Oscar Schmidt OU3 Concert Ukulele

by OSI

Product Features

• Select spruce top with rosewood back/sides
• 16-fret rosewood fingerboard
• Abalone rosette and binding
• Die-cast chrome tuning machines
• Soprano (standard) sized ukulele

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B0002GLMIQ
• Item model number: OU3
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #13,977 in Musical Instruments (See Top 100 in Musical Instruments)

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

This soprano uke is beautifully adorned in abalone and exotic rosewood. With its select spruce top and rosewood back/sides, it delivers the dulcet tones you'd expect from a ukelele, and with Oscar Schmidt's precision setup you know it'll play like a charm.

A soprano uke beautifully adorned in abalone and exotic rosewood.

Soprano Ukeleles

There are four common types of ukes out there: soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone. The soprano--or standard--was the original, and is the smallest sized uke. It provides plenty of sweetness and that instantly recognizable ukulele sound.

Abalone rosette and binding.

Chrome die-cast tuning machines.

The Oscar Shmidt OU3 Soprano Ukulele

The OU3 features a select spruce top and rosewood back and sides, both of which look striking through the natural gloss finish. The abalone binding and rosette are the visual icing on the cake.

The OU3 boasts a 16-fret rosewood fretboard to match the back and sides, with die-cast chrome tuning machines to keep your tuning in check.

Oscar Schmidt instruments feature a lifetime warranty, and each ukulele is inspected and adjusted in the USA by a skilled technician--your assurance for smooth fret ends, precision low action and resonant sound quality.

About Oscar Schmidt Musical Instruments

The Oscar Schmidt Company was founded in 1871 and incorporated in 1911. By the early 1900s, the company had five factories in Europe and a factory on Ferry Street in Jersey City. They made all kinds of stringed instruments, guitars, banjos, mandolins, ukuleles, zithers, and Autoharps.

The company prospered through the early 1920s. Oscar Schmidt instruments were sold in many rural parts of the country where no music stores existed. Salesmen distributed the products far and wide, making them available in general, small town furniture and dry goods stores. Country guitar pickers and blues musicians living in areas of the South and in Appalachia, far from the city, frequently played Oscar Schmidt instruments because they were both inexpensive and available locally. But equally important, they were often chosen solely on merits of their superior tone and volume.

Today at Oscar Schmidt, premium woods, quality hardware and modest prices create an ideal instrument. Each is inspected and adjusted in the USA by a skilled technician, your assurance for smooth fret ends, precision low action and resonant sound quality. Unequalled standards in easy playing comfort and tone response creates the perfect value... Oscar Schmidt.

OU3 Specs

• Size: Soprano
• Top: Select Spruce
• Back/Sides: Rosewood
• Binding: Abalone
• Rosette: Abalone
• Frets: 16
• Nut/Saddle: ABS
• Finish: Natural Gloss
• Tuners: Die-Cast

Product Description

Beautifully adorned in abalone and exotic rosewood, this uke will be a family heirloom

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Beware of older versions of this model still being sold!, September 28, 2005

By 

C66Master "15KGuitarsSold" (Sunny Southern CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Oscar Schmidt OU3 Concert Ukulele (Electronics)

The Oscar Schmidt/Washburn 0U3 ukulele has been revised in 2005 and it is crucial that you get the one featuring the sealed tuners, the strings are looped around the bridge and the word "Aloha" is featured on the headstock. The one I received from Musician's Friend (who do get a "5" out of 5 with their great service, etc...) did not include any of those features and suffered accordingly. I have returned it with instructions to send me a recent model or refund my money.

Volume-wise it was above average, the plastic nut was a touch high and finish flaws were more than what you'd expect on a Chinese instrument made in recent times. The shell inlay was nice, frets a bit rough on the edges but not protruding.

The nut, in my opinion, should be replaced with a real bone nut ($3.50 in parts and who knows how much for a tech to do it for you). The saddle likewise. With the tone as good as it is with the plastic parts, the bone parts should take it to the next level. The (open-geared) tuners on it backed off and the bushings were loose. It was impossible to tune to pitch - Again, the newer version has a better set of tuners on it.

For $55 less than the Applause models, I am pleased with what could be...

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Oscar Schmidt/Washburn ukelele, August 19, 2006

By 

Ima E. Buyer - See all my reviews

This review is from: Oscar Schmidt OU3 Concert Ukulele (Electronics)

This is a top quality ukelele. I was a little confused re. "Oscar Schmidt" vs. "Washburn" brands since I had read one buyer was disappointed with the Oscar Schmidt he had purchased due to "open" tuning gears, etc. while another buyer reported much satisfaction with the Washburn he had purchased. Actually, Washburn apparently just makes the "Oscar Schmidt by Washburn" ukelele and the dissatisfied customer had purchased an earlier model that had the open tuners, etc. The one I bought was the later model with the closed tuners. It is a really beautiful instrument. I thought, however, I was getting the U13 model, which is supposed to have a solid spruce top. They sent a U3, which apparently has a laminated top. I've heard pros and cons, however, about the two types so am just keeping the one I received. For anyone wanting a really top end ukelele I would highly recommend this instrument. Just be sure you're getting the later model, however.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Washburn Ukelele, February 1, 2006

By 

Arthur H. Neill (MD USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Oscar Schmidt OU3 Concert Ukulele (Electronics)

I find this beautiful Ukekele simply wonderful. I gave it to my wife for Christmas. We both play various instruments and own fine Taylor Guitars, Yamaha and Technics Digital Ensembles and several wind instruments. This gorgeous instrument is not a toy. It holds its tuning perfectly. It took several weeks for it to settle down as is common for most new stringed instruments. Now, it will hold tuning for several hours. We are completely happy. The other reviewer must be trying to sell them at a higher price because my unit does not have the Aloha he describes and still performs beautifully. I came here looking for a case. Wish I could find one. At this price, this Ukelele is a steal.