NUD! Yay! (AKA Why did no one warn me?)

Last night I went on the website for our local auction house and saw one of the rainbow Mahalo soprano ukes in a bright green listed. I wasn't expecting an amazing uke, but that bright, super saturated green grabbed hold of me and the next thing I knew I was placing a bid. I ended up winning it for $20 and was able to go in and pick it up this afternoon after the live auction ended.

For $20, its alright. Not amazing and pretty plinky, especially compared to my tenor, but I like it. I just need to get used to fretting it because its so cramped! But its mine!

I wasn't supposed to buy it at all because I already had a soprano coming in the mail in Wednesday...

I'm pretty sure buying that first uke last year blew open the gateway for all things stringed because now I've got 3 ukes (plus one on the way), a mountain dulcimer, a banjolele, and hopefully a violin will be added soon. I also have an acoustic guitar coming with an awesome (think zentangle) custom paint job but needs repairs... though I honestly bought it primarily as a piece of art, but I do intend to repair it and make it playable.

Why did no one warn me this would happen? Tomorrow I get to build stands for the most recent acquisitions.

It's pretty common knowledge that joining UU puts you right in line for UAS (ukulele acquisition syndrome), the members here pass it on to anyone and everyone. In my first year of playing uke, I went through 16 tenor cutaway with electronics, and in the last year and half of playing bass uke, I'm up to 10, but in the almost 50 years I played guitar I only had four, 6 string, 12 string acoustic, archtop semi-hollow jazz and a Fender Telecaster electric (though I haven't touched them since playing the uke three years ago).

Lol well I've definitely caught it! I'm like a parakeet in a jewelry store, flapping towards anything shiny. Pretty soon I'll have a little dragon hoard... My precious!

That's how my son ended up with his Kala long neck soprano and me with a few junkers, not including my $199 pristine Kamaka White Label soprano. (never really wanted one, but now that I have it, will never leave until I do)

I love reading about people's UAS.

Inkdork said:

......I've definitely caught it!

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There's no known cure - you just have to wean yourself off it, (if you can).

Rllink said:

I love reading about people's UAS.

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I envy you for your immunity!

I just saw a Wilfried Welti video where he played a minuet on a $15 soprano ukulele, and it sounded divine. This always serves as a reality check for me and reminds me that I have enough ukes, but need to work on my skill.

Mivo said:

I envy you for your immunity!

I just saw a Wilfried Welti video where he played a minuet on a $15 soprano ukulele, and it sounded divine. This always serves as a reality check for me and reminds me that I have enough ukes, but need to work on my skill.

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Fantastic playing right there. A nice ukulele might not make us better players, but they are more fun to play arent they though?

I kicked it and quit buying. I was a guitar player for years and had some really nice guitars and sold a few that I regret selling so I could buy another ukulele or 2. At first It was fun and cool I thought and I kept buying nice ones till I had about 15. I slowed down on my playing and got back into the guitar and looking back now I never should have sold guitars to buy ukuleles. You can get your money back out of guitars but not so much with ukuleles. I also realized that the ukulele craze was going to be crashing soon so I sold all but 2 nice ukuleles and a couple of cheapies and a baritone. I couldn't just hold onto the ukuleles anymore as an investment like a guitar and sell them one day because unlike the guitar the uke will not hold it's price. I knew it had to be soon because of the uke not holding value like the guitar and I would be out even more then I was after my recent uke sales. Just glad I was able to realize that the smart thing was to sell my ukuleles while their still selling.

There's no known cure - you just have to wean yourself off it, (if you can).

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My lack of space will surely be what stops me! We are in a tiny house and we're also hoping to move by next summer.

just saw a Wilfried Welti video where he played a minuet on a $15 soprano ukulele, and it sounded divine. This always serves as a reality check for me and reminds me that I have enough ukes, but need to work on my skill.

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That was lovely! I'm hoping one day to play as well as that. I've got a few songs I can just eke out. I was super excited a few days ago to properly play a barr chord for once... LOL.

