Customer Rating: 
Summary: Okay for a beginner
Comment: Yes, this is an unbeatable value and a good uke to learn on, but it doesn't sound all that great compared to say any recording you may ever hear. It is definitely not a toy, though. Stays in tune fairly well. I replaced my strings with Aquila strings and lowered the action and it sounds and plays much better. All in all, this is the best value I could find for something to learn on, but now I'm eager to get something better.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Awesome Ukelele
Comment: I bought this for my boyfriend who has always wanted one and I have to say... he is the happiest man alive and rarely can I get some him and me time because he's strumming away on it!!
Customer Rating:
Summary: oscar schmidt ou2 ukulele
Comment: I bought this ukuele for my grandaughter's 8th birthday. I play the guitar and had her playing 4 chord progressions for me in two days. This is not a toy. The fretboard and tuners are very nice for a level entry instrument. I'd recommend it for anyone wanting to learn to play.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Looks over Playability
Comment: --AESTHETICS AND BUILD--
Considering the price point for this uke, I was pleasantly surprised at the build quality. Nice neck, pretty good tuners, great-looking bridge. Feels solid. The mahogany ply is a lot darker and less textured than the stock photos shown here and most other websites, but still looks quite nice under bright lighting and natural daylight. The headstock is a little weighted thanks to the geared tuners, but you get used to it quickly. I was complemented on the uke's looks when I brought it into a coffee shop.
--PLAYABILITY--
The action on the uke is set very, very high, making it a little difficult to play. I had to file down the saddle considerably before it was set comfortably, although this did introduce a small amount of fret buzz. The nut needed no adjustment, which was nice. 16 frets is also a welcome addition. The intonation on this uke, however, is my biggest complaint. Compared to the harmonic, the 12th fret is sharp, meaning the saddle needs to be moved - not a difficult job if you have the proper tools (like a bandsaw) and you know what you're doing; then again, most people, like me, neither have the necessary equipment or knowhow. The uke also comes installed with very low quality strings; I recommend swapping them out immediately with a pair of black nylon concert strings (D'Addario J53's) or Aquila Nylguts (a little more pricey), as this will improve the sound of uke substantially. The resonance is a little weak, making the acoustics sound flat, but good strings will help here, too.
--OVERALL--
If you're an active musician with a good ear, this uke isn't for you, even if you've never owned a ukulele. The intonation problems will drive you crazy, as chords fretted up the neck will be out of tune no matter what. If you're just starting out, then this uke is perfectly fine - especially for the build quality at this price. It'll give you a feel for the instrument and allow you to learn basic chords, and you may not even notice the poor intonation or mind the high action. At the time of this review, I've owned the OU2 for about a month now, and have realized that I enjoy this instrument enough to have purchased a more expensive model (<$200). This is a good model to decide whether or not the ukulele is for you - if it is, upgrade; if not, you'll still have a great-looking instrument that didn't make too much of a dent in your wallet.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Good First Ukulele
Comment: This is my first stringed instument. This is a good value. It is fun to play with. I dont have the skill to demand a lot from the instrument. I must point out that there is an intonation problem between the open and fretted strings. Chords using open and fretted strings sound off, especially if the same note is played on a fretted string and open string. After some research, I have determined that the nut is placed too far up the fingerboard, the strings are too high off the fingerboard, and the bridge is set a little too close to the 12th fret. (These are fixable problems, by the way.) On average, I suspect that any instrument in this price range will have similar issues. This is just my instrument. I cant say how likely this will be a problem for any other OU2. The appearance is good, plain and simple, not ugly. No obvious defects. Constructed of laminated wood which is true of all instruments in this price range. Construction seems a little heavy, lots of bracing on top and back which I am sure deadens its sound. Complaints about ukuleles going quickly and wildly out of tune are issues with all ukuleles when the strings are new. Mine took a week of daily retuning to stop stretching.
Summary: Okay for a beginner
Comment: Yes, this is an unbeatable value and a good uke to learn on, but it doesn't sound all that great compared to say any recording you may ever hear. It is definitely not a toy, though. Stays in tune fairly well. I replaced my strings with Aquila strings and lowered the action and it sounds and plays much better. All in all, this is the best value I could find for something to learn on, but now I'm eager to get something better.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Awesome Ukelele
Comment: I bought this for my boyfriend who has always wanted one and I have to say... he is the happiest man alive and rarely can I get some him and me time because he's strumming away on it!!
Customer Rating:
Summary: oscar schmidt ou2 ukulele
Comment: I bought this ukuele for my grandaughter's 8th birthday. I play the guitar and had her playing 4 chord progressions for me in two days. This is not a toy. The fretboard and tuners are very nice for a level entry instrument. I'd recommend it for anyone wanting to learn to play.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Looks over Playability
Comment: --AESTHETICS AND BUILD--
Considering the price point for this uke, I was pleasantly surprised at the build quality. Nice neck, pretty good tuners, great-looking bridge. Feels solid. The mahogany ply is a lot darker and less textured than the stock photos shown here and most other websites, but still looks quite nice under bright lighting and natural daylight. The headstock is a little weighted thanks to the geared tuners, but you get used to it quickly. I was complemented on the uke's looks when I brought it into a coffee shop.
--PLAYABILITY--
The action on the uke is set very, very high, making it a little difficult to play. I had to file down the saddle considerably before it was set comfortably, although this did introduce a small amount of fret buzz. The nut needed no adjustment, which was nice. 16 frets is also a welcome addition. The intonation on this uke, however, is my biggest complaint. Compared to the harmonic, the 12th fret is sharp, meaning the saddle needs to be moved - not a difficult job if you have the proper tools (like a bandsaw) and you know what you're doing; then again, most people, like me, neither have the necessary equipment or knowhow. The uke also comes installed with very low quality strings; I recommend swapping them out immediately with a pair of black nylon concert strings (D'Addario J53's) or Aquila Nylguts (a little more pricey), as this will improve the sound of uke substantially. The resonance is a little weak, making the acoustics sound flat, but good strings will help here, too.
--OVERALL--
If you're an active musician with a good ear, this uke isn't for you, even if you've never owned a ukulele. The intonation problems will drive you crazy, as chords fretted up the neck will be out of tune no matter what. If you're just starting out, then this uke is perfectly fine - especially for the build quality at this price. It'll give you a feel for the instrument and allow you to learn basic chords, and you may not even notice the poor intonation or mind the high action. At the time of this review, I've owned the OU2 for about a month now, and have realized that I enjoy this instrument enough to have purchased a more expensive model (<$200). This is a good model to decide whether or not the ukulele is for you - if it is, upgrade; if not, you'll still have a great-looking instrument that didn't make too much of a dent in your wallet.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Good First Ukulele
Comment: This is my first stringed instument. This is a good value. It is fun to play with. I dont have the skill to demand a lot from the instrument. I must point out that there is an intonation problem between the open and fretted strings. Chords using open and fretted strings sound off, especially if the same note is played on a fretted string and open string. After some research, I have determined that the nut is placed too far up the fingerboard, the strings are too high off the fingerboard, and the bridge is set a little too close to the 12th fret. (These are fixable problems, by the way.) On average, I suspect that any instrument in this price range will have similar issues. This is just my instrument. I cant say how likely this will be a problem for any other OU2. The appearance is good, plain and simple, not ugly. No obvious defects. Constructed of laminated wood which is true of all instruments in this price range. Construction seems a little heavy, lots of bracing on top and back which I am sure deadens its sound. Complaints about ukuleles going quickly and wildly out of tune are issues with all ukuleles when the strings are new. Mine took a week of daily retuning to stop stretching.