That you so much on the review of these two ukulele's . This was very helpful . I have a Tenor Outdoor ukulele and love it . I was looking for a ukulele for a student of mine that was similar to the outdoor one . I am so glad I watched your video . Now I know which one I would like her to get .
Very good Jodie! That was very informative and in depth. I guess I would have to hear both of them in person. For the waterman sounded best to me especially durning the strumming yet with the TH-cam processing and listening through my iPad speakers that in itself may be the factor.
Mr. Keebler listening back, the OU does sound a bit tinny on the video. Not sure why... my only gripe with the outdoor ukulele is that it is not very loud. It is also very bright, which I’m not used to.
wow,, big difference , I agree ,, i found the waterman sounded flat when I tried in the guitar store,, but they didn't have any outdoor brands.. this vid helps me a lot,, thanks so much ! awesome and informative !
Thank you for the comparison! I've never liked the idea of playing a plastic instrument but after sound comparison I think I may get a Kala one for outdoors...I like the sound and looks of it.
Great comparison video. I live in a very rainy wet climate with lots of temperature changes, so when I began the search for a uke, I wanted something weather resistant. It boiled down to these two ukuleles for me. After a ton of research I settled on the OU, and I'm VERY happy with it. I got the Champagne tenor. It's been dropped, knocked over, tossed in the back of the family vehicle and rained on while being carried into the house...all to no effect. It's exactly the same as the day it arrived. One thing to keep in mind, not all "plastic" is created equal. The OU is actually fiber reinforced polycarbonate (the stuff bulletproof glass is made from), so it's VERY sturdy (as you mentioned). The materials used in the are excellent quality.
I tried the Waterman about 10 times in various music stores. Always hard to tune, and always pitchy even when in tune. To me, the most appealing thing was the price. I was thrilled to find the Outdoor Ukulele. These are now my favorite, as I have had issues with fretboard shrinkage with several brands of wood ukuleles. I have zero worries the neck will warp, don't need expensive hard cases or even heavily padded cases. I paid to customize mine with a passive pickup so I can plug in to perform. I was new to ukulele when I got it, and even though I already played guitar, I found the Outdoor easier and more fun to play. They're very percussive and easy to chunk. Nice review, by the way!
Thanks for your comment, Lynn. I agree that the OU is very percussive. I guess that’s why I prefer it strummed (and chucked!). And also so easy to play. What other ukes do you play?
@@girlmeetsuke2980 I have a concert lanikai and a Luna resonator ukulele. I've also had a few Kala ukuleles, including some travel ukes.. Oh, and an Eddie Finn soprano banjolele. I had a couple custom made tenors, and a Gretsch tenor and a Gretsch guitarlele.
It's not warp proof. Now it wont warp for the same reasons wood can e.g. excessive moisture or dryness. However it's plastic, just leave in in the car in summer and you'll see some warping. Just to be clear I've got nothing against plastic ukes (I've got a Fight Travel ukulele which I love). My next uke will likely be a Magic Fluke, Flea or Fluke. Plastic is great if done right.
ordering my soprano outdoor uke this week - want it for knocking around & teaching a bunch of rambunctious homeschoolers - don't want to take my acacia tenor for those things. Thanks, Jodi!!
Great comparison video! I have owned several all plastic ukes, and can verify that the Outdoor is the best in quality and durability. The first I tried was a Waterman. I had issues with the neck warping and the top of the body sinking. The next was a Bugsgear Aqualele. That was better than the Waterman, but the strings wore divots in the frets after less than a year. My husband also had an Aqualele, and the neck warped after a couple of years. The Outdoor was the next, and the best plastic uke purchase. It has lived in my car for about two years now, and is still playing perfectly. The Outdoor is much easier to play and sounds so much better than the others. I just got my husband an Outdoor tenor to replace the Bugsgear, and it's similarly excellent. They're definitely worth the extra money, in my opinion, if you want a durable car uke that's also a real, playable instrument.
Thank you so much for your comment. It helps us all to read people’s experiences with other ukuleles. Nothing seems to beat the durability of the outdoor ukulele. It’s brighter than a lot of the other plastic ukes, but also more resonate.
Hey Jennifer, what type of climates do you live in? I’m thinking of an outdoor uke for my car, I live in Canada so temperatures are extreme both ways, wondering if this will hold up
@@anonymouss116 I live in Oklahoma. Temperatures during the summer are well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the car during the summer. I think our winters are mild in comparison to yours -usually around 40 degrees - but it does go below that several times each winter. What has impressed me is that the temperature fluctuations we routinely get here don't seem to bother it at all. I love the way the Outdoors play, feel, and sound! Definitely the best all plastic uke I've tried. Hope this helps!
