Are you a conservative or adventurous uke buyer?

Jeffelele · Feb 9, 2015

Are you a conservative or adventurous uke buyer? I mean all things being equal and assuming you use this forum and other inputs in your education.

Do you stick with sources and models that have proven themselves over years with good reviews or are you interested in that new luthier or the latest from the NAMM show?

I know it's mostly a case of somewhere in between but I wonder about it.

I'm mulling this over on what seems like an eternal countdown to when I can buy my second uke.

Jeff

DownUpDave · Feb 9, 2015

Based on your criteria I guess I fall into the conservatibe camp. I buy well know brands from well respected retailers or used from right here in the Marketplace. Buy your second uke used right here, save money on a great uke, nice recipe for happiness. I do not buy these unknown brands from Asia that might crack, split or explode. There is the alure of getting a uke super cheap that way I guess, but I don't want to take that chance.

I am looking at a tenor from a well respected guitar builder who has made about 25 ukes total. Most people here would not know him so I guess I am a little adventurous.

greenie44 · Feb 9, 2015

For better or worse, I am adventurous, although in a different way. I first joined the forum looking for used ukes, and I have bought quite a few here. I am also fairly cheap, and of average playing ability, which has led me to take flyers on travel ukes and a hollow body electric from China. (Also bought a solid body in Shanghai, another tale.)

But I have always been happy with my purchases. I think I have turned into a conservative buyer now, since I have something for pretty much everything I want, and if I get more, it will be to upgrade. No flyers on top end ukes for me.

wayfarer75 · Feb 9, 2015

Definitely conservative. I also only have 3 ukes, so I take my time. I might get the 4th one oh, maybe, the spring of next year?

Down Up Dick · Feb 9, 2015

I'm a conservative person generally speaking. I buy name brands, study up before buying, try out before I buy and buy each of my Ukes with a purpose in mind. I haven't bought any of my Ukes from the Internet, and I keep and take care of what I buy. I don't intend to buy any more solid Ukes, but I only have one or two more in mind anyway.

If people don't buy stuff from local stores, there won't be any more local stores.

ld:

peterbright · Feb 9, 2015

I'm a manic buyer of all kinds of instruments including Ukes.

Rllink · Feb 9, 2015

I'm pretty conservative with ukes. A little left of center otherwise.

haole · Feb 9, 2015

I'm broke and I hate the aggravation of having to return anything so I do a little research before pulling the trigger. Haven't been disappointed yet, so it's working! I love checking out new stuff but if there's something without a proven track record then I'll leave it to all the wealthy retirees to take one for the team and report back.

janeray1940 · Feb 9, 2015

Probably the only area in life in which I could be considered conservative: three ukes, all Kamakas, and no real reason to consider anything else. Unlike a lot of folks on this forum, I live five minutes from a shop with a great uke selection so I don't have to rely on videos and internet opinions when I shop; I can usually find anything I'm curious about and try it in person, so I have no real reason to take chances.

janeray1940 · Feb 9, 2015

Down Up Dick said:
If people don't buy stuff from local stores, there won't be any more local stores. ld:

+1 for this!

Andy Chen · Feb 9, 2015

When I was considering buying the Clara, the only local Blackbird distributor in Singapore at that time didn't carry any in the shop. So I asked why not, since it'd be good to try it before buying. The owner told me not to ask so many questions, either I place a deposit for an order or hang up the phone. I hung up, bought the Clara from HMS and haven't looked back since. I have now bought a total of six ukes from Andrew and crew.

I probably won't ever buy local again.

gtomatt · Feb 9, 2015

I lean towards the conservative side also. All of the ukes I've bought except one were instruments that I tried prior to purchasing ( two Kamakas, Emil Bader mango, Hula Uke, and a Martin tenor.

That being said, a long time ago I bought an Oscar-Schmidt OU-2E from a Stupid Deal of the Day on MF and it turned out to be a great little uke.

actadh · Feb 9, 2015

I bought two vintage ones early on that I didn't know enough to know that it would be beyond my repair level to fix (the Kay and the camp uke.) That cured me of my impulse used purchases.

