On a whim, I pulled out my first ukulele from the closet. It's a Stagg UC80 concert with a solid mahogany top that I bought a little over five years ago. I had never changed the strings (that seemed such a daunting task when I was a new player!), and between feeling the action was too high (I don't feel this way now), my beginner inability, and no doubt the influence of the forum here too, I quickly bought a nice tenor and a nice soprano, thinking that the concert size was neither fish nor foal and my instrument subpar.
I retrieved it from the storage room this morning, cleaned it properly, oiled the dried out fretboard, and replaced the five year old strings with Aquila Reds after remembering that I had a pack. One of the tuner buttons had broken, so I ordered a set on ebay that I hope will fit, and in the meantime tuned that string with an oversized guitar tuner button. The strings are still settling, but I sat there for a couple hours just noodling and enjoying it. It sounded great to me, and I must admit I enjoyed the concert size too (determining that was actually why I got it out).
I think I wish I had stuck with that concert a bit longer, back when I started, before deciding that I needed something better or different! It's not such a bad little uke after all. I just didn't know.
Do you still have and play your first ukulele?
I retrieved it from the storage room this morning, cleaned it properly, oiled the dried out fretboard, and replaced the five year old strings with Aquila Reds after remembering that I had a pack. One of the tuner buttons had broken, so I ordered a set on ebay that I hope will fit, and in the meantime tuned that string with an oversized guitar tuner button. The strings are still settling, but I sat there for a couple hours just noodling and enjoying it. It sounded great to me, and I must admit I enjoyed the concert size too (determining that was actually why I got it out).
I think I wish I had stuck with that concert a bit longer, back when I started, before deciding that I needed something better or different! It's not such a bad little uke after all. I just didn't know.
Do you still have and play your first ukulele?