What does the choice of ukes say about the chooser?

PTOEguy

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I took stock of my ukulele situation recently and found that I was tending towards ukuleles made in the United States by Magic Fluke, Deering and Blackbird. The outliers are my Pono baritone and the Hadean Uke Bass.

There is nothing ideological about this, but it may be a taste thing. I've enjoyed getting ukes that have a tech edge to them. I like how my ukes all have some kind of technological trick to make the great.

For my flea it is how the plastic fingerboard could be cheap and cheesy, but it ensures intonation and great action.

For my Deering banjo and banjo-uke, it is how Deering makes manufacturing shortcuts work. Their necks are a single piece of wood - no separate fingerboard. This reduces the chance of a neck changing profile over time as the fretboard and neck react differently to changes in weather/moisture and reduces cost. Plus my banjo-uke uses the same maple rim as my banjo - reducing manufacturing cost while making a more complex toned banjo-uke.

For the Blackbird I love how ekoa makes a "plastic" uke that sounds as good as any solid wood uke I've ever encountered.

I'm wondering though - does this indicate a coherent musical taste, or just an engineer's love of tech gadgets?
 
Well, I could be wrong (I often am) but it seems to me that you could answer this question better than anyone.
Remember, though, it takes guts to look in the mirror and tell the truth about your ukulele choices!
 
Nothing wrong with living on the "cutting edge".............or as the cliché goes: "Whatever gets you through the night.........it's alright".
 
I dunno if there is a real material answer to this question, and maybe it is more rhetorical or a 'thought experiment'...

and I would also be cautious about making generalizations or stereotypes, which most of the time are going to be so filled with 'exceptions' that they look more like Swiss Cheese Logic....

However, for entertainment purposes, it's ALL good.

and all of the above is just my own humble opinion...feel free to ignore...
 
I buy because I'm a gadget freak and also because of a look. One of my firsts ukes was a two hole acacia koa direct from China, which plays and sounds great. My first custom was a gypsy jazz Django Selmer/Maccaferri style because I always loved the look of those guitars, my second custom was a glossy black mandolele, looks like a mandolin but is a uke. I also bought a Kala cedar top because it sounded so good to me. Then not long ago I bought a uke on eBay from the company that made my customs, it had a brown burst color that I had never seen before. And at the moment, I have an eBay bid on an Ovation Applause because my first 6 string acoustic guitar in 1975 was an Ovation Applause, which I traded in a few years ago, and because I still have the 12 string Ovation Applause I bought in 1980. But my defining element is that I only choose tenor cutaway with electronics, either that came with it or I added.
 
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Most of mine are European and that's because, living in the UK, they are accessible. Those that are not made somewhere in Europe have been bought from UK dealers. It's a matter of what's available.

When I follow threads on UU about various brands, I find most of those mentioned are not readily available over here and it means importing so I go for what's available.
 
My uke acquisitions have all been about experimenting with different sizes, shapes, number of strings, et cetera to find that "sound" which my ears like best. The goal has always been to find that 4F combination (form, fit, function and fun) which makes the instrument one that I grab unconsciously. The instrument price has been kept low for two reasons: 1) the number of times I change stock; and 2) having some tech ability to do my own setups and modifications.

The "go to" ukes have evolved into two groups: 1) the backyard players which include three - an eight-string, a six-string and a banjo-uke; and 2) the suitcased traveler - a solid "stick." Since I mainly play "Gulf & Western," some classic rock and up-tempo folk, the playing style leans more to guitar/banjo-like picking than "traditional" uke strumming, That probably explains why the six-string and eight-string get more playing time than anything else.
 
I got rid of a perfectly good Martin C1K and got a Kanile'a because I wanted a Hawaiian made instrument. I guess that says...I wanted a Hawaiian made instrument.
 
This will sound fairly judgmental but try not to take it too hard. It seems to me that people who can't stop themselves buying more and more instruments have too much money/more money than is good for them/ are consumeristic and should consider more worthwhile ways to spend their spare cash.

