Tom Pocket Ukulele

caver3d

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Just purchased and received one of the infamous Tom pocket ukes from that famous auction site for a whopping $35 - a low risk purchase. I just wanted something that i could throw into a duffel or suitcase. I ordinarily play a tenor, but just needed something to limber up my fingers during travel. The uke has surprised me as I see no real imperfections. Workmanship is good. Well made, and I swear that the all-mahogany (African mahogany- sapele) top, back, and sides sure look like they are solid wood (does not appear to be laminate). Anyway, I did not like how it played (including the sound) with the supplied Aquilas, so I changed them to Worth Browns. This uke sounds and plays so much better with the Worths. A fun uke, and dirt cheap.
 
Man am I tempted by one of these!

Are they strummers only? Or can you dink around with any fingerstyle stuff?
 
There are several threads about these Tom pocket ukes. The general thought is they're great for the money! I'm tempted, very tempted!
 
Man am I tempted by one of these!

Are they strummers only? Or can you dink around with any fingerstyle stuff?

You can do some fingerpicking with it. Keep in mind that the uke and frets are smaller than a soprano. So it is more cramped on the fretboard. Still fun to just fool around with. And if you end up not liking it, you haven't made a significant investment in it. And a lot cheaper than a Kala pocket uke or sopranino.

Also, as mentioned earlier, I like it much better with the Worth's on it. Probably most fluorocarbons would sound decent on this uke. Just my opinion, and I don't want to offend anyone who is an Aquila afficionado.
 
I am VERY happy with my Tom Pocket Uke, but I didn't start to like it until I tuned it up to CFAD. At GCEA, it was lifeless and the strings were too floppy. I didn't really want to learn a whole new set of chord fingerings, so I just play dumb and finger the chords the same as I do on my GCEA ukes.

I'm not a big finger-picker, but I'm surprised at how many subtleties I can work in between the chords. Still, to me, the Tom Pocket Uke is more of a percussion instrument. Buy one. It's a no-brainer.
 
I got some lightweight strings that Aquila makes for the IUKE to be tuned one octave higher than a soprano. Since the scale on the Tom is shorter than a soprano but longer than the IUKE, tuned it about a half octave up to G tuning and that makes the chord shapes the same as a baritone. It sounds pretty nice, almost bell like.
 
As an aside I noticed the rubin sopraninos are back again for sale.
 
The iUke is back on that famous auction site, too. That is the ukulele designed for those Aquilas.

But, that Tom sopranino is mighty nice looking. Can strap buttons be installed on it? I find that the smaller the uke, the harder it is for me to hold.
 
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They are the Aquila 94u piccolo strings.

Thank you. I am already on it! I can't seem to find a US supplier so far, though. Did you order yours online, or were you able to find them in a retail shop?
 
The iUke is back on that famous auction site, too. That is the ukulele designed for those Aquilas.

But, that Tom sopranino is mighty nice looking. Can strap buttons be installed on it? I find that the smaller the uke, the harder it is for me to hold.

Yes it can! Mine has an undersaddle pickup AND strap buttons installed.
 
I second the use of Aquilas 94U Piccolo strings.

In musical terms, a piccolo should be tuned higher than a soprano. And these strings will allow you to play any pocket uke at it's proper tuning & Pitch. They are now available in the US for about $5.00 a set.

If you want to check out what it sounds see my Iuke video HERE
 
If you want to check out what it sounds see my Iuke video HERE

Hmm...Olarte, this is nothing personal about your playing or your demo, but the strings sound a little too "music box" for me. Is that the instrument, or the strings themselves? And have you tried them on your pocket uke yet?
 
They do sound like a music box or like chimes that is the pitch of an octave higher.

These tiny Ukes are good for select pieces and for the novelty of it. Same with any piccolo instrument in fact I an orchestra they only have one piccolo because it's so high pitched it cuts through everything else. It's meant to be that high
 
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