If I knew then, what I know now...

Andy Chen · Apr 21, 2015

I would have bought a Kamaka HF-3 deluxe version immediately. That's how much I love my regular plain Kamaka tenor now. But I've bonded with it now and don't want to sell it to get a deluxe and it doesn't make sense to own both an HF-3 and an HF-3D. So I'm waiting for a cedar Ohta San instead from HMS.

What about you guys? What would you have done or bought differently, if you knew then what you know now?

janeray1940 · Apr 21, 2015

Just under a year ago I posted a very similar topic, so you might enjoy reading this thread. What's interesting to me is that while I still stand by the points I originally made, I am also still learning, even now, nearing 6 years of playing.

There's not a lot I would do all that differently - very early on I discovered Kamaka and knew I loved their instruments. I've strayed a couple of times but keep coming back. Maybe if I knew then what I know now, I would have not allowed this thread to talk me out of buying a Kamaka longneck soprano. But who knows - the new one I just got is pretty perfect, and maybe the 2010 version wouldn't have been as good (and it certainly wouldn't have had Gotoh UPTs).

All of that to say - no regrets

CeeJay · Apr 21, 2015

Andy Chen said:
I would have bought a Kamaka HF-3 deluxe version immediately. That's how much I love my regular plain Kamaka tenor now. But I've bonded with it now and don't want to sell it to get a deluxe and it doesn't make sense to own both an HF-3 and an HF-3D. So I'm waiting for a cedar Ohta San instead from HMS.

What about you guys? What would you have done or bought differently, if you knew then what you know now?

I would not have stopped playing the ukulele as a regularly played instrument in 1984 ....I would have bought a Martin Soprano in the 70's....with my pocket money *sigh*

SteveZ · Apr 21, 2015

I would have gotten a baritone ukulele - any baritone ukulele - before I had first gone through over a dozen other sized ukuleles. Sound-wise, it's another world.....

Hippie Dribble · Apr 21, 2015

I would have started playing when I was a child and not as a 35 year old.

I would have bypassed the years of angst buying and selling, and learnt to be content with several ukes, namely Black Bear, Pohaku, Ono, Big Rusty and Gerard Guasch.

And I would have bought up a whole swag of vintage Hollywoods from the 1920s before their condition began to deteriorate.

Tigeralum2001 · Apr 21, 2015

Buy your dream uke. It is cheaper than churning through lesser ukes. Having a great uke inspires you to play, the more you play, the better you are. Therefore, your dream uke DOES make you sound better... That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Icelander53 · Apr 21, 2015

I would have not bought my Fluke with wood fretboard. I wouldn't have bought the Moku either. That's about it. Everything else I'm more than satisfied with.

Icelander53 · Apr 21, 2015

Tigeralum2001 said:
Buy your dream uke. It is cheaper than churning through lesser ukes. Having a great uke inspires you to play, the more you play, the better you are. Therefore, your dream uke DOES make you sound better... That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

But to learn what is good one must get their feet wet.

Nickie · Apr 21, 2015

I wouldn't have waited until age 60 to get my first uke.

janeray1940 · Apr 21, 2015

Tigeralum2001 said:
Buy your dream uke. It is cheaper than churning through lesser ukes. Having a great uke inspires you to play, the more you play, the better you are. Therefore, your dream uke DOES make you sound better... That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Agree completely, but with the caveat that it's likely that one's dream uke may change over time. And that's perfectly okay

actadh · Apr 21, 2015

I so love my two "lower mid-range" ukuleles - the Opio and OXK - that I wish I had started with those two. All my other ones are nice, but unnecessary.

itsme · Apr 21, 2015

Andy Chen said:
I would have bought a Kamaka HF-3 deluxe version immediately. That's how much I love my regular plain Kamaka tenor now. But I've bonded with it now and don't want to sell it to get a deluxe and it doesn't make sense to own both an HF-3 and an HF-3D.

I hear you, but maybe from the other side, since I'm not sure what the "deluxe" entails on the Kamaka.

A couple years ago I bought a Pono mahogany tenor. Was going to buy the MH from HMS til a MHT came available in the marketplace here. The only real difference was the bling on the MHT with the binding and the rosette. I thought if I ever wanted to re-sell it, the bling would help. But I've decided I don't want to sell it, and sometimes I wish I'd gone with the simpler version.

Freeda · Apr 21, 2015

Buy a "second"/blem from a high quality manufacturer.

Freeda · Apr 21, 2015

Tigeralum2001 said:
Buy your dream uke. It is cheaper than churning through lesser ukes. Having a great uke inspires you to play, the more you play, the better you are. Therefore, your dream uke DOES make you sound better... That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Truth.

Testify, brother.

Andy Chen · Apr 21, 2015

janeray1940 said:
Just under a year ago I posted a very similar topic, so you might enjoy reading this thread. What's interesting to me is that while I still stand by the points I originally made, I am also still learning, even now, nearing 6 years of playing.

There's not a lot I would do all that differently - very early on I discovered Kamaka and knew I loved their instruments. I've strayed a couple of times but keep coming back. Maybe if I knew then what I know now, I would have not allowed this thread to talk me out of buying a Kamaka longneck soprano. But who knows - the new one I just got is pretty perfect, and maybe the 2010 version wouldn't have been as good (and it certainly wouldn't have had Gotoh UPTs).

All of that to say - no regrets

Ah, Jane, how I love my Kamaka too. Can't wait for my Ohta san...

Andy Chen · Apr 21, 2015

itsme said:
I hear you, but maybe from the other side, since I'm not sure what the "deluxe" entails on the Kamaka.

A couple years ago I bought a Pono mahogany tenor. Was going to buy the MH from HMS til a MHT came available in the marketplace here. The only real difference was the bling on the MHT with the binding and the rosette. I thought if I ever wanted to re-sell it, the bling would help. But I've decided I don't want to sell it, and sometimes I wish I'd gone with the simpler version.

That's true too! Thanks for making me feel better

Andy Chen · Apr 21, 2015

Hippie Dribble said:
I would have started playing when I was a child and not as a 35 year old.

Amen to that! I started at 30.

Andy Chen · Apr 21, 2015

Tigeralum2001 said:
Buy your dream uke. It is cheaper than churning through lesser ukes. Having a great uke inspires you to play, the more you play, the better you are. Therefore, your dream uke DOES make you sound better... That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

That's true to a certain extent. Quite early on in my uke days, I plunged big-time for a Collings UT2K, but realised later it was not the uke for me. I like my Kamaka much better and only at half the price.

janeray1940 · Apr 21, 2015

Andy Chen said:
That's true to a certain extent. Quite early on in my uke days, I plunged big-time for a Collings UT2K, but realised later it was not the uke for me. I like my Kamaka much better and only at half the price.

That's more or less what I mean about one's dream uke can change with time. I sprang for a custom that I thought was "it" - turned out I was mistaken. Still a great uke, just not the one for me.

itsme · Apr 21, 2015

Icelander53 said:
I would have not bought my Fluke with wood fretboard.

Really? Why? You hear a lot of people saying the wood fretboard is the only way to go.

My Fluke has the plastic fretboard and I'm fine with it. But I bought it used from the Marketplace here, so there were no other options to choose from.

It's a fun uke that I often take to meets because it fits into my tote bag with a music stand and other stuff.

If I knew then, what I know now...

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