Rubin RC-402 Ukulele
Rubin Ukulele
Features
The Rubin RC-402 is the most affordable Acoustic/Electric Concert Ukulele I have found. For under $100, it comes with some very cool features: a UK – 2000 Pickup, 18 frets, mahogany body, rosewood fingerboard and bridge, and Aquila strings.
The Pros
It plays smoothly. You can get a decent tone through an amp or PA system, even if the only EQ you use is the bass, treble, and volume settings on the ukulele. The intonation is fairly good up to the 12th fret. The craftsmanship is great; the body came straight from china without a scratch. The border and rosary on the front of the ukulele give it a classic acoustic guitar appearance. One of the biggest pros is that the company will cover the shipping cost from China.
The Cons
The insert for the chord is right where you normally would rest the ukulele on your leg. If you don’t want to invest in a strap, you will want to get a quarter inch cable with a 90 degree angle insert. The action is high for a ukulele. This makes the strings hard to push down, especially on the 1st fret. Since this ukulele is only available by ordering it from China, it takes quiet a long time to ship if you choose the free shipping option. Mine took 20 days to arrive.
The Bottom Line
Overall the RC-402 is a steal of a deal if you can find one. I would recommend it to anyone on a budget looking to play the ukulele out at shows or in an ensemble.
Street Price: $70. Case not included.
Article by: Stephen Cox