Uke tunup

There’s nothing like a good setup to bring out the best in your new ukulele. Given the instrument you are purchasing is well constructed and utilizes quality materials, perhaps the most important step you can take is to have it properly set up to ensure it can give you the best it’s got. Chances are, if you are buying a mass produced instrument and, in some cases, even one from a boutique maker, it was set up to a rough factory standard which only addressed very broad parameters, such as average action to eliminate string buzz, and acceptable intonation. More often than not, there’s a bit more sound, perhaps a bit more volume, or better playability hidden underneath those average out-of-the-box setups. And with just a bit more TLC that potential can be unlocked to give you a much more enjoyable playing experience.

Leveling uke frets

A full ukulele setup involves a number of different operations aimed at improving the overall sound and playability of your instrument. The three major complaints we hear about are high action, string buzz, and poor intonation. A majority of the work performed to address these issues centers on the fretboard, nut and saddle, and is not easily reversible. If you want to get involved in optimizing your instrument, you can focus on string selection and perhaps tuning machine upgrades, but leveling and dressing frets and then performing the delicate balancing act between nut and saddle height to achieve optimal action and then factoring in possible intonation issues is best left to an experienced luthier or technician. In the long run you will be much further ahead because the learning curve is steep and you aren’t going to save any money doing the setup yourself — you can expect to spend about $100 on a decent setup kit, while professional setup fee for a uke remains in the $25 range. We perform one at no charge with every uke purchase.

Chuck Marfione is a full-time luthier working out of Nebo, North Carolina. He performs all of the setups on ukes, guileles and guitars for All Strings Nylon. Pick out the perfect Cordoba ukulele and Chuck will make it even better for you.