Daniel Ho Concert Ukulele Starter Pack Review

   

    As many of you know,I'm always on the lookout for good quality ukes for my store,so I ordered one of these Daniel Ho starter packs to see what it was like. And I was most pleasantly surprised. This Alfred starter pack is superior to the other Alfred starter pack I reviewed previously. This is the uke I would recommend to anyone who just knows uke is for them,beginner or not. If you're looking for a first concert size ukulele and you're on a budget,this gem is for you. The body is made from Sepele wood,which is a wood from Africa that reminds one of mahogany in appearance. The tone is rich and full and I heartily recommend tuning it in the low g tuning. The body is app. 2 1/2" thick. CHunkiest body I've ever had on a uke and it rocks! I've never had a uke I could do this with before and it's opened up the melodic range of the instrument (I can now play a low G below middle C for the first time!) it also make chords sound super rich. 

    

       

      It sports open geared tuners,and no plastic parts- the bridge saddle and nut are bone. Fret markers are not only on the fingerboard,but they're on the side of the neck as well. This uke sports 19 frets,and has a strap pin installed. I do find it necessary to play with a strap on this size,and I also use one of my handcrafted strap adaptors to keep the strap out of the way of my fretting hand. 

      The pack includes the instructional DVD Daniel made,in addition to a CD,a chord chart in a handy take a long size,and the music to "Pineapple Mango" for a duo or ensemble. A gig bag is also included with an accessory pocket and a strap comes with it too,so that's a cool thing. The gig bag can be carried either like a regular case or backpack style. 

       If you're used to soprano uke (which I am) the longer neck may throw you a bit at first. Speaking of the neck,it's thinner than most which makes barre chords a snap. The strings stretch a bit in the beginning,but nothing like some strings I've had to get settled in before. 

    

  I would give this ukulele starter pack a rating of a 10. Bridge is in the right spot as I measured to be sure,and it's a wonderfully easy to play budget model with a big money sound. You can order one here: Daniel Ho Concert Ukulele Starter Pack I'm the only one offering it on eBay right now.