how careful are you with an expensive ukulele? is it for home only or gigs anywhere?

3nails4holes

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i've never had a new car. so if i get a ding on the fender or accidentally hit a tree when i open the door, i don't like it, but it's not that big a deal in the long run. i imagine that if i were to have a new suv or bmw or other letters, that i'd be much more careful with it.

those of you who have high end ukuleles, how careful are you with it? do you use it for home only or is it your everyday uke?

my first uke was prob more expensive than i wanted it to be (who hasn't experienced that, huh? budget, schmudget!), but case and all was under $200. and i keep it always on a hanger or in its case when not in use or i'm taking it on the road. but if i accidentally hit it on the edge of my office desk, i don't freak out excessively.

in my mind, if instead i hit the edge of a sceptre, kamaka or some other $1k+ or $2k+, etc. on the edge of the desk, i just might lose it as i buff the ever living mess out of the wood until the whole thing is devoid of fingerprints. and forget about taking it to play at chick-fil-a as my two kids frolic to the lyrics of chris tomlin or the laurie berkner band. actually, forget about maybe taking such a uke any where other than its tweed hard case with requisite humidifier.

so is this really how it is for high end uke owners, or does such kid-glove treatment wear off with familiarity. or is $2500 so relative that it's like my $200 uke so for some ppl so it's no big deal?

feedback? anyone? thanks!

:shaka:
 
I only have a $600 ukulele but to me that's expensive enough. I won't take it on a plane or anywhere outside where I may start neglecting it. Unless I'm playing it it stays in its case -- with requisite humidifier. I figure what is it for if I don't use it and enjoy it. But I'm not careless either. No dents yet!
 
I only have a $600 ukulele but to me that's expensive enough. I won't take it on a plane or anywhere outside where I may start neglecting it. Unless I'm playing it it stays in its case -- with requisite humidifier. I figure what is it for if I don't use it and enjoy it. But I'm not careless either. No dents yet!

I'm not sure if I'm ocd protective of my ukes. I do own some cheap makalas but those are for the kids to play. My Mele is my classroom uke but I take my koalohas everywhere else with me. I am a little perinoid after my weather incident with my mele but my philosophy is that a uke is made to be played not neglected.
 
I took care of my Kamaka tenor for a couple of months (no, really!). Not that now I abuse it, but I've knocked it into enough things to know how to avoid them and not worry when I do. The first injury I gave to it was a whipped end of an instrument cable below the bridge on the soundboard. It put a small dimple in the top - after that it was a bad day. But now I've moved on. I bought it for sound and durability, not to be a showpiece. I take as good care of it as I can, but it will be used. I take it on the plane (carry on), to non-sandy beaches, my friend's house, music camps, etc.. I worry about it being stolen more than being damaged. I haven't polished the top in years.
 
I put a dent in my Pete Howlett tenor just yesterday. The phone rang and as I was rushing to pick it up the side of the uke hit the sharp corner of the table. My uke is made from the prettiest koa imaginable and now it's no longer perfect.

The thing is that now i can just play it rather than worrying about it.
 
My Kamaka soprano has been on beaches on two Hawaiian islands, in a tent in Maine, in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona, and many places in between. And that was before I even got a hard case for it!

Now I use my Flea for travel, open mics, etc., but I still like to bring out my nicer ones occasionally. If I had a crazy custom, I'd probably still bring it with me occasionally and give it a workout. Every uke deserves to be played at the beach at least once.
 
My Sceptre is my number one, and only, ukulele. I love this little lady and she certainly gets played. At first, I would worry about scratching the top with my finger nails. Then about hitting her many corners on corners, and wouldn't take her near anythign but open space and her case. But now, I've put a small little dent in the neck (from the case latches) and some minor scratches, as all ukes have, on her upper bouts of the top.

I had the same dilemma with my Martin for the first year or so that I had it. But, they are both made to be played and I play the hell out of them. If it were a $4,000 uke, I honestly don't think I would treat it any differently. Little nicks are going to happen. Having fun and jamming out are much more rewarding than knowing my instruments are mint.
 
If I kept all my good instruments at home all the time, I'd never get to gig anywhere at all. The only time I've really been nervous was the first time Jimi and I went on a gig with two guitars, a uke, and a violin.... But honestly, I was more concerned that we might get in a wreck than accidentally dinging something.

