One super high-end uke or two regular high-quality ukes?

I have been eyeing the Hive Hornet on HMS for days on end. The sound sample is probably the best I have heard to my ears.

Yet I cannot bring myself to buy it. With the same money, I have bought a Pono pro classic and intend to use the rest to buy an Ohta San.

Two main reasons:

1. What if I ding or drop it and it loses value?

2. What if I look ridiculous playing such a gorgeous uke with my mediocre skills?

What are your thoughts on this?

You already have an impressive collection.

So if you can afford it I think the hive would be a beautiful Uke to top that collection off.

With Gerald Ross being a fan of them having just got one I can only imagine that it's a wonderful instrument.

As far as dropping it etc. I treat all my instruments very carefully but accidents can happen. However if you are getting it to play then that's it's true value. If it's for a collectible then you'll need to be extra careful but that kind of puts a damper on the enjoyment of a fine instrument.

If it's a tenor I would recommend using a strap with it.

For me the similar question was in buying two blackbirds. Luckily while expensive they are much more hardy than a natural wood one.

Either way good luck and if you pull the trigger on the Hive I hope you share some pix and sound samples :shaka:

You will buy one eventually. Just do it now.

This is just one person's opinion, so take it for what it is worth...

I bought two high end ukuleles right off as my first. The first was a straight across trade for a guitar, rather than a purchase. It is a Ko'olau Deluxe with factory installed pickup (which is a high end LR Baggs). The selling price was $4,500 because though being based on the Deluxe model, it had only the best of upgrades. I think the ukulele pictured when you enter their site might be mine. This ukulele is in the traditional re-entrant tuning (high G), and is the most beautiful work of art I have seen in a ukulele. It is custom, one of a kind due to everything on it being of the finest upgrade.

A week or so later, I learned about low G tuning and found out that a lot of chord melody uses that. So I went back to the same store and they had since gotten in a Kamaka HB-2D Ohta-San, using low G tuning. I purchased that outright. It cost about $2,000. I had an under saddle pickup installed as an after-market item.

When I bought these, I knew nothing about ukuleles, but had played guitar for more than 30 years and recognized quality. I have never regretted my decision on these ukuleles. More importantly, I PLAY them and never look over my shoulder second-guessing my decision on these, and other than later getting a high end Guitalele (Kanile'a K1-GL6) on Craig's List, have not had the urge to get another ukulele

After going through the upgrade process on guitars again and again, I learned that it is far less expensive to do it once, do it right, and then stop looking and start playing. So I went for the best I could find straight off. It has worked for me. I would rather have just one or two fine ukuleles than a dozen lesser models and always be looking for THE ONE.

There are a lot of fine ukuleles available at all price points, so it isn't necessary to buy in the range that I did. However, if you are asking these sorts of questions, maybe my experience will be at least a consideration.

Tony

Buy it Andy. Life's too short.

If you don't you'll always be wondering 'what if' and that's not a pleasant place to be.

Play it into sawdust and come what may.

Andy, I know exactly where you are coming from. I have several ukes of varying sizes but one is $1000+ and it's not even really my favorite and I am also a mediocre player, so...you have to wonder if it's worth it. I don't mean that the uke is not worth the price I paid, but that in retrospect, I would have been just as satisfied playing a perfectly nice, more moderately priced instrument, and with my average skill (and not particularly acute ear) neither I or anyone listening to me could tell the difference. Sometimes too, I also feel a little silly playing a wonderful instrument lamely and am especially reminded of this whenever I hear someone rocking out on a more modest instrument. This is just me though and I'm not saying what's right for others.

I'd be asking myself what is the resale value on the ukulele should I wish, or be forced, to get rid of it. How much will it depreciate in value after purchase?

I'd also be asking myself, why am I buying this ukulele when I've already got 6 high end ukes. Am I buying it to play or to make myself feel good.

