***** Okay, thank you! I'm very new so I just wanted to check if it was something I needed. I'll see how it goes

[@armadillo365]

I've been looking for one of this, but couldn't find it. Does anyone know where can I get one? I live in Mexico and cannot find someone that ships those to my country.

[@alexrose9388]

Just about to buy my first uke, the wife is sceptical so the octopus will keep my dream alive I think 🙂

[@GotAUkulele]

As entry level ukuleles go, this is a good one. Do bear in mind how old this review is though - many years since I have seen one in the flesh. Just hope they have kept their quality up.

[@boab69y2k]

thanks for your review just cancelled my order for a stagg one for this. its my first one coming from guitar but i will buy a much better one at somepoint.

[@GotAUkulele]

In my experience you did the right thing. All ukuleles at this price may need some tweaking, but the Octopus has a good tone. The Staggs are beyond help!

[@jesusmiguelmedinagil1090]

should i by this or a tiger?

[@GotAUkulele]

Very very similar

[@kianaxx14]

so you would now recommend this over the makala dolphin as a lower end uke?

[@GotAUkulele]

kianaxx14 Far better!

[@Miracle7Seven]

how did you get those stickers on that dolphin? Is there a special way to make them stay on for a while or do you just slap em on there?

[@GotAUkulele]

Just stuck them on

[@ruiribeiro1753]

Hey sir, i need your help with smothing. im a beginner, and i would like to know what do you think about ukulele mahalo MK1tbr and mahalo MK1Ptbk. please answer. your vid are great btw :)

[@GotAUkulele]

Hi there - I think you can do far better than Mahalo for the same money. Look for a brand called Makala in my opinion

[@ruiribeiro1753]

OK. thank you. Oh and one more thing if that´s ok. Im left handed so is it ok if i dont buy the instrument for left handed people and insted get the normal? I never played any instrument like uku, not even guitar so it wont be a big deal right ?

[@GotAUkulele]

If you are left handed you have a few options. Ultimately it depends on what is most comfortable to you. www.gotaukulele.com/2016/09/how-do-i-play-ukulele-if-i-am-left.html

[@ruiribeiro1753]

I read your article and it was pretty usefull. Im going to buy a right handed ukulele, Despite being left handed there´s alot of stuff i feel confortable using my right hand. im going to buy Makala Waterman Soprano Ukulele you rated it 8.6 and since you rated the sound with an 8 the decision is made. Thank you so much again.

[@beth7132]

i have to have a octopus one since i have no money for a higher priced one

[@GotAUkulele]

Would't be a bad starter choice!

[@chrislauze8742]

UK brand only? Can't seem to find it in the colonies here...

[@GotAUkulele]

Not sure to be honest Chris - I certainly know a couple of people who have them in USA

[@finn_odonohue_______2343]

are (i dont know what they are called) white nylon strings? better than clear nylon?

[@GotAUkulele]

It's a bit more complex than that. The all white strings are synthetic gut (still a type of nylon) usually made by a brand called Aquila. The clear strings are EITHER nylon, or more likely fluorocarbon (a different type of nylon). So three material types really. As for which is best, I'm afraid that is totally subjective. Some prefer the Aquilas, some don't.

[@finn_odonohue_______2343]

GotAUkulele ok thank you just wondering cuz im looking for another ukulele

[@GotAUkulele]

With strings I always tell people the same thing - get a few sets and test them and trust your own ears. They are meant to be changed regularly - Dont buy a ukulele based on what strings it has!

[@_Teo__]

Hallo. Is it worth for 25 euros?

[@GotAUkulele]

Teo S. yes I’d say so - so long as you get from ukulele specialist to check it over

[@scottplaysps4945]

Please help me I am a 13 year old beginner I want a ukulele but me budget is £30 could you please recommend one as this would be much appreciated I love ur channel and I have subscribed please reply because I want to get started asap thank you

[@bmull81]

+epicsophieVIII - Barry seems to be away at the moment, but he really likes both the "Makala Dolphin" and this one, the "Octopus" at this sort of price point. Both are 'Soprano' size. But he does say (quite correctly) that a better instrument is a better way to start, if you can afford it. I'd also recommend trying before you buy, in a shop or at a Ukulele festival if you can get to one. Ukuleles of the same model can vary quite a lot! My Tanglewood Baritone is fantastic, but two others I tried were not as good. Having someone set it up for you is a very good idea indeed. Some shops offer this as a service - sometimes free with a new Uke, or... if you join a local Ukulele group, there may be a member who will help you with this. Good luck!

[@GotAUkulele]

+bmull81 Yes- been away - for that money - Octopus Soprano or Makala Dolphin are my two best suggestions.

[@cardinalximenez4505]

+GotAUkulele Can you do a video basically entitled 'Not shit cheap ukeleles' or words to that effect. I have a limited budget to spend on an instrument that is just for me to mess around with and get a feel for. I hate being a poor musician because I can't afford good instruments.

[@GotAUkulele]

+Cardinal Ximenez All my reviews (most with videos) are listed here - all in price categories - pick your price bracket, look at the scores. Bingo. www.gotaukulele.com/p/ukulele-reviews.html

[@weirdscience6820]

That's an ugly poo brown colour. About the sound, I slow mo'd the video and the dolphin looks to have a thinner body than the octopus which surely affects the tone. The dolphin sounds mmm I dunno, thin sounding?. Also, I read that lowering the strings can reduce the volume or something (whether it occurs from a certain point, unsure).. you said the dolphin sounded muted.

[@GotAUkulele]

At this sort of price I consider colour to be a minor issue - it's what it sounds like that matters - I think this is on a par with the Dolphin really - but yes - if you set the action too low on any uke you start to kill the volume

[@weirdscience6820]

@@GotAUkulele I agree the sound is the most important aspect.. aesthetics additionally affect purchasing decisions. For one uke I was wanting, the appearance was part of the appeal. I just decided it's not the best size for me. I've seen decisions made entirely on visuals, like the how cute a design is (I don't know if any attention was paid to sound quality) plus I myself bought my daughter a second-hand uke for its the colour she likes. Just did a quick check over and plucked it open string. Didn't wanna fuss over a small price. Choices are limited when it's used (she's not really interested in playing so at least I don't lose any money on it - it was designed to encourage her) . Now looking at it, I prefer my Mahalo's sound.

[@cboote100]

british flag on box, MADE IN CHINA!

[@GotAUkulele]

British company - what's wrong with China by the way?