You, sir, are a gentleman, a scholar, and a highly valued member of the ukulele community. Thank you for the hard work put into this channel, and have a merry Christmas!
I bought the black one a year ago because Baz (Got A Ukulele) reviewed it with flying colors. And He was RIGHT! Wow, the sound is something else! Crystal clear. I have 5 ukes and it's the one I grab first. Plus the black one is BEAUTIFUL!!!!!
I am a bit late to the party, like 3 years, so sorry for that. Nice review, with good explanation of your judgement criteria. I have a Nova U, I bought it as a beginner over a year ago. The main attractions for me was that it is affordable, a travel uke, and not negatively affected by temperature or humidity, which vary wildly where I live. The humidity changes play hell with furniture and would be terrible for a musical instrument. I have found that it rarely goes out of tune and will hold its tuning for weeks on end. temperature changes can affect the tuning a little, especially direct sunlight. I got the black one so it may be a bit more sensitive to direct sun. I made a waterproof cover, to go over the carry case, and I strap it onto the back of my bicycle, no worries at all.
I’m a beginner Uke student. Bought the black concert Enya Nova right before a scuba diving trip. I wanted something that I didn’t have to worry about getting wet or a potentially bumpy trip while traveling to Honduras. I also didn’t want to slow my roll in learning the uke during weeks away from home. I thought I had to start with a wooden Uke. So I bought a tenor from my neighbor. It’s adequate. But doesn’t make me smile. So I’m going to sell it. Maybe in a year or so I’ll look for a more traditional wooden Uke that makes me feel the way the Enya does. Thank you for your review. I love your channel. Hoping to look you all up some time soon. 🎶💕
This was a great review!!! I might be one of the instagrammers you mentioned 😅 I was drawn to this uke because of the unique design and color initially. The nice tone and the extra accessories are so great too. :)
A fan of your channel all the way from the states. My brother just gave me a tenor today for my birthday and I was absolutely surprised by how good it sounds. It's definitely instantly become my walk-around, jamming with the friends drunk ukulele.
I think this would be a great, easily cleaned classroom instrument. I first played one at a music educators conference, and thought it would be good for students because it is narrower and easy to hold, and they can hear themselves easily in a group because of the sound hole on the side. I own a mango wood tenor ukulele from Enya and it is absolutely spectacular, better than any I have ever played. I had good luck with their customer service too. They sent me a free accessory pack with a neck strap/etc. that was not standard with the more expensive models, just because I emailed and asked for it. I tried out an EUT-6 mahogany (blue) and it was gorgeous in sound and looks but had a tiny scratch in the finish along an edge. I sent it back and tried the mango version instead and fell in instrument love. They shipped it super fast, considering it came from overseas. I have been nothing but impressed with Enya, so if you are on the fence I’d try one.
I bought this ukulele with Acoustic Plus, and I love it! The look, the tone, and the feel, are all pleasing. A shipping issue allowed me a taste of Enya customer service as well, and it's excellent! The price, the extras, strings for life; what's not to love??!!!
Hahaha I have the pink version and it also makes smile when I look at it :) Put up a few stickers on it. I love it. The fingerboard is impeccable, really comfortable and roomy. I love the clear sound of it, and it really stays in tune. For such a price, go for it (if you're okay with not having wood indeed) Fantastic instrument.
Southern Ukulele Store I think it’s the combo of their house brand fluorocarbons they use on that ukulele, and it’s construction. It sounds zingy but definitely quieter than my other concert ukuleles.
I have a black one and I tune it to F#-B-D#-G#, good low tone without going to low G and it still has good intonation. The case has issues and it's too long to fit in a concert case or bag so I wrap a black hand towel around the body and put it in a tenor hard case. One of my favorites after only a week.
Thanks, Alex. I’m pleased that you kept an open mind about a polycarbonate instrument. I’d be interested in your assessment of the Outdoor Ukulele brand (polycarbonate), which is made-to-order in Bend, Oregon.
Mine arrived today and I am totally delighted (Tenor Pro Electro version). First time all my learned chords to date were "clean" thanks to the 38nut. Great service guys and many thanks. Happy chappie !
I bought a red one. I do like it alot. I changed the strings and that made a big difference for me. Only complaint is the frets are black so if you are showing someone how to play a chord they can't tell always what frets you are on.
I have that exact uke. I have others too, some much more expensive but this is one I pick up the most often. I like the original strings and bar chords are MUCH easier! If mine breaks, I will by another
Love my white Nova U electric Uke. Out of my 10 Uke’s this is the one I pick up most. Arrived damaged but enya customer service was outstanding and problem solved. Also have the round EUR-X1 which I love. Going to add more enya Uke’s to the collection soon.
I got one at the intro $69 usd price and love it for that. I outfitted mine with some Worth strings with a low g - which made it have a much richer sound. I did the same with a Kala waterman and the nova blows the waterman away. The waterman feels flimsy/bendy plastic where the nova doesn’t. I keep the Nova in my car at all times so I have something to grab on downtime or when we road trip/camp/beach/etc. - and it’s perfect for that since there’s no wood to worry about!
I was an early adopter of the Nova U with TransAcoustic option (the electronic version with built-in reverb and chorus effects). Mine had a few problems. The wiring inside the body wasn't secured well enough, so it would vibrate against the body when it resonated with the C open string. This created an internal buzz, not going out to the amplifier but audible acoustically. Enya sent me a replacement. It also had a similar buzz but resonating on a different note. Once the uke is sealed at the factory, there's no easy way to get inside to add something like silicone caulking to further anchor the wires, so I just live with the buzz. It does go away if I hold the uke at a certain angle where I presume the wiring moves farther away from the body it was touching, but that's not a complete solution. Hopefully Enya now anchors the wiring better. I did improve that by unscrewing the end panel with the receptacle for the amplifier cable, turning it around 180 degrees and screwing it back in place. This apparently relocated the offending wire. The other problem is that the Enya fluorocarbon strings tend to vibrate in a bigger range of motion than other strings on my ukes do. As a result, when I strum loudly while playing with my ukulele club, the strings slap the fretboard annoyingly. I replaced the strings with Aquila Super Nylgut strings that are stiffer. They require a little more fretting pressure, but they don't slap. Finally, the frets being molded from the same black plastic as the fretboard as a unit makes them a little difficult to visualize, whereas on other ukes, the fret wires contrast with the dark fretboard and thus are easier to see. Other than those few annoyances, I like the Enya Nova U.
