As you say, it’s good for walking around (with a strap) due to its small size… smaller than a normal soprano because of the body shape.

I’m still a uke beginner (of 14 months) and the Risa has opened up enriching new styles for my acoustic uke playing. It goes both ways :)

I have your Dummies book and I note a reference to “cricket bat-shaped” ukes (page 13). Given your enthusiasm for the Risa here and in an earlier review, I wondered why. I guess it’s not recommended for the absolute beginner :)

Insane is more like it! I’m watching that item on eBay haha! I would be bidding top price but unfortunately at the moment I’m not in a position to purchase, I’m looking at getting my hands on one in October.

I bought the Risa Solid Tenor late May. Now I’m selling it on E-bay (under my account claud-uk). Mine has the 4:1 banjo style geared tuners. I’m selling mine because I keep changing my collection and I’m not allowed to continue to acquire them – A 1 in and 1 out rule from the wife. It was a fun unique addition to the collection but I had to prioritise what I wanted to do next.

The string changing issue Al raised is not affected by the geared tuners as Al’s problem was down at the other end of the neck where the strings disappear into holes in the wood. The strings are held by a knot that is hidden inside the wood. The hole in the back is bigger than the hole on the top and where these different diameters meet, is where the knot sits. Because a knot is an irregular shape, it can get a little jammed due to the tension but the solution is simply to poke something down the hole. I haven’t tried this out myself yet and don’t know if it is a recurring problem.

I have played the soprano version of this. I know that Risa have a geared tuners option and that on the Tenor this is standard now I think.

Al, you mention that this is better than the Eleuke you tried. I’m tempted to get this Risa thing.