Flight Dealer of the Month: World of Ukes

From its beginnings in a family music business to becoming one of the UK’s dedicated ukulele specialists, World of Ukes has built its reputation on expert setup, personal service, and a genuine passion for the instrument. Founded by Matt Warnes in 2016, the store combines an extensive selection of ukuleles with hands-on workshop expertise, ensuring every instrument is carefully set up before it reaches its new owner. We caught up with Matt to learn how he built World of Ukes, what makes a specialist ukulele shop different, and why Flight’s innovative approach to instrument design continues to stand out.

Can you tell us a bit about your store and how it all started?

I started selling ukuleles in my family’s music business in 2009. When my dad retired, I started World of Ukes in 2016. The family business had always tried to differentiate itself through service and particular attention to setup. I have very much kept that ethos, making sure instruments that leave the shop play as well as they can.

What inspired you to open a music store, and why focus on ukuleles?

Although I had played guitar, not very well, for many years, the ukulele wasn’t on my radar until I joined the family business. To be honest, it was just an area I could get my teeth into. The business had specialists in other areas, like violins and brass, but the ukuleles were sort of an afterthought.

I wanted to make them my focus just to test myself and see if I could sell them. As it happens, I became hooked, and now my life revolves around the ukulele.

What makes your store unique compared to others?

I try to be priced competitively, but price is not my focus. I don’t do sales or discounts. There’s no situation where you buy a ukulele and then find that if you had waited a week, you could have got it for 40% off.

I am not looking to bring people in through eye-catching promotions, but instead through my workshop expertise. Every single ukulele I sell is set up by me. I spend more than 30 hours a week at the workbench working on them. Add that experience up over more than a decade, and I think I can get a ukulele playing as nicely as anyone, anywhere.

It is great that ukulele players appreciate the work that goes into what they buy.

How would you describe your local music community?

There are local ukulele groups here, and my mum and dad are members of one. It’s a fairly rural area, though, so there isn’t a huge amount happening locally unless it is organized here.

The great thing about the UK is that nowhere is that far away, so the ukulele scene is more national than local.

What role do ukuleles play in your store today?

All I do is ukuleles. All I’ve ever done is ukuleles. They’re everything I do!

Why did you decide to carry Flight Ukuleles?

There has always been a lot of innovation and fresh thinking with Flight. The knowledge is clearly there to create instruments that look desirable and to make things that others often haven’t even thought about making yet.

Do you have a favorite Flight model or one that your customers especially love?

I really like the Flight Maia 8-string baritone ukulele. Steel strings, a pickup, eight strings, and a baritone scale. I don’t know why anyone would have thought to make one, but I am glad they did!

They’re popular, too, which proves that the ukulele market is more open to new ideas and sounds than it once was.

Can you share a memorable moment or story from your store?

I could mention visits from famous ukulele players like James Hill. While that is great, the best part is simply meeting people, helping them find the right instrument, and seeing the pleasure it brings them.

Do you host events, workshops, or community activities? If so, tell us about them.

Not in the store anymore. I used to have an events room, but during the pandemic, that space was used to store stock, and it never returned to its original purpose. I have since moved to much larger premises, as even that space was no longer enough.

However, for more than ten years, my colleague Andy and I have been arranging ukulele events all over the country. These range from residential weekends, such as the Big House in Scotland, to chartering steam trains and filling them with ukulele players.

What are you most proud of when it comes to your shop, and what’s next for you?

When I turn the lights off and leave, it still takes me a while to think that all of this started with £8,000 borrowed from my mother. To think that customers supported me right from the start and helped grow World of Ukes into what it is today is very satisfying, and I am very grateful to them.

These days, I have more than 400 models in stock, and ukuleles are going out all over the country and beyond in large numbers.

I intend to keep going as I am. If I were younger, I would grow further, but I like using my experience in the workshop and working on every instrument myself. It means I can never get too big, as there are only so many hours in each day. But it keeps me connected to the instruments and the customers, which I find more satisfying than chasing growth and money.