What to do with the old one?

What do I do with my old crappy ukulele?

  • Give it away to someone who may or may not be put off the ukulele due to this one's faults.

    Votes: 34 69.4%
  • Harvest the parts.

    Votes: 2 4.1%
  • Sell it for a nominal amount.

    Votes: 1 2.0%
  • Smash it.

    Votes: 2 4.1%
  • Something else (clarified in comments).

    Votes: 10 20.4%

  • Total voters
    49

Skrik

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 27, 2009
Messages
803
Reaction score
5
Location
The frozen wastes of Arctic Europe
Having taken possession of my new Vita ukulele (PICS!) this evening, I have a storage problem. One of my ukuleles has to go. The only candidate is my first ukulele, a Richwood UK-180: battered laminated nato; neckdiver; intonation that is off enough that, having better ukuleles, I now find this one difficult to play without cringing.

So what do I do with it? Give it away to someone who might be put off by the instrument's faults? Harvest the parts? Sell it for a nominal amount? Smash it? Something else?
 
Last edited:
Give it away. Maybe you'll inspire the next great uke player.
 
Turn it into a birdhouse.
 
Turn it into a birdhouse.

Wonder what types of birds they have in The frozen wastes of Arctic Europe?

Just Skrik it to someone, that way you have passed along the UAS virus to the next generation of 'ukulele players.
 
A month ago, I started teaching uke to the Spanish teacher at one of my schools. I gave him my old Lanikai to use - and, at least right now, I get a bigger kick out of him playing than he does :)

But not to worry, they all come around...

Moral of the story: GIVE IT AWAY :D
 
Make a cigar box uke?

Otherwise walk up to a stranger and give it to them with a card that has "Sweet free lessons available at ukuleleunderground.com" printed on one side and "Pass it on to someone else when you buy your first new ukulele" on the other.
 
Make a cigar box uke?

Otherwise walk up to a stranger and give it to them with a card that has "Sweet free lessons available at ukuleleunderground.com" printed on one side and "Pass it on to someone else when you buy your first new ukulele" on the other.

Ooh I like this. It's play it forward...
 
I'm thinking a crappy 'ukulele could be discouraging to a nOOb, lame sound and poor intonation and all I know I would be. I would try and "Frankenstein" it with a cigar box and hopefully correct the intonation in the process. If it does come out right then you still have the birdhouse option.
 
Perhaps you could donate it to a charity's opportunity/thrift store, with a copy of Happy Birthday (and the UU web site), and let the gods decide where it will wend it's way.

Cheers, Tony
 
dude, you should totally turn it into a piece of artwork! get the black and white chalks out and get creative on its body, maybe some Hawaiian Picasso crazy stuff, then hang it from your wall!!! It would look great!

Failing that, I've seen surfboards turned into tables though this would be super tinnee table =D
 
I gave my crappy first ukulele to my 5 year old nephew. I'm not sure how much he plays it, but I think he plays WITH it. I think when he gets a little older he might actually want to learn. I have a 17 year old niece who plays cello and when she visited right after Christmas, she wouldn't put my Kala down. So she bought herself a cheapie and I am planning to get her a Mainland for her 18th b'day (then I'll get MYSELF a Mainland!).
So spread the uke love around to someone you know!
 
I keep it around. It's the one I play outside or when something happens to my main uke, it serves as my back up. For example, I'm awaiting my third replacement sceptre this week. Sooo, my cheap little Hilo and I have been spending a looooot of time together. A crappy uke is better than none at all! :) And, one should never be ukeless!
 
Thanks for all the ideas, guys. I particularly like the birdhouse idea, as the poor little creatures need help in the cold. The poll is quite clear: I should give the ukulele away, hoping that it will inspire someone else. I will obey the mob, but who should I give it to?

I have no nephew or niece, and the kids of mine who want a ukulele have one. Otherwise, I'm spoiled for choice: I teach at least 90 kids at school, and have 40 colleagues, but choosing between them all is hard. I want to give the ukulele the best chance of falling on good soil.

A competition was mentioned, which is something the kids at school would like.

Any ideas for a competition?
 
I'm thinking a crappy 'ukulele could be discouraging to a nOOb, lame sound and poor intonation and all I know I would be. I would try and "Frankenstein" it with a cigar box and hopefully correct the intonation in the process. If it does come out right then you still have the birdhouse option.

Yes, especially if the uke is a crappy one. Most UU discussions center at least implicitly how great it is to be able to get affordable playable ukes to get people interested and keep them interested. BTW, this discussion also applies to clothing donations. Why consider it an act of charity to give a poor person your worn-out clothes? Don't wait till that point. The poor aren't our garbage cans. Sentimentalizing things suddenly doesn't change it.

For about $43 bucks someone can buy a Kala 15-S and give it to someone...even a poor person...or their nephew. Why cheap out on other people but not ourselves? How much is a Dolphin for a contest? "Here you go little Johnny. You just won a 'battered laminated nato!'"

Keep it, break it, birdhouse it or Frankenstein it up, and realize it's not that precious.

And enjoy that Vita.
 
Last edited:
Top Bottom