Beginner Ukulele Help

spookyjia

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Alright guys. I know y'all will be laughing at my failure from behind your screens, but here we go.

I recently bought a Mahalo Kahiko because it was the only thing I could afford at the moment. I don't have a lot of money available, just being a teenager, and I didn't want to invest in a really expensive uke, just in case I ended up not enjoying it, and also because I didn't have enough money for a Kala or a better brand.

It obviously isn't the best ukulele out there. It doesn't make the best sound either, because of it's intonation issues and other things. It makes my chords sound wonky and wrong.

I was gonna pick up Aquila strings for it, in hopes it would sound better. Any other ways to make the best of this uke, so I can see if I want to keep playing and maybe invest in a better quality instrument?

Any help would be great. Thanks.
 
Welcome! The uke is a great little instrument so don't give up yet!! There are a couple things that can help you immediately with the ukulele you have. 1) You already touched on it. Changing the strings to Aquilas is a good start. Generally I am not a huge fan of Aquilas, but they work really well on laminate ukes. IMHO Aquilas really drive the laminate soundboard. 2) Is there a ukulele/guitar shop in your area? It is very important to have a proper setup done on ukuleles. You didn't say where you bought this ukulele, but many online places (as well as big box stores like Guitar Center) do not do setups and the action can be high causing you to push harder to play a note and then having that note be out of tune.

Others will have additional suggestions, but I gave you a couple little things that can make a huge difference.
 
No worries, the community here is fairly friendly and supportive. :)

There are different string types from Aquila. Most common are the Super Nylguts, New Nylguts, and the Red Series. I love the latter, but would probably get the Super Nylguts or New Nylguts for your instrument. They are very robust and you can find them in nearly every music-related store. Aquila strings are also fairly inexpensive. They take a bit to stretch and hold their tune, so the first few days you'll have to re-tune a lot. That's normal, really.

Speaking of which: Did you get an electronic clip-on tuner? Initially, and also with new strings, new ukuleles always go out of tune, which makes them sound pretty awful. That happens with expensive ukes, too. Those tuners cost a few dollars only (out of curiosity I bought a $50 one and it wasn't better than the $5 tuner I had). A tuner on your phone will do in a pinch, but a clip-on tuner is easier to use, more accurate (no environmental noise), and generally good to have.

Like WCB said, inexpensive and mud-range ukes often benefit from fine-tuning, called a setup. Those are more or less small adjustments to ensure best playability. But I think you will find your instrument will sound better with new strings already, and proper and frequent retuning to make sure it's in tune. Technique matters also.

Sounding terrible is also normal when starting out. I know people always say the ukulele is an easy instrument to pick up and learn, but honestly, it wasn't and isn't that way for me. Even strumming (and holding the darn thing!) were pretty big obstacles. I still work on my awful rhythm and timing, and my strumming isn't anywhere near where I'd like it to be. Fingerpicking, after I spent time training my ring finger, comes more naturally to me, at least chord melodies. Other forms of picking (that aren't chord based) are difficult for me because the combination of remembering which string to play, fretting it properly, and doing it fluidly is super hard for me.

So no, for me, the ukulele wasn't easy to learn, and I sounded awful for quite some time. You know, when the elderly neighbor rings and says with an annoyed voice that she is going to take a nap now and to please be a bit more quiet? I'm now at the point where she walks by my open windows and says, "Oh, hello, minstrel!" And comments on how pleasant something sounded (fingerpicking patterns and chord melodies impress people easily, practicing the hard stuff doesn't...).

Anyway, stick with it. Money and better instruments come along eventually, but starting when you're a teenager is an invaluable thing that you can't do later on. You're young only once. Hey, I know, I resented all of these trite lines when I was a teenager, all the blah blah and the patronizing-sounding stuff from people who didn't make productive use of their teenage years either. I had a nice organ and my grandparents never tired of telling me to use my early start, but there were a million other things I found more interesting than practicing ... didn't help that some boy, a relative, came by and played on my organ like a god, and I got the "Wish you could play like that" well-meaning-but-ultimately-idiotic looks and comments. At least you have YouTube, I had a bitchy piano teacher who turned me off of making music for many years. :)

Anyway, welcome to the forum. Hope you stick around!
 
