Ok, I bought the cheapest $30 ukulele from Manny’s because it cost the same as the Big W one but would possibly be better quality. I didn’t want the $15 from Kmart because apparently thick layers of paint dull the sound.

It’s a Mahalo Kahiko series, soprano size because I wanted to go with something very standard. So it’s this plain little guy. Apparently other budget ones are much better, there are criticisms, but this is considered ok for the very low price. Just a barely decent starter for schools who bulk buy for kid students but can’t stretch the budget to the Dolphin.

And yeah, even with hearing that the default strings are bad and should be upgraded, it sounds actually… okay? It kind of rings? Not as plunk as the more novelty ones but not so expensive that I’d be devastated to break it or not stick with it. (Honestly the most likely outcome.)

Buttt… I went to the Mahalo tuning guide, saw the diagram for soprano, began playing the note to tune the first string. However the string meant to be C doesn’t sound like a C. The E string is making the C sound! Dead on!

It this just a matter of tension? However I see the strings are different thicknesses which matters. Have I made some mistake already?

The peg for the C string is near the M of the logo so I’m not holding it backwards.

Did they mix up the sound clips? Or did they string it backwards? Will I need to restring it?

I know one thing and one thing only. That sound from that string matches the clip exactly but it is coming from the wrong string.