MAUI MUSIC UKULELE are you worthy for a free one?

MGM

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Peter Lieberman has donated a ukulele he has been playing for awhile and I have also It is considered a second as there are a few minor cosmetic issues but is a great sounding and playing solid koa top with african mahognay back and sides superconcert with open heastock and radius fretboard. I am asking for a 500 or less word essay on your love of the ukulele and why this would benefit you or who you want to give it to and help promote love of the ukulele. Submissions are being taken for 2 weeks on this forum and also another forum winner to be annouced may 5th.

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I would rather these be posted as my email load is already nuts....
 
OH YES!! I'm definately worthy! But unfortunately I'm on vacation for the next two weeks, and I'm afraid if I tried to pick out 500 words on this bloody iPhone my fingers would never recover enough to play it!
 
Ok, I’ll go first.

First of all, Maui Music ‘ukuleles are sweet and considering all the hardships that they have gone through, with fires and health issues, we should all be thankful that they are still around for us to enjoy. I would love to buy one of these. I almost had myself talked into the Lili’u with the cracked soundboard you were selling a few months back, but alas my wife has clamped down on feeding my UAS. So, I remain without one.

I would really like a super concert as the smaller body yields more of the traditional Hawaiian sound that I’m going for, but the larger neck allows for more left hand intricacies. I also have no ukuleles with a radius on the fret board, which I’ve wanted to try. I can’t really give any justification on why I deserve it anymore than any else, but I will make the following promises. If I’m given this ukulele, I will:

1. Love her and treat her kindly. I will never let her fall into disrepair or neglect. I will never set her on a couch where she could be sat on. I will never leave her in a hot car or allow a car to run over her. I will endeavor to keep her within 45% and 55% relative humidity at all times and keep the fret board oiled.

2. I will never sell her. She was gifted to you, and you are in turn gifting her. If the day ever comes when I can no longer keep her in the manner in which she deserves, I will gift her to another deserving soul who will treat her kindly. In this way the initial gift will live on.

3. I will make YouTube videos with her so that others may enjoy her sweet sounds. However, I will only make videos of songs that will not disgrace her beautiful island heritage. No heavy metal covers. No dirty lyrics. Just good vibes and copious amounts of Aloha.

Mahalo nui loa.
 
Dear Mike,

The past 28 months have been a whirlwind of ukulele in my life. The reason I am so passionate about the uke is because it snuck up on me and made me fall in love with it. I regard myself as an unsuspecting but thankful victim of its charm.

I played college basketball for a Division I program and between Christmas 2007 and New Years 2008 we played at a tournament at University of Hawaii. It was my first time to the state and I instantly felt at home and wanted to immerse myself in all of its culture. We were only there for five days but I experienced as much as I possibly could.

On my walk from my hotel to the hotel where my family was staying I passed a souvenir stand on Waikiki beach that was selling ten-dollar ukuleles and I thought this would be the perfect thing to bring home with me. Upon returning home, I began noodling around with my new little uke to deal with my Hawaiian withdrawals. I stumbled upon helpful youtube videos here and there before finding my home at UU. After breaking my toy uke, which was inevitable, my mom bought me a Lanikai soprano which I continued to learned on and sealed my interest in the instrument.

Over two years after the my introduction to the uke, I still can't get enough of it, which proves to me that this is no passing fad in my eyes. My short trip to Hawaii was a life changing one to say the least. I strive everyday to live with the aloha spirit in my heart and playing my uke helps me feel closer to my aspirations of living in that way and cultivates the aloha within me.

I would be honored to be gifted this beautiful instrument and would be sure it found a good home in me. Thanks for listening to my story.
 
OMG it's effing gorgeous!

