We have 15 frets in total, with 12 to the body, and small butterfly and flower shapes as outward fret markers at the 5th, 7th, 10th and 12th. Nothing that I can see, leading me to think these will stand up at least was well as those on a Flea. I have also tested the strength of the plastic as I do with all plastic frets by pushing a thin metal screwdriver down onto them to check on deformation. Topping this is a plastic fingerboard with integral plastic frets and a zero fret, very reminiscent of the Flea. I can confirm no complaints on that score here from what I can feel. As I say above, there are an increasing number of plastic ukes out there that hold up pretty well, but there are one or two I have looked at where the neck was not strong enough and flexed easily with even light pressure. Being plastic this is uniform in colour though, and is textured with a wood grain effect. I think it looks better than the wooden neck on the Alic all round, mainly because the Alic neck wood was rough as old boots and looked like a tree branch!. Whilst it's the same profile, it isn't wooden, rather a pale cream coloured plastic. Up to the neck and this departs from the Alic in a significant way. The whole thing is well put together too, with no issues I can spot. Like the Fleas, the back has a slightly dimpled outer finish to ensure it's not too slippy when held against a soft jumper or shirt.
There are some strengthening ribs on the inside to stop it deforming, and whilst I can't see a top brace, I presume there is one. There is not much to see inside of course as you are looking into a black plastic box. The natural feel is a nice contrast to the plastic back. That top is very lightly satin finished, meaning you can see and feel the wood grain. Very like a Flea, but with a figure of eight shape instead of a boat paddle. Otherwise though it's all the same, so we have a laminate wood top set into an ABS plastic rounded one piece back and sides. I think it looks rather attractive and is certainly an improvement on the flat colour options to my eye. These too come in a range of different top colours, but this walnut wood version, with an engraved soundhole rosette (salamanders, if you were wondering) is unique to Flight. Well, first up, the body on this is identical to the Alic / Mahilele, and that's because Flight have sourced these from the same production line. What I DID like about it though was the sound and the price, both of which were terrific. I can only review the one in front of me. I was told that this must have been a temporary issue, as others were not experiencing the same - but hey ho - that's what you get with one off reviews. One other thing I didn't like about it was that the fingerboard on my review model was soft and the strings wore the frets easily. (Plus, it didn't change the review score - I was just having a grumble). On reflection I think I was overly harsh as there are really plenty of models that share plastic backs with the Flea, and of course, plastic ukes generally are pretty widespread now. Now looking back at the Alic review, I recall I did give it something of a bashing for being so similar to the Flea ukulele. What it is though is a ukulele made in large part from plastic, with a wooden top - meaning it's tough and befitting of the 'travel' moniker. There are some differences though, one of them quite significant, but we will get to that in the detail. When I first saw this I had to do a double take because it's extremely similar to a ukulele I have reviewed before in the form of the Alic / Mahilele Soprano.
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