Does a New Ukulele Need a Setup or Not?

You've just got a new ukulele and keep hearing about Setup. Why would a new instrument need a set up?

In most cases your new ukulele should be in good condition straight from the factory, requiring little to no adjustments. It typically has passed the Quality Control at the factory. And it is set up to the higher side, the upper end of the manufacturer's specs.

Ukulele manufacturers produce a large number of instruments each week, making it impractical to extensively tailor the setup to individual players without knowing who the instrument is intended for. This is acceptable and not expected for mass-produced instruments. The manufacturers generally set up the instrument to meet the highest possible standards. While some manufacturers may go the extra mile, others may not.

At our family music store, Funky Frets, we inspect every instrument that arrives. However, since we are unaware of the specific preferences of potential buyers, our evaluation only goes so far. It is ultimately up to the prospective owners to delve deeper and consider factors such as their musical styles, technique level, and personal preferences. Based on this information, we can make further adjustments as necessary.

Action

Basically how is the pitch accuracy of a musical instrument. Does your ukulele play in tune without the notes being flat, sharp, or both if within a chord.

Action on a ukulele refers to the height of the strings above the fretboard. It determines the ease of playing and the overall feel of the instrument. A low action means the strings are closer to the fretboard, requiring less effort to press them down and produce clear notes. On the other hand, a high action means the strings are further away from the fretboard, requiring more pressure and finger strength to play the notes. The action can greatly affect playability, intonation, and the overall sound of the ukulele. It is often a matter of personal preference, with some players preferring a lower action for faster playing and others preferring a higher action for more volume and sustain. Adjusting the action can be done by modifying the nut, saddle, or truss rod of the ukulele.

This is also a function of the placements of the frets, the nut, bridge and saddle as well as the height of the strings in relation to the frets when fretted or played open. The distance of the strings from the fret . fingerboard is referred to as the Action.

All but the fret placement can be maintained by yourself or a qualified technician, luthier, or repair person.

Check out the String Action section of the All About Ukulele Strings section for more information…

Intonation

Intonation on a ukulele refers to the accuracy of the pitch produced by each fretted note along the neck of the instrument. In simple terms, it determines whether the ukulele is in tune as you play up and down the fretboard.

When it comes to fretless string instruments like violins or cellos, achieving accurate intonation relies on the precise positioning of the musician's fingers on the instrument's fingerboard. Additionally, any tension or pressure applied by the musician, whether along the length of the string, or perpendicular to it, also affects the intonation.

For a fretted string instrument, which is the ukulele, several factors affect fretted instrument intonation, including the depth of the string slots in the nut, bridge saddle position, the position of the frets themselves, and the technique of the musician.

All of these can be addressed by a qualified luthier or technician.

If the fret placement ( all twelve notes along a string play in tune ) is correct you can check the intonation of a ukulele by playing the harmonic at the twelfth fret and comparing it to the fretted note at the twelfth frets on all the string individually.

One thing that I have ran across as a music store owner and private music teacher with quite a few ukulele students is - "Intonation is a comprise on most ukuleles and one lower end ukuleles it is not even and option, you're not going to get it to play ion tunes beyond the third frets.So the question, "Can I get an really good, inexpensive ukulele that plays in tune?" - Basically, NO!.

Several things can help. 1) Higher tensions, strings of better quality. 2) Have the nut adjusted as most beginner ukuleles come with the nut slots way too high, causing the first few frets to play out of tune. 3) Don't press too hard, as that can cause the note to play out of tune.

It's worth noting that while intonation can be improved through adjustments, it may not always be perfect on all ukuleles, particularly lower-priced or mass-produced instruments. However, a well-set-up ukulele with good intonation will enhance the overall playability and enjoyment of the instrument.