Got A Ukulele Reviews - Populele 2 Smart Concert

[@robertneild3772]

I just watched your review and I have to say I'm pleased to hear what you had to say! I got back from a backyard "jam" where a bunch of friends (and people I hadn't previously known) had all manner of string instruments playing sea shanty's and the like. Well I got home and facebook pops up an ad for the Populele Pro 2 and motivated partly by the by-products of barley I ordered one! I'll get back to you on how the learner interface works for someone who is quite a bit more than 10!

[@colson8327]

Thank you for the review! I have the Populele 2 Pro coming in a month and now I am even more excited for it's arrival.

[@GotAUkulele]

A Pro has just arrive with me for review - will be about another month away until I get around to it though.

[@joseville]

​@@GotAUkulelewhat are the differences between this one and the Pro?

[@GotAUkulele]

@@joseville REview of Pro here www.gotaukulele.com/2021/12/populele-2-pro-smart-ukulele-review.html

[@rephrase1]

If they released documentation about the Bluetooth interface, then other developers could produce their own apps that would work with this uke. Then the smart features could be used to their full extent. I can see why they did not add a microphone, as it would add no usable features unless they also added an onboard microprocessor. Maybe they will on a future version. This has lots of hacking potential.

[@GotAUkulele]

Interesting - know some uke techies who play uke who develop Bluetooth stuff! Helfpful - thanks!

[@ssl2928]

You know what? Some guys actually did open sourced a few libraries to interface with the guitar. Check this out github.com/Furikuda/Hackulele

[@chriswebster7984]

Hey Baz, another great review, thank you for all your hard work and passion. My first ukelele was a Populele 1 (I now also have a Bondi spalted maple tenor, I'd like to see you review them, nice quality and a good company ethos) , and I went from never having held an instrument, to clumsily, but confidently playing in about 3 months, practising around the recommended 15 minutes a day. I rate the Populele highly as a teaching tool, it has helped me realise how much I enjoy playing ukelele, and has helped this old dog prove, once again, that I can learn new tricks. I would recommend the Populele to anyone wanting to start their own ukelele journey.

[@GotAUkulele]

Good to hear that Chris!

[@acterene1]

Thanks!

[@GotAUkulele]

Thanks very much Mark!

[@simplerecipe86]

This video helped me relax and learn many new things, thank you!..

[@yawlastreet]

You're a bit of a champ, eh? A totally engaging video whether you're into the ukelele or not. Kudos.

[@GotAUkulele]

Thanks!

[@epicmage82]

Ordered it for my first one. Looking forward to it.

[@Shishiranshoku]

I waited very long on mine, but finally got it two weeks ago and I love it. I was expecting I'd like the smart features more (I've never played an instrument before) but I don't really use them. Instead, I just play it like a regular ukelele and I think it sounds and feels great! :-)

[@brynenichols3144]

This is a great/fun review Baz! The tone surprised the heck out of me.

[@GotAUkulele]

Yeah - it aint bad!

[@benmobi]

This is quite a surprise, a lot more than I'd have expected of this. You play it well, it sounds great, so much better than I'd expect for it's price. Wow. Thank you for this explanatory and playing demo.

[@GotAUkulele]

My pleasure - I suppose what I wanted to get across was, despite the bells and whistles, it's still quite a cheap and GOOD sounding composite uke underneath!

[@ianchadderton9413]

Excellent teaching aid which I am sure would motivate learners of all ages to play. Sounds good, I am not too sure if I like the looks but that is purely personal, very good price too. Many thanks for bringing all these ukes to our attention. Cheers.

[@GotAUkulele]

Thanks Ian!

[@ChrisOttoSTL]

Interesting, looks like a good one for people learning. I was thinking it might be a fun stage uke, with those lights, but if the mic for the dots is iffy, that goes out the door.

[@GotAUkulele]

Not iffy for that use so much - just a bit picky when using the chord games on the app and recognising the right chords. Any noise into the device will trigger the lights on the Dazzle mode.

[@joseville]

Thanks so much for this review! Love this music you played from 8:48 onward! What is the piece at 9:40? Does anyone know the difference between this version and the Pro version? IIUC, this version does not have the Preamplifier. 10:00 What is a pickup? Is it the output jack? Does this one not have an output jack?

[@GotAUkulele]

Songs are in link below video This is the Pro www.gotaukulele.com/2021/12/populele-2-pro-smart-ukulele-review.html Pickup is the system that takes the sound and allows you to connect to an amplifier

[@joseville]

@GotAUkulele thanks so much for the info! I know this was years ago, so the following may be hard to recall, but at 2:43, in the lower left part of the video, on the bottom of the ukelele there is a metallic thing. That's not an output jack? Is that just a place to connect a ukele strap?