When I read about all the people on this site who can't resist buying yet another ukulele, I wonder, don't you care that the world is full of hungry people, animals on the edge of extinction, environments falling into degradation, suffering, injustice, exploitation and so on. I think it would be worth while spending more spare cash trying to alleviate some of these problems and less cluttering up your homes with more and more ukuleles than you can't possibly need.

Suffice to say, i don't get it - the reason why people can't be happy with one or even two.
 
This will sound fairly judgmental but try not to take it too hard. It seems to me that people who can't stop themselves buying more and more instruments have too much money/more money than is good for them/ are consumeristic and should consider more worthwhile ways to spend their spare cash.

When I read about all the people on this site who can't resist buying yet another ukulele, I wonder, don't you care that the world is full of hungry people, animals on the edge of extinction, environments falling into degradation, suffering, injustice, exploitation and so on. I think it would be worth while spending more spare cash trying to alleviate some of these problems and less cluttering up your homes with more and more ukuleles than you can't possibly need.

Suffice to say, i don't get it - the reason why people can't be happy with one or even two.
Well, I'll bet this is going to get interesting, again. :)

I don't need to look into the mirror to know that I am a traditionalist and that I'm a minimalist. I knew that before I even bought my first ukulele. But I do agree, and I think that the ukuleles that people choose, and the number of ukuleles they choose, reflect their personalities to a large extent. I think that you can throw strings, methods, and any number of other factors into that as well.
 
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This will sound fairly judgmental but try not to take it too hard. It seems to me that people who can't stop themselves buying more and more instruments have too much money/more money than is good for them/ are consumeristic and should consider more worthwhile ways to spend their spare cash.

When I read about all the people on this site who can't resist buying yet another ukulele, I wonder, don't you care that the world is full of hungry people, animals on the edge of extinction, environments falling into degradation, suffering, injustice, exploitation and so on. I think it would be worth while spending more spare cash trying to alleviate some of these problems and less cluttering up your homes with more and more ukuleles than you can't possibly need.

Suffice to say, i don't get it - the reason why people can't be happy with one or even two.

Over the years have lived the Spartan life, done a fair amount of "save society" stuff and seen the best/worst of what mankind can do. Have learned two thing these past seven decades: 1) consumerism creates jobs where none would otherwise exist; and 2) life is not fair.

As far as having a number of instruments, why not? Consumerism drives economies, and the more that is wanted, the more that is made, and that means more folk gainfully employed rather than on the dole or starving. Reduced consumerism means greater unemployment, which itself is a crisis-maker.

Keeping this on a ukulele theme - a sizable number of the instruments discussed here either are made all over Southeast Asia or the wood for them is harvested there and shipped elsewhere. A cut in ukulele demand would negatively affect many families there since job opportunities in a lot of these places are few.

So, I have no problem acquiring more instruments and no guilt over it. They all end up recycled in the end in some manner anyway, going to someone else who appreciates them or salvaged for parts.

Now, still am looking for another eight-string to eventually replace the OS OU28T which I've reworked a couple times...
 
This will sound fairly judgmental but try not to take it too hard.
Suffice to say, i don't get it - the reason why people can't be happy with one or even two.

How many pairs of shoes do you have - you only have a left & a right foot, (if you're normal).:biglaugh:

How many skirts, dresses, pairs of trousers..........

People buy things because they can, as a child I had nothing, I used to have to wear my brothers's hand me downs. Now I have a little cash to spare, I intend to enjoy it! :)
 
This will sound fairly judgmental but try not to take it too hard. It seems to me that people who can't stop themselves buying more and more instruments have too much money/more money than is good for them/ are consumeristic and should consider more worthwhile ways to spend their spare cash.

