peaceweaver3
Well-known member
Yeah. Therefore... Mainland red cedar tenor. Even I think that one could be looked at *and* carried about, just not knocked around. It was your idea after all, and I thought it was a good one.
Midlife crisis Uke?
- Thread starter PTOEguy
- Start date
Yeah. Therefore... Mainland red cedar tenor. Even I think that one could be looked at *and* carried about, just not knocked around. It was your idea after all, and I thought it was a good one.
good_uke_boy
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Another reason why the Blackbird Clara is such a great instrument.
Teek
Well-known member
I'm on my 4th or 5th midlife crisis. I never can afford a car though. I bought a Pono rosewood cedar top tenor last winter and for the current crisis bought a Collings. I heartily recommend the Pono Pro Classic, they come up used here and on FMM now and then. You can get the standard headstock no radius fretboard in your price range, but I wanted the slothead and radius. It's a keeper.
... and the Collings, Teek? I've just now resigned myself to mid-life crises as a permanent state of being.
Rllink
Well-known member
To start with, I don't know enough about ukuleles to give you any advise about what to buy for your midlife crisis. I never had time in my life for a midlife crisis myself, but I did retired a year ago last February. Now I hear a lot of people say that they don't want to retire, because they don't know what they would do with themselves, so they just keep getting up in the morning and going to work. Well my answer to them is that playing the ukulele is a whole lot better than working. So when the old farts who are still hanging on ask me what I do to stay busy, I just tell them that I draw, I paint, and I play the ukulele. I'm busy as can be.
Teek
Well-known member
I think I'm having more of a continuing AARP crisis myself, except I'm not retired and barring a crippling event or disorder in my future hope to be employed for some time, self and otherwise, since retirement is not an option. The Collings is a UT-2 and I am hoping it will fill the reentrant tenor position as the Pono is my linear go to. But it's not here yet. Maybe the end of next week. I am not letting it bother me at all....
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iDavid
Well-known member
It you want a uke that is perfect in every way get a Kinnard. I am not exaggerating... Construction, finish, balance, sustain, tone, dynamics, volume.... has it all.
It you want to spend less cash you can contact KoAloha and get a factory second, VERY hard to find a flaw in any of them. I have not played a Covered Bridge, but have been very tempted to order one.
It you want to spend less cash you can contact KoAloha and get a factory second, VERY hard to find a flaw in any of them. I have not played a Covered Bridge, but have been very tempted to order one.
coolkayaker1
Well-known member
You should, iDavid, they rock.
Curious, what'd you end up getting, PTOEguy?
Curious, what'd you end up getting, PTOEguy?
Jim Hanks
Well-known member
Just curious, CK, but why resurrect this zombie thread out of the blue?
bnolsen
Well-known member
yeah and what happened to ukemunga? resurrect + derail ftw right?
anthonyg
Well-known member
I'll just pile on to this necro-thread too. The answer, is in his signature.
Anthony
PTOEguy
Well-known member
It was the Clara - best decision ever. i found a used one (it was the one McNichol guitars sent on tour), so it didn't break the bank. I did sell off a good portion of my other ukes to finance it. My only issue with it is that I can't decide if it is more fun to have a low-G or high-G tuning. I'd also argue that spending the money improved my playing. The range of sounds and styles that the Clara supports is amazing - I'm trying for more stuff and getting it to sound good.
It turned out to be a pretty good cure for UAS - although the aforementioned low-g vs. high-g thing has me considering a Koaloha Opio (can't decide between concert and tenor - not sure I want to buy sight-unseen). And I would like a banjo uke to replace the firefly I sold (probably the Deering one - the Firefly was fun, but the Deering is a much more rounded instrument). However, neither of these "needs" are particularly urgent, mostly because I can change the strings on the Clara and the Clara has plenty of projection (and a pickup) so I don't need the banjo uke for volume.
The Clara is pretty durable - I've even taken it camping a couple of times - although my flea is often the uke taken camping just because it is cheaper. The Clara is pretty immune to moisture issues, but things still get stolen, misplaced or stepped on in the chaos that is a camping trip with kids.