[@GotAUkulele]

Yep - just a strap button

[@tommorrisey3999]

I was surprised that I liked the sound better than I thought I would. BTW, on my Outdoor Carbon Tenor, I used a pin vise to drill tiny depressions into the side of the fretboard, which I then filled white Plastic Wood. Voila- side markers that will not rub off.

[@GotAUkulele]

Have done similar myself!

[@LarryRichelli]

@@GotAUkulele Is there anywhere I can view this mod? Being a beginner, I can't picture in my mind what this would look like.

[@uknavynige]

Would be great for schools or even clubs that have beginners join, we often get people joining our club that have no idea which chords which this would be great for them to start with.

[@GotAUkulele]

Indeed!

[@tphalange9030]

Hi, do you recommend this as a beginner's first ukulele? What about Nova U? Thanks!

[@GotAUkulele]

I'd recommend the Nova U more

[@tphalange9030]

@@GotAUkulele Cool! That's more affordable in my region.

[@philosophy4242]

Your a really good reviewer

[@GotAUkulele]

Thank you!

[@JohnScottish4962]

A great learning tool and doesn't sound to bad at all 👍

[@FeryAndrianus]

Thank you for the great review, Sir! I just ordered the first version of Populele at my local store. I never play ukulele before and I think I could use your channel as a reference 😁.

[@GotAUkulele]

Glad I could help!

[@KIWIchix0r]

I’ve just ordered one. Can’t wait to try it out.

[@GotAUkulele]

Enjoy!

[@kathleenhickey7793]

Very interesting! Will have to check this one out.

[@GotAUkulele]

Please do!

[@chuckvt5196]

Very interesting! I do commend any effort to get kids or older folks to learn the ukulele. The price is certainly right and it does not sound bad at all!

[@GotAUkulele]

Absolutely!

[@rockykoast7065]

I was just about to say you can paint side dots in less time than it takes to change a string...then you said that you can do it. LOL. I painted some on my electro-accoustic Kmise which didn't have them. ( Just finished repairing that uke again because my nails had worn a hole through the front of the uke - added a big scratch guard now.) I might get round to doing a video of the repair as l took a few photos along the way..

[@GotAUkulele]

Yeah - very easy

[@carluxo88]

how to insert acords in the xiaomi populele app?

[@GotAUkulele]

I don't believe you can

[@stephaniekerr]

I got a first gen populele. It’s a great little unit!

[@matbeug]

Hi thank you for your nice video. it s possible to play with the Populele 2 for a left hand player ???

[@GotAUkulele]

At the time of my review - unfortunately not. No way to swap the orientation

[@claudiahu19]

what a great review ！

[@GotAUkulele]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@benperea8483]

Excellent review as always!

[@GotAUkulele]

Thanks Ben! A lot to get through in this one!!

[@CircuitsAndStrings]

Excellent review.

[@GotAUkulele]

Ta muchly!

[@TheViverChannel]

Hello, I ordered a Populele 2 Pro (waiting to receive it) and came across your Populele 2 review. I very much appreciate your review and information and am even happier about my purchase. :). Enjoyed your 'dazzle' demonstration and especially the the clip of your daughter learning how to play. I'm an adult...a vintaged adult (67), have never played a ukulele and haven't played a guitar since junior high school; I am very much looking forward to having this instrument. I do have a question for you. When you mentioned you were going to tune the Populele you clipped something onto the head and were looking at it--so I surmised THAT was a tuner. Would you please tell me who makes that tuner and where I might find one to purchase? Oh, and one other question--have you run across a music stand that holds a tablet/iPad? I noticed one in the updated Populele video and would REALLY like to find one! Thank you again for your review. You can now count me as a new subscriber.

[@GotAUkulele]

Hi there - the tuner I always use in videos is on link below. Not sure I can help about the iPad stand though - never used one - sorry! www.gotaukulele.com/2020/01/peterson-stroboclip-hd-review.html

[@budokaiboy]

I'm guessing that the nut is notched so that I couldn't reverse the strings to play it left handed? Could I push the nut out and reverse it? Thanks in advance for answering if you can.

[@GotAUkulele]

All nuts are notched. It's not possible to remove it, no.

[@GotAUkulele]

The bigger issue for left handers is that there is no facility I can see to swap the lighting system to work in reverse.

[@budokaiboy]

@@GotAUkulele wow, what a quick response. You also answer every question posed to you. Bummer. Being a Lefty is tough with these stringed instruments.Thank you.

