UkeStuff
Well-known member
Last night, I had the chance to attend one of the (somewhat) local jams (a Bluegrass jam, and I don't know much of the music--but can play the chords and sing a tenor harmony part following those chords).
There weren't a lot of people there last night--it was cold and a bit icy in Minneapolis, and some of the snow birds have started to migrate now that Christmas has passed.
What was interesting is that for a small group (10 of us?) there were a number of very expensive instruments there...a Kamaka concert with rope binding, an Islander Tenor, a Blackbird eKoa Tenor, and even my Pono (likely the "least" of that bunch). There was easily $5000 of ukuleles in that room with that small of a group.
I love all of those ukuleles...and if money were no object, I would own all of them in a tenor format. But, like most of us, money is an object.
Today has been a busy day of helping others with technology--getting a cell phone screen replaced and purchasing a used MacBook Air for a family member--so I didn't get to the ukulele until this evening.
Instead of pulling one of my "good" ukuleles out of the case, I took down my Lanikai LU-21CEBK from the wall. It is a gloss black laminate Lanikai, originally listing for far more than it is worth. I bought it off of Craigslist this summer for $65...and it turns out it was that cheap because the electronics didn't work.
While I like the Fishman electronics in my UkeSB, the UK2000 unit wasn't doing its job. I had replaced the pickup in the ukulele from an earlier recommendation here on UU--and that didn't solve the problem--so I ordered a whole new UK2000 unit on eBay. It turns out the problem was on the 1/4" plug versus the unit or the pickup. I $25 invested in parts, and now the ukulele is fully functional. I did swap out the Aquilas to Martins, which is sort of my thing to do--not that people have to do that.
That said, there is a tenor version of this instrument in the Tuna Uke line, with the Fishman pickup. That instrument interests me, too--but apparently the Lanikai logo is a decal versus inlay such as on this older LU-21CEBK. I know that things are done to keep prices low...but come on!
Anyway...tonight I started playing that Lanikai concert, and just had a lot of fun with it. It isn't my Opio or my Pono--but that's okay. It is an inexpensive but pretty ukulele. It plays well for what it is. So my "aha" thought as I write this note is this:
In the midst of other threads (which I have commented in) about what we got for gifts, or what we're going to buy next year, there can be a lot of joy in a far less expensive ukuleles--setting them up, fixing problems, or just playing them. Sure, cheap ukuleles can be out of tune and hard to play--but there are lots of inexpensive options that don't create that negative experience.
How about you? Any "lesser" ukuleles that make you happy?
There weren't a lot of people there last night--it was cold and a bit icy in Minneapolis, and some of the snow birds have started to migrate now that Christmas has passed.
What was interesting is that for a small group (10 of us?) there were a number of very expensive instruments there...a Kamaka concert with rope binding, an Islander Tenor, a Blackbird eKoa Tenor, and even my Pono (likely the "least" of that bunch). There was easily $5000 of ukuleles in that room with that small of a group.
I love all of those ukuleles...and if money were no object, I would own all of them in a tenor format. But, like most of us, money is an object.
Today has been a busy day of helping others with technology--getting a cell phone screen replaced and purchasing a used MacBook Air for a family member--so I didn't get to the ukulele until this evening.
Instead of pulling one of my "good" ukuleles out of the case, I took down my Lanikai LU-21CEBK from the wall. It is a gloss black laminate Lanikai, originally listing for far more than it is worth. I bought it off of Craigslist this summer for $65...and it turns out it was that cheap because the electronics didn't work.
While I like the Fishman electronics in my UkeSB, the UK2000 unit wasn't doing its job. I had replaced the pickup in the ukulele from an earlier recommendation here on UU--and that didn't solve the problem--so I ordered a whole new UK2000 unit on eBay. It turns out the problem was on the 1/4" plug versus the unit or the pickup. I $25 invested in parts, and now the ukulele is fully functional. I did swap out the Aquilas to Martins, which is sort of my thing to do--not that people have to do that.
That said, there is a tenor version of this instrument in the Tuna Uke line, with the Fishman pickup. That instrument interests me, too--but apparently the Lanikai logo is a decal versus inlay such as on this older LU-21CEBK. I know that things are done to keep prices low...but come on!
Anyway...tonight I started playing that Lanikai concert, and just had a lot of fun with it. It isn't my Opio or my Pono--but that's okay. It is an inexpensive but pretty ukulele. It plays well for what it is. So my "aha" thought as I write this note is this:
In the midst of other threads (which I have commented in) about what we got for gifts, or what we're going to buy next year, there can be a lot of joy in a far less expensive ukuleles--setting them up, fixing problems, or just playing them. Sure, cheap ukuleles can be out of tune and hard to play--but there are lots of inexpensive options that don't create that negative experience.
How about you? Any "lesser" ukuleles that make you happy?