That's funny! I am new to Ukes and somehow I feel they are happy instruments. I tried one of those the other day and I agree, I was surprised that I liked it.
This is probably the coolest uke I have ever seen! I want one!! Mine is a limited edition Fender uke. It looks like a mini guitar because of the neck shape. Thanks for sharing! Lots of love!
I have pink one, couldn't be more pleased. Very fun to play, and people look at it b at first b and think it's a toy. Always love to see their faces when played. The case sucks though, I bought a different case for mine.
Alex, you're one of the people whose opinion I really value...and I get a little nervous when you review a ukulele that I've reviewed favorably. What I've found is that people either like the tone or they don't...there is no in-between. I like ukuleles that are clear and have a lot of sustain in the treble register (makes sense that I like KoAloha). i also respect Enya as a company--really good quality control, excellent set up on every one I've played, and affordable pricing. Oh...and great customer service. A few owners of Enya's have reported some wearing of the fretboard...I've seen 5 such cases on Facebook and Ukulele Underground. Enya has gone out of their way to make those customers happy. The only other negatives about the instrument is that there are no side fretboard markers, and that as a painted instrument, it really can't be thrown around like an Outdoor Ukulele. The nut is a little narrow, but the radius seems to make up for it. Put another way...any beginning player would be well served to start out on a ukulele that is this good to play. They are also good for schools as you won't get sharp fret ends and so on. I think your advice is great...if you don't like the looks, or want a wood ukulele...don't buy it.
I've heard the same info about the fingerboard... My estimation is that it's the same kind of fail rate as magic fluke which is a much more premium priced instrument. Thanks for the flattery - happy you like what I have to say and hope I can continue to entertain
I purchased the blue soprano one after watching this video. They spray painted a black one and you can tell. I am not happy about that. I can see the tape marks and accidentally chipped a bubble off. The keys seem cheap and stick a little when you turn them. That being said I have to admit it does sound really super amazing for cheap spray painted plastic.
I bought this unit with the TransAcoustic feature and love it, the month wait for delivery was hard, but once in hand, with the effects, it is kick A**. Now, I may buy the guitar version w. effects.
Yes it made me happy too. I just bought a makala since im just a beginner but after your review i get this feeling that i'm certainly having one at the end of the year haha. Nice review!
I bought this Uke to use it outdoor, at the beach or in the forrest. I dont use the bag to carry which is crap, just the belt and the light Uke on my back. The Sound is pretty good for plastik. Just the holes for the strings are not big enough for lowG.
Interesting comment... The first two of these we sold were sold to customers wanting a Low G setup and we managed it with a little bit of huffing and puffing. As long as you use a lighter thickness low G it is doable albeit a bit of a faff. That may be something that Enya have quietly tweaked as time goes on...
I received my black Nova a couple of days ago. I can't put it down! It truly was an exciting event, from ordering to unboxing to getting familiar with the piece. My other two ukuleles were a gift and a second hand purchase. This one feels like my own and I don't have to feel guilty about the price point! Any thoughts on the Enya strings or how a different brand/material might improve the already lovely sound?
We don't have enough experience with them yet to make a recommendation but this Ukulele seems to invite a lot of opinion from users so hopefully somebody out there will recommend something for you. 🙂
Interesting! Would love to see more Enya reviews from you guys! I'm super impressed with my EUT-MAD solid mahogany tenor. Looks and feels amazing for the price.
Not wanting to flatter you but seeing your uke on Instagram was one of the final little nudges on that particular day that made me order the blue mahogany ukes to see what they were like. So far so good...
@@SouthernUkuleleStore Ooooh well colour me flattered anyway! A review of those would be interesting. Only thing I would say about mine is it has a quite heavy headstock making it feel a bit unbalanced and it's also probably on the quiet side - but the new low-G Worth Browns sound lovely on it.
I bought the acoustic nova u loved it so well bought a second had the acoustic plus really loved it just bought a third lol. They re the ones I reach for first, it’s unique, easy to play for arthritic fingers, comfortable neck
Love my Nova u transacoustic! I’m reaching for it more than my Pono MGT or Flight Victoria. Such a nice feel to it, maybe it’s the smaller size or the rounded fret board - don’t know - just know I love it!
Because I have an Outdoor Carbon Nickel Tenor and enjoy it, I bought the Enya Nova-U at the $69 intro price (shipped) to keep at our beach house. It is not the uke that the Outdoor is (and certainly nowhere near the league of my all-solid-wood instruments). But it is good for its price range, and if I leave it out on the lanai all night-no worries.
I recommended this to a family friend who was getting their first Uke. I guess I was caught up with the marketing too. I tried her's and honestly I think it was a great recommendation. I have a KoAloha so I can play an elite Uke daily, and I will say that still with value, looks, playability, sound, the Nova U is a great buy, it was fun for me to play, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone as their first Uke. She is super happy with it and her family steals it from her to play it!
Enya certainly don't make it easy with that comment... most unwound low Gs are a poor fit in the Enya plastic nut slot. I would go for a fremont blackline unwound low G. ...we sell them.
Been looking at an Enya Nova U for a travel ukulele that I can take around on day trips without worrying about it. I really started my ukulele learning journey on an Enya EUT-MAD. It's a little quiet for a solid wood uke, but it's got a beautiful sound and is extremely playable. I love that fretboard! I've upgraded to a more professional tier instrument with a low G for my primary instrument (which is a pure joy to play), but I still play my Enya at least once a week and use it for reentrant playing. It's one of the brands I would highly recommend for somebody just starting out and on a budget. Nova seems like it would be particularly great for young players.