[@GotAUkulele]

@@budokaiboy Most are quite easily changed though - sadly not this one.

[@browncheeseplease]

Hey! Thanks for such an in-depth review. Could you talk more about what all came with the uke? Were there any accessories or a gig bag of sorts?

[@GotAUkulele]

nothing - just the uke!

[@browncheeseplease]

@@GotAUkulele Thank you!

[@spaztekwarrior]

Interesting :) too bad it doesn’t have a built in effects package and pickup. It sounds pretty good and I suspect it will sell quite well as a way to learn the ukulele :)

[@GotAUkulele]

Yeah, I think that would have been an easy thing to add. I'd be happy with straight up pickup

[@drpkmurphy]

I have a Nova which I love but that one sounds fantastic. I don’t need any smart stuff great without it 😂

[@udoukulele6419]

Great review, and thanks for thinking about tech longevity.

[@GotAUkulele]

My pleasure!

[@anbrze]

One question just to be sure, you can play it like every classic acoustic ukulele and „turn it on” only when you need it? Do you need to charge it from time to time? Thank you for this video!

[@GotAUkulele]

Yes - still works even without batteries. But... you will need to sync it to your phone if you want the lights to show position markers. The power is ONLY about the lights, not the sound.

[@anbrze]

@@GotAUkulele thanks for such quick answer! Now i need to decide between this one and Enya X1 HPL Round 🙈 any tips which one could be better for eternal beginner? I never have enough time to practise so i grab ukulele just to relax :)

[@GotAUkulele]

@@anbrze The Enya is great - but VERY quiet. This is much louder

[@anbrze]

@@GotAUkulele ok so Enya will win probably, sometimes i want practise at the evenings and even nights then quiet instrument is will be better :) thanks a lot, you do amazing work!

[@TheDrIanGregory]

14 frets means Soprano right? Not a concert. I’m a little confused with the name.

[@GotAUkulele]

No - scale name has nothing to do with the number of frets - it's dictated by the length between nut and saddle - this is concert length. You do 'tend' to get more frets on longer scales (naturally) but it's not the frets that dictate the scale

[@daveadriffield7296]

Novel. How much.

[@GotAUkulele]

Says in the review? Around £100

[@albertrossiter399]

Where can one purchase these?

[@GotAUkulele]

Links in the review

[@FFXfever]

Hi! I like to know if you think I should get this vs duc 323? I like the tone in this, but my friend told me that Carbon body isn't going to stay in tune.

[@GotAUkulele]

I can't make a comparison for you as it would not be fair - completely different sorts of ukuleles. I would say though that your friends is completely wrong. There is no reason why the body material here would change tuning stability. In fact tuning stability is never the function of the body type on any ukulele.

[@FFXfever]

@@GotAUkulele Thank you so much! I think I'll just buy the Populele 2, I love the sound signature of it, it sounds so much more full compared to other concerts that I've heard. It sounds much closer to my nylon guitar than it does to an uke lol.

[@stoneyrunva]

The app should function without internet access. Took this ukulele to a remote camp and the app won't launch without internet. Not a big deal, but I hope they update the app to include an offline mode. And it needs side fret markers. All things considered, it sounds great and is a good instrument.

[@GotAUkulele]

Quite agree - and the fret board lights should also work without the app in my view

[@ToyTruckTitans]

I bought the original populele and it did not work well with the app. It never connected. I had to return it after reading that many people had the same problem. I'm tempted to buy this one but I'm scared that the same thing will happen.

[@GotAUkulele]

Didn't have any problems with my phone

[@liannarivera5358]

What device do you have to connect the populele to

[@GotAUkulele]

@@liannarivera5358 iPhone, iPad or Android device - the app will tell you if your device is compatible when you try and download it

[@BenKrav]

Any word on if you will get a review of the Fender Fullerton Series?

[@GotAUkulele]

Chance of me being sent one by Fender is precisely nil (they only work with media who will write what they are happy with). I do intend to look at one though. Only they are not due in the UK until about October at last check.

[@BenKrav]

Thank you. I ended up buying one as my first Ukulele. I was just curious of the pros opinions of them, I haven’t seen anything

[@partyontheobjective]

Great review, Barry! And it was a long time coming, wasn't it! :D Psst: Xiaomi is the company that makes the instrument. Populele is the product name.

[@GotAUkulele]

Thanks!

[@acterene1]

Loverly review. If they make it in a Tenor size, I may go for it. I am not a big fan of the 'Disco Lights' though.

[@GotAUkulele]

I don't believe they do i'm afraid

[@Uku2whistle]

Thank you Baz, for all your reviews. This one is certainly entertaining, with light show included. 🙂 Are the frets moulded into the neck, and if so, how durable do you think they are?

