Uke upgrade help please.

MananAtma

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This morning I reached a milestone, I looked at the chords and lyrics of "This Land is Your Land" and was able to play and sing at the same time. May sound simple to most of you, but for a no talent like me its huge.

I promised myself if I ever got this far I would get myself a decent uke. I would like a concert, preferably pineapple. Money is a bit tight so I'm trying to keep it under $200. Been looking at the Flea and the Oscar Schmidt OU2P, but I'm very open to suggestions, infact, begging for advice.

I like low G tuning so I would like to get the best sound I can for the dollar. Another possible factor is I like camping and hiking, so would that make the concert flea a no brainer?
 
I have a concert Flea. Love it. Not taken it camping or hiking but it's pretty robust so should survive a period spent in the wilderness. I can't vouch for any others as I haven't played em :)
 
Congrats at reaching your first milestone. :)

Regarding new uke, likely the Flea would suit, but depending on how you treat it, there are other options, any half decent laminate would work well enough.
 
In you price range the flea is the only pineapple shaped concert I am aware of. This is not a bad thing because they are a great instrument and robust for camping and hiking. If you are going low G it needs to be a florocarbon low G. A wound low G is not recommended because it can wear down the plastic frets.
 
When I reached my goal and upgraded I went with Mainland. The prices are right around what you want to pay. I think that if you are looking for a nice upgrade, the Mainland is a good choice.
 
If you want the pineapple shape, the Flea is the way to go. As Dave mentioned, you would need either a fluorocarbon low G, or upgrade to the wooden fretboard, as the wound ones will gouge the plastic frets. Another option would be keeping your eye out for a used Ohana pineapple. They retail for ~$300, so a used one would be about your price. If you are open to the traditional shape you can find many Kalas, Ohanas or Mainlands in your price range. They will all be good ukes (just be sure to buy them from a placed that does a set up -- Uke Republic, Mim, HMS, Elderly, etc.).
 
The I second a Mainland! I just got a Mainland super-concert pineapple. It's wonderful. And it's got a lovely tone. My regular player is a Moore Bettah, so I'm kinda picky about tone. I think you'd be happy with a Mainland.
 
First of all, congratulations on meeting your milestone. It took me many years of playing, first the guitar then the ukulele, until I could actually sing and play at the same time. As a point of reference, I started playing guitar about 15 years ago. I could not strum competently until I met the ukulele about two years ago and even then it wasn't until about 6 months ago that I could sing and play together. So, I bet you have me beat in meeting that goal a little more quickly. ;)

As far as the ukulele upgrade, yes, the concert Flea is a no-brainer especially when considering you will be take it camping with you. The other possibility I see would be to use your current not-so-decent uke as a camping uke and get a solid wood pineapple uke for home use, though I don't think a solid wood instrument is must-have. Honestly, my wife's concert Flea with wood fretboard sounds every bit as good as my solid koa Martin C1K.
 
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Right now I have a Makala pineapple soprano and a Donner concert. I like the volume of my pineapple, as well as how it looks. As far as how I treat my ukes, I carried 2 to Iraq and both made it home in great shape, I watched a video where a guy tossed a flea and I cringed, so you might say I'm a little protective. Did I miss any questions? Thanks for the responces.
 
I'm a huge fan of concert pineapples (or is it pineapple concerts - both sound a little weird, like singing fruit....)

I've got a concert flea that I take camping about once a year. The only thing about it that isn't well adapted to camping is that I've sometimes had the friction tuners get loose in cold weather. The simple solution is to make sure you have a screwdriver and tighten as needed.

And congratulations on taking the next step towards full-blown UAS. If you like concert Pineapples and camping, keep practicing and start saving now - the end of that road is a Blackbird Clara (amazing instrument).
 
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AACK!!! $1300 for an instrument? I would have to get a lot better than I am now to even consider spending that much. Maybe in a few years.
 
AACK!!! $1300 for an instrument? I would have to get a lot better than I am now to even consider spending that much. Maybe in a few years.

