Quex Ukulian Pumpkin

Ukulian is one of the brand names of Ian Andrews, a British Ukulele maker who works out of a "Craft Village" in Quex Park, Kent, (QUEX is his other brand name). One of the nice things is he uses mainly local wood from Quex Park rather than exotic imported wood. I was watching out for the brand I had heard he made a Concert Pineapple and I would quite like a Concert Pineapple. In watching out though I saw this come up and whilst technically it is a Pineapple, (it's the pineapple mould but upside down) It was a one off special he did for Halloween and called a "Pumpkin" as the upside down pineapple body looks a bit pumpkin shaped and he had carved it into a "face". It is largely local Walnut with a Cherry bridge and fretboard, and a Mahogany strip down the middle (why?).

It didn't seem like a very popular model when he was trying to sell it so I think it will remain a one off.

Now I have it I am a bit disappointed to find that it is not very well made There is a gap where the neck fits to the body, (which is probably why it is drilled and bolted as well), the nut had a big gap between it and fretboard, the string spacing was uneven, two of the, (clearly meant for a Guitar), machine heads were on the wrong way round, the rear bookmarking is not very matched and at least 10 degrees off plumb...

I could go on with lots of other little gaps and cracks but I think the point is made. "Artisan" is I think the best I could say about the build.

I have replaced the nut and the machine heads with a proper set which has improved it a bit and it plays nicely (once you have go over the faults). The fretboard itself is good, it feels very solid and I still like the green,"using local Wood" idea. If I had seen it before buying it I'm not sure I would have bought it: and if I did I certainly wouldn't have paid as much.

Advice to anyone thinking about buying a Ukulian - don't buy off the net, (unless its under £50), have a GOOD look at the Ukulele first