@@Kinosec-10 - I wouldn't travel with the solid wood Enya, but the Nova is perfect for traveling and camping. The Nova has a carbon fiber body, so it can handle a bit of time in a hot car and a few knocks. The carbon fiber also means it can handle humidity changes or even a bit of rain. It's a good travel uke.
What string should I use on my ends nova mini. The ones on it are floppy. Thank You! Ps love watching. Your expertise is outstanding. Also do you ship to USA?Thank You! For your time
Uke Logic hard tension strings like H-HG-C should be better and tighter. We do ship to the US, you can work out the shipping by putting an order in the cart. 🙂
For this price you will not find any better,I mean my Kala that cost me three times more and the flight Victoria Soundwave even more expensive doesn't sound like this! I love this UKE and I love how it sound
They come with a colour matched bag. The only one that doesn't is the white one which comes with a black bag... I hadn't really given it any thought but I think it would get quite dirty easily. The case is more for decoration than a viable protective case so if you were taking it out the house often I would just buy a padded gigbag to be honest with you. Thanks for watching
I bought one from Amazon last year and it had a wonky tuning peg. The Enya site had me going around in circles trying to get support. I reported it via Amazon, but had no reply. I left a 1 star review, to see if that got their attention and it did. They asked what was wrong (clearly didn’t read the review) so I responded. And waited, and waited, then reminded them, and waited.... after 3 weeks of no reply, I returned it to Amazon. It was nice, easy to play for a beginner and I wasn’t too worried I could damage it. But the peg issue and lack of customer support was a dealbreaker for me. I then went to SUS for a Kala and it arrived fully set-up and in tune out of the box. My daughter stole it from me (she is 11, so I couldn’t say no), so I am waiting for my bank balance to let me buy another from SUS. Amazon may be sometimes a little cheaper, but I’d rather pay a bit more for the care SUS put into all their Ukuleles. Edit: This isn’t to say the Ukulele is bad. It’s not bad, it’s very good value for money. But SUS will check it over before it leaves the store. Amazon will just send it out as it came from the factory, so expect lots of string stretching.
Based on the (more reputable) reviews Enya seems to be one of the more trustworthy brands for buying online but your problem is exactly the reason why it's good thing that Southern Ukuleles (and other good ukulele shops) are now beginning to carry them. I have heard that the Enyas tend to have good action and intonation out of the box (although I've only seen a couple of their laminate instruments in the flesh and I thought they punched well above their weight), but, as you point out you shouldn't underestimate the added value that you get from a good store. Your problem is not completely unheard of even, even in ukes at 10 times the price, but it would almost certainly have been picked up immediately by SUS and it would be very unlikely that your uke would have made it out of the shop in that condition (I almost said "never") but, even with the best stores, things can slip through the net. What sets that sets Southern Ukuleles and the few other quality retailers apart (and there are only a few in the UK) is that they genuinely want you to be happy with your purchase, and, if this is not the case, they will go out of their way to resolve any problems that you have with the best possible outcome.
boujour suite a la vidéo je pense investir dans ce ukulélé mais je me posais la question si on pouvait mettre des codres nylon dessus merci de votre réponse
I have a black one...it is buzzing because the strings are too close to the fretboard and the nut is a fixed, mounted item and therefore difficult to raise the nut. Any ideas how this could be fixed! Cheers
We would fill the nut slots with a little bit of superglue and bicarbonate soda (mixing them as you go to form a paste) then file the slots out a little bit. The easier option is to buy some higher tension strings.
Personally I think a laminate Ukulele at the same price as this will sound better. After that you will notice marked improvements above the £250-300 mark.
Not any time soon. We were all due to be a stockist and then the price rose last minute... There is an audio sample and first impression video from NAMM on the channel.
I noticed you were playing a right handed instrument apparently with the strings swapped around. Do they make a left handed model? Was that one a tenor?
I'm playing it left handed. I do make mention of this in the video and the second mic is pointing up from below so you are hearing it as a right handed player would. If this is the first video on our channel you've seen I can understand it's a bit strange but after 200+ videos I don't elaborate on how I play with great detail anymore.
Southern Ukulele Store Yeah - I figured out that you were playing left handed :) Not a commentary on your video. I thought it was good. (As was your playing) I have just been really struggling to see why people like the Enya ukes I don’t get it at all
I understand your skepticism... I personally wouldn't buy one because I have no need for an affordable instrument I can knock around but the dozens of people in the comment section that swear by them seems to suggest a lot of people want an instrument made of composite materials for robustness. I think it's our culture of sleek modern looking technology bleeding over into our musical instruments. Just my guess... Thanks for the comments 👍
Southern Ukulele Store Yeah. I have an Outdoor Ukulele for my camping uke It is not super loud, but crazy durable. I can play it in my pool The only thing the army’s seems to have going on is the radius I wish they made them look different
Enya is not good to me they ignore the customer.no reply to emails website seems broken they don't accept credit cards just paypal which is not good to me also keep the reviews coming thanks alex
It would be interesting to see what it would sound like if the body was wider say like 3 1/2 “ and it had a proper sound hole , all the rest of the plastic ukuleles made are narrow to , they sound tinny and bright, I would like to find one to take in the car but being in Florida the inside of cars get so so hot 🥵 and I almost wonder if the neck would warp after a period of time , I guess the best ting to do is try one in person an make an accurate conclusion 🤔
After 4 months i now have a little rattle inside my plus nova, i just changed the original strings and noticed the plastic frets are wearing on the one thru three frets, the width from G to A string is only 1inch at the nut, I'll stick with my tenors.
The nut width on these stock ones is 35mm. We can only wait and see about the fretboards but the beauty of getting them from a shop is a manufacturers warranty and there is a wholesaler for us to coordinate with should fretboards become an issue with our stock.
