The beach.

Rllink · Feb 6, 2015

I've been taking my uke with me to the beach a couple times a week. I wonder if or how it will affect it. First of all, I live in a condo that, while not on the ocean, is close enough to the ocean that we still experience siltre, which is salt corrosion. It is a constant battle. But so far that has not had any effect on my ukulele which sits out all the time. But now I've been taking it right down to the beach with me and playing it. So far, so good, except yesterday the strings felt a little sticky, so I took a cleaning rag and wiped the whole thing down. I wonder though, if there is going to be any problems. I guess that we will see.

RonT · Feb 6, 2015

I take my ukes frequently, and sprinkle a pinch of sand in the sound hole to assure that I'll be back......
Cheers,
R

Rllink · Feb 6, 2015

RonT said:
I take my ukes frequently, and sprinkle a pinch of sand in the sound hole to assure that I'll be back......
Cheers,
R

That is a very nice picture.

Underling · Feb 6, 2015

I don't know about the wood but cleening your strings after is probably a good idea. I twist balloon animals for tips at the beach in the summer. the balloons start oxidizing as soon as there exposed to the salty air. They also get covered in a thin layer of salt from the surf not something i'd overly want left on my uke strings.

Olarte · Feb 6, 2015

I would worry about direct sun on a dry day hitting the soundboard for a while it could cause a crack etc.

I traveled 1300 miles around California and Nevada and was very mindful of keeping my Myamoe out of the desert sun...

You should check out Kalas new waterman Ukes they might be the perfect Uke for your needs...

peterbright · Feb 6, 2015

Direct sunlight probably is more of a concern but wipe it down when you get back home paying the most attention to all metal parts such as the tuners and strings.

RonT · Feb 6, 2015

Thanks. Just a few miles beyond the lighthouse is Kelly's Island, then South Bass, and Put-in-Bay. Am OK with the concern, but not the paranoia....
Cheers,
R

sam13 · Feb 6, 2015

I am looking at buying a very nice used quality Uke just to take out to the beach, cottage or leave in a hot or cold car and not worry about it. Cause if something happens to it ... I will get another one.

Olarte · Feb 6, 2015

I would also look at the flea and fluke ukileles.

spookelele · Feb 6, 2015

sam13 said:
I am looking at buying a very nice used quality Uke just to take out to the beach, cottage or leave in a hot or cold car and not worry about it. Cause if something happens to it ... I will get another one.

This where I'm kinda torn.
I want a uke to take backpacking this year, which is not the same purpose as the OP but similar in alot of ways.
I'm considering the waterman, because unless I fall on it and it breaks, it will be fine in the rain, fog, overnight dew, etc. But it seems to have volume issues, that will be even worse outdoor.
Do I get a smiley/dolphin as a seasonal throw away, or do I live with plastic that sounds iffy?

janeray1940 · Feb 6, 2015

I live just under a mile from the beach, and have had no issues with humidity in 6 years of uke playing. I'm close enough that my car has gotten salt corrosion but nothing inside my house seems to be affected, including my ukes.

I don't do it so much any more because I don't care for the attention it attracts, but I used to take my Kamaka soprano to the beach a lot. Like others have noted, direct sun was the biggest concern, but nothing bad ever happened. I was always careful to try to keep it in a shady spot.

Most of the uke problems I've heard of related to humidity from my fellow beach-city dwellers have been from folks who have central air and heat in their homes (I don't). The humidity and salt don't seem to be the issue - it's the dry air caused by HVAC systems that wreaks havoc.

Rllink · Feb 6, 2015

Good points. First of all, my ukulele is not a MayaMoe, or anything like a MyaMoe. I don't have a huge investment in my uke. And I'm not going to buy a special beach ukulele. So thanks to those suggesting that I do, but I don't want another uke, at least for now. Someday, when I upgrade, maybe I will designate my current uke as my beach uke, but that is not the case right now.

But the direct sunlight is not something that I thought about. I love the beach, but I'm not a big sun worshiper. I generally sit back under a mangrove tree, and venture out of the shade on occasion, so it is probably good that I've been leaving the uke sit in the shade. Lucked out there I guess. I think that I need to wipe it down every time when I bring it home. I wasn't doing that, until the other day when the strings were sort of sticky. But I'm also happy that RonT put in his two cents worth. Anyway, I'm not too concerned about it, I was just wondering what others thought about it, and actually hoping that someone like Ron would chime in with a little real life experience uking on the beach.

spookelele · Feb 6, 2015

RonT said:
I take my ukes frequently, and sprinkle a pinch of sand in the sound hole to assure that I'll be back......
Cheers,

Is that a saltwater beach, or a great lake beach?

Rllink · Feb 6, 2015

janeray1940 said:
I live just under a mile from the beach, and have had no issues with humidity in 6 years of uke playing. I'm close enough that my car has gotten salt corrosion but nothing inside my house seems to be affected, including my ukes.

I don't do it so much any more because I don't care for the attention it attracts, but I used to take my Kamaka soprano to the beach a lot. Like others have noted, direct sun was the biggest concern, but nothing bad ever happened. I was always careful to try to keep it in a shady spot.

Most of the uke problems I've heard of related to humidity from my fellow beach-city dwellers have been from folks who have central air and heat in their homes (I don't). The humidity and salt don't seem to be the issue - it's the dry air caused by HVAC systems that wreaks havoc.

We get an almost constant off shore breeze through here. Cleaning day always includes a pad of steel wool and some scotch brite. That said, my uke sits here in the living room, and it has not suffered any ill effects from that. As far as humidity, I have plenty of that. Our windows are shutters with slats in them, so unless it is raining, they are wide open, letting that nice salty breeze come through. But down on the beach, some days you can see a haze coming off the ocean. That is why I was wondering about the beach in particular.

spookelele · Feb 6, 2015

Ukes were born in Hawaii right? Is it sunnier, breezier, more humid, or saltier where you are?

RonT · Feb 6, 2015

In my case, Great Lakes. Evidenced by the reference to Kelley's and South Bass. If I took any of my ukes (IZ included!) to a salt beach then I would use appropriate caution. But damn sure not shivering (cowering) in the shade worrying......
Cheers,
R

Rllink · Feb 6, 2015

Well, that is a good point to consider, but I think that mine was born in China. That said, I'm going to continue doing what I'm doing, take a little care in wiping it down more often, and we will see what happens. Probably nothing will happen.

bassballz · Feb 6, 2015

Been doing this regularly for the last couple years. Granted, it's not one of my higher end ukes, but a regular wipedown afterwards is all it takes.
No issues whatsoever.
Cheerio!

RonT · Feb 6, 2015

Rather be there.....foota' snow and 25* here......
Cheers,
R

PhilUSAFRet · Feb 6, 2015

Recently saw a nice little solid mahogany Kala concert that had spent some time at the beach and evidently not cleaned very well. The chrome plated tuning machines and jack endpin were pitted and slightly corroded. The fret wire was discolored. May or may not come back with fine abrasives and/or TarnX. Has a pickup, so I'm not sure about what's inside the uke.

The beach.

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