NewbieUkie
Well-known member
Here's the short story!
I'm a middle aged guy who is finally able to travel a little, and recently came back from Maui, (my second visit there in the last 3 years...thought I'd NEVER do THAT plane ride again but Maui is irresistable....I just got back last week and I feel it tugging at me to come back already!)
Anyway....
I have collected interesting and some quite beautiful guitars for years, and have sold and traded them as well, to maintain my GAS. (I'm sure you guys all know what that means!)
While in Maui, I stopped in a guitar store, as I always do when in a new place, hoping for that "score" we all dream of finding. (And almost never do!)
Well.....the inevitable in Maui happened...I started looking, (seriously for the first time), at ukuleles!
I looked at the brands I recognized, and the ones I didn't, and marveled at the fine woods and build, and absolute beauty of many of them, just as I do when looking at fine guitars, which I consider to be works of "functional art" when crafted by a master luthier.
I was also happily surprised to hear the charming and unique tone of these amazing little instruments up close, and to see how relatively "simple" they appeared to be to play. (compared to violin, for example...lol!)
Did I buy, even though my wonderful wife encouraged me to just go ahead and make a leap of faith and indulge in a purchase right then and there?
NO!
Why not?
Well, simply put, I know NOTHING about the instrument....and know enough at this stage of my life to NEVER buy a "pig in a poke".
When looking at guitars, while I am an average player at best, and maybe even not THAT good, my years of collecting have taught me what to look for in a guitar....what's good, what isn't, the things to watch out for, and to be glad for, the different effect of the various tone-woods, etc, etc, etc.
Do all those same things apply to the uke, as my wife tried to insist they must?
I don't know!
Guys...I came back from Maui "uke-less", and frankly, so far, have found much of the information from musician acquaintances of mine USELESS, as none of them know any more than I do about the ukulele!
This site popped up on a google search and I just signed up.
Obviously there is a wealth of information here, and I won't try to take the lazy way out and ask what the best uke is to buy, or where to buy it. I can read the info available here, as I should, and will.
That said....I wanted to take this opportunity to say "Hello", introduce myself, and ask a few, (just a few!) "simple" questions:
A. Does my story sound familiar? How did YOU get interested in the ukulele? I ask this because I am wondering if this infatuation is temporary, or the familiar story as to how many you guys got started.
B. I've set a budget for my first uke of $500-$700 dollars, give or take a couple hundred. While I own guitars that cost that much, and less, (mostly more), and some many times more, I don't know yet if this thing will be on eBay in a month! Is my budget realistic for a nice uke that will perform well and be an instrument I will be happy to play if I stick with it, which I sincerely hope to do? Any specific recommendations as to the brand, etc, within that budget? New or used?
C. What are the common pitfalls, outside of "re-wiring" my brain from guitar, which already intimidates me a little. (I'm a guy who has a hard time finding my car keys every day!) Any specific advice here?
Well....I actually have a LOT more questions, but I promised to make this a "short story", and have already failed to keep THAT assurance, so I'll cut it off right here.
Thanks for reading, and I look forward to hearing all of your words of wisdom!
I'm a middle aged guy who is finally able to travel a little, and recently came back from Maui, (my second visit there in the last 3 years...thought I'd NEVER do THAT plane ride again but Maui is irresistable....I just got back last week and I feel it tugging at me to come back already!)
Anyway....
I have collected interesting and some quite beautiful guitars for years, and have sold and traded them as well, to maintain my GAS. (I'm sure you guys all know what that means!)
While in Maui, I stopped in a guitar store, as I always do when in a new place, hoping for that "score" we all dream of finding. (And almost never do!)
Well.....the inevitable in Maui happened...I started looking, (seriously for the first time), at ukuleles!
I looked at the brands I recognized, and the ones I didn't, and marveled at the fine woods and build, and absolute beauty of many of them, just as I do when looking at fine guitars, which I consider to be works of "functional art" when crafted by a master luthier.
I was also happily surprised to hear the charming and unique tone of these amazing little instruments up close, and to see how relatively "simple" they appeared to be to play. (compared to violin, for example...lol!)
Did I buy, even though my wonderful wife encouraged me to just go ahead and make a leap of faith and indulge in a purchase right then and there?
NO!
Why not?
Well, simply put, I know NOTHING about the instrument....and know enough at this stage of my life to NEVER buy a "pig in a poke".
When looking at guitars, while I am an average player at best, and maybe even not THAT good, my years of collecting have taught me what to look for in a guitar....what's good, what isn't, the things to watch out for, and to be glad for, the different effect of the various tone-woods, etc, etc, etc.
Do all those same things apply to the uke, as my wife tried to insist they must?
I don't know!
Guys...I came back from Maui "uke-less", and frankly, so far, have found much of the information from musician acquaintances of mine USELESS, as none of them know any more than I do about the ukulele!
This site popped up on a google search and I just signed up.
Obviously there is a wealth of information here, and I won't try to take the lazy way out and ask what the best uke is to buy, or where to buy it. I can read the info available here, as I should, and will.
That said....I wanted to take this opportunity to say "Hello", introduce myself, and ask a few, (just a few!) "simple" questions:
A. Does my story sound familiar? How did YOU get interested in the ukulele? I ask this because I am wondering if this infatuation is temporary, or the familiar story as to how many you guys got started.
B. I've set a budget for my first uke of $500-$700 dollars, give or take a couple hundred. While I own guitars that cost that much, and less, (mostly more), and some many times more, I don't know yet if this thing will be on eBay in a month! Is my budget realistic for a nice uke that will perform well and be an instrument I will be happy to play if I stick with it, which I sincerely hope to do? Any specific recommendations as to the brand, etc, within that budget? New or used?
C. What are the common pitfalls, outside of "re-wiring" my brain from guitar, which already intimidates me a little. (I'm a guy who has a hard time finding my car keys every day!) Any specific advice here?
Well....I actually have a LOT more questions, but I promised to make this a "short story", and have already failed to keep THAT assurance, so I'll cut it off right here.
Thanks for reading, and I look forward to hearing all of your words of wisdom!