Maker: Lanikai
Model: S-T
Top: Solid Spruce
Back and Sides: Laminate Mahogany
Fretboard and Bridge: Rosewood
Saddle and Nut: Rosewood and plastic
Binding: Maple

This was brought on Ebay as a new blemished item. When it arrived the blemish turned out to be a small mark right at the top of the fret board edge near the nut. As I play it left handed it is on the underside so you cannot even see it.

The spruce top gives it a brighter tone and projection than the usual Tenor. This tone has been lowered by installing a low G string. This is usually a classical guitar 4^th string. I have also replaced the solid C string with a classical guitar 5th string. This evens out the sound between the two wound strings.

I have fitted it with JJB Electonics Prestige 110 piezo pickup. These are substantial items and do not pick up every knock and rustle as do the much cheaper types. This type of under soundboard pickups are very useful alternatives to the under saddle types, especially if you run out of adjustment on the saddle.

Maker: Fender
Model:  PA’INI
Top: Solid Mahogany
Back and Sides: Solid Mahogany
Fretboard and Bridge: Rosewood
Saddle and Nut: Plastic

This was was a gamble. It was advertised with a concave neck and buzzing  at the 3-4^th frets. But at $35.00 seemed worth a try. After all, it was the then top of the range solid mahogany ukulele. ($300 plus but now discontinued). Now whilst you might complain at $300 it is perfectly playable and a bit of a bargain at $35.00.

As a reject, the Fender logo had been removed from the headstock. I sanded down the complete top surface and refinished it to match the overall mahogany color. The serial number was also removed but the Fender label inside remains.

One problem with the Fender headstock shape is that it makes the instrument almost too long for the standard hard case. I have it in a padded gig bag and it is a tight fit.

Maker: Oscar Schmidt
Model: OU28T
Top: Laminate Mahogany
Back and Sides: Laminate Mahogany
Fretboard and Bridge: Rosewood
Saddle and Nut: Oxbone

There seems to be a trend towards these multi-stringed ukuleles. This brand and model is probably the best budget version. As usual with this make the action was high but as I needed to swap the strings around it did not matter too much. A short fettle sorted it out

Very loud and jangly.

Maker: Yamaha
Model: GL-1
Top: Laminate Spruce
Back and sides: Laminate Meranti
Finger Board and Bridge: Sonokeling
Saddle and Nut: Plastic

This is a weird instrument. Basically it is a Tenor scale Ukulele with two extra strings. So the top four strings are tuned as a tenor ukulele and the bottom two are D  and A. So you can play all your guitar stuff but still in ukulele keys.
This produces confusion unless you concentrate. You are playing full guitar chord shapes but with ukulele designations. So a guitar G is ukulele C.

The other main problem I have found is although you have almost a full guitar fretboard width you also have the tenor scale fret positions. These are spaced closer than on a guitar so you have to remember to squeeze the chord shapes.

A proper resonator this time and using one of my favourite Gretsch G series. This time a Tenor.  It was brought as a reject but again as I was going to cut large holes etc. it did not matter.  There was also a small hole in the back which has been patched.

I brought the cone and covers from a supplier who spins his own aluminium cones hoping the avoid the stiff cone problems of the Gretsch soprano tin lid resonator,

I have to say that despite fitting steel strings it is not as loud as I would have expected. Perhaps it is the wood cover to the cone. So I tried removing it and it seems to be louder. Also, once the cone was polished it looked better too.

This ukulele was a rescued kit project. It has a solid mahogany chambered body with a solid Spruce top. The neck had been fitted askew and the action was twisted and very high. Also the frets had not been fitted. The fret board was pre-slotted but the slots did not go the edge of the board. This would mean having to create the relief on all the frets.

Now that I knew how to fit steel strings without detriment I could take advantage of the high action and no frets So I converted it into a slide ukulele. I filled the fret slots with a contrasting wood, raised the nut and made a saddle to allow for the twisted neck to give level strings.

A under saddle piezo pickup was fitted and a hand rest was made for a wooded drawer handle. Tuned to open G and using a steel it actually sounds very good.

Maker: Caramel
Model: CT503L
Top: Solid rosewood
Back and Sides: Solid Rosewwod
Fretboard and Bridge: Rosewood
Saddle and Nut: Buffalo bone
Binding: Various woods

This came with a 3 Band EQ with Bass, Middle, Treble  controls. Also a Chromatic tuner with LCD colour display 

These used to be marketed under the RUBIN name but in 2015 it was changed to CARAMEL. This example is a factory reject. There are two spilts in the side near the EQ. These were shimmed and glued up. It is a left handed model so no need to swap strings on this. Hurrah! No, it came strung right handed!!

With Caramels you have to order from the Factory in China and there is a few weeks delay before you get it.  Part of this delay concerns the US customs. This one spent over four weeks in the shed at O'Hare.

These CARAMELs show just how far the generic Chinese ukulele has come. They are well made and provide a lot of features for the price.

I have this tuned EBGD.

Maker: Hilo
Model: TB1291CSA
Top: Solid Spruce and Fir
Back and Sides: Laminated Spalted Maple
Fretboard and Bridge: Alternative engineered wood
Saddle and Nut: Synthetic bone
Binding: Various woods

This was a Ebay find. Described as having a twisted neck. Actually it was just high action. This was addressed by modifying the bridge and saddle and using bridge beads.

It also came with a rigid foam case. quite a bargain for $40.00.

Maker: ZI
Model: UK- LA05-26
Top: Solid Spruce
Back and Sides: Laminated Spalted Maple
Fretboard and Bridge: Rosewood
Saddle and Nut: Ox bone
Binding: Various woods

This was brought because of the splendid spalted figuring. The ukulele is rather blingy with rope binding on all edges including the neck.  The top while being solid spruce is thicker than the spruce top on the Lanikai.