Free set-up or $46 price cut?

bellgamin · #1 11-15-2018, 03:29 PM

I have a tricky decision to make & I only have 30 hours to do it. I need your advice! Details follow.

Via EBAY, I plan to buy THIS acoustic-electric Kala baritone ukulele.

I have 2 sellers to choose between:
1- Sweetwater (266,337 reviews, 100% positive feedback). Their price is $459.99 plus they do a free set-up on instruments costing more than $300. Standard shipping is free.
2- liquid-audio (4,334 reviews, 99.7% positive feedback). I sent them a message asking if they do set-up. Their reply was "No." They included an offer to sell this uke for $413.99 -- a $46 price reduction. Their offer expires in ~30 hours. Their free shipping is "Expedited".

CONSIDERATIONS:

I can NOT do set-ups. Set-ups here on Oahu usually cost $40 to $50 & the guys doing them usually have a backlog of 3 to 4 weeks.
If I choose Sweetwater I get a free & unpersonalized set-up of indeterminate quality.
If I choose liquid-audio, I'm saving $46 by taking the chance that Kala's ukuleles are set-up pretty good at the factory.
Sweetwater is in Indiana so Standard shipping means it will take about 1 month to reach Hawaii. Shipping by liquid-audio *should* be much faster -- HOWEVER, I wonder if liquid-audio has fully researched the cost of expedited shipping from Continental USA to Hawaii.

=>QUESTION #1: Which one should I buy from -- Sweetwater or liquid-audio?
=>QUESTION #2: I'm mainly a strummer. If I go with Sweetwater, I plan to ask them to set at ~0.8mm (fret 1) & ~2.70mm (fret 12). I have no idea as to whether or not they will pay any attention to my request -- never have dealt with them before. I got these string height numbers somewhere a long time ago. I forget where. Do they sound OKAY to you?

dhalbert · #2 11-15-2018, 06:44 PM

liquid-audio also lists this uke on Amazon, sold by them, "fulfilled by Amazon". The eBay listing says "multiple warehouses": that would match up if they are just shipping it from whatever Amazon warehouse has it. So they're a "box mover", as these vendors are called in Europe.

I dunno - I looked for stores local to you, but I don't see one in stock, so presumably that's why you're ordering from thousands of miles away. Would any local store that you know does good setups order one for the regular $459 price? My impression is that uke setup is really necessary, and it's good to have an expert. You could also order the cheaper one and just get in line locally.

bellgamin · #3 11-15-2018, 08:16 PM

@ dhalbert -- Yes, I think I will shy away from liquid-audio. On the other hand, I have heard nothing but good tidings relative to Sweetwater.

Per your suggestion, I called Hawaii Music Supply (HMS) & spoke to Eli in their new store at Kakaako. He is checking to see about ordering this uke for me. Thanks for the suggestion. Their set-ups are PRIMO! (I am putting everything on hold until I hear back from HMS.)

ManyMartinMan · #4 11-15-2018, 08:24 PM

As you stated, the set up by anyone unknown to you will be hit-or-miss at best. They can't set up an instrument that hasn't acclimated to your climate and environment. I would take the cheaper purchase price and have it set up after receiving it and letting it settle in to your environment. Curiously, why are you not buying an Ukulele from Hawaii?

DavidE · #5 11-15-2018, 08:45 PM

I've read many stories of guitars from Sweetwater not being set up or properly inspected as they advertise. I'd confirm with Sweetwater that they will actually do a set up to your specs before buying.

Hoyt · #6 11-15-2018, 09:06 PM

Ukes don't really need that much of a setup unless it has a truss rod. Even then, it's probably going to be setup reasonably well to start.

Maybe after you've played it a couple of months, you might think about it if it sounds or plays poorly, or you just want a tweak. I wouldn't worry about the setup right now. Those are pretty good ukes.

If it comes to you and really suxs, looks like you have a 30 day return period. That covers a lot of problems.

The Kid! · #7 11-15-2018, 09:21 PM

Take the price cut and get your own setup, if it even needs one. I may not. If it does, pay the difference to a tech that you know will do a good job.

MikeBmusic · #8 11-16-2018, 08:36 AM

I can't connect to your link due to security settings. I can't find any Kala bari on Sweetwater for that price, the highest price one is $459: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...natural-spruce

Sweetwater might price match that other place - have you asked?

Have you looked at https://www.theukulelesite.com/ ? They're in Hawaii. I got my Kala bari from them, very easy to work with. They do set ups, add strap buttons, etc, but I don't see they have anything in this price range from Kala.

Silly Moustache · #9 11-16-2018, 08:39 AM

Dunno much about ukes but why would you buy a new instrument that isn't properly set up?
If the vendor "doesn't do it" they are simply box shifters. I have bought a guitar (a Loar archtop) from a box shifter. never again.

Earl49 · #10 11-16-2018, 09:41 AM

Most of the numerous Kala ukes that I've tried, or that my students have brought to lessons, have been decently set up to begin with. But if you can buy locally, that would be ideal. HMS has a good reputation.

As for Sweetwater, their 55 point inspection and set-ups seem to be mostly marketing-speak, based on many stories here.

Shades of Blue · #11 11-16-2018, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Earl49

As for Sweetwater, their 55 point inspection and set-ups seem to be mostly marketing-speak, based on many stories here.

Count me as one of the skeptics. I've received more issues from Sweetwater than any other retailer. It's apparent that they check NOTHING and use the 55 point inspection as Marketing hype when they assuming 97% or better of deliveries will go smooth as silk.

I have ordered items that were never unboxed from the manufacturer. Tell me how you check 55 items on something you've never opened?

bellgamin · #12 11-16-2018, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shades of Blue

Tell me how you check 55 items on something you've never opened?

X-ray vision, of course. Only the best music stores have it.

But seriously, I'm still waiting to see if HMS (a local music store) can bring in the ukulele I am seeking. If so, they do set-ups on every instrument they sell. As to the link for this uke, here's the 1 for Amazon.

The Kid! · #13 11-16-2018, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shades of Blue

Count me as one of the skeptics. I've received more issues from Sweetwater than any other retailer. It's apparent that they check NOTHING and use the 55 point inspection as Marketing hype when they assuming 97% or better of deliveries will go smooth as silk.

I have ordered items that were never unboxed from the manufacturer. Tell me how you check 55 items on something you've never opened?

Exactly. It's hype.

merlin666 · #14 11-30-2018, 01:23 PM

Kala produces the most ukes and all ukulele stores have dozens of them, so just go to a few stores and negotiate a good price. Most modern ukes are setup well from the factory, so an after market setup is mainly advisable for used and old ukes that had some environmental changes to their bodies.

bellgamin · #15 11-30-2018, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by merlin666

Kala produces the most ukes and all ukulele stores have dozens of them, so just go to a few stores and negotiate a good price. Most modern ukes are setup well from the factory, so an after market setup is mainly advisable for used and old ukes that had some environmental changes to their bodies.

I went to HMS to do as you suggested. It was Black Friday & they had a super sale of Pono ukuleles. Forget the Kala -- I bought a Pono oversized baritone instead.