2016 Ohana BK-10 Baritone Ukulele

I suppose this post is a review as well as a sales pitch, huh? This was dropped-off for consignment with a good hard case, but you can certainly find this model around the net brand-new at $155 shipped to your door, sans-case. The trick is that they'll always need about $20 worth of setup work, no matter where you get them, and after that's done they're a solid performer with the distinct advantage of practicality and better fit and finish than comparable vintage ukes in the same price range.

For new, Chinese-import instruments, I have to admit I've been pleased with whatever Ohana products I've had the chance to play when folks drag them in for setup work. They're a bit more securely-built than something like the Kala and Makala ukes which tend to disintegrate in various ways within the first few years (read: terrible neck joints). They also setup just fine and tend to also not have some of the quality-control problems regarding fret level that I've seen in similarly-priced other brands.

Anyhow, this is a no-frills, decent-sounding, good-playing, all-ply box. The neck is quick and comfortable, the satin finish is thin and even, and the tuners are geared for ease-of-use. The sound -- which is even and balanced -- will not be comparable to something two or three times its cost, but then again it's not supposed to be that!

Rosewood is used for the bridge and fretboard.

There's a plugged hole for a strap button that was removed. Otherwise, the uke is in more-or-less "hanging on the wall at a guitar store" condition -- quite clean.

A good, flat-topped, hard case comes with it.