Either way life is too short. If you really want it even if it's to play in private and you can afford it... Well Life is simply to short not to enjoy your journey.

Either way whatever you decide don't second guess yourself. I ordered the two blackbirds and am past the point of regretting it. No different than when I picked surgery for my cancer. Can't afford to second guess once the trigger is pulled. But that's just me.

Fred Ukestone said:

I'd be asking myself what is the resale value on the ukulele should I wish, or be forced, to get rid of it. How much will it depreciate in value after purchase?

I'd also be asking myself, why am I buying this ukulele when I've already got 6 high end ukes. Am I buying it to play or to make myself feel good.

Click to expand...

Just went to the HMS site and saw and listened to the Hive Hornet. Absolutely breathtaking looks and sound.

I wrote this in another post a while back. But I hope it will help you. When I first started playing ukulele, I found myself fascinated with Ko'olau, who I am kidding infatuated.

I had purchased a Pono MTD as my first ukulele. I was working in one of Lyle Ritz's books. I told myself learn these songs well and then buy a Ko'olau. It's a year later and I did not buy a Koolau. After two months of working in the book I improved. I no longer wanted a Ko'olau. It would have been nice but then I do not think I would have improved.

You need to ask yourself some questions. Why do you want it? Do you play the instruments you have now well?

If you're goal is to play the ukulele well, then your money would be better spent on lessons. Take the time to devote yourself to getting better instead of looking at other ukes.

Honestly, if you take one of your instruments and learn to play it well, it will sound better than the Hornet. Buying an expensive instrument is not going to make you sound better.

You could give Cory a Pono and he could make it sound like the Hive uke. It's the player that brings out the sound of an instrument. If you listen to his samples without knowing which uke he is playing, you would be hard pressed to know the prices. Of course, I'm not talking laminates but when you get above high end Ponos, you're buying bling.

I'm surprised at the tones I'm getting from my Pono MTD. It sounds like a different instrument. Even my wife agrees and often tells me that it sings. The instrument has not changed. My playing has changed and I understand how to bring the tone out of it.

I have a long way to go in my playing, but if I kept buying better ukes. I would be no farther a long.

Also, the newness of anything wears off. If you buy the Hive, then the next uke will be a more expensive uke.

It sounds like you already a little hesitant. Give yourself goal of learning some uke songs or working through a book. Make it a challenging goal. If after you finish those songs or learning the book, then buy a Hive ukulele. You may still want it but the desire will probably be gone.

If you're a collector and just like having nice instruments than I can understand. If you want to play a ukulele, then you already have ukuleles to play and I might add very nice ones. Do the instruments you have now sound like the sound samples that you listened to before you bought them?

Andy Chen said:

I have been eyeing the Hive Hornet on HMS for days on end. The sound sample is probably the best I have heard to my ears.

Yet I cannot bring myself to buy it. With the same money, I have bought a Pono pro classic and intend to use the rest to buy an Ohta San.

Two main reasons:

1. What if I ding or drop it and it loses value?

2. What if I look ridiculous playing such a gorgeous uke with my mediocre skills?

What are your thoughts on this?

Click to expand...

Buy em all and let god sort em out.

One last thing, have a read here at post 23. http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/showthread.php?106474-Satisfied&p=1679373#post1679373


This is one of the best post I've read on buying multiple items in a hobby. It's very insightful and it may help you with your decision.

Andy I feel how conflicted you are and I can appreciate that. I have felt the same way at times. I have only been playing for one year and I own some really nice instruments, Mya Moe, Collings, Webber and I have an LfdM on order. I would not take any of these out in public for fear of others judgements. Then I took the Mya Moe to one of our uke jams and that changed everything. People loved seeing it and being able to play it, they were all very supportive of my decision to buy it. I am taking the Webber out tonight to a uke jam as a few people have asked to see it.

As other have said life is too short to worry about trival things like having the talent to be worthy of a fine instrument. Look at all the normal citizens driving Ferrari, Porcsh, Lamborgini, Aston Martin they are not race car drivers. They drive them and if these $250,000 cars get damaged they get them fixed. You can't worry about resale, ukes are instruments that are made to be played

If you really love everything about that instrument and can afford it with no issues you need to buy it and buy it NOW. It will be gone and it is one of a kind. The only qualification to owning instruments of this calibre is having a passion for ukulele. Your playing will improve and you will be glad you bought it.

bunnyf said:

Andy, I know exactly where you are coming from. I have several ukes of varying sizes but one is $1000+ and it's not even really my favorite and I am also a mediocre player, so...you have to wonder if it's worth it. I don't mean that the uke is not worth the price I paid, but that in retrospect, I would have been just as satisfied playing a perfectly nice, more moderately priced instrument, and with my average skill (and not particularly acute ear) neither I or anyone listening to me could tell the difference. Sometimes too, I also feel a little silly playing a wonderful instrument lamely and am especially reminded of this whenever I hear someone rocking out on a more modest instrument. This is just me though and I'm not saying what's right for others.

Click to expand...

I agreed with you totally. Sometime it's not about the money. It's if you can justify the spending when the skill don't match the instrument.
It's the same as owning a Ferrari but can't drive !
I would improve my skill on a decent $800 to $1,000 range first before jumping into a uke of your dream. As I get better my taste may change.
If the goal is to add something pretty to your collection then go for it! That's a different story !
I like to collect liquor that has unique design bottle and I don't drink.

If you can afford something without introducing a hardship, and it's something you want, why not buy it?
I play my favorite uke 80%+ of the time. So though I have multiple, for practical purposes, I play one.
The other times is if I want the other G. Playing a uke you love... makes you want to play more, and playing more makes you better.
Money you spend on something you love is never wasted.

personally, I would rather have the Pono and Ohta-San!

Depends on you financial situation, I see you have a lot of medium level and premium ukes...why want more
When you can get a high end.. eventually you will and it will cost more. After that you might only play your high
End uke and the rest will be dust collectors..
What if I drop it?.... huh what if I cross the street? if you lived your life on what if's, you'll never know
Things could have been. ..

mm stan said:

Depends on you financial situation, I see you have a lot of medium level and premium ukes...why want more
When you can get a high end.. eventually you will and it will cost more. After that you might only play your high
End uke and the rest will be dust collectors..
What if I drop it?.... huh what if I cross the street? if you lived your life on what if's, you'll never how
Things could have been. ..

Click to expand...

I agree. If this were a situation where someone has no ukes, or one soprano uke and wants a bigger size, then maybe the Ohta-San and Pono combo would be the way to go. But when one already has a number of different sizes and quality levels, upgrading to a Hive makes perfect sense to me.

I'm going to offer a slightly different point of view than the majority, based on the (somewhat expensive) lessons I've learned over the years.

When I first started playing 6 years ago, I fell hard for Kamakas. I couldn't get my hands on a longneck soprano (not even on Oahu, a trip I made almost exclusively for this purpose!), and I don't like buying sight unseen, so - I've spent the better part of the last 6 years justifying buying other things for various reasons (Ohta-San because it had the 14-fret join I wanted and was smaller than tenor; Koaloha longneck because the price was right; custom because I thought that would be a way to get what I wanted but it fell short of my expectations, etc.).

A couple weeks ago a very elusive Kamaka longneck soprano fell right into my hands and - it was love at first sight. Looking back with 20/20 vision, I should have just ordered the darned thing sight-unseen 6 years ago (before several price increases) and been done with it. But - no regrets, I tried out some good ukes in the meantime and better learned what I want and don't want.

All of that to say - trust your instincts. I know how much you want that Ohta-San. My recommendation is to hold out for it; one will turn up when the time is right.

Ukuleles are pieces of art but are also musical instruments. Buy the uke that you will actually play and enjoy.