So much difference between the two! The Outdoor sounded more like a traditional uke, with its bright, somewhat twangy sound. The Waterman was really quite mellow, maybe too much so. But what bothered me was the intonation issue as you worked your way up the fretboard on the Waterman. That would make me crazy. Speaking of frets, I'm actually eyeing the Enya Nova U Mini (sort of a soprano), because it actually has 17 frets, which I would find very useful for a few songs. I prefer the traditional appearance of these, honestly. But I don't know, I can't see laying out more money for a knockaround uke than I paid for both of my "real" ukes. I got good deals on them, but still.
Thank you for the review! I am looking for something for camping. I am very curios to see your review of the plastic/wood combo you were gifted. Nice review!
Great video. I bought a Waterman a couple of years ago and kinda regret it. My experience with the Waterman almost kept me from getting the Outdoor Uke. I’m glad I got it, though. It’s such a joy to play and FAR exceeds the Waterman in quality.
Thank you for this video. I teach with Watermans and they’re great but, for personal use I was curious to see if the Outdoor was better. I now know what I want for Christmas :)
You’re welcome. What a great Christmas present. ❤️ You will love it. I play mine almost every day. It lives in the car, but I also take it on some camping adventures. 😊
I just want to say this is an excellent demo and comparison video. I am subscribing to you. I am not sure why the sound hole on Waterman is raised except that the Waterman is a copy of the first ever plastic uke known as the Mccafferty Islander uke. Outdoor uke is slightly out of tune on some chords. For beginners there are several good ukes. But a good one is the Makala Dolphin or Shark ukuleles. for $30usd well worth it. Another great plastic ukulele is the Kala Ukeadelic. Get 2 new sets of Aquila Nylgut and do another sound demo.
I don’t understand what the “action” is. What does it mean? I got a waterman in hopes for a good car uke. I love it so far. I’m not struggling with tuning. Maybe they’ve taken note.
soo uhh.. my budget is around 250 zł (the waterman one costs about 170 zł and the outdoor costs about 500-600 zł which is A HECKIN LOT. and yeah i'm too lazy to transfer these prices into $ lol) and i'm thinking about getting the waterman one. i like how the plastic sounds and it wouldn't be much of a deal for me since it's going to be my first ukulele and i think i have enough patience and ambitions to tune and play it. soo, would you actually recommend it for me? i'd also sometimes take it for a trip around the city or music festivals so i'd be worried if i had a wooden one lol
viktor b I still wouldn’t recommend this as a first instrument because it is difficult to play due to the high action. I would actually recommend a laminate instrument. I have one that I take camping every time and do not have to worry about. Another option would be a Flight travel ukulele. Have you seen my review on that one? It comes in all kinds of colors and patterns and has a plastic body with a laminate top. Whatever you decide to buy, I have no doubt that you will have fun!!
Actually, no, I’ve never played one. I did find a review by Barry Maz. Here: th-cam.com/video/UMvSytWLxEA/w-d-xo.html It seems like there might be some quality control issues. I’d recommend a Kala shark or dolphin. They are inexpensive but very well reviewed. Also, the Kmise are inexpensive and very beautifully made. (Are you aware of my current giveaway?)
At first you had me intrigued by these, and Im sure they have their time and place. But the soul of wood, the smell, the feel, the sound, the aging could never be matched for me. But being a dog owner, maybe I should consider one around the house...
I hear ya’. I love my wood ukuleles. Especially the solid wood ones. These are really just for bumming around and taking places where you wouldn’t trust your other ukes.
TBH IMHO, the Outdoor sounds HORRIBLE! Very tinny, no character, plasticky and zero warmth. It doesn't sound like a uke, more like a synth emulating one. The Waterman, which is clearly a bit rubbish, (painted frets - you kidding me? And that action - you could fly a plane under those strings) actually sounds closer to a 'real' uke (albeit a cheap, laminate job) - much warmer & louder - volume being kinda important for an outside instrument, 'cos you have there's no reverberation & you often have to combat wind-noise. Really surprised by that! My guess is YTs compression isn't doing the Outdoor justice & the choice of florocarbon carbons is the wrong one. Flourocarbon's can make a bright instrument sound thin. Maybe nylguts would improve things? Also suspect the plastic on the Outdoor maybe a little thick, which'll kill the projection. Either way, this isn't exactly an apples to apples comparison. You'd be hard pressed to find anything half decent at 40 bucks, but at 100 you're spoilt for choice. Wouldn't pick either of them!
