owning 2 ukes the "same size"

julieuke1978

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I've been playing the ukulele for almost 2 years. I am quite addicted to this beautiful instrument. I currently have a Kala soprano. I have a need to be able to plug in with a pickup. Through a series of comical events I have ended up with 2 acoustic electric ukuleles for my birthday. Logic would seem to state that I should return one. In one short day I have grown quite attached to both and can't seem to give one back. They aren't top of the line, but after trying many, I really like them... Help me be logical or justify my ukulele addiction... Here is info on the 2

Kala STE-C- tenor- Spruce top, mahogany sides/bace, shadow EQ. I love the look of this one. Great sound, and fun to play

Gretsch long neck concert uke- I like the sound of this one a bit better, it has a fishman pickup, which I understand is a bit better than the shadow one

Logic says I should return the Kala....
 
Will your family suffer if you keep them? So long as keeping them isn't detrimental to any relationships, not to mention they were both gifts, why get rid of one? Enjoy them, play them. If you need a better reason, tune one up to D or maybe down to G, which would definitely require a strings change but that's another topic. If having 3 ukes is your worst vice, I wouldn't worry about it.
 
I concur. Gretsch is groovy. :shaka: And I wouldn't worry about the givers feelings.

I'm always impressed at how seldom true gifts are ever given. Once a true gift is given the giver relinquishes all control over what happens to the gift given. Or it was never a gift. Gifts never have strings attached. Strings are much more appropriate for ukuleles.
 
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If you have a need to be able to plug in, it's good to have a backup uke that can serve that purpose if something happens to the top uke. If you feel you have to get rid of one, maybe you should consider selling the soprano.
 
The gift givers are encouraging me to keep both as they can both tell that's where my heart is. It's my own logic/penny pinching ways that make me feel guilty for having 2. The soprano i was thinking of giving to my boys so they can learn. When they saw I have 3 they got excited there could be one for each of us...
 
Every household needs at least one extra uke for out of town ukulele guests.
 
Plenty of enablers here to help you justify whatever decision you'd like. There is nothing wrong with two ukes of the same size. Many have quite different voices. But, you may also benefit from first adding another size before you double-down on one size. Just as a way of expanding your experience. The Gretsch has a tenor neck. If that's not too big of a jump for you, that is quite different from your soprano and would allow you to explore two ends of the spectrum so to speak.
 
The gift givers are encouraging me to keep both as they can both tell that's where my heart is. It's my own logic/penny pinching ways that make me feel guilty for having 2. The soprano i was thinking of giving to my boys so they can learn. When they saw I have 3 they got excited there could be one for each of us...
Uh, oh. Now you're going to have to buy another soprano so both of your boys have the same size. :)
 
Unless I am reading this wrong they are NOT the "same size". Problem solved...........next question....... and no tenor length necks don't qualify as same size. Keep them BOTH, guilt free and you also keep the gift givers happy, win win.

If it makes you feel better I have two super sopranos.............and 6 tenors with number 7 to arrive middle of August.
 
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technically they're not the same size... ;) I can rotate with the boys so we all have a chance to play each size. I'm kidding my husband that he'll need one. He has not joined the dark side....yet....
 
now I have 3 ukes, a guitar (borrowed), and a mountain dulcimer. I think my instrument family is done expanding for now anyway...
 
I have six ukuleles and a tiple. My family can't understand how I can own so many ukes. Other ukulele players can't understand how I can own so few.
 
In the first 18 months I played ukulele, I went through 16 ukes, all tenor cutaways with preamps (except the first one, a soprano before I knew nothing about ukes). In my world there's no such thing as "Logic would seem to state that I should return one." Logic has nothing to do with choosing an instrument, only need and want.

Last week during rehearsal of the ukulele group I'm with, I'm now playing bass, the leader asked me how many basses I had, six I announced to all. She then asked the other bass player how many he had, he said just one. To each his own.
 
It comes down to preference, really. There are no rules that tell you how many ukuleles you can have or must have -- all that matters is that you're enjoying what you do.

Personally, I attempt to limit myself to just a few, because I try to keep down the clutter in my life for a variety of reasons, none specific to ukes. Ideally, I'd like to have only one instrument, but I'm not at that point yet either. Very unlikely that I'll arrive there without temporarily having multiple ukes of the same size, because how else can you really compare them and sort out what you do like and don't like? ;)

Others have ten or twenty or even more ukuleles, and that works for them and enriches their lives, giving them a lot of choice in tone and other qualities. Compared to some other hobbies, ukuleles are on the cheaper side, even if you collect a few. So, it's all fine!
 
Collect the entire set!

Right. :)

My 'sig tells my story a little. I'm now up to 25 stringed instruments, eight of which could be classed as ukes (although the tiple and cuatro-menor stretch the definition some). Only 3 mandos so far but more may be acquired soon. Only 1 each of electric bass and Hawai'ian lap steel but at least two of everything else, sort of. And why? Because they are ALL DIFFERENT! Those that are physically similar (like the two Kohala sopranos) have totally different stringings and tunings. Those with the same tuning, like open D, are as dissimilar as a round-neck dobro, slack-key acoustic guitar, and the lap steel. Each has its distinct voice.

We're not talking orchestral instruments here. We usually don't need multiple Bb clarinets except as backups, and we want all Bb clarinets to sound pretty much the same. Okay, so we might have multiple mouthpieces, each mounting a specific type of reed, for varied effects. I heard Benny Goodman blow his licorice stick like a sax -- he obviously needed a thick reed for that. Mouthpieces are like camera system lenses; they can be changed. But we can't swap string modules in a uke, so we need several ukes if we want different sounds.

You'll know you're in trouble when you try to play multiple ukes simultaneously. Have fun!
 
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