Now, as you can probably tell there isn't actually much, if anything, about this ukulele that I have liked so far. But let's give it a chance and see how it plays. (Remember folks.. I do this so you don't have to...!) After two years together we’re pretty well settled and have moved on from teacher and student to group enjoyment where members suggest what to play next.

The brand may say, "yes but we are just meeting a demand / filling a gap and there are people out there that only want to spend this much", and that, of course, is both true and fair enough. But there's the thing - several other brands such as Octopus, Tiger and Makala have shown that you CAN do cheap pretty well. It IS possible. This one however is cheap done very, very badly. Very roughly and without much of care about the end result.

Ashton Ukulele Review

Scores in 7s - reasonable, but some bigger issues you may need to be mindful of. Doesn't get a full recommendation but may suit you

Barely a month in, I have upgraded to a Clearwater tenor uke, which I’m just getting the feel of as I write this. It wasn’t dissatisfaction with the Ashton, it’s just that I’m 6’2″, with rather large hands, so I fancied something with a bit more finger room. All are welcome and all we ask is that you chip in a quid for admin and that you buy a drink from behind the bar to keep the Landlord happy. That doesn’t mean that we’re not looking for new members, we most certainly are but as we meet only once a month, as well as enjoying the meetings, we ask new ukuleleists to practice at home too.Sorry Ashton - none of those statements mean a single thing as long as you are selling instruments like this one. This blows your credibility. An instrument to inspire beginners of all ages. The Gear4music Ukulele is fun, portable and easy to play. With a quality build to stand the test of time, it will hold your interest throughout hours of play and practice. The Number of Strings - If you are a guitar player, you would already be aware of the fact that a guitar comes with six strings. A ukulele, on the other hand, comes with four strings. The smaller number of strings makes this musical instrument easier to learn, especially for those who already know to play the guitar. Scores in 6s - as per 7s, but even bigger issues leading me towards suggesting you avoid unless it floats your boat and you can deal with issues I also found it painful to begin with, atleast for a couple of weeks, until I finally took a needle-file to work on the nut to lower the action. Problem solved!

Just 20 minutes per day and you’ll be on your way. Full training will be given, along with a beginner’s book, which takes the learner from simple two chord melodies to the more complex in gentle, easy stages. And when it comes to tone and sound, well there isn't a great deal I can say really. Almost zero sustain and about the most 'plinky' dull sound I think i've heard from a ukulele. There's just nothing about it for me that is likeable. Yes, the intonation is slightly off, but actually that isn't the worst of it. It just has no life to the sound whatsoever. The C strings is worst, but really none of them come together to give me anything. It has 'some' volume, but it's really not great (and to be honest, I am not sure I would want it any louder..) And yes, before you say it, new strings would help, but really, when the rest of it is so rough - why would you? I will tell you what it sounds like. It sounds exactly like people who have a deep rooted hatred for the ukulele think all ukuleles sound like. That assumption of the ukulele sounding like rubber bands on a tissue box, of being childlike and non serious. It sounds EXACTLY like that. And that is pretty damning.I decided it didn’t have to be like this so I used a knife to make the grooves in the nut deeper meaning I don’t have to press anywhere near as hard. It is now far easier and the sound is still good. With an awesome selection of ukeleles, ranging from standard soprano through to a ukulele with preamp and premium solid top and solid koa woods, Ashton really is the ideal choice for ukeleles! In Hawaii, the name Ukulele translates to 'jumping flea', due to the energetic finger actions when one plays a ukulele. A fun, mood lifting instrument, the Ashton Ukulele is super portable due to its small size. Perfect when sitting around the campfire or hanging out with friends, jamming away on the Ashton Ukulele is sure to bring smiles to everyone faces! The popularity of the ukulele has grown to great proportions over the last twelve months or so and the ukulele is now being used by acts like Portishead to Van Morrison to Florence and The Machine. The Ashton This ukulele is designed to meet the demands of the market, by combining the elements of selection, quality and price. The UKE400S is a great concert ukulele for all types of players. It may be small, but the ukulele is a serious instrument in its own right. Originally from Hawaii, it gained popularity throughout the United States during the early 20th century, then eventually internationally. But before you go ahead, let’s have a brief look at what makes the ukulele different from the guitars so you have a better understanding of what this musical instrument is: Designed in Australia by a highly qualified team of experts, Ashton’s range of musical instruments and sound equipment are built to strict quality standards.