Enya Soprano Ukulele Nova U Mini Simple 21″ –Carbon Fiber
Enya Soprano Ukulele Nova U Mini Simple 21″ –Carbon Fiber Travel Ukulele–With Beginner Kit includes Case, Strap, Capo, and Strings (Black)
| Weight: | 1.03 kg |
| Size: | Nova U Mini/BK Simple |
| Dimensions: | 59.29 x 35.1 x 7.8 cm; 1.03 kg |
| Model: | Nova U Mini/BK Simple |
| Colour: | Nova U Mini/BK Simple |
| Dimensions: | 59.29 x 35.1 x 7.8 cm; 1.03 kg |
| Size: | Nova U Mini/BK Simple |
I ordered a pink electric one back in June 2022, but very disappointingly I received an orange one. It came from the States and there was no response to my complaints or pleading for a change, so I just had to thank goodness it wasn’t black or grey. I’ve loved playing it, more than all of my other much more expensive ukuleles, but i’ve still hankered after a pink one.
Well I might be greedy, but I now have this beautiful pink one, not electric, but fabulous, light weight, easy to play, sounds fabulous.
My health is not too good, and apart from the fact this pink one is my absolute favourite and the orange one secondly, it’s so much easier to just leave them hanging around, no worries about packing them away in their cases to protect them from dogs and cats, or spilt drinks. I love them both, but more especially my new pink one.
A very popular Ukelele that has been reviewed reviewed many times on YouTube. I would just add that it’s a no anxiety of damage instrument go anywhere, use any time.
For 47 what’s not to like, started to learn ukelele on a Kala concert a few months back which sounds fantastic, saw this and just liked the look of it, good 2nd instrument which I’ve & just started to get a good sound from, enjoying the 2 use’s.
The carbon fiber construction, which makes this ukulele durable and waterproof, remains a standout feature. It’s still my go-to travel companion for its reliability in various conditions.
However, the upgraded strings brought a significant improvement in sound quality. The ukulele now produces a richer, more resonant tone that enhances the overall playing experience. It’s amazing how a simple string swap can make a big difference.
The 23″ size and cutaway design continue to strike a great balance between portability and versatility. It’s compact yet capable of reaching higher frets comfortably, which is perfect for exploring a wide range of melodies.
For beginners, the Enya Nova U remains beginner-friendly, and the included kit with a gig bag, strap, capo, and picks is a handy addition for those starting their ukulele journey.
In summary, the Enya Nova U 23″ Cutaway Carbon Fiber Ukulele becomes an even better musical companion with upgraded strings. Its rugged build, portability, and now enhanced sound quality make it a valuable instrument for any musical adventure, whether you’re playing by a campfire or under the rain.
2 week update – returning and replacing with acoustic pro, the frets are already wearing and strings cut. Likely from a bad batch.
Don’t get me wrong I still love this which is why I’m spending even more to get the same one with the pickups etc.. Spoken to lots of people and they have not had this issue so it’s likely the batch.
I’ve had a few of the various plastic ukes out there which have been used in places where I don’t want to risk playing an expensive one. They are OK, but don’t sound very nice really.
The carbon fibre makes this one sound and feel a lot better and the size is perfect. You can almost stick it in your pocket! Well, maybe it’s not quite that small….
The strings are fluorocarbon, and a spare set is provided. To put that into context, the excellent Worth fluorocarbon strings are currently over 16 for a double set on Amazon.
Body & Neck
The entire instrument is moulded in a 30% Carbon Fibre & Polycarbonate composite. Polycarbonate is often to be found in things like ‘bulletproof’ glass laminates and some Flak jackets. Even the frets are moulded into the fretboard, which is part of the neck, and body etc.
The nut is 34mm wide, and it is 28mm across the strings at the nut – which is a bit tight for my big paws which need an XXL glove. Most people will not have any problem getting used to this.
The exterior is buffed to a fine satin sheen that looks properly elegant.
Sound
The soundbox is slim, so we are not expecting deep bass here, out-of-the-box the bass is in a good balance with the treble, and the overall sound is bright, but mostly sweet and never shrill.
It might struggle with a low ‘G’ string, but I plan to try that to see how it copes.
Case etc
All this arrives in a semi-soft zip-up case, together with instructions, the spare strings, and a tuner.
Altogether a properly professional presentation of a good instrument.
Strings
If you buy one of these, please stick to using plain clear strings. Any ‘wound’ strings will mark the frets and eventually chew them away. Metal-filled strings are said to be a problem, like the Aquila “Red” series that contain copper particles. So one might want to be careful of using other pigmented strings. Some pigments can be abrasive. Besides, the standard fluorocarbon strings do seem to suit it well, and it does come with a spare set of these.
Waterproof?
Well, why not? The machine heads are metal and might rust, but everything else seems to be what Enya claim it to be – a good quality composite. I might not take this swimming with me, but would not worry if we were caught in the rain.
Ahh . . . the machine heads.
These were a bit less-than smooth when new, but a cotton-bud and a smear of grease solved that. Might help prevent rust, too!
Who is this for? Me for one. I really like it, and will gladly struggle with my encroaching arthritis as I get used to the slim neck. I retired 20 years ago, so no surprises there. A 10-year-old kid would love one of these, perhaps as a their second instrument? The 10-year-old inside my head thinks it’s so cool!
Anyone wanting a good-looking and well-finished Soprano Uke should consider this one. It is not the cheapest, but it is robust, plays in tune and will surely survive our weather better than a wooden one! Recommended!
So, the Nova U….. the concert size, in my own opinion, is the better of the two sizes.
The mini soprano is still a very good value for money uke; carbon-fibre material makes it durable, surprising bright sounding, sturdy, portable, looks good…
The concert however, does have the advantage of a richer sound, but it’s bigger with a sound hole atop, so that’s to be expected.
I bought ours in the green/blue colour and a black concert size. The colours are aesthetically pleasing, teamed with the gold accents of the tuning pegs and strap pegs make the Nova U stand out and also help them to look less ‘cheap’ and less like a toy, which can happen with the colour-finish ukuleles.
The concert size comes with a little accessory pack inclusive of matching coloured uke case, capo, strap and some spare Enya strings.
Paperwork and certificates also included. I don’t believe these ukuleles are replicas.
The concert size is perfect for both me and my child, who is 8.
The mini soprano comes only in black and with the accessories comes a nifty and proficient digital tuner and battery (clip on)- which picks up only the sounds of the uke strings, so it’s all good to tune in a noisy room. No capo or strap with this size
Both sizes have a bowed back for a richer sound, the fretboard on both sizes have a few more accessible frets for finger-style than a standard wooden uke, due to the design of the Nova U.
The strings sit pretty close to the fretboard which means playing chords and making them sound is very easy to achieve.
For beginners and children, this is perfect- Instant results for minimum effort.
Again, both these ukuleles have such a happy, bright sound and really do rival some other wooden ukuleles of the same value.
Buy this concert uke and you won’t regret it.
Now, there is the option for the electro-acoustic, which I cannot comment on as yet, but that will surely be my next Enya purchase.
The only downside for me (and it’s not even a thing really) are the strings, but I’m not keen on Enya strings anyway – I find them a little ‘baggy’
But it’s nothing, they can easily be replaced. On that subject, the strings are very easy to change on the Nova U, if you wanted to.
Delivery was fast; two days and they were all here, safe and sound. Well packaged and good communication from the seller. Cannot fault them.
Thank you. Enya Music for our latest purchases. We look forward to the next ones in the coming months!