Way back when I was in college I had almost 4 years as an English major and yet switched over to art, because I'd been studying it and selling my work and winning awards since I was 16. The only reason I stayed in English that long is because of pressure from my dad, who (this is the late '70s) gave me $50 for my birthday and $50 for Xmas every year with which I bought textbooks, yet somehow he felt he could dictate my choice of career. I guess I thought he could too. I was living with my grandma, so I wasn't even under his roof. After a mild nervous breakdown following a super heavy schedule of senior level classes in my junior year, I decided I had a right to make my own decisions and switched majors and never looked back. I was a damned fine artist for 25 years. No, I couldn't sustain a living at it but I was nevertheless a success and my work will outlive me.

I was horse crazy from probably age 5 and rode horses in my youth and was a champion jumper rider for 4 consecutive years. I was poor financially but competed with and often won against wealthier people who ended up riding Gran Prix and World Cup level horses and in the Olympics. I rode for 30 years and trained horses and kids and adults in jumping and dressage.

I was good at those things because I loved them deeply, lived and breathed and dreamed them.

I think ukuleles of all kind are a gift plain and simple, they make me smile, make my heart sing (which is great cuz I can't) and as a sculptor I really appreciate all the precision and refinement of skill necessary to make a great uke. They are functional art, which to me is the best kind. I love how the really well made ones feel in my hands, the tactile differences of silky neck against my palm while my fingertips feel for the sweet spots on the strings between frets, sliding over silver bars like tiny speed bumps on the smooth fingerboard, and how good I feel when I get a clean note and bend it into another, and when I get a fingerpicking pattern just right for several measures, and quick precise chord changes. That all doesn't happen much but I love the process anyway and cherish the time I get to sit down and study or plain relax, just me and one or two of my babies. That doesn't happen enough either, but it brings me peace and knits up the bruises in my heart and soul.

I've heard stories about Maui Music ukes and owners who treasure them, but know too little about them, only that they are highly regarded and that I don't deserve one for free because I play like crap and could never do one justice, no matter how much I loved and appreciated it, or how well I took care of it.

Two outta three ain't bad. This is a really nice thing you are doing Michael. Good luck everybody! :D
 
Here's the scene:
About a month ago (give or take). I was in the local music shop, just browsing all the different instruments, when a came across this peculiar little 4 string instrument thing. Not only was it tiny and in-expensive ($39.95), but its sound was so warm and bright and happy that i fell in love with it. Little did i realize it was a serious instrument. I took this little wonder home with me and was hooked from the first chord. I have quite a background in music, particularly stringed instruments, but the ukulele was unique and posed new challenges, making it easily as intriguing as classical guitar. Needless to say, as my new found love for the ukulele grew, so did my need for a higher quality more worthwhile instrument. I mean, don't get me wrong, that first little pineapple soprano was incredible for the money and boy, did it get me hooked, but i wanted to really focus on the ukulele and take my playing to the next level. So, scarcely a week later i returned to that same store to purchase a slightly more expensive tenor, as according to all my reading, that is what the pros play, and i hope to share my ukulele music with as many people as possible. While the tenor i have is not bad and certainly is capable of making beautiful music, i do miss that major extended reach provided by the the small size of the soprano, so i have been wanting to try a concert, but I am, as many of us are, tapped out from this economy. My girlfriend has been very understanding about my recent acquisition of ukuleles, but i can see the storm clouds gather at the mere mention of going back to the music store to even so much as try on a couple of concert sizes. Needless to say my budget constraints have also excluded me from ever being able to even think about purchasing an ukulele made REAL Koa. I have never even played on to know the difference. I dont know what it would take to win this ukulele, but i do know that if it was mine i would endeavor tirelessly to produce beautiful music with it and use it to aid in the advancement of my musical journey. I have aspirations to one day become a career ukulele player, and i am going to try my hardest to fulfill that dream. I believe that receiving the honor of this ukulele would go a long way toward helping me on the right track. I hope to make beautiful music for you, and everyone else to enjoy.

c.washy
 
I stumbled upon the ukulele by accident. I saw one for sale on my local craigslist, and thought ‘huh, that could be interesting.’ So I began researching the instrument, I found UU shortly after. Then, I began seeing ukuleles everywhere. The music store had a few off-off brands, I saw a cheap plastic one at a flea market; they even started showing up in my dreams. Finally, I bought one on eBay. I haven’t put it down since.

