At Empire Music, every ukulele is professionally inspected and adjusted before it reaches your hands. Here's what "prepping" a ukulele actually involves—and why it matters.
Why Prepping Matters
Our ukuleles are made from organic materials—primarily sapele wood—that react to environmental conditions. When ukuleles are built in hot, humid climates and then shipped to colder, drier regions like Canada, the wood and other components can shift or settle during transit. If not addressed, this can affect how the instrument sounds, feels, and performs over time.
Our Prepping Process
Each ukulele goes through a detailed, multi-point inspection and adjustment process:
1. Fret Dressing
PROBLEM: As the ukulele adjusts from humid to dry conditions, the wood naturally loses moisture and contracts. This shrinkage can cause frets to protrude slightly or hardware to loosen, requiring careful correction.
SOLUTION: Fret edges are shaved and polished to remove sharpness or unevenness caused by wood contraction. This prevents discomfort or injury when playing.
2. Nut and Tuning Peg Adjustments
PROBLEM: Loose pegs can lead to constant tuning issues.
SOLUTION: Nuts and tuning pegs are tightened or reseated to ensure stable tuning.
3. Saddle Height Setup
PROBLEM: The string is set too close or too far from the fretboard, which affects the playability of the instrument.
SOLUTION: The saddle is adjusted to set the proper string action (distance from strings to fretboard). This ensures the ukulele is easy to play and intonates correctly.
4. String Pre-Stretching
PROBLEM: New strings typically stretch out and detune easily if not broken in.
SOLUTION: We pre-stretch the Aquila strings so they hold tuning better right out of the box.
5. Cosmetic Inspection
PROBLEM: My ukulele isn’t beautiful! (Though this may not affect playability).
SOLUTION: Each instrument is visually inspected for blemishes, scratches, or glue residue. Any unit that doesn’t meet our finish quality standards is rejected.
6. Playability Check & Quality Control
The instrument is tuned and test-played to ensure clean sound, smooth fretwork, and proper neck relief. If necessary, further adjustments are made.
All prep work is overseen or performed by our in-house luthier. Ukuleles that do not meet our performance and cosmetic standards are either reworked or discarded.
Additional Steps We Take
Climate-controlled storage: Instruments are stored in a stable environment until shipment to prevent further moisture shifts.
Secure packaging: Ukuleles are packed with proper support to minimize risk of shock or warping during transit.
The Result: A Ukulele That’s Ready to Play
When you order from Empire Music, you’re not just getting a boxed instrument—you’re getting a carefully prepared ukulele that’s comfortable to play, stable in tuning, and visually clean. That’s our standard.
Please note:
Our ukuleles are prepped in Vancouver, Canada, with moderate humidity and mild temperatures. If you live in dry provinces such as Alberta, the wood may shrink over time. Alternatively, if you live in a humid area, the wood may expand over time. Ensure your ukulele is stored in a neutral climate environment.