They can be set up left handed but the cutaway and soundhole will be upside down. Apparently Enya make a left handed model but I've yet to see them in the UK.
We were all set to start stocking the Lava U but the initial price jumped up and I honestly didn't feel like it was much better than this for twice the price so we pulled the plug last minute.
I bought my first one as an art project at the beginning of the summer. I finished it for Day of the Dead. I have a second one now that I will leave un-decorated to take out camping and leave in my Jeep. I'm sort of an all solid wood ukulele snob, but this one is just so fun to play. It is not very loud at all, but good for playing solo. It has a nice, chimey finger-picked tone, but the strumming is thin, dead and all attack, no sustain. It is cheap, rugged and has very precise intonation all across the fretboard. Here is a link to my "Dali de los Muertos" project and an original tune. ua-cam.com/video/U0NTiqJ82d8/v-deo.html
The sharpie marker I used for the art project applied very well to the white finish, however I did not use anything to seal it, so regular playing will eventually rub off the design. That is why I wanted a second one, to preserve the artwork on the first.
I'm actually a music composer (under professional rights organization BMI, Inc). I was treated rather POORLY by Enya and that is saying it nicely. Your review seems really great, and I appreciate you going over the entire ukulele and doing this video.. But the Enya company is solely focused on how many subscribers you have in regards to your channel.. not the music the the "individual makes" either as a working composer or musician, nor do they care if the individual has any "problems" with their ukuleles - "So says Mr.Tom, and so it was written" - Cheers.
Well I suppose that's the benefit of buying from a store... I purchased a Cars play set for my son from Disney's website and despite being one of the biggest companies in the world, I found them incapable of even a morsal of competence. Next time I needed a Cars thing for him I used the toy shop and when the remote didn't work out the box, I got a replacement as soon as I went back to the shop (admittedly it took two visits because I lost my receipt). So said mr Alex and so it was written... Seriously though, sorry to hear you had problems with them direct it does seem a common underlying theme of comments on this video.
Yes this is all marketing bling back in the early 60s Mickey Mouse guitars and ukuleles were made of plastic that’s with this remind me of it doesn’t sound very good it Plays OK nothing special it’s all marketing don’t waste your money
I can't get past the 'godawful bridesmaid dress with matching everything' vibe...LOL. It's definitely not for me...but I can understand the fun appeal it would have for those not haunted by 80s wedding flashbacks... ha ha!
It's not a bother - I put the second microphone underneath the instrument when I record so you are hearing the instrument as the manufacturer intended 👍🤙
What was wrong with it that made you junk the uke? Enya was good to me when I complained about a defect. They promptly sent me a replacement and I didn't have to pay anything for return shipping of the defective one.
![[Eng Sub] Enya Nova UE ukulele with effects. Metallica on ukulele](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/EZZdWE9WJOU/mqdefault.jpg)
You, sir, are a gentleman, a scholar, and a highly valued member of the ukulele community. Thank you for the hard work put into this channel, and have a merry Christmas!
How lovely of you to say. merry Christmas
I bought the black one a year ago because Baz (Got A Ukulele) reviewed it with flying colors. And He was RIGHT! Wow, the sound is something else! Crystal clear. I have 5 ukes and it's the one I grab first. Plus the black one is BEAUTIFUL!!!!!
I am a bit late to the party, like 3 years, so sorry for that. Nice review, with good explanation of your judgement criteria.
I have a Nova U, I bought it as a beginner over a year ago. The main attractions for me was that it is affordable, a travel uke, and not negatively affected by temperature or humidity, which vary wildly where I live.
The humidity changes play hell with furniture and would be terrible for a musical instrument.
I have found that it rarely goes out of tune and will hold its tuning for weeks on end. temperature changes can affect the tuning a little, especially direct sunlight. I got the black one so it may be a bit more sensitive to direct sun. I made a waterproof cover, to go over the carry case, and I strap it onto the back of my bicycle, no worries at all.
I’m a beginner Uke student. Bought the black concert Enya Nova right before a scuba diving trip.
I wanted something that I didn’t have to worry about getting wet or a potentially bumpy trip while traveling to Honduras. I also didn’t want to slow my roll in learning the uke during weeks away from home.
I thought I had to start with a wooden Uke. So I bought a tenor from my neighbor. It’s adequate. But doesn’t make me smile.
So I’m going to sell it. Maybe in a year or so I’ll look for a more traditional wooden Uke that makes me feel the way the Enya does.
Thank you for your review. I love your channel. Hoping to look you all up some time soon.
🎶💕
This was a great review!!! I might be one of the instagrammers you mentioned 😅 I was drawn to this uke because of the unique design and color initially. The nice tone and the extra accessories are so great too. :)
I agree, excellent value.
Thanks for the kind words and for watching 😁
A fan of your channel all the way from the states. My brother just gave me a tenor today for my birthday and I was absolutely surprised by how good it sounds. It's definitely instantly become my walk-around, jamming with the friends drunk ukulele.
I think this would be a great, easily cleaned classroom instrument. I first played one at a music educators conference, and thought it would be good for students because it is narrower and easy to hold, and they can hear themselves easily in a group because of the sound hole on the side. I own a mango wood tenor ukulele from Enya and it is absolutely spectacular, better than any I have ever played. I had good luck with their customer service too. They sent me a free accessory pack with a neck strap/etc. that was not standard with the more expensive models, just because I emailed and asked for it. I tried out an EUT-6 mahogany (blue) and it was gorgeous in sound and looks but had a tiny scratch in the finish along an edge. I sent it back and tried the mango version instead and fell in instrument love. They shipped it super fast, considering it came from overseas. I have been nothing but impressed with Enya, so if you are on the fence I’d try one.
I bought this ukulele with Acoustic Plus, and I love it! The look, the tone, and the feel, are all pleasing. A shipping issue allowed me a taste of Enya customer service as well, and it's excellent! The price, the extras, strings for life; what's not to love??!!!
