Instrument Reviews: Octopus Ukulele

The UK205 Octopus soprano ukulele comes with a sturdy black carry case (a gig bag without padding) with matching decoration. My review product is a striking bright yellow, but many other colours to suit all tastes are also available. Aquila Nylgut strings are a delight to see on a budget instrument.

The attractive price of this Chamberlain Music instrument is even more tempting for teachers wishing to buy in bulk. For example, an order of two dozen or more brings the unit price down to just £16.

This ukulele has a typical scale length of just over 13-and-a-half inches (346mm), and the 12 frets (an octave, of course!) are enough for a beginner. The fretting is excellent, with a smoother finish than often found on ukuleles in this price bracket. The intonation – always a compromise on budget, and even intermediate or better ukuleles – is good.

The saddle sits well on an attractive wood bridge. A well-fitted decent nut does a good job at the other end and machine heads are the individual worm gear type. They provide good service and are also very easy to upgrade should anyone wish to improve this aspect.

Once tuned, I found these tuners held pitch pleasingly well. They work well and look good, with efficient black buttons neither appearing nor behaving as if corners have been cut.

Everything adds up to a solidly built ukulele with a reasonable tone. Although not the loudest, it has a well-balanced sound, pleasing and rewarding for all players including – perhaps especially – beginners. Tutors will appreciate this aspect too.

Perhaps more to the point, this is a superb ensemble instrument: I can imagine a room full of these sounding very sweet. The individual notes sound warm and the chords are neither too harsh nor overpowering. This should bode well for varied arrangements, encouraging transparent and balanced results.

Octopus accessories include fun and colourful gig bags in a variety of colours as well as some with patterns. This may help pupils fi nd their own case during the packing up after group sessions!

The logo may put some adults off one of these ukuleles, but it is a good starter instrument for anyone. The tight budget – inevitable for this price point – has been well spent on the parts that make it not only inviting to beginners but also aurally pleasing. The all-important contact items are well appointed, from machine heads and nut to frets, saddle and, most importantly, quality strings.