[@GotAUkulele]

Yes - plastic and moulded. Always impossible for me to know what the durability will be because you only tend to find that out after a lot of playing ( and this uke is not mine!). They do vary though. Certainly you need to avoid metal wound strings.

[@KevinAlexander-KMA]

You convinced me, great review, now how do I hide it from my mrs, had a look in the play store and couldn't find the app, does it have a specific name

[@GotAUkulele]

Sorry - don't have the Play Store, only Apple. On Apple it's called 'Populele Smart Ukulele'

[@KevinAlexander-KMA]

@@GotAUkulele grand many thanks

[@winterbear1955]

There should be a QR code on the instructions, try scanning that

[@evelynabston7137]

What are the chords you are using when you start playing. I love the progression.

[@GotAUkulele]

See link in the video description!

[@acterene1]

Had to watch again.

[@Ijcarter1962]

Well done review! For the price I think this would be a great learning ukulele for beginners. It sounds good and looks durable. Hopefully, they'll put more effort into the app and make it even better.

[@GotAUkulele]

Thanks Ivan!

[@gorillasnacks3393]

Great video, I'm thinking about buying one of these, but I see that a lot of people say that they are having problems with the app not working at all. Have you run into any issues with the app not working recently?

[@GotAUkulele]

Can't say I did - but I no longer have it - went to an educator.

[@gorillasnacks3393]

@@GotAUkulele Right on, what is the educator? Is it the same idea as the populele?

[@GotAUkulele]

@@gorillasnacks3393 Ha, no - I mean it went to a teacher!

[@gorillasnacks3393]

@@GotAUkulele Hahahahaha! Ah, I see! Lol Have you ever had any experience with the fret zealot for ukulele? If I don't get the populele, I might get the fret zealot.

[@GotAUkulele]

@@gorillasnacks3393 I haven't (and in fact had to Google it)

[@brendankinane3141]

Hi Baz, following your strong recommendation for this Populele 2 I ordered this online from Gear Best (in China) to add to my ukulele collection. Although ordered in late July with a promised delivery for early August I am still waiting for it!! Will probably try for a refund but can you recommend or suggest any other supplier where I might get the Populele 2?

[@GotAUkulele]

I'm afraid I am not sure Brendan - the one I reviewed came direct from them - but they didn't specify stores. I think I saw them on Amazon for a while?

[@markattardo]

Cool uke!

[@GotAUkulele]

Yeah, I liked it!

[@fernandomorais347]

Muito legal!

[@GotAUkulele]

Sim, ele é!

[@leonmorgans4250]

Very interesting. Bit of fun (why not everything is so bloody miserable now) but also a serious instrument. Win win really.

[@GotAUkulele]

Thanks!

[@tj48649]

If they made the paint more 'textured' or flat in color, the fingerprints wouldn't show up. That's just too bad....you'd think they'd know this.

[@GotAUkulele]

Yep!

[@edwardpetersen4309]

Not my grandpa's Harmony. 😊

[@GotAUkulele]

Ha ha. How times have changed eh?

[@itsmelilbaho]

dudeeee u must get a editor for ur channel

[@itsmelilbaho]

nice videos butt its so ameteur

[@GotAUkulele]

Quite happy with the traffic - they are just to compliment the written reviews which is the core of the Got A Ukulele idea. They never even used to exist. But thanks for your input!

[@hugopainter1]

I see me playing this uke in my work. I am a clown and work with mentale ill people. The love my kALA but i think the love this one as wel. 🤗🥳🤡

[@katzz0078]

It's a dollar store lava uk

[@GotAUkulele]

Thing is - it sounds and plays just as nice as the Lava. I'd take this, the Lava is a stupid price.

[@katzz0078]

@@GotAUkulele I can agree but to be fair it is a electric and it comes with effects wich is great when you wanna play electric

[@GotAUkulele]

@@katzz0078 Or you could just use effects pedals.

[@katzz0078]

@@GotAUkulele I guess it's more quick to set up but honestly I think core is probably better then lava when it comes to beginning or if just want a nice carbon fiber uk but if you been playing uk for a long time then probably lava

[@katzz0078]

Honestly both of the uks are nice and carbon

[@bekacynthia]

Less talking, pleeease Sorry, I get frustrated with lengthy videos. I still don’t know if it had the same effects as the Lava U.

[@GotAUkulele]

Same format as every one of several hundred reviews done over many years. No it doesn't. Completely different thing. There's also a written review linked under every review - in which you get full spec details (and the answer to your question). These are just summary videos.