There is only two things that I'd change about the Clara. The headstock is fairly small, and some of the left hand positions I used with my Pono tenor had me bumping into the tuners. A year in I don't notice this at all. The second is that the pickup doesn't secure my strap as well as I'd like.
It turned out to be a pretty good cure for UAS - although the aforementioned low-g vs. high-g thing has me considering a Koaloha Opio (can't decide between concert and tenor - not sure I want to buy sight-unseen). And I would like a banjo uke to replace the firefly I sold (probably the Deering one - the Firefly was fun, but the Deering is a much more rounded instrument). However, neither of these "needs" are particularly urgent, mostly because I can change the strings on the Clara and the Clara has plenty of projection (and a pickup) so I don't need the banjo uke for volume.
The Clara is pretty durable - I've even taken it camping a couple of times - although my flea is often the uke taken camping just because it is cheaper. The Clara is pretty immune to moisture issues, but things still get stolen, misplaced or stepped on in the chaos that is a camping trip with kids.
There is only two things that I'd change about the Clara. The headstock is fairly small, and some of the left hand positions I used with my Pono tenor had me bumping into the tuners. A year in I don't notice this at all. The second is that the pickup doesn't secure my strap as well as I'd like.
coolkayaker1
Well-known member
Lovely! I wondered how that turned out for you, PTOEguy. There were plenty of robust suggestions given that a guy only gets one chance at a Midlife Crisis ukulele.
I've never had my mitts on a Clara, but someday, based in your experience, I'd like to try it out.
Thanks for the information and the post.
Rllink
Well-known member
I didn't even know that I was posting here back in May of 2014. That is interesting. Which is better, resurrecting an old thread, or starting a new thread that is the same as the old one? I don't know, just asking.Just curious, CK, but why resurrect this zombie thread out of the blue?
Jim Hanks
Well-known member
No hard and fast rules about that. The flow on this one makes sense and we got an answer so no problem. It was just a little strange that post #48 picked right up on to #47 after almost two years between. I imagine iDavid made his decision by now.
sculptor
Well-known member
If you make it to forty celebrate!
In my humble opinion, from forty to sixty will likely be some of the best years of your life. They were for me and whatever you do, extreme athletic endeavours aside, you'll likely be at your peak.
Turning 40 hit me like a ton of bricks, as in I couldn't go outside that day! I sat around checking my pulse. Treat yourself to the finest.
I turned 50 a couple years ago, and treated myself to this:
View attachment 64368
The car didn't cost very much at all, and my tweed uke case looks cool in the tiny back seat. You certainly can't fit a human back there, so I'm assuming it's for ukes and harmonicas...LOL!
In my humble opinion, from forty to sixty will likely be some of the best years of your life. They were for me and whatever you do, extreme athletic endeavours aside, you'll likely be at your peak.
coolkayaker1
Well-known member
Well put, sculptor.
But then again, no.
Lol. Couldn't resist the joke, an old Reginald Dwight reference. Lol. It is well put by you.
strumsilly
Well-known member
that's what I thought about my Collings sunburst, until I started playing it.I haven't picked up either Koaloha since I got it. A collings would make an excellent midlife crisis uke. I did fit a screen protector strum guard so I wouldn't feel so bad about strumming the s**t out of it. If you're thinking Koaloha, my previous favorite I'll sell you one of mine. I got a tenor and a super concert, they are lonely.
PTOEguy
Well-known member
I tried a Collings once, it was amazing. After getting the Clara, I've become convinced that good instruments are worth it. Koaloha is definitely on the long-term list to try, probably an Opio model - although I'm likely not to buy another uke I can't play first.
coolkayaker1
Well-known member
I've owned two Collings tenor ukuleles, and I found them too "tight", no jangle, so finely constructed that they were rather pedestrian.
Perhaps I had "duds". LOL
Cheers!
Perhaps I had "duds". LOL
Cheers!
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