I just bought the pink version and I'm excitedly waiting for it through the mail
Me too bro in the post excited!
Pleasantly surprised by the sound sample. Cool and original playing style
Hahaha I have the pink version and it also makes smile when I look at it :) Put up a few stickers on it. I love it. The fingerboard is impeccable, really comfortable and roomy. I love the clear sound of it, and it really stays in tune. For such a price, go for it (if you're okay with not having wood indeed) Fantastic instrument.
That was a great totaly honest review.
I have a black one and I think it makes a good beginning concert uke. It’s a bit quiet but I enjoy it too. :)
Is it rly quiet?
No, it's the same volume as you would expect from a normal ukulele.
Southern Ukulele Store
No...
It may not be a quiet ukulele but It’s quieter than my Enya MAD concert ukulele... my normal ukulele.
I have one too. I honestly find the volume to be similar to normal ukuleles.
Southern Ukulele Store
I think it’s the combo of their house brand fluorocarbons they use on that ukulele, and it’s construction. It sounds zingy but definitely quieter than my other concert ukuleles.
I have a black one and I tune it to F#-B-D#-G#, good low tone without going to low G and it still has good intonation. The case has issues and it's too long to fit in a concert case or bag so I wrap a black hand towel around the body and put it in a tenor hard case. One of my favorites after only a week.
Thanks, Alex. I’m pleased that you kept an open mind about a polycarbonate instrument. I’d be interested in your assessment of the Outdoor Ukulele brand (polycarbonate), which is made-to-order in Bend, Oregon.
First time here, love the positive vibes. Thanks for the hard work you put in making this video. :)
Glad you enjoyed it!
Mine arrived today and I am totally delighted (Tenor Pro Electro version). First time all my learned chords to date were "clean" thanks to the 38nut. Great service guys and many thanks. Happy chappie !
I bought a red one. I do like it alot. I changed the strings and that made a big difference for me. Only complaint is the frets are black so if you are showing someone how to play a chord they can't tell always what frets you are on.
I have that exact uke. I have others too, some much more expensive but this is one I pick up the most often. I like the original strings and bar chords are MUCH easier! If mine breaks, I will by another
very helpful, thank you. i think i’m going to buy it
Love my white Nova U electric Uke. Out of my 10 Uke’s this is the one I pick up most. Arrived damaged but enya customer service was outstanding and problem solved. Also have the round EUR-X1 which I love. Going to add more enya Uke’s to the collection soon.
Plastic Fantastic!!! Love it!!!💖I have the pink one! 🌸Its the Uke I bring to my Uke squad!!! It sounds great!!!
I got one at the intro $69 usd price and love it for that. I outfitted mine with some Worth strings with a low g - which made it have a much richer sound. I did the same with a Kala waterman and the nova blows the waterman away. The waterman feels flimsy/bendy plastic where the nova doesn’t. I keep the Nova in my car at all times so I have something to grab on downtime or when we road trip/camp/beach/etc. - and it’s perfect for that since there’s no wood to worry about!
I did the same thing! Only to have a low g Uke though, I thought the enya strings were quite good too, had a nice Sound from the get go :)
What Worth strings with low g did you get? I am having trouble finding ones that are not wound.
I was an early adopter of the Nova U with TransAcoustic option (the electronic version with built-in reverb and chorus effects). Mine had a few problems. The wiring inside the body wasn't secured well enough, so it would vibrate against the body when it resonated with the C open string. This created an internal buzz, not going out to the amplifier but audible acoustically. Enya sent me a replacement. It also had a similar buzz but resonating on a different note. Once the uke is sealed at the factory, there's no easy way to get inside to add something like silicone caulking to further anchor the wires, so I just live with the buzz. It does go away if I hold the uke at a certain angle where I presume the wiring moves farther away from the body it was touching, but that's not a complete solution. Hopefully Enya now anchors the wiring better. I did improve that by unscrewing the end panel with the receptacle for the amplifier cable, turning it around 180 degrees and screwing it back in place. This apparently relocated the offending wire. The other problem is that the Enya fluorocarbon strings tend to vibrate in a bigger range of motion than other strings on my ukes do. As a result, when I strum loudly while playing with my ukulele club, the strings slap the fretboard annoyingly. I replaced the strings with Aquila Super Nylgut strings that are stiffer. They require a little more fretting pressure, but they don't slap. Finally, the frets being molded from the same black plastic as the fretboard as a unit makes them a little difficult to visualize, whereas on other ukes, the fret wires contrast with the dark fretboard and thus are easier to see. Other than those few annoyances, I like the Enya Nova U.
i was buy a red enya u ukelele and i'm so excited to have them.
That's funny! I am new to Ukes and somehow I feel they are happy instruments. I tried one of those the other day and I agree, I was surprised that I liked it.
"happy instruments" - indeed! :-)
This is probably the coolest uke I have ever seen! I want one!! Mine is a limited edition Fender uke. It looks like a mini guitar because of the neck shape. Thanks for sharing! Lots of love!
Thanks for your positivity
I have pink one, couldn't be more pleased. Very fun to play, and people look at it b at first b and think it's a toy. Always love to see their faces when played. The case sucks though, I bought a different case for mine.
Absolutely looking at it as a travel uke.
Alex, you're one of the people whose opinion I really value...and I get a little nervous when you review a ukulele that I've reviewed favorably. What I've found is that people either like the tone or they don't...there is no in-between. I like ukuleles that are clear and have a lot of sustain in the treble register (makes sense that I like KoAloha). i also respect Enya as a company--really good quality control, excellent set up on every one I've played, and affordable pricing. Oh...and great customer service.
A few owners of Enya's have reported some wearing of the fretboard...I've seen 5 such cases on Facebook and Ukulele Underground. Enya has gone out of their way to make those customers happy. The only other negatives about the instrument is that there are no side fretboard markers, and that as a painted instrument, it really can't be thrown around like an Outdoor Ukulele. The nut is a little narrow, but the radius seems to make up for it.