Sound comparison starts at 13:20
Terrific video, Jodi! This will be most helpful for those trying to choose!
That you so much on the review of these two ukulele's . This was very helpful . I have a Tenor Outdoor ukulele and love it . I was looking for a ukulele for a student of mine that was similar to the outdoor one . I am so glad I watched your video . Now I know which one I would like her to get .
Very good Jodie! That was very informative and in depth.
I guess I would have to hear both of them in person. For the waterman sounded best to me especially durning the strumming yet with the TH-cam processing and listening through my iPad speakers that in itself may be the factor.
Mr. Keebler listening back, the OU does sound a bit tinny on the video. Not sure why... my only gripe with the outdoor ukulele is that it is not very loud. It is also very bright, which I’m not used to.
GirlMeetsUke
I prefer a rich mellow tone over a bright tone.
wow,, big difference , I agree ,, i found the waterman sounded flat when I tried in the guitar store,, but they didn't have any outdoor brands.. this vid helps me a lot,, thanks so much ! awesome and informative !
Thank you for the comparison! I've never liked the idea of playing a plastic instrument but after sound comparison I think I may get a Kala one for outdoors...I like the sound and looks of it.
Nice! Glad you found this helpful. I recently learned that the Watermans also come in concert size but only in 2 colors, I think.
Excellent review
Great comparison video. I live in a very rainy wet climate with lots of temperature changes, so when I began the search for a uke, I wanted something weather resistant. It boiled down to these two ukuleles for me. After a ton of research I settled on the OU, and I'm VERY happy with it. I got the Champagne tenor. It's been dropped, knocked over, tossed in the back of the family vehicle and rained on while being carried into the house...all to no effect. It's exactly the same as the day it arrived. One thing to keep in mind, not all "plastic" is created equal. The OU is actually fiber reinforced polycarbonate (the stuff bulletproof glass is made from), so it's VERY sturdy (as you mentioned). The materials used in the are excellent quality.
Looks like you made the right decision!
Nice clear and detailed video comparison, Jodie.
I had a Waterman that I left in my car while I was at work in the summer. The plastic warped and it was unplayable afterwards.
That’s what I suspected might happen. Thanks for letting me know.
I tried the Waterman about 10 times in various music stores. Always hard to tune, and always pitchy even when in tune. To me, the most appealing thing was the price.
I was thrilled to find the Outdoor Ukulele. These are now my favorite, as I have had issues with fretboard shrinkage with several brands of wood ukuleles. I have zero worries the neck will warp, don't need expensive hard cases or even heavily padded cases. I paid to customize mine with a passive pickup so I can plug in to perform. I was new to ukulele when I got it, and even though I already played guitar, I found the Outdoor easier and more fun to play. They're very percussive and easy to chunk. Nice review, by the way!
Thanks for your comment, Lynn. I agree that the OU is very percussive. I guess that’s why I prefer it strummed (and chucked!). And also so easy to play. What other ukes do you play?
@@girlmeetsuke2980 I have a concert lanikai and a Luna resonator ukulele. I've also had a few Kala ukuleles, including some travel ukes.. Oh, and an Eddie Finn soprano banjolele. I had a couple custom made tenors, and a Gretsch tenor and a Gretsch guitarlele.
Lynn Rosenthal I didn’t know Luna made a resonator uke.
@@girlmeetsuke2980 yeah, but I am probably selling it. I only seem to pick up the Outdoor soprano usually. Sometimes the tenor.
It's not warp proof. Now it wont warp for the same reasons wood can e.g. excessive moisture or dryness. However it's plastic, just leave in in the car in summer and you'll see some warping.
Just to be clear I've got nothing against plastic ukes (I've got a Fight Travel ukulele which I love). My next uke will likely be a Magic Fluke, Flea or Fluke. Plastic is great if done right.
Thanks for the comparison. I've been curios about the Outdoor Uke. I think I will stick with a wood ukulele for now.
Great review, very informative.
ordering my soprano outdoor uke this week - want it for knocking around & teaching a bunch of rambunctious homeschoolers - don't want to take my acacia tenor for those things. Thanks, Jodi!!
Good choice! It will be great for that. I really enjoy playing my outdoor ukulele and leave it in my car so I always have one with me. Have fun!!