Now, I am conservative on the big ticket types. Half the fun is the months of research. I bought my first two "proper" ukes from HMS after poring over the specs for hours. But, it gives me the background to be an impulse buyer of sorts when I see a good deal, like on my Martin from MF.

spongeuke · Feb 9, 2015

Started off as a financially limited adventurist, searching for the mythical no name player.
Years in and many swings and misses, now a self-taught ukulele repairman. I only will buy or trade for specific WWII Martins. with the right situation I will return to the adventure.

janeray1940 · Feb 9, 2015

actadh said:
I bought two vintage ones early on that I didn't know enough to know that it would be beyond my repair level to fix (the Kay and the camp uke.) That cured me of my impulse used purchases.

I had a similar vintage uke experience early on - since I buy a lot of vintage other things, I thought vintage ukes were going to be the way to go. Boy was I wrong! I certainly don't have the patience for it.

And a similar lesson came from the one and only custom that I've purchased - I'm the kind of person who ALWAYS needs to try before I buy. So that pretty much cured me of the custom urge as well - with a custom, you never really know what you'll get, regardless of the builder's reputation.

KohanMike · Feb 9, 2015

I'm definitely adventurous, as my signature will attest. I even spearheaded a buying group here on UU for the Chinese hollow body electric greenie44 mentioned (since sold). My first ukulele 18 months ago was from a Musicians Friend catalogue only because it looked like my Fender Telecaster (since sold). My second was from Sam Ash in store and my Kala was in store from MacCabes. The Gold Tone bass in store from U-Space/Anacapa. Some were blems I saw on eBay from the US (all sold or gifted), but all the rest were online from the US, China, and the customs from Vietnam. The last order I made is the custom Tele bass from Michigan after phone conversations with the builder.

I haven't bought anything in a few months and don't feel a need to, partly because I have a nice assortment, and also because my uke cabinet is full, as well as my bass cabinet.

hucklelele · Feb 9, 2015

I 'm an explorer, who likes to try out instruments in a serious way, to see what I like and can learn from each. So I tend to stay on the less expensive side of things- having an instrument I can affordi s better than not having one.. I don't know where that puts me in the definitions of this thread.

When I started with ukes over a year ago- I eventually had to try all four sizes, and I think I got playable instruments, but fairly nice ones- I knew guitars and chose carefully- and for a minimum of investment- Only the baritone did I buy more than one, because I first got the cheapest Rogue and realized it was probably not the best I could do cheaply- I followed with the Gamblers Special Lanikai on ebay for not much more.

But I haven't bought a uke for a year or more now. The ukes are taking a back seat behind my classical guitar, piano (got an old Baldwin Studio upright last summer) and fiddles- violin and 5 string viola but I still play them regularly and quite often. I love the sound of them. Been playing the tenor more lately. I'm spread pretty thin, and still spending too much time here on computer.

I love the sound.

wayfarer75 · Feb 9, 2015

ubulele said:
If local stores stock too little of what people want to buy, why should the people settle and pay twice the price? Do you insist that everything you buy be manufactured in the US from nuts to finish, regardless of the vast increase in price? That horse has left the barn, and endangered stores have to face up to the hard market realities, not depend on the charity of those with money to burn. Nowadays the question is, do you want your uke today, are you happy with this particular one? or can you stand to wait a week or two?

I agree. Some UUers don't have a local store that stocks ukes, or if they do, it's a big box like Sam Ash. I've bought all my ukes online, sight unseen, from independent stores. Yes, there are some independent stores in town that stock ukes, but I'm not interested in the brands they offer, and I'm not buying a uke from them just to help their business.

My next purchase will not be online, though, even if I have to drive 4-5 hours to Lansing, MI to try out ukes at Elderly. I want to buy a tenor, and with my small hands that means trying it out in person. But like I said, that probably won't be until next year.

mm stan · Feb 9, 2015

I listen to people who have been buying for a long time and ask, around for which are the best ukes and builders, and go from there...takes the guessing and wasting your money ..good luck and happy strummings

Ukulele Eddie · Feb 9, 2015

mm stan said:
I listen to people who have been buying for a long time and ask, around for which are the best ukes and builders, and go from there...takes the guessing and wasting your money ..good luck and happy strummings

So I'm imagining that goes a little like this, Stan: "Self, what do you think of luthier x?" ;-)

Are you a conservative or adventurous uke buyer?

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