I think the upper end market for ukuleles will always be there. Sure, the height of the hype has been over for a few years, but I believe that higher end ukuleles will continue to be bought and sold among those who look for top quality or unique instruments. No doubt it takes longer to find buyers, unless you dump things, since the market is much smaller than for guitars. There just aren't that many people wanting to spend a grand or more on a ukulele, especially not when they start out. Guitars benefit from the whole "serious instrument" thing that surrounds them, while ukuleles are still often seen as inferior instruments.

I feel that instruments of any kind don't make good investments, especially if you play them. You might get lucky (early MB owners, for example), but I think that if someone wants to lose as little money as possible, they need to buy used instruments that they can sell again at close to the price they paid. In the end, buying 15 ukuleles probably isn't really a good approach, but I'm sitting at 10, so, really, I can't talk. Still, I would be fine with throwing them all away if I had to, because I didn't, and don't, look at them as investments or cash reserves. For me, it's like with buying a gaming computer: those cost me 2-3k every few years and I consider the money gone the moment I buy one. Same with iPads and a lot of other things. I look at ukulele purchases that way too. I'll eventually sell a few, and whatever I get, will be fine.

I've never really gotten my head around buying things to collect them or to keep them as an investment. I buy things because I enjoy them and will use them- and if I find I'm not getting good use out of them, I let them go, usually as a loss but it doesn't matter because reclaiming my space is more important then making my money back most of the time. Eventually I'll let some of my instruments go I am sure. But right now isn't that time.

I think I fall into the collector/player category.

I'm having fun with learning to play the various sizes, but I will probably end up just keeping a couple or so of mid priced ukes.

I believe purchasing instrument, music, and books is a good investment, especially if you use them and enjoy them.

My very first ukulele was a blue Mahalo that I borrowed from my son! Within 3 days, I knew it was time to shop for my own.

Enjoy your new investments!

When I said I don't think they are good investments, I meant for the purpose of getting one's money back or even making a financial profit. I totally agree that they are fantastic investments when it comes to improving quality of life, sanity, and having fun.

Perhaps, perhaps. But you had fun! That's what life is about, not money!

Markr1 said:

I kicked it and quit buying. I was a guitar player for years and had some really nice guitars and sold a few that I regret selling so I could buy another ukulele or 2. At first It was fun and cool I thought and I kept buying nice ones till I had about 15. I slowed down on my playing and got back into the guitar and looking back now I never should have sold guitars to buy ukuleles. You can get your money back out of guitars but not so much with ukuleles. I also realized that the ukulele craze was going to be crashing soon so I sold all but 2 nice ukuleles and a couple of cheapies and a baritone. I couldn't just hold onto the ukuleles anymore as an investment like a guitar and sell them one day because unlike the guitar the uke will not hold it's price. I knew it had to be soon because of the uke not holding value like the guitar and I would be out even more then I was after my recent uke sales. Just glad I was able to realize that the smart thing was to sell my ukuleles while their still selling.

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True that I did have fun but it was costly. Life is about fun but it's also about money if you want to survive in this world.

bonesigh said:

Perhaps, perhaps. But you had fun! That's what life is about, not money!

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I'm with Mivo. They're basically a sunk cost for me. I only buy what I can afford to "lose" at the time. I'll be happy with any money I can recoup via trade-in/ selling (kind of like CD's or Video Games).
I go with the idea that I may have to donate them if I get too many. Mostly because I hate the hassle of selling them (locally on CL is kind of sketchy) and I'm too lazy to box them up/UPS/Fed-Ex them (which is also costly). Ideally I'd find a place to donate them too for a good cause when I'm done with the lower cost ones.

igorthebarbarian said:

Ideally I'd find a place to donate them too for a good cause when I'm done with the lower cost ones.

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What about a school music program?

Welcome to the disease! Congrats on your new brood.....you may cure your UAS when you find something to play that you never want to put down, like my 15th uke.