Uma UK-05SC Concert Ukulele

Back again with another ukulele at the value end of the scale. This is the Uma UK-05SC Concert Ukulele.

Uma have appeared on this site a few times now and each one i've found to be really great with models like the very clever Pulse and the wonderful Baby T standing out. And in all cases they come in at prices that make me think, 'how on earth do you do this for that money?' This model dips down to what is not quite their absolute entry level, but still a simple affordable uke. I believe these are the cheapest Uma ukes that have some solid wood on offer.

SUMMARY VIDEO REVIEW

The 05 series from Uma are all solid topped, laminate back and sides instruments that come in both concert and tenor flavours. They also come in two top wood types of either mahogany or spruce. This one is the concert scale model with a mahogany top. And it's certainly a plain ukulele, not only in terms of lack of decor, but the choice of very pale (meaning not heavily stained) mahogany for the body. I have said many times before, decoration and bling does not make any sound and I don't mind plain ukuleles but it's actually the pale colour here that I dislike rather than the lack of decoration. It's made from two pieces for each of the top back and sides and is put together very well with some slight chamfering dressing to the top and back edges meaning it feels very comfortable to hold.

The bridge is a small tie bar made from 'engineered wood' (so that could mean generic wood that has been stained or composite wood). Like the body it's extremely smooth and tidy and holds a straight topped NuBone saddle. Spacing here clocks in at 39mm.

I was wrong to infer there is no decoration at all as there is a simple abalone sound hole rosette here, but still nothing else at all. The body is finished in a slightly open pore satin which is extremely smooth and even all over. Like the construction, the finishing is simple but very well done.

Inside is fairly standard looking with notched linings and regular thin braces. Not much mess that I can see either..

The neck is specified as Nato wood and formed from three pieces with very well hidden joints in the heel and headstock. That too is satin finished. At the nut end the rounded profile is slightly flattened (so NOT a broom handle) and has a generic concert nut width of 35mm with 27mm spacing. Narrower than I would like, but the profile makes up for it to some degree.

That is topped with more engineered wood for the fingerboard which is in great condition all over. Surprisingly for the price point the fingerboard edges are slightly rolled off to remove the 90 degree edge and are extremely comfortable for that fact. Add in the fact that the 18 frets (14 to the body) are impeccably dressed and it makes for a very nice neck indeed. Small pearl position dots face out from the 5th, 7th, 10th and 12 and they are repeated on the side.

The nut is more NuBone and beyond that is a plain crown headstock carrying the Uma logo, laser etched in. I've said in every Uma review that I don't like the logo and think it dumbs their ukes down so I will say it again here too!

The tuners are a disappointment to look at as they are Uma branded sealed guitar style gears. I really don't like the look of these on ukes. Compared to some of these I see though these work pretty smoothly and are not uber cheap.

Finishing things off are a set of Uma brand 'HD Fluorocarbon' strings and a half decent branded gig bag. But the price is the thing with this one as the RRP here is just £109 which for a solid topper is pretty good really. But just bear in mind how tidy the build and finish is here and that you get things like rolled fingerboard edges and I think it's a great price.

So really not a lot wrong here and an excellent build and setup, albeit a very plain looking instrument. The tone and playability are going to be critical here to make up for the more basic looks. Setup on this example is just great, but it's on loan from the UK distributor, Stones Music. I tell you that to say thank you to him, but to also point out that wherever you buy an Uma in the UK it will have come through them and Mark Pugh is meticulous in making sure what reaches dealers is in good shape! It's also not heavy at 480g and balances just fine despite the sealed gears.

Things are looking positive on the play too with some terrific volume coming out of this little thing. It punches like a cannon. Sustain is pretty good for an entry level ukulele too.

Tone wise the first thing that hit me is how bright this sounds for a mahogany ukulele. It's hugely zingy and almost fizzy in nature. I think the strings are a big part of that as they are very light (and bendy) and something I'd certainly look to experiment with in order to warm the tone a bit, but that isn't to say the tone is bad - and many people love bright peppy sounding ukes. When strummed this has a real jangle and you can hear it harmonise with itself making it sound like there are more than four strings. Very interesting to listen to indeed.

Despite that brightness I find the fingerpicking sound very pretty - it's like a music box chime that just dances along with excellent clarity. It's good right up the neck, though again I find the string tension a bit low and easy to bend out if not careful. That's player error of course not the ukulele, but that's also what string changes are for! Still it's a lovely sound played this way and maybe I wouldn't want to darken this side of it!

All in all though this is a great sounding ukulele that does what it needs to do very well for not a lot of money at all. No, there is not a lot going on with the looks, but they don't make the sound. As a first uke, as an additional or as a gift for £109 this is a complete no brainer.. Buy two!

Recommended!

https://www.umaukulele.com/

UKULELE SPECS ROUNDUP

Model: Uma UK-05SC

Scale: Concert

Body: Solid mahogany top, laminate mahogany back and sides
Bridge: Engineered wood tie bar
Saddle: NuBone

Spacing at saddle: 39mm

Finish: Satin

Neck: Nato

Fingerboard: Engineered wood

Frets: 18, 14 to body

Nut: NuBone

Nut width: 35mm, 27mm G to A

Tuners: Sealed chrome gears

Strings: Uma HD Flourocarbon

Extras: Gig bag

Weight: 480g

Country of origin: China

Price: £109

UKULELE PROS

Very clean comfortable build

Great finishing

Excellent neck feel

Great volume

Good sustain
Clear harmonic tone
Super price

UKULELE CONS

To plain for some?
Would prefer open geared tuners

UKULELE SCORES

Looks - 8 out of 10

Fit and finish - 9 out of 10
Sound - 8.5 out of 10
Value for money - 9.5 out of 10

OVERALL UKULELE SCORE - 8.8 out of 10

UKULELE VIDEO REVIEW

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