Put another way...any beginning player would be well served to start out on a ukulele that is this good to play. They are also good for schools as you won't get sharp fret ends and so on.
I think your advice is great...if you don't like the looks, or want a wood ukulele...don't buy it.
I've heard the same info about the fingerboard... My estimation is that it's the same kind of fail rate as magic fluke which is a much more premium priced instrument.
Thanks for the flattery - happy you like what I have to say and hope I can continue to entertain
@@SouthernUkuleleStore Not flattery...just that I value your opinion. And if I make it to the UK and SUS, a pint is on me.
I purchased the blue soprano one after watching this video. They spray painted a black one and you can tell. I am not happy about that. I can see the tape marks and accidentally chipped a bubble off. The keys seem cheap and stick a little when you turn them. That being said I have to admit it does sound really super amazing for cheap spray painted plastic.
I bought this unit with the TransAcoustic feature and love it, the month wait for delivery was hard, but once in hand, with the effects, it is kick A**. Now, I may buy the guitar version w. effects.
Yes it made me happy too. I just bought a makala since im just a beginner but after your review i get this feeling that i'm certainly having one at the end of the year haha. Nice review!
I bought this Uke to use it outdoor, at the beach or in the forrest. I dont use the bag to carry which is crap, just the belt and the light Uke on my back.
The Sound is pretty good for plastik. Just the holes for the strings are not big enough for lowG.
Interesting comment... The first two of these we sold were sold to customers wanting a Low G setup and we managed it with a little bit of huffing and puffing. As long as you use a lighter thickness low G it is doable albeit a bit of a faff. That may be something that Enya have quietly tweaked as time goes on...
I received my black Nova a couple of days ago. I can't put it down! It truly was an exciting event, from ordering to unboxing to getting familiar with the piece. My other two ukuleles were a gift and a second hand purchase. This one feels like my own and I don't have to feel guilty about the price point! Any thoughts on the Enya strings or how a different brand/material might improve the already lovely sound?
We don't have enough experience with them yet to make a recommendation but this Ukulele seems to invite a lot of opinion from users so hopefully somebody out there will recommend something for you. 🙂
Interesting! Would love to see more Enya reviews from you guys! I'm super impressed with my EUT-MAD solid mahogany tenor. Looks and feels amazing for the price.
Not wanting to flatter you but seeing your uke on Instagram was one of the final little nudges on that particular day that made me order the blue mahogany ukes to see what they were like. So far so good...
@@SouthernUkuleleStore Ooooh well colour me flattered anyway! A review of those would be interesting. Only thing I would say about mine is it has a quite heavy headstock making it feel a bit unbalanced and it's also probably on the quiet side - but the new low-G Worth Browns sound lovely on it.
I bought the acoustic nova u loved it so well bought a second had the acoustic plus really loved it just bought a third lol. They re the ones I reach for first, it’s unique, easy to play for arthritic fingers, comfortable neck
Love my Nova u transacoustic! I’m reaching for it more than my Pono MGT or Flight Victoria. Such a nice feel to it, maybe it’s the smaller size or the rounded fret board - don’t know - just know I love it!
Because I have an Outdoor Carbon Nickel Tenor and enjoy it, I bought the Enya Nova-U at the $69 intro price (shipped) to keep at our beach house. It is not the uke that the Outdoor is (and certainly nowhere near the league of my all-solid-wood instruments). But it is good for its price range, and if I leave it out on the lanai all night-no worries.
I think it is a nice ukulele for beginner, not expensive, but has a good tone
I'd like to see a comparison of the Enya vs an Outdoor Ukulele.
Lovely playing! What is the name of the tune?
I recommended this to a family friend who was getting their first Uke. I guess I was caught up with the marketing too.
I tried her's and honestly I think it was a great recommendation. I have a KoAloha so I can play an elite Uke daily, and I will say that still with value, looks, playability, sound, the Nova U is a great buy, it was fun for me to play, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone as their first Uke. She is super happy with it and her family steals it from her to play it!
Just bought one how do ifind low g strings for this and what kind should i use as it cannot use metal strings as far as i know
Enya certainly don't make it easy with that comment... most unwound low Gs are a poor fit in the Enya plastic nut slot. I would go for a fremont blackline unwound low G.
...we sell them.
I have worth brown with low G. I was recommended to only use flurocarbon
Been looking at an Enya Nova U for a travel ukulele that I can take around on day trips without worrying about it. I really started my ukulele learning journey on an Enya EUT-MAD. It's a little quiet for a solid wood uke, but it's got a beautiful sound and is extremely playable. I love that fretboard! I've upgraded to a more professional tier instrument with a low G for my primary instrument (which is a pure joy to play), but I still play my Enya at least once a week and use it for reentrant playing. It's one of the brands I would highly recommend for somebody just starting out and on a budget. Nova seems like it would be particularly great for young players.
Have you traveled with the Enya? I’m looking for something to take camping, that won’t mind getting occasionally getting smashed or left in a hot car
@@Kinosec-10 - I wouldn't travel with the solid wood Enya, but the Nova is perfect for traveling and camping. The Nova has a carbon fiber body, so it can handle a bit of time in a hot car and a few knocks. The carbon fiber also means it can handle humidity changes or even a bit of rain. It's a good travel uke.
These are great ukes for the price!
Run a dry bar of soap (I used Ivory) around that zipper and zip and unzip a few times and it will be 100% easier!!!
Seafoam green looks great, do they do baritone?
Not at this time
I bought a black one, being a bit OCD I like being able to keep them clean! But I just wish they did a tenor sized one.
I get that... I would prefer a Tenor too.
Is there a bass version?
What string should I use on my ends nova mini. The ones on it are floppy. Thank You! Ps love watching. Your expertise is outstanding. Also do you ship to USA?Thank You! For your time
Uke Logic hard tension strings like H-HG-C should be better and tighter.
We do ship to the US, you can work out the shipping by putting an order in the cart. 🙂
Thank You!