But this ukulele would not be for me, I would gift it to my best friend. He has helped me through so much over the years and yet I find myself at a loss when it comes to helping him conquer the darkness that has permeated his life recently. A few weeks ago, my best friend watched his house burn to the ground. It was a total loss, including the old acoustic guitar his father gave him. I haven’t seen him touch an instrument since the fire. While I know nothing I give him will ever replace the guitar, I believe the ukulele to be a magical instrument. It can heal the soul and help you find a little light when life seems its darkest.

Maybe it seems like I’m giving a few pieces of wood and glue a little too much credit, but I know what it did for me. Since I have been playing I have not had a bout of depression. I left my band and went back to my musical roots and have started writing songs again. I have made new friends. I would like to share this magic with my best friend. I believe that a uke like this one, with a little history to it, would be the perfect gift for him. I can only hope it heals his soul as much as it has mine.
 
Aloha Michael!

Wow – what a beautiful instrument! As much as I would love it for myself, I really am a soprano guy – I would be getting it just to collect another beautiful thing. What I really want it for is my wife – a guitar player who, after going to see Jake Shimabukuro with me last month, has really had her eyes opened to the beauty of the ukulele (you see, when I play it’s not necessarily beauty…).

Our favorite place on earth is Hawaii – we’ve been four times, both just the two of us and with our kids. We used to have access to a Hawaiian music channel through our satellite TV provider, and we would turn on the music and sit together, eyes closed, holding hands and dreaming of Hawaii.

Sheryl plays the guitar, but would love to play ukulele. I bought her a Makala Dolphin for Christmas, but it’s just not a comfortable size for her. We’ve sung together in choir for many years; we would love to sit an play the ukulele and sing together as well…

We have known each other for 26 years now; we have been married for 8. Throughout our relationship, music has always been there. Having such a sweet instrument for her so we can play together would be a wonderful way for us to combine our love of music, our love of the islands, and our love for each other.
 
Alright, I'll give this a try!

Ukulele has taught me what music truly is.
It all started when I saw some cheap Mahalos at a music store and was amazed by them! It was only 40 bucks, so I bought it, fascinated by it's tiny size and gorgeous sound.
So, that summer, I started to learn. I found tons of resources on the internet, the best of which being Ukulele Underground, and I loved it.
At this point I had rolled into a ditch with classical piano, and I thought that was what music was. Playing pieces I never liked originally for 6 months until I had them perfected but hated, and never wanted to play them again.
But then, there was this tiny 4 stringed purple thing. And I loved playing it. I would play a piece all day just because I loved it, there was no teacher telling me to repeat sections a million times, the internet didn't even give strict guidelines for how to play it. It was just however it sounded best and felt to the player. And I realized that that was what music was supposed to be, not sitting at the piano in tears, but playing because you're searching for that awesome sound and you enjoy the process.

If I win the Maui Music uke, I feel it would help me to keep learning about the joy that can come from ukulele and from music and I feel that it would help me to spread that joy with those that hear it and see it. Ukuleles can be considered toys by the uneducated, but I can't think of anyone who wouldn't take that gorgeous uke seriously.

Thanks so much, Mike!
 
I first time had the privilege of hearing the ukulele in an episode of the cartoon series Rocket Power. It was about kids growing up on the islands of Hawaii. One day the main character, Otto, made a joke about his uncle Tito's ukulele playing in front of his friends. Later, Tito told him of the ukulele's history while playing a beautiful song. Afterward, Otto had a new respect for the ukulele and its history, as did I. Tito is my avatar by the way

Ever since I have admired the ukulele, with its bright lustrous twang and alluring simplicity. However, I've never had the pleasure of playing one. As with many families in this economy, we are only able to afford the necessities, with a few luxuries every now and then. I'm afraid it would be many years before I could acquire a ukulele of my own. I would be very honored and overjoyed to receive this uke.