When I read about all the people on this site who can't resist buying yet another ukulele, I wonder, don't you care that the world is full of hungry people, animals on the edge of extinction, environments falling into degradation, suffering, injustice, exploitation and so on. I think it would be worth while spending more spare cash trying to alleviate some of these problems and less cluttering up your homes with more and more ukuleles than you can't possibly need.

Suffice to say, i don't get it - the reason why people can't be happy with one or even two.

Often acquiring (usually temporary) ukes is not about having too much money, as some may suggest. Some folks here, including myself, view it as education: knowing and playing different ukes as exploring and learning the instrument. It takes me some time to really find out about an instrument, rather than just playing a friend's instrument (assuming my friends have a I'm interested in exploring). I've been totally surprised at the effect of a different tuning, a good setup, or new strings on a uke, to make it shine. Sometimes a new nut or saddle is required, others need a fret dressing.

I've caught and released over 100 different ukes, and I've learned something from each one.
Let me try to summarize what my exploring has taught me (to my eyes, ears, and fingers).

  • You generally get what you pay for.
  • Always start with a good setup (learn how to do setup if possible).
  • Every uke sounds different to me (sound, looks, playability)
  • Experience matters in building good ukes
  • Some ukes sound better on certain songs
 
How many pairs of shoes do you have - you only have a left & a right foot, (if you're normal).:biglaugh:

How many skirts, dresses, pairs of trousers..........

People buy things because they can, as a child I had nothing, I used to have to wear my brothers's hand me downs. Now I have a little cash to spare, I intend to enjoy it! :)
Hah! I have one pair of shoes I use daily (until they break beyond repair, then they get replaced), one pair of heavy duty boots for snowy conditions and one pair of nice black leather shoes for work, when important meetings etc call for it. That gets me by :).

Without being judgemental, I think people of the opposite sex (females) will have more shoes in general than men? My wife does anyway, and she's in no way extreme, I think she has like 5-10 (I dont know for sure...) pairs.
Or is that a controversial statement haha?

I actually have more ukes than shoes! Priorities :D!

EDIT: I forgot, I have 2 pairs of running shoes as well...so that brings it up to 5 pair of shoes and I also have 5 ukes!
 
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This will sound fairly judgmental but try not to take it too hard. It seems to me that people who can't stop themselves buying more and more instruments have too much money/more money than is good for them/ are consumeristic and should consider more worthwhile ways to spend their spare cash.

When I read about all the people on this site who can't resist buying yet another ukulele, I wonder, don't you care that the world is full of hungry people, animals on the edge of extinction, environments falling into degradation, suffering, injustice, exploitation and so on. I think it would be worth while spending more spare cash trying to alleviate some of these problems and less cluttering up your homes with more and more ukuleles than you can't possibly need.

Suffice to say, i don't get it - the reason why people can't be happy with one or even two.

Maybe we do care about hungry and needy people. You preclude that the person does nothing else but spend their money on themselves, without allowing that there could be more to them. I have disposable income and since becoming aware of The Ukulele Kids Club (see my signature), every time I buy a uke, I donate the same amount to the organization. I also donate to a variety of other charities throughout the year. I like to look for the best in people.
 
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I learned something from every ukulele that I own. Nearly all fill a niche. Some are for fun such as my little plastic ukuleles that I play with the grandkids. The two Zither Heaven are very quiet - one is in my office so I can stealth-uke. The Outdoor Ukulele stays in my car for spur of the moment times. The OXK can be handed off to a person new to ukuleles with little fear of damage. My vintage ones are a homage to the history of the ukulele. The rest are different tonewoods and sounds for different songs.

I have more than one TV and more than one laptop, too.
 
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I mostly only play my Cocobolo Ukulele, and refuse to buy any more.
What does that say about me?
Come on, let me have it.
 
I mostly only play my Cocobolo Ukulele, and refuse to buy any more.
What does that say about me?
Come on, let me have it.

It says you will probably change your mind and buy another ukulele! LOL
 
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