Description
Review of the Fender Zuma Concert Ukulele, Walnut Fingerboard, Lake Placid Blue
The Fender Zuma Concert Ukulele is a four string, nylon strung concert scale ukulele built from sapele, finished in Lake Placid Blue and fitted with a four in line headstock borrowed from Fender’s electric guitar range. It is not a guitar, and it is the only ukulele in this catalogue, which is why it is filed under acoustic guitars rather than in a category of its own. It suits players who want a small, cheerful instrument with a recognisable name on the headstock.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Concert scale is the most useful ukulele size for adults. A soprano is smaller and quieter, a tenor is larger and louder. A concert sits between them with enough fret spacing that adult fingers are not fighting each other on the first three frets, while staying small enough to travel.
- The no tie bridge saves a genuine headache. Traditional ukulele bridges require each string to be knotted and threaded, which is fiddly and slips if done badly. A no tie design lets a string be pulled through and seated in seconds, so string changes stop being a reason to avoid changing strings.
- Sapele body throughout. Sapele is a mahogany relative with a similar warm, midrange focused voice. On a small instrument that warmth is welcome, because small bodies naturally emphasise treble.
- Walnut fingerboard. Walnut is dense and closed grained enough to take fretting pressure without a finish coat, and it has become a common substitute where rosewood supply is restricted.
Cons
- No scale length and no fret count are published. On a ukulele the scale length is what defines the size, and its absence means a buyer has to trust the word “concert” rather than check a measurement.
- The materials field lists stainless steel on a nylon strung instrument. The specification table gives the material type as stainless steel and sapele wood together. Nothing states what the steel component is, and a ukulele strung with nylon has no obvious use for a stainless part beyond the fret wire or tuner hardware.
- Two different size vocabularies are used. The description says concert sized and the specification table says the size is Medium. Ukulele sizes have standard names, and “Medium” is not one of them.
- The published weight and dimensions look like packaging. A listed 2.8 pounds and 26 by 10 by 4 inches are both larger than a concert ukulele, which is normally around 23 inches long and considerably lighter. These read as carton figures rather than instrument figures.
- The listing is extremely sparse. Four bullet points cover the entire description, with nothing on the nut width, the tuner type, the string brand, the finish type or whether the body is solid or laminate.
Detailed Product Description
The instrument is a four string concert ukulele with a sapele top, back and sides and a nato neck. Sapele and nato are both mahogany family or mahogany substitute timbers, and using them throughout gives a consistent, warm voice without the brightness a spruce top would add. That is the conventional choice for ukuleles, because the instrument’s natural register already sits high and a bright top can make it sound thin.
Strings are nylon in a light gauge. Nylon is what gives a ukulele its soft attack and short sustain, and light gauge keeps the tension low enough that the small body is not overdriven. Because nylon stretches a great deal, a new instrument or a new set of strings will drift out of tune for several days before settling, which is normal rather than a fault. The order to tune the strings in and the reasons for retuning frequently are covered in how to tune a guitar, and the same principles apply here.
What Comes with the Product
The listing describes the ukulele alone, assembled and strung, in a right handed configuration.
Not included: a gig bag or case, a tuner, spare strings, a strap, a stand, and any lesson material. A clip on tuner is close to essential on a nylon strung instrument, since it drifts constantly during the first weeks, and a padded bag is worth having because a small instrument is easy to knock off a sofa.
Who It Suits
This suits an adult beginner who wants something less intimidating than a guitar, a guitarist adding a second instrument for songwriting or travel, or anyone whose fingertips have found steel strings painful. The concert size is also a sensible choice for an older child who has outgrown a soprano. It works well for accompanying singing, campfire playing and casual practice where portability matters more than volume.
Look elsewhere if the goal is a guitar, because this has four nylon strings and a completely different tuning, and nothing learned on a six string transfers directly. Anyone who wants published measurements before buying should also be aware of how little this listing states. For small bodied guitars that fill a similar travel role, consider the Cordoba Mini II nylon string, the Enya Nova Go carbon fibre travel guitar, or the Martin Backpacker travel guitar. Players with small hands should also read guitars for small hands.
How to Maintain
Retune before every session for the first week or two, because new nylon strings stretch continuously until they settle. Wipe the strings and the fingerboard after playing, since nylon holds skin oil and dulls quickly. Keep the ukulele out of direct sun and away from radiators, as a small thin bodied instrument responds fast to heat and dry air. Condition the walnut fingerboard lightly once or twice a year. Store it in a bag or a case rather than on a shelf where it can be knocked, and clean the finish with a barely damp cloth only. Broader advice is in how to store a guitar.
Tips and Recommendations
Buy a clip on tuner with the instrument. It is the accessory that will be used every time it is picked up. Stretch new strings gently by hand after fitting, pulling each one away from the fingerboard a few times and retuning, which shortens the settling period considerably. Standard concert ukulele tuning is G, C, E, A, and most beginner material assumes it. Keep a spare set of strings, since the no tie bridge makes changing them quick enough that there is no excuse. If the instrument sounds thin, a set of fluorocarbon strings will add clarity and volume over standard nylon.
Product FAQ
Is this a guitar? No. It is a four string concert ukulele with nylon strings and a different tuning. It appears in the acoustic guitars section because the catalogue has no ukulele category.
What is the scale length? The listing does not publish one. It states only that the instrument is concert sized, while the specification table calls the size “Medium”.
How many strings does it have? Four, in light gauge nylon.
