Because it is cheap.

Have you ever bought a ukulele just because it was a good deal? I mean, is it really a deal if you already have essentially the same ukulele?

Rllink said:

Have you ever bought a ukulele just because it was a good deal? I mean, is it really a deal if you already have essentially the same ukulele?

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I have a female relative who obsessively shops at clothing sales. She loves telling everyone about the incredible deals she got on all these clothes that one person couldn't possibly wear. About three times a year she gives away bags and bags of them.

I bought a plastic concert scale uke because it was less than £20 - just to see what it was like.

Welcome to UASSA - Ukulele Acquisition Syndrome Sufferers Anonymous

Hi, My name is Paul and I suffer from UAS. I am currently fighting the urge to buy a ukulele posted on CL because the price seems very fair. I don't need another tenor, I really prefer concerts, and I have multiple concert ukes that sound pretty nice to me. But it seems like such a good deal...

Heck, almost everything I buy I buy because it's cheap. I get most of my clothes at thrift shops. Some things I pick up at garage sales...not only am I a person with very little spendy cash (and it's rare I even have very little) I just am not that into owning a whole lot of "stuff." I used to be like that and it just got to be more of a chore and a bother rather than a pleasure just being bogged down with my possessions.

Among the most appealing aspects of the ukulele to me are its humble origins and its history as a populist instrument. Historically, ukuleles have been on the cheap side. They were likely the most popular and common instrument sold during the Depression.

Let me preface the rest of this post by saying I would not ever judge somebody else for what they do with their money. It is, first off, none of my business whatsoever. People should spend their money on whatever they want in whichever way brings them the most pleasure.

But when I see a ukulele with a $3000 price tag, I have to say I roll my eyes a little. I've been a musician for 40 years. I've owned many fine instruments. I understand the difference between a custom-built, boutique, hand-crafted fine instrument over a mass produced offshore el cheapo. But to ME, one of them won't necessarily bring me any more pleasure than the other.

I love that about the uke...it runs the gamut from real cheap/anyone can afford it to high-quality, heirloom-level luthier-built works of art. And in the end, it's just a little wooden box with strings on it. Something for everyone.

I too have to buy cheap Ukulele's because of my current income. Yet I don't feel like I have been cheated by the qualities of my Ukes. I often go up to my local uke shop and play some of their high valued Ukes, marvel at the clarity of their sound, lightness of their actions, and beauty of their workmanship, however i realize that I wouldn't gain much more enjoyment than I get from my inexpensive herd. True, they took a bit of work to play well and they are not as 'good' as the "High Priced" ones. I just feel I'm allowing others to enjoy them while I noodle around with my Zebras.

Rllink said:

Have you ever bought a ukulele just because it was a good deal? I mean, is it really a deal if you already have essentially the same ukulele?

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I've found that with ukes, as with most things in life, more often than not a "good deal" really isn't. I've never bought a "cheap" uke before but when I try to cheap out on other things, it usually just leaves me wishing I had sprung for the better (and pricier) option and ultimately I end up buying the better thing, and having to give away or otherwise unload the lesser thing. (Good example of a time that this happened: buying a new computer and opting for Windows over Mac. Never again!)

But as for buying essentially the same ukulele - yes! I've done it and with zero regrests. A long time ago, I already had a Kamaka concert when another one came up locally on Craigslist for a great price (not "cheap" but the seller was really motivated - I actually ended up paying him $50 or so over his asking price because I thought it was fair). I bought it, and it turned out to have a far more pleasing tone - so I played both of them for a while and then re-homed the one that I didn't like as much. The lesson I learned was that no two ukuleles are really ever truly "the same."

After I started this thread, it was too late to change the title, but it should have been about the deal, not cheap ukuleles. I was inspired to write it because I saw a real nice Amahi zebrawood concert at a pawn shop for $42. I'll admit that I was tempted, and not that I even wanted it, just because I thought that it was a pretty good looking ukulele for that kind of money. So I started the thread.

Soundbored said:

I have a female relative who obsessively shops at clothing sales. She loves telling everyone about the incredible deals she got on all these clothes that one person couldn't possibly wear. About three times a year she gives away bags and bags of them.

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That is kind of a joke around our house, because one winter we went to some people's house for supper, and my wife didn't have a hat. The host was determined that my wife have a hat. So she pulled out a shopping bag with five stocking hats in it. They still had the tags. She said that she got them on clearance for a dollar each. As my wife was trying to choose one, the lady said that she didn't like any of them but they were too good a deal to pass up. Funny, she would buy a bunch of stocking hats that she didn't like and then give them away to other people.

I am always looking for inexpensive ukes. I do a ste up on them so they sound decent and then give them to new players especially kids.

fowl said:

I am always looking for inexpensive ukes. I do a ste up on them so they sound decent and then give them to new players especially kids.

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+1 It is a fine thing to foster stray ukuleles and help them find their forever homes.

For some people, the HUNT is more stimulating than the kill or the FEAST that occurs afterward.

Some of these folks have a compulsion and are never happy with what they have, at any price (and not just for ukuleles)...much to the joy of credit card companies and debt collection agencies.

A few months ago I bought an OS OU4 off Craigs list for $20! It looked pretty good, but about half the backside was delaminating. I bought it and took it home figuring I could glue it up and if it looked okay, I'd give it to my neighbor, who was playing a loaner from my other neighbor. I put a set of take off strings on it and it was a nice little uke. Not real loud, but had a nice sound.

I fixed it up and gave it to my neighbor and the three of us would get together once a week and practice. Said neighbor has since moved to Kansas City, but he has a ukulele.

I didn't buy it, by the way, but it was a little difficult to get it off my mind after I left.

Yes, I have two fairly ordinary soprano ukuleles - one in C tuning and one in D tuning. If I see another similar at a good price I'll snap it up so I can keep one in Eb tuning too.

How many people have the tuning of a low g and a low a on a ukulele. I was in a music store yesterday where a salesman was gushing about a Kala tenor strung g c EE Aa . When I slack keyed it to f c F Aa His eyes lit up and he got a big grin on his face That makes three of the same thing a necessity. I also have a soprano tuned low on 1 and 4 as g C E a. It is a Lehua short neck soprano all solid acacia blackwood.

I've just spotted a Bugs Gear soprano in Amazon Warehouse Deals at a pretty silly price. I have absolutely no use for it. But my UAS nerve is twitching. Must resist... must resist...


Edit: Plus it would look ridiculous played left-handed

TheCraftedCow said:

How many people have the tuning of a low g and a low a on a ukulele. I was in a music store yesterday where a salesman was gushing about a Kala tenor strung g c EE Aa. When I slack keyed it to f c F Aa His eyes lit up and he got a big grin on his face That makes three of the same thing a necessity. I also have a soprano tuned low on 1 and 4 as g C E a...

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You really should start a separate thread with this post, but... whaaaat???

jollyboy said:

I've just spotted a Bugs Gear soprano in Amazon Warehouse Deals at a pretty silly price. I have absolutely no use for it. But my UAS nerve is twitching. Must resist... must resist...


Edit: Plus it would look ridiculous played left-handed

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Buy it.

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