Every day, I listen to Israel's rendition of "Over the Rainbow". As his ukulele strums in perfect harmony with his soft, soothing voice, my troubles melt away like lemondrops. My worries vanish, replaced by a blissful serenity that nothing else has brought me. I have imagined myself playing on the beaches of Hawaii, surrounded by nothing but the beauty of nature. It would really be a dream come true.

I may be a beginner, but don't get me wrong. I know that this is a very fine quality instrument and I would treat it as such. I won't, however, keep it locked up in a case in my closet, never to see the light of day. I will play it every day, for myself and for others, so I may spread the love for ukulele. My friend owns a banjo, and we will play in front of the mall near my apartment every once in a while. I'll record and upload videos of myself playing to youtube, for others to enjoy. Where I live, the last day of school is "Aloha Day". Everyone goes outside for the last half of the day and does whatever they want. If I win the uke, I will play it for everyone to enjoy.




I won't lie, I really want to win this ukulele. But if you don't choose me, I would like to recommend Skitzic's friend. It sounds like he really deserves it. :)
 
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I would expect more of you to try and write to get a ukulele valued at about 900.00 come on you worthy ones
 
I have recently found that I have ukulele sensory perception or commonly called U.S.P. I learned of this gift one late night holding a Koaloha concert uke. The uke talked to me. It told me how difficult life had been growing up with an odd shaped sound hole. It was teased by other ukes and was afraid to sing out. Using my gift, I was able to convince this uke that being different can be a good thing. The uke then sang out loud and proud. My gift can be a curse as well. I can't go into Guitar Center without hearing the cries from the ukes on the wall. They hate always being out of tune and strung with GHS strings. I am now getting a strong message from this Maui Music uke. It tells me that it yearns to be with someone who can truly appreciate its greatness. And that someone is me.
 
My love of the uke all started a little over a year ago. My boyfriend couldn't figure out what to get me for my birthday, so he decided to just let me pick something out while I was shopping at a local guitar store. I was looking in the guitar accessories and trying to find something when I noticed some pretty Lanikai ukuleles hanging on the wall. I had wanted to learn how to play the uke for years (Jack Johnson is my favorite and I noticed he played it in a few songs) but never really thought about it when I actually had the extra cash to buy one. I told him that's what I wanted for my birthday. He got it and I haven't gone a day without playing since. I've always loved the sound of hawaiian music, and now I can make my own!

I've been giving guitar lessons for about 5 years and one of my students recently showed interest in learning uke, so I told him I would teach him. He told a couple of his friends and they told a couple more, and now I'm giving lessons to about 6 people. I do a group of 2 once a week and the other 4 another time (they all have their own ukes). The word got out to the youth pastor's wife at my church, and now she and some of her friends would like to learn. The really awesome thing about this is that the youth pastor's wife is also the music teacher at a local middle school. She says if she and the few other ladies from church can learn fairly easily, then she would like to talk to the school about bringing ukes in the classroom for the kids to learn! It would be so great to have that program in our community! The only problem is I have 3 ukes and there will be 4 or 5 people (that don't want to buy their own until they see if they like it). It's next to impossible to find decent ukuleles around here. I suppose I could just go get a Hilo at guitar center, but It would be so much better for them to learn on and hear the rich sounds of nicer ukes. I want to make it as nice and easy as possible for them so they will catch the uke bug and be assured it's easy enough for 5th and 6th graders to learn, and hopefully she will move forward with this whole ukes in the music class idea. I would definitely put this to good use and it would greatly benefit our local school. Wow that was long..Thanks for doing this contest Mike!
 