For this price you will not find any better,I mean my Kala that cost me three times more and the flight Victoria Soundwave even more expensive doesn't sound like this! I love this UKE and I love how it sound
Can you get a black case for the blue uku? The blue case looks to be dirty quite easily to me... or is it easy to clean?
They come with a colour matched bag. The only one that doesn't is the white one which comes with a black bag... I hadn't really given it any thought but I think it would get quite dirty easily. The case is more for decoration than a viable protective case so if you were taking it out the house often I would just buy a padded gigbag to be honest with you.
Thanks for watching
It's weird that the Enya brand has the same font as the singer uses for her albums.
Probably not an accident.
I bought one from Amazon last year and it had a wonky tuning peg. The Enya site had me going around in circles trying to get support. I reported it via Amazon, but had no reply. I left a 1 star review, to see if that got their attention and it did. They asked what was wrong (clearly didn’t read the review) so I responded. And waited, and waited, then reminded them, and waited.... after 3 weeks of no reply, I returned it to Amazon. It was nice, easy to play for a beginner and I wasn’t too worried I could damage it. But the peg issue and lack of customer support was a dealbreaker for me. I then went to SUS for a Kala and it arrived fully set-up and in tune out of the box. My daughter stole it from me (she is 11, so I couldn’t say no), so I am waiting for my bank balance to let me buy another from SUS. Amazon may be sometimes a little cheaper, but I’d rather pay a bit more for the care SUS put into all their Ukuleles. Edit: This isn’t to say the Ukulele is bad. It’s not bad, it’s very good value for money. But SUS will check it over before it leaves the store. Amazon will just send it out as it came from the factory, so expect lots of string stretching.
Based on the (more reputable) reviews Enya seems to be one of the more trustworthy brands for buying online but your problem is exactly the reason why it's good thing that Southern Ukuleles (and other good ukulele shops) are now beginning to carry them. I have heard that the Enyas tend to have good action and intonation out of the box (although I've only seen a couple of their laminate instruments in the flesh and I thought they punched well above their weight), but, as you point out you shouldn't underestimate the added value that you get from a good store. Your problem is not completely unheard of even, even in ukes at 10 times the price, but it would almost certainly have been picked up immediately by SUS and it would be very unlikely that your uke would have made it out of the shop in that condition (I almost said "never") but, even with the best stores, things can slip through the net. What sets that sets Southern Ukuleles and the few other quality retailers apart (and there are only a few in the UK) is that they genuinely want you to be happy with your purchase, and, if this is not the case, they will go out of their way to resolve any problems that you have with the best possible outcome.
Please review the les paul model epiphone ukelele (electric)
@Southern Ukelele Store
Sadly I can't review products we are unable to sell. Gotaukulele did a great job on that one.
boujour suite a la vidéo je pense investir dans ce ukulélé mais je me posais la question si on pouvait mettre des codres nylon dessus merci de votre réponse
Fluorocarbon
@@SouthernUkuleleStore reponse rapide merci
just a question: is it possible to set the action to lower strings?
Yes
Also wanted to know how to lower the string height☝️
I have a black one...it is buzzing because the strings are too close to the fretboard and the nut is a fixed, mounted item and therefore difficult to raise the nut. Any ideas how this could be fixed! Cheers
We would fill the nut slots with a little bit of superglue and bicarbonate soda (mixing them as you go to form a paste) then file the slots out a little bit.
The easier option is to buy some higher tension strings.
Will you be taking these in again? Thought about ordering one but you are sold out
Yes we will. They are due back any day now.
Southern Ukulele Store Thanks. I’ll watch out for it. Any recommendations regarding strings?
Zip is not stuck. It's the shape of the bag that curves.
🤷🏻♂️can't go back and change the video now - thanks for letting me know all the same.
How much more, percentage wise, would one have to pay to get a better sound?
Personally I think a laminate Ukulele at the same price as this will sound better. After that you will notice marked improvements above the £250-300 mark.
Can you Review the Lava U?
Not any time soon. We were all due to be a stockist and then the price rose last minute... There is an audio sample and first impression video from NAMM on the channel.
Cool video 😂
It has a little bit of banjolele twang
Capo on a uke ?
Sometimes useful..
I noticed you were playing a right handed instrument apparently with the strings swapped around. Do they make a left handed model? Was that one a tenor?
It was a a Concert. Sadly I don't have information on lefty availability.
Beutiful i wish i have that one
Those stars on the fretboard are VERY reminiscent of the World Of Ukes Eden Origin. Which came first, I wonder?...
The Enya haha
Gibson made cowboy guitars with star Inlays 85 years ago so I think Matt Warnes and Enya should both say sorry.
What is the point of a cutaway if it is being played on the top? That makes the side sound hole aim away from your face
I'm playing it left handed. I do make mention of this in the video and the second mic is pointing up from below so you are hearing it as a right handed player would.
If this is the first video on our channel you've seen I can understand it's a bit strange but after 200+ videos I don't elaborate on how I play with great detail anymore.
Southern Ukulele Store
Yeah - I figured out that you were playing left handed
:)
Not a commentary on your video. I thought it was good. (As was your playing)
I have just been really struggling to see why people like the Enya ukes
I don’t get it at all
I understand your skepticism... I personally wouldn't buy one because I have no need for an affordable instrument I can knock around but the dozens of people in the comment section that swear by them seems to suggest a lot of people want an instrument made of composite materials for robustness. I think it's our culture of sleek modern looking technology bleeding over into our musical instruments.
Just my guess... Thanks for the comments 👍
Southern Ukulele Store
Yeah. I have an Outdoor Ukulele for my camping uke
It is not super loud, but crazy durable. I can play it in my pool
The only thing the army’s seems to have going on is the radius
I wish they made them look different
Would you prefer this over populele ?
I'm not sure but the Populele is definitely better value than the Lava U
Hello is this a mini nova u soprano?
