Resonator Ukes - What do you like to play with yours?

brUKEman

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Messages
387
Reaction score
0
Location
New York
I have a Tenor Resonator uke (High G) and I love to play Tin Pan Alley type songs on it. I also like to play it in my group as it can be heard above the other ukes. I also sometimes play with a piano and my unamplified uke is lost in the volume of the piano. When playing with the resonator it is able to hold it's own playing alongside the piano.

What do you like to play with your resonator uke? My absolute favorite song on it is "Sweet Georgia Brown"..
 
I like it for delta blues
 
If I put a resonator back on my banjo-uke, does that count?

Well, I just might buy or build a reso-uke one of these days. I've been bottlenecking on guitars and dobros for a long time and I don't see a need to replicate the experience on a uke, so I'd skip the delta blues and go on to 10s-20s-30s good-timey music, a Leon Redbone / Jim Kweskin repertoire. Something retro but not inherently funky. (It Ain't No Sin To Take Off Your Skin And) DANCE AROUND IN YOUR BONES should sound good there, yah?
 
I use mine primarily for blues as well, as I really think it captures that old-school bluesy tone. I have a Beltona, and I don't think I've ever played a resonator uke that captured that classic reso sound as well.
 
I don't think they sound that great strummed just cause they're on the bold and brassy side and aren't that forgiving. I like to dig in and use them for picking mainly...old school blues, jazz, vaudeville, fiddle tunes et al.
 
I have my brass one tuned as f C F A. I play gospel music with a slathering of L'usiana blues . It tickles me to watch the expression on people's faces as they try to figure out what song I am playing. As I start to sing , "JESUS Loves Me", they start to laugh. The most common comment is that they have never heard it played that way before. There is a noticeable tone difference between the resonators and the banjos with reflectors on the back side. I sure miss my DonMo Galvo resonator.
 
I play a Stuart Wailing metal body reso almost exclusively. Blues, pop, old timey...any & everything.
 
Boy, I'm sure glad I saw this thread! Phil, I love your playing. Your pick technique is exactly what I've been missing. I'm sending you a PM about it. Hope you'll set me straight.
 
On the simple strumming end of things, I find that I really enjoy the sound of a reso as an accompaniment to an acoustic guitar.
 
Top Bottom