A newer player benefits from a great instrument as much, if not more, than an expert player. :)
 
Congratulations on hitting a big milestone! A Flea is an excellent choice in your situation since it is sturdy and lightweight and cheerful. Later when you get still more ukuleles (it happens...) the Flea will remain useful as a travel and knockabout companion.

If you're serious about low-G, you might consider a Fluke instead. The Fluke is a little pricier but maybe you can find one used. I think the larger Fluke body resonates better with low-G but YMMV.
 
AACK!!! $1300 for an instrument? I would have to get a lot better than I am now to even consider spending that much. Maybe in a few years.

Keep practicing and keep your eyes open - they come up for sale used every so often - I got mine for just over $900 (and sold three ukes to do it). Up until I played it, I didn't think you got much additional beyond about the $400-500 range. The shop I bought from let me bring in my flea (great uke) and play it back to back with the Clara. The flea is a great uke, but the Clara is a whole different animal, particularly strung low G.

My Clara took my playing places it would never have gone on the flea. Probably the biggest thing that makes a difference with the Clara is that it has a huge dynamic range, massive sustain and the sustain is there as you go up the neck. It opened up a lot of possibilities for me. Some of the things I learned I can do on my flea now, but it was the ease of playing on the Clara that got me there.

Another way to look at it - it is way cheaper than a piano (and more portable). $900 doesn't get you much for a violin (a lot of serious players pay at least that for a bow). $900 barely covers what you'll spend in gas to transport a harp. A guitar in ekoa (what the Clara is made of) will run $3000+, and to get a decent brass instrument you'd spend way more. It is only expensive compared to ukuleles.

And finally - I wouldn't spend that much on a wood ukulele - too much chance for an expensive drop, humidity problems, etc. The Clara is pretty bombproof, which is why I was pretty comfortable buying used.

In the meantime, buy a flea (or a mainland) and have fun.
 
Trying to keep it under $200, trying to find a good mid-range uke because I promised myself an upgrade when I reached a certain milestone. I would like a concert or tenor, I'm partial to pineapples, and I love camping. Money is tight so I am trying to get the most bang for the buck.

The milestone btw way is that I was able to look at the chords and lyrics of "This Land is Your Land" and was able to strum and sing at the same time. May not seem like a big deal but for a no talent like me its huge.
 
First, congratulations on the accomplishment of strumming and singing. I'll be honest...as a music teacher and a heavily trained musician--that aspect is pretty natural for me and I don't have to think twice about it. I forget that not everyone is a music major! The Ukulele Teacher (YouTube) made a video this week about playing and singing--you might want to watch that for some tips and further encouragement.

Now...the next stuff is all opinion, and opinions are like a certain body part--everyone has one.

As for an instrument, $200 barely puts you in what I'd call mid-range. For example, a Kala Zircote tenor is $239 from most vendors. It is a stunning, beautiful instrument, but pretty pedestrian as a player (common laminate).

If you want a ukulele that is set-up perfectly and literally can go anywhere--get an Outdoor Ukulele Tenor. They are polycarbonate and nearly indestructible. They aren't going to sound like a wood ukulele--but they don't sound bad at all, and will be in the $160 range after shipping (you can add other features).

While there are some solid wood Kala models in the sub $200 range, I would suggest contacting Mainland Mike at Mainland Ukuleles and see what he can do for $200 for one of his seconds--seconds whose flaws we would have issues seeing. Some will suggest Fleas and Flukes--I don't have one and wouldn't argue with that. Others will recommend Ohanas--and again, not a brand that I own, but I won't stand against that recommendation, either.

And if you can save for a while, I'm convinced that if you can find a used KoAloha Opio Concert ukulele, you will find a lifelong companion at a relatively low cost.

With all of these ukuleles, I am suggesting ukuleles that will make your playing time more enjoyable because of the experience with the instrument--instruments that play so well that you want to keep playing.
 
Thanks for the input. Checked out the outdoor tenor, very impressive, I wish these existed when I went to Iraq! While I tend to be very protective of my ukes (carried 2 to Iraq and they both survived the trip) it will be nice to have a uke that I can take camping and not worry about it getting rained on or someone hitting it. One reviewer said that his survived being stepped on by a horse!!!
 
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