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Greetings and welcome. You have come to the right place. If you have any craft type skills, improving your setup may be within your ability. Here are some resources:

Review: Here's a review on it by bazmaz, one of UU's great, regular reviewers: http://www.gotaukulele.com/2015/12/mahalo-2500-kahiko-soprano-ukulele.html

Setup: Pick the tutorial that makes the most sense to you. https://www.google.com/#q=how+to+set+up+a+ukulele

Tuner: This is as cheap as you'll find most of the time and I've found they work as well as more expensive models. http://www.ebay.com/itm/361410463165?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

Strings: I agree with the recommendations for Aquila strings. Rarely do they not bring out the best in very inexpensive, all laminate ukes. Pay particular attention to how they fit in the nut slots.

Tuning machines: Those geared tuning machines are likely not a contributing factor.
 
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Welcome aboard. :)

I suggest a clip on tuner is the most important next to the uke itself - new strings are constantly going out of tune whilst they stretch/settle, & you need to keep on retuning them, even whilst playing, until they have stretched.

The strings are nylon, according to the review, so I think some Aquila Nylgut replacements would be the next improvement.

I hope you enjoy your new uke.
 
:agree:

Strings are an individual taste thing. Feel and flexibility, tension and string heights make a difference in playability, but play what you've got first so you get an appreciation of how it sounds now. Aquila's Nyleguts are different from the other materials available. Martin's are inexpensive and are worth considering. Also You can buy a low G string cheap to try that too.

It is fun to experiment a little but do C-F-G7 and learn that first. Then down load a Key chord Chart and check the stickies. Uncle Rod's boot camp and Howlin Hobbits downloads are good cheap reference material. The New Syllabus is a good thing too. It should be right at the top of the Stickey on the beginners forum. Have fun!
 
Alright guys. I know y'all will be laughing at my failure from behind your screens, but here we go.

I recently bought a Mahalo Kahiko because it was the only thing I could afford at the moment. I don't have a lot of money available, just being a teenager, and I didn't want to invest in a really expensive uke, just in case I ended up not enjoying it, and also because I didn't have enough money for a Kala or a better brand.

It obviously isn't the best ukulele out there. It doesn't make the best sound either, because of it's intonation issues and other things. It makes my chords sound wonky and wrong.

I was gonna pick up Aquila strings for it, in hopes it would sound better. Any other ways to make the best of this uke, so I can see if I want to keep playing and maybe invest in a better quality instrument?

Any help would be great. Thanks.

Have a look at this video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nf4BiossT8
If you go to a dealer and they set up a cheap uke it should be ok. So there is hope on a tiny budget. Have you got a birthday coming up where everybody can give you a little bit of cash?
 
How much did you pay for the Mahalo?

I only have our 58 Mahalo MK1s to refer to, but I'm not impressed by the brand, and I would point out that gotaukulele.com isn't, either.

I would do one of two things, both would include selling your current ukulele or just keeping it as your "first"

1) Order a Caramel Concert Ukulele (see Amazon) for $38. You still might need to set up the saddle as mentioned before. You won't believe what you can get for $38--and it is a laminate ukulele, so there isn't a whole lot to worry about when it comes to care and maintenance. I'm trying to figure out how we can sell our 58 Mahalo MK1s and purchase Caramels instead.

2) Watch Craigslist in your area, and try to find a good deal.

If you're looking for an instrument beyond the inexpensive starter instrument, that is when you look at theukulelesite.com, Mim's, the Uke Republic and so on--online retailers that take special care to set up a ukulele and help you find the ukulele that fits your playing.
 
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