None of my instruments are absolutely mint. They are well-cared for, but I play them. That said, I really don't envision hanging out around a campfire with my $4000 Ramirez... I'd take my $400 Seagull instead. Something about all that blazing hot fire and sticky marshmallows....
 
My Kamaka stays in the case with a humidifier and stays at home. Never leaves the house. I got a Makala to travel around to the beach, outside to visit family & friends. If the Makala gets a ding...not to worry, but the Kamaka.....well that is a whole different story!!
 
I struggle with this a lot with my Pineapple Sunday. My version is no longer made and I fear scratches, nicks, dents, cracks, or ANY damage. However, I bought it to play it so I play it every day. But when it is not being used, it goes straight to the case-- no exceptions. The phone, door, dinner-- whatever-- can wait a couple of seconds. On the few occasions I have traveled with it I am extra cautious to protect it.

After all, what is the point of having a nice instrument if you can't play it?
 
From my herd, if it was $250 or less, it can travel, over that it stays in its case when it isn't actually in my hands. With the lid down and latched, to get the phone, get a coffee refill, whatever. I live in earthquake country! I only have two over that price limit. All but one have cases, and that one is a cigar box that was pre-dinged when I bought it, with a big sliver off one side and a twisted neck that wasn't mentioned in the listing (bought from a high end re-seller who frequents several uke forums). But the edge ding on a little vintage soprano I'm working on still made me blue.:(
 
To me, it doesn't matter if it is a $90 Kala Kiwi, or an expensive Kanile'a, I am very careful with them all. But, so far (my most expensive by far) the Kanile'a is a home uke, with only occasional visits to places where I know people will not mishandle it.
The other ukes go out more often, especially the sopranos for lunchtime work fun. The concert and tenors go to Uke meetings too. So, I am most protective of the Kanile'a, but at least 80% as careful with all of the others.

I too, am concerned with earthquakes (I live a short distance from Teek), and it is best to have stuff you want protected in their cases. I have been in several large quakes over the years, and a good case would protect a uke in every one I have been in. The main thing is to not have heavy things that could fall on your uke near your uke storage. The other problem is that they might fall off their table onto the floor... I should secure their box to the wall, I think.

–Lori
 
I've had my Collings for a little more than a month and I don't treat it any differently than any other instrument. I keep it in the case with a humidifier to protect it against accidental damage and dehydrating. If I get up to get coffee, I'll put the ukulele back in its case. . . but I do this with all my instruments. I bought this ukulele for its great sound and playability and so I would not hesitate to gig or busk with it because I wouldn't get to experience that great sound and playability as a part of giving music to others. . . which sort of goes back to why I bought it.
 
mine aren't super-expensive (600 max) so I've taken them all to work with me, to play in the car or at lunch. I try to be careful with the nicer ones. I take the cheaper ones more often, but most of my playing is done on the run.

But if it tells you anything, last Friday a bite of peanut butter sandwich went down the wrong way while I was playing (and eating). It completely sealed my windpipe, I could not breathe at all. I was alone, this was potentially life-threatening. What did I do? I calmly put the Kanilea back in its case before dealing with it.
 
I take reasonable care of all my instruments and would not do anything to put them in immediate danger. But they're instruments and are meant to be played. And if it accidently gets damaged along the way, hopefully it isn't too bad.
 
I know someone who bought a new car and kept it in the garage for about a month, would not drive it, afraid to get it dirty. They would go out and polish it and wipe it down and look at it. I thought that was insane. I guess it comes down to what you bought the uke for, playing, status or an investment.
 
I have a pair of custom Kanile'a Ukuleles that I take everywhere with me. I've been playing music a long time and that being said I used to have a practice instrument, festival and a performance instruments now I just use my instruments. I'm still really careful with them though. I've been caring an upright bass around for 6 years now and have only dinged it 2 times- both spots repaired. So use those Ukuleles why have them sit in a case?
 
My KoAloha tenor gets used at home and for acoustic band practices. It doesn't have a pickup, I don't want to modify it, and I don't want it hanging out in bars, anyway. For gigs it's my solid body Eleuke through an effects pedal to minimize feedback. At school (I teach elementary music) it's usually my Kala archtop tenor. I can plug it in when I have to be heard above a roomful of ukes. For travel it's my Fluke or the Eleuke with headphones if I know I have to be silent.
 
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