Great comparison video! I have owned several all plastic ukes, and can verify that the Outdoor is the best in quality and durability. The first I tried was a Waterman. I had issues with the neck warping and the top of the body sinking. The next was a Bugsgear Aqualele. That was better than the Waterman, but the strings wore divots in the frets after less than a year. My husband also had an Aqualele, and the neck warped after a couple of years. The Outdoor was the next, and the best plastic uke purchase. It has lived in my car for about two years now, and is still playing perfectly. The Outdoor is much easier to play and sounds so much better than the others. I just got my husband an Outdoor tenor to replace the Bugsgear, and it's similarly excellent. They're definitely worth the extra money, in my opinion, if you want a durable car uke that's also a real, playable instrument.
Thank you so much for your comment. It helps us all to read people’s experiences with other ukuleles. Nothing seems to beat the durability of the outdoor ukulele. It’s brighter than a lot of the other plastic ukes, but also more resonate.
Hey Jennifer, what type of climates do you live in? I’m thinking of an outdoor uke for my car, I live in Canada so temperatures are extreme both ways, wondering if this will hold up
@@anonymouss116 I live in Oklahoma. Temperatures during the summer are well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the car during the summer. I think our winters are mild in comparison to yours -usually around 40 degrees - but it does go below that several times each winter. What has impressed me is that the temperature fluctuations we routinely get here don't seem to bother it at all. I love the way the Outdoors play, feel, and sound! Definitely the best all plastic uke I've tried. Hope this helps!
I just visited the Underwater website. Very cool! Thanks so much!!! 🙂🙂🙂🙂😎😎😎😎
Thank you. I just ordered an Outdoor Tenor....and I own no sopranos but I'd though of getting an OU
So much difference between the two! The Outdoor sounded more like a traditional uke, with its bright, somewhat twangy sound. The Waterman was really quite mellow, maybe too much so. But what bothered me was the intonation issue as you worked your way up the fretboard on the Waterman. That would make me crazy.
Speaking of frets, I'm actually eyeing the Enya Nova U Mini (sort of a soprano), because it actually has 17 frets, which I would find very useful for a few songs. I prefer the traditional appearance of these, honestly. But I don't know, I can't see laying out more money for a knockaround uke than I paid for both of my "real" ukes. I got good deals on them, but still.
Thanks!! I just love the blue uke
Very helpful. My next charity goal is centered on an autism therapeutic center. I need bomb proof ukuleles.
Thank you for the review! I am looking for something for camping. I am very curios to see your review of the plastic/wood combo you were gifted. Nice review!
Thanks. That review is coming, but Spoiler alert: I really, really like it!
Great video. I bought a Waterman a couple of years ago and kinda regret it. My experience with the Waterman almost kept me from getting the Outdoor Uke. I’m glad I got it, though. It’s such a joy to play and FAR exceeds the Waterman in quality.
I agree!
Very informative thank you young lady.
You are very welcome.
Nice comparison. Very helpful.
Very helpful review! I love the ukulele hangers you have on the wall. Are those custom made or are you able to share the source?
I’m glad you found this helpful. I bought the wall hangers from a shop on Etsy. etsy.me/1FJUhUV
I think the Waterman sounded fatter. Nicer tone. The Outdoor sounded thinner. Could be the video sound quality..
Thanks! Great vid
Thank you for that, it was very helpful!
You’re quite welcome. 😊
Thanks for the video. It helped a lot. I almost got a Waterman.
So glad this was helpful for you.
Thank you for this video. I teach with Watermans and they’re great but, for personal use I was curious to see if the Outdoor was better. I now know what I want for Christmas :)
You’re welcome. What a great Christmas present. ❤️ You will love it. I play mine almost every day. It lives in the car, but I also take it on some camping adventures. 😊
The Waterman really got thrashed during the comparison, but damn i love the sound a lot more =/
Good job! And thanks.
Hii, just want to know whats the first fingerpicking song?
Should check out Bugsgear plastic uses. They have a soprano & & concert (w/ fake F holes)
hii the waterman is the purple one right? i was thinkin abt gettin the purple but wasnt sure how it looked irl from the stock pics
Are you sure the intonation is acceptable on the Kala? I am not...
I just want to say this is an excellent demo and comparison video. I am subscribing to you.
I am not sure why the sound hole on Waterman is raised except that the Waterman is a copy of the first ever plastic uke known as the Mccafferty Islander uke.
Outdoor uke is slightly out of tune on some chords.
