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Didn't think I was a fan of High Pressure Laminate, but I played one at the 1833 Shop at Martin Guitar and was amazed at the tone and timbre. So I ordered one from zZounds.com. I have a 1930's vintage Style 1 mahogany soprano ukulele and the OXK sounds every bit as fine. Of course the HPL instrument does not have the lan of the vintage bauble and man does not live by tone alone. It is as solid a feeling instrument as I've ever cradled. You have to hold one yourself to experience of which I speak. It's certainly not a delicate uke. It's heavy as well and that perhaps is a bit of a negative as far as I'm concerned. I like a featherweight uke. It's also slightly unbalanced toward the peghead which does not make for maximum comfort while playing. On the other hand, it doesn't sound like an overbuilt ukulele. The tone is rich, deep and sustaining. And it smells like a wooden instrument thanks to the actual wood linings, blocks and braces inside. I acquired it to play outside, cart it around in my back pack and on my bike. I get a soul filling pause that refreshes perched atop a high cliff fingerpicking a ditty. The OXK fits this purpose well. The tuners are high quality friction Grovers and the included gig bag is more than decent. I don't understand though, if the finish is a picture anyway, why Martin couldn't apply an image of the curliest, most flamey Koa they could find? Verily, it does't have to resemble wood at all and this aspect adds a slightly dishonest look at their toes to an instrument that otherwise is what it is. Think of the fun colors and designs they could employ. All in all. The Martin OXK sounds and works superlatively. You'll have to decide whether it's worth the money. It does strike me as expensive for formica assembled in Mexico. On the other hand the build is fastidious and top notch. There are no glue drips or excess, the sound hole, inlays and tuners are dead centered, the intonation as right on as a uke gets and the Stratabond neck is perfectly carved. If the whole idea of a synthetic ukulele does not offend and you want a fine sounding, durable soprano, I don't think you'd be disappointed with the martin OXK.

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I got this uke because I wanted something that I did not have to worry about taking anywhere.

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