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Like many of you, when I first saw this uke and heard some soundclips of maui music ukes, I was just itchin to have it. I asked MGM if it would be ok to send my entry to him via email, instead of by forum post, because I thought it was a little too personal for comfort and I was afraid. But I have seen all of you post your essays and I feel its only fair you see mine! I think this will help me in my pursuit of betterness (is that a word?) and I was being a little silly, because I can't imagine a better place to share this kind of information with than my friends here at UU! You didn't know it, but all of you helped me a little bit =)

Here is my entry for the contest that I sent to MGM, and I stand by it proudly, you're all wonderful people and I have no reason to hide from you guys. :cool:

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The ukulele has quite literally changed my life. This instrument is what really got me involved in music, it’s where everything started. I have made many different friends from all parts of the world who enjoy this instrument and music in general as I do. From my one single ukulele I have also learned to play guitar, and harmonica, all of which I love very much, but I still find I play my uke the most out of all of them. (It’s an Ohana TK-35g that I bought from you, I named it Peanut Butter Chocolate, the neck looks like peanut butter next to the chocolatey rosewood fret board)

For the last 5-6 years I have suffered from severe depression, among other things related to it. The ukulele and music have helped me more than I can say in overcoming this problem, it is still something I struggle with every day, but it is minute comparatively now to what it used to be, and I am getting better every week. If I am ever feeling down, or self-destructive, I always have my ukulele. No matter how angry, or upset, or sad I am, it always seems to bring me back to a happy state of mind. This has helped me in many areas, such as my classes, my social life, and my physical health and well being.

This little instrument has something very special and magical about it, and I have tried to explain to people the way I feel about it and how it has helped me, but they really cannot understand until they hear it, or play one themselves. I have already got a few people turned on to the uke, and they have been very thankful to me for doing so.

I’m sure you will get many essays about how people will donate the uke to a charity or how they will teach children with it. And I would say that there are many more worthy people for this uke than me. But I will try my best in convincing you. If I were to receive this uke, it would mean a lot to me personally. I have been trying to save up my money for a new ukulele for quite a while now. But it seems like every time I get close, something brings me back down (The last was a street-sweeping parking ticket) I love the look of koa grain, and more importantly I love the sound, and that sound of super-concerts. I have never imagined a custom worked hawaiin-made solid koa uke in my near future, let’s face it, it’s expensive when you can’t even hold on to enough cash for a middle-of-the road uke. It sounds a little silly to some people, but I think there is something very special about instruments that are made by hand with love and care, it seems to stay with the instrument, you can feel it and hear it when you play, and surely I would play it with the same love as the man who crafted it.

It is raining here right now, it’s very peaceful and quiet, and I think I will curl up next to the heater by the window with my uke and play with the rain (You have to try it if you never have)
 
I've been mulling over an entry for this contest, but to be honest, Mike, I've felt kind of uncomfortable with the idea of posting my story in public. Let me see what I can do....

I knew very little about the ukulele until the fall of 2008. It was a time of profound grief and deep depression for me, as I had just gotten word of a dear friend's death, and at the same time, my marriage was crumbling. But one afternoon, in the midst of a panic attack, I sought refuge at the home of a friend. Words failed, and so he simply picked up his ukulele and started playing and singing. It was all that he had to offer at the moment, and all the comfort that I needed.

In the course of my unhappiness over the past years, I had stopped playing music. That loss was slowly killing me. We began to jam together... he convinced me to pick up my violin (which I'd not touched for 15 years), and our jam sessions evolved into an ukulele/fiddle combo. A year later, I picked up his uke, determined to learn how to play it. I have a soprano uke now, but I'd love something a little larger, something that he and I can both play. It would fill the gap between his tenor and my soprano uke. As we are performing musicians, this fine ukulele would be played frequently and for the pleasure of others. It would help us spread our love of ukulele everywhere we go.

The sound of the ukulele filled me with life at a time when life no longer seemed worth anything. I want to bring that joy of life and music to everyone around me.
 
Lol I love Farcelli's response. I'm gonna try a knock at this..

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I can't say why I started playing the uke. 2 years ago the idea just kind of splattered in my head like someone snuck it in there while I was sