So that's a fiddle right?

Doug W

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I have been asked this question twice in the last 6 months. I don't expect people to know what a ukulele is. I am interested in ukuleles and I don't expect other people to be interested in them or know what they are but doesn't everyone on the planet know what a fiddle is?

I can understand someone saying - well that there thing is not a fiddle a tuba or a piano but I don't know what it is?

If there is anyone out there who does not know what a fiddle is I can attach a picture.

For those who wish: You can insert "AN UKULELE" where you want to in here.
 
Yeah good point Doug. People often ask me to get my old fiddle out at inappropriate times - and I'm happy to oblige - but never my uke.

old fiddle bourbon.jpg
 
People are mistaking your uke for a fiddle? That's...odd.

They don't ask that while you play it do they? Even if someone doesn't know much about the two instruments, I would think most people know a fiddle is played with a bow from pop culture alone. Then again, the uke has its fair share of pop culture too, for the average laymen to know what it is I thought...
 
Ive had people look at my dragon tattoo and point to their peacock and say wow look we have the same tattoo.

Many people are pretty ignorant of the things others take as normal.

I thought I was going to hear the fiddle / violin debate wondered why on UU. :D
 
People have weird things happen to them. Everyone I've met while playing my ukulele knows it is a ukulele, except a friend of mine who is an idiot, and he doesn't know what it is, he just wants to argue that it isn't small enough to be a ukulele, based on some ukulele he saw at one time someplace. You could tell him the sky is blue, and he would want to argue about it. But no one has called it a fiddle or a little guitar. Oh well, it just depends what circles you hang in I guess.
 
You aren't using a bow on your uke, are you? I'm confuzzled. People are just ignorant, I guess.
 
The first time I was asked about the "Fiddle" was at a work party where my wife and I were asked to sing a song. She played the guitar and I played my Mainland tenor uke.

It was in fact, an electrical engineer who asked the question, so now that I think about it, I can understand the musical ignorance considering the source. I have never played my uke with a bow and I said nothing to try to trick anyone into believing that I was in fact playing a fiddle. I don't really care if they know what a ukulele is - but for the love of everything holy - you HAVE to know what a fiddle is or isn't!
 
I have been asked this question twice in the last 6 months. I don't expect people to know what a ukulele is. I am interested in ukuleles and I don't expect other people to be interested in them or know what they are but doesn't everyone on the planet know what a fiddle is?

I can understand someone saying - well that there thing is not a fiddle a tuba or a piano but I don't know what it is?

If there is anyone out there who does not know what a fiddle is I can attach a picture.

For those who wish: You can insert "AN UKULELE" where you want to in here.

People are strange - Jim Morrison
 
Been asked a few times boarding an airplane if I had a violin in the case.......... which is understandable as violin and ukulele cases are similar. Good thing you don't have a Hofner bass/ukulele replica,......... if there is such a thing!
 
I've never had anyone mistake my ukulele for a fiddle. But, then again, I live in the South, where everyone has known someone or had a grandpaw, or great uncle, or someone who played fiddle.

I have had folks ask if it is a little guitar. I smile and say, no, and then explain it to them, hand it to them so they can hold it and strum, and make a new friend.
 
Been asked a few times boarding an airplane if I had a violin in the case.......... which is understandable as violin and ukulele cases are similar. Good thing you don't have a Hofner bass/ukulele replica,......... if there is such a thing!

beatle_lg.jpg
 
I don't worry about it at all. Most of the time, people making comments like that do not have as much musical knowledge as we do and are trying to start up a conversation as they are generally interested. I have no problem correcting them and talking about the instrument.

I play an electric/upright bass, and normally play it in a seated position. So I very often handle questions about my "crazy cello" or something along those lines, to which I'm more than happy to correct them and talk about the instrument. I actually spent twenty minutes last month after a church service talking with a lady and her son, who is a classical bassist as well, going over everything on my electric/upright, as he was fascinated with it. I even let him play it for a bit, and he was elated. Those people are usually very interested, and we both have a good time.

The small majority that are saying it to be rude/snide/whatever, I just ignore.
 
I don't worry about it at all. Most of the time, people making comments like that do not have as much musical knowledge as we do and are trying to start up a conversation as they are generally interested. I have no problem correcting them and talking about the instrument.

I play an electric/upright bass, and normally play it in a seated position. So I very often handle questions about my "crazy cello" or something along those lines, to which I'm more than happy to correct them and talk about the instrument. I actually spent twenty minutes last month after a church service talking with a lady and her son, who is a classical bassist as well, going over everything on my electric/upright, as he was fascinated with it. I even let him play it for a bit, and he was elated. Those people are usually very interested, and we both have a good time.

The small majority that are saying it to be rude/snide/whatever, I just ignore.
I agree with you. I seldom just tell people I play the ukulele, so if it does come up in conversation, people really don't know what to say. So they say something dumb. It isn't their fault that they don't know anything about ukuleles. I think that in our excitement to share, we don't take into consideration that our audience might not know anything about uke, or music in general, but we expect them to respond and share our interest, and speak to it as if they know all about it. And then, if they can't, we become offended? That isn't the way things work.
 
My sister once commented, "glad you enjoy your banjo"...some people just don't pay attention to the details, and/or the details that matter to them are different. 70 some people in our ukulele club and the vast majority really don't know anything about the uke they have, lots of times they don't even know what size it is.

Reminds me of years ago, my buddy shopped online for months for the perfect BMW 5 series. Then one night after work he was going shopping and buy one. The next morning at our morning meeting, he walked in with a grin and I asked him what he got. He said a Honda Accord...everybody was like WHAAAT?! But to him, he got a new Honda for the price of a used BMW, they were the same to him.
 
I agree with you. I seldom just tell people I play the ukulele, so if it does come up in conversation, people really don't know what to say. So they say something dumb. It isn't their fault that they don't know anything about ukuleles. I think that in our excitement to share, we don't take into consideration that our audience might not know anything about uke, or music in general, but we expect them to respond and share our interest, and speak to it as if they know all about it. And then, if they can't, we become offended? That isn't the way things work.

As a musician, you're an ambassador for your instrument. Like you, any time someone asks I take it as they are interested in the instrument and trying to compliment you.


I want a Hofner style U-bass, where can I get one?! I don't play much bass, but would get one anyway!

A Hofner-styled U-Bass almost seems redundant, given the shorter scale (compared to the standard 34" of basses) and woody, acoustic tone of the Hofner already.
 
It's better than calling it a "Little toy guitar.." which I used to hear a lot. Not so much lately, but before they became fairly popular again, many referred to them as toys.
 
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