Uke Newbie...

Tudorp

Big guy with a lil' uke..
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Hey folks.. I am a newbie to the Ukulele. I played a Ric BASS for years, many years ago, but gave it up about 10 years ago. I don't play in a band, and playing a bass around a camp fire just doesn't do it for me, lol..

Anyway, I have always loved the Ukulele and always wanted one. I bought a cheapie Kona and broke the tuning nut pretty quick. I loved it though, and decided to take the Uku more seriously, and just purchased a Uhano SK-35. I was on the phone talking with the guy there about changing out the friction tuner for a geared tuner. I was shocked to hear from him that I didn't have to have that done, because the new SK-35 already has a geared tuner. Does anyone have a new one that came with a geared tuner? Any pics of it? I should have mine within the week, but would really like to hear for sure that it will have the geared tuner, and what kind is it, and how it works with the SK-35?

I am really looking forward in diving in more with the Uke. It is really fun to play, and makes people smile. I am a VERY large man at 6'5" tall and weigh about 600lbs, and when people see someone my size jamin on such a small "guitar", people just smile. I like that.. hahha..

Anyway.. Glad to find you folk..
 
Tudorp....first, welcome to UU! You've come to the right place.

I just checked Ohana'a website, and it showed the SK-35 as having friction tuners. Maybe your dealer knows something I don't, or maybe Ohana has made a change that isn't yet reflected on their website.
 
I did too, and saw the same thing. The guy I talked to on the phone said all the on line pictures are with the friction tuners, because none of them have been updated, but the new ones have geared tuners. I was just curious if anyone that has theirs in their hands can confirm that, and how they liked them.. And thanks for the welcome..
 
Welcome, welcome Tudorp,

At that size you could be the second coming of Bruddah Iz! Good luck with your Ohana and your playing. Mahalo
 
Another bass player. What is it that draws us to the uke? LOL
You still got that ric?

My theory: bass players have a constant groove in their minds and have to be close to a musical instrument. The uke is so perfect because you can take it everywhere.
There is something that is just adorable about small instruments. The 4 string thing also attracts us?

At the Uke night at our local Sam Ash, a large man won a door prize raffle, a Kala travel soprano, very small and thin. He got up on stage and played and we did all smile.
He made a joke about ceasing his WW classes since
his gut holds up his new uke.
 
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I think it's the 4 strings, hahhah.. But, I'm not sure. I have always loved the Ric tone, and have played a Ric since mid 1970s. Played in a Jaz band for awhile back then. I had a couple of them, my 1st being a custom black on black, black knobs, black bindings, black pic gaurds, everything black. I found it in a music store back in the 1970s. It was a custom built for a customer that never picked it up. I paid $700 for it then ( a fortune to a teenager in the 70s). Sold it sometime in the late 1980s for $5,000. Bought another royal blue Ric in the mid 80s (79 model)several years later, but didn't play in a band then. Loved it also, even though it never measured up to my black 71 model. Played it for awhile along with music in the living room, but really felt silly with one, and not being actively in a band. Like I said, a Bass wasn't just something you can strum along side a camp fire, hahhah. I sold it around 2000 and got $1900 for it. Not bad since I only paid $900 for it. So, did very well with those.

I have always loved the Uke. And yes, IZ has always been one of my favorites. Been listening to him for years before his death, and even then quite a bit. Actually, he was the one that inspired me and turned me onto the Uke. Always wanted one since I heard him, but just never took that leap until recent. I also think it is just cool looking a big fat dude like IZ, and myself propped up there, playing such a small instrument, lol.. Everybody that sees, watches, and hears, always have a big smile on their face. And I guess that also is a big draw for myself, because I have always been one if I could make some one smile, better yet, laugh, Im all for it, hahha.

Thanks again for the welcome guys.. Looking forward in learning more about the Uke. Since I got my cheapie one it hasn't left my hands up until I broke a tuner yesterday. But, can't wait to get my Ohana. It might even be in today, whoot whoot..

This was a pic the wife snuck in when I broke my cheap one. I was trying to pull off Van Halen's "Eruption" on the Uke at the time, hahhah...
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T
 
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If you need a tuner to replace the broken one your first uke, let me know. I've got a bunch of those, although they have white buttons. I'd be glad to send you one....
 
thanks a bunch for that offer. But I think its going to be ok. When I ordered my Uhana, I also ordered a set of geared tuners to fix the other one. I am going to replace the cheap friction tuners with a better set of Ping geared tuners. But again, thanks a bunch for offering.. How I broke it, was because the tuners in it are cheap, and wouldn't hold tension very well so I had to really crank down on the button to get them to hold. Tweaking the tune with the button so tight ended up striping out the button. So, that is why I am just going to replace them with the geared. I never really cared for the friction tuners anyway..

T

If you need a tuner to replace the broken one your first uke, let me know. I've got a bunch of those, although they have white buttons. I'd be glad to send you one....
 
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thanks a bunch for that offer. But I think its going to be ok. When I ordered my Uhana, I also ordered a set of geared tuners to fix the other one. I am going to replace the cheap friction tuners with a better set of Ping geared tuners. But again, thanks a bunch for offering..

T

No problem....
 
I did get my Ohana in the mail today, and I got to say, I am very pleased. Very nice... Much easier to play than the Kola student Uke. But, it does in fact have the friction tuners. The guy on the phone told me it had the geared tuners, but apparently he was wrong. I talked to the actual Uke guy at the dealer this morning on a separate thing, and mentioned it to him. He told me he wasn't there yesterday, and he is the go to Uke guy, and the other guy didn't know Ukes, so I got some not accurate info. But no worries, I am pleased anyway, I just thought the geared tuners would have been an unexpected suprise. I will keep the friction tuners for now. They are much better ones than the Kola had, and are working fine. If they have issues later, I will upgrade it then. But for now, it's gonna stay the way it is.

Now, back to playing..
 
Glad to have you on board! Enjoy that new uke!
 
Introducing you to "IZ". I named the new Ohana after the late great.

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Those that aren't familer with this one. It is a Ohana SK-35, solid Mohogony back, top and sides, with a rosewood fretboard. Love it.. A nice "Workin Man's" Uke.. Nice to have a solid Mohog for under $200.
 
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Welcome to UU, while i can't help with your problem i can say the picture of you attempting to shred on your ukulele did make me smile, hope you enjoy it as much as i do!
 
Im sure I will. Am already. That's what it's all about brother. Playing till it makes ya smile.. ;)
 
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