For beginners there are several good ukes. But a good one is the Makala Dolphin or Shark ukuleles. for $30usd well worth it. Another great plastic ukulele is the Kala Ukeadelic.
Get 2 new sets of Aquila Nylgut and do another sound demo.
Great vid. You mentioned getting another travel uke in the mail. Mind sharing what it is?
It is a Flight Travel ukulele. I’ve got other videos featuring it in my travel ukulele playlists.
@@girlmeetsuke2980 Sounds cool, I'll check it out.
Love the outdoor ukulele. The Kloss has a better sound, but much higher price.
Great video. Action is so much better on the Outdoor. Throw some Aquila Sugar string on the Outdoor. :-)
Tom Moser yes. That is one of the big (and important) differences between the two. I will give those strings a try!
I don’t understand what the “action” is. What does it mean? I got a waterman in hopes for a good car uke. I love it so far. I’m not struggling with tuning. Maybe they’ve taken note.
Waterman might be lower in terms of built but it sounded much more like a ukulele should i would say. But great comparison 👌
Hi! Is there any way you could weigh each of those and post the weights? I would REALLY appreciate it :D!
Josh Hinkle no problem. I weighed them both with my digital postal scale and both measured 14.9 ounces. Hope that helps!
@@girlmeetsuke2980 That's awesome! Thanks so much for doing that!
soo uhh.. my budget is around 250 zł (the waterman one costs about 170 zł and the outdoor costs about 500-600 zł which is A HECKIN LOT. and yeah i'm too lazy to transfer these prices into $ lol) and i'm thinking about getting the waterman one. i like how the plastic sounds and it wouldn't be much of a deal for me since it's going to be my first ukulele and i think i have enough patience and ambitions to tune and play it. soo, would you actually recommend it for me? i'd also sometimes take it for a trip around the city or music festivals so i'd be worried if i had a wooden one lol
viktor b I still wouldn’t recommend this as a first instrument because it is difficult to play due to the high action. I would actually recommend a laminate instrument. I have one that I take camping every time and do not have to worry about.
Another option would be a Flight travel ukulele. Have you seen my review on that one? It comes in all kinds of colors and patterns and has a plastic body with a laminate top.
Whatever you decide to buy, I have no doubt that you will have fun!!
haha thanks a ton! i'd also like to ask - have you ever had any experience with Tanglewood ukuleles? is it any good or..?
Actually, no, I’ve never played one. I did find a review by Barry Maz. Here: th-cam.com/video/UMvSytWLxEA/w-d-xo.html It seems like there might be some quality control issues. I’d recommend a Kala shark or dolphin. They are inexpensive but very well reviewed. Also, the Kmise are inexpensive and very beautifully made. (Are you aware of my current giveaway?)
I hate the waterman tuners, the height of the action, it’s generally disappointing. Thanks for your input, I’m going to return it
It's a "double bout' body style, not a figure eight. Good review.
What is the difference between the two?
The waterman has a better sound...just needs a setup on the nut.
Nice comparison video
At first you had me intrigued by these, and Im sure they have their time and place. But the soul of wood, the smell, the feel, the sound, the aging could never be matched for me. But being a dog owner, maybe I should consider one around the house...
I hear ya’. I love my wood ukuleles. Especially the solid wood ones. These are really just for bumming around and taking places where you wouldn’t trust your other ukes.
100 dólares el Outdoor? Demasiado caro para ser de plástico!!!
MET YOUR MOM WHEN WE WERE VOTING FOR TRUMP...SHE TOLD ME TO CHECK OUT YOUR TH-cam VIDEOS..I KNOW SHE MISSES ME..
TBH IMHO, the Outdoor sounds HORRIBLE! Very tinny, no character, plasticky and zero warmth. It doesn't sound like a uke, more like a synth emulating one. The Waterman, which is clearly a bit rubbish, (painted frets - you kidding me? And that action - you could fly a plane under those strings) actually sounds closer to a 'real' uke (albeit a cheap, laminate job) - much warmer & louder - volume being kinda important for an outside instrument, 'cos you have there's no reverberation & you often have to combat wind-noise. Really surprised by that! My guess is YTs compression isn't doing the Outdoor justice & the choice of florocarbon carbons is the wrong one. Flourocarbon's can make a bright instrument sound thin. Maybe nylguts would improve things? Also suspect the plastic on the Outdoor maybe a little thick, which'll kill the projection. Either way, this isn't exactly an apples to apples comparison. You'd be hard pressed to find anything half decent at 40 bucks, but at 100 you're spoilt for choice. Wouldn't pick either of them!