No it's the concert. The soprano only came out recently
@@SouthernUkuleleStore thanks for your quick response. Do you like the soprano as well?
Not as much. We have opted not to stock it thus far
I like the soprano.
Enya is not good to me they ignore the customer.no reply to emails website seems broken they don't accept credit cards just paypal which is not good to me also keep the reviews coming thanks alex
It would be interesting to see what it would sound like if the body was wider say like 3 1/2 “ and it had a proper sound hole , all the rest of the plastic ukuleles made are narrow to , they sound tinny and bright, I would like to find one to take in the car but being in Florida the inside of cars get so so hot 🥵 and I almost wonder if the neck would warp after a period of time , I guess the best ting to do is try one in person an make an accurate conclusion 🤔
Dave Scheer I keep mine in the trunk in so cal. No probs after a year. I also threw a set of worth strings with a low g on it to get a fuller sound.
After 4 months i now have a little rattle inside my plus nova, i just changed the original strings and noticed the plastic frets are wearing on the one thru three frets, the width from G to A string is only 1inch at the nut, I'll stick with my tenors.
The nut width on these stock ones is 35mm. We can only wait and see about the fretboards but the beauty of getting them from a shop is a manufacturers warranty and there is a wholesaler for us to coordinate with should fretboards become an issue with our stock.
How well does this stay in tune?
Yeh it stays in tune quite well. Certainly as well as other Ukes at this price or up to £200-300
Do u play Lefty?
Yes
@@SouthernUkuleleStore that's amazing so you play A E C G . I am a lefty as well maybe I should do the same . I should learn to play Lefty.
I play my own instruments left handed. I only play ukes from the shop upside down.
@@SouthernUkuleleStore this is amazing
wait, can we play this left-handed?? (I'm left-handed)
They can be set up left handed but the cutaway and soundhole will be upside down. Apparently Enya make a left handed model but I've yet to see them in the UK.
Does Enya have anything to do with the brand?
Do you mean the musician? If so, no.
Thanks Alex.
Do you have any in store? 😁
Yes, available stock is linked in the video description.
Thanked for being honest I have been between this and the lava u.
We were all set to start stocking the Lava U but the initial price jumped up and I honestly didn't feel like it was much better than this for twice the price so we pulled the plug last minute.
LOL there's a reason everyone raves about Enyas. They're probably the best bang for the buck ukuleles in the world.
What’s the name of the song?
One of Alex's own - a how to play video will be available for this quite soon on his 'ukes with alex' channel 🤙👍
I wonder if the soundhole on top is designed for the sound to come up at you, the player, as opposed to your audience. I don't really care for it.
Hahaha this is my first Enya ukulele infiltration 😂
sounds like a plastic uke. looks really cool.
I got a donner uke it sounds better and is much cheaper and comes with accessories.
Looks cool though
Does it has fake product of this Enya Nova ukulele?
No idea what your question is I'm afraid.
I bought my first one as an art project at the beginning of the summer. I finished it for Day of the Dead. I have a second one now that I will leave un-decorated to take out camping and leave in my Jeep. I'm sort of an all solid wood ukulele snob, but this one is just so fun to play. It is not very loud at all, but good for playing solo. It has a nice, chimey finger-picked tone, but the strumming is thin, dead and all attack, no sustain. It is cheap, rugged and has very precise intonation all across the fretboard. Here is a link to my "Dali de los Muertos" project and an original tune. ua-cam.com/video/U0NTiqJ82d8/v-deo.html
The sharpie marker I used for the art project applied very well to the white finish, however I did not use anything to seal it, so regular playing will eventually rub off the design. That is why I wanted a second one, to preserve the artwork on the first.
Aye you lefty , or is the uke lefty? .
I'm lefty. The uke is right handed
I'm actually a music composer (under professional rights organization BMI, Inc). I was treated rather POORLY by Enya and that is saying it nicely. Your review seems really great, and I appreciate you going over the entire ukulele and doing this video.. But the Enya company is solely focused on how many subscribers you have in regards to your channel.. not the music the the "individual makes" either as a working composer or musician, nor do they care if the individual has any "problems" with their ukuleles - "So says Mr.Tom, and so it was written" - Cheers.
Well I suppose that's the benefit of buying from a store...
I purchased a Cars play set for my son from Disney's website and despite being one of the biggest companies in the world, I found them incapable of even a morsal of competence. Next time I needed a Cars thing for him I used the toy shop and when the remote didn't work out the box, I got a replacement as soon as I went back to the shop (admittedly it took two visits because I lost my receipt).
So said mr Alex and so it was written...
Seriously though, sorry to hear you had problems with them direct it does seem a common underlying theme of comments on this video.
Yes this is all marketing bling back in the early 60s Mickey Mouse guitars and ukuleles were made of plastic that’s with this remind me of it doesn’t sound very good it Plays OK nothing special it’s all marketing don’t waste your money
Honestly , if you have the skill than you can make any ukulele sound good.
Is your business called Southern Ukulele because you're a southpaw?
No it's because we are on the south coast of the UK.
He should have played fake plastic trees by Radiohead
Good luck changing the strings ;-)
It’s actually very easy to change strings, as they are essentially slot-style: no fishing through the side port or the soundhole.
I can't get past the 'godawful bridesmaid dress with matching everything' vibe...LOL. It's definitely not for me...but I can understand the fun appeal it would have for those not haunted by 80s wedding flashbacks... ha ha!
I'm thinking "perfect gift for a pre-teen niece!"
Too bad you didn't get the left handed one, cause then the players' sound hole would be on the right side for you
It's not a bother - I put the second microphone underneath the instrument when I record so you are hearing the instrument as the manufacturer intended 👍🤙
Justice for left handed players
🤣
are you a leftie?
yes.
I had the Nova Transacoustic. Ended up taking it to the dump. Terrible Uke.
What was wrong with it that made you junk the uke? Enya was good to me when I complained about a defect. They promptly sent me a replacement and I didn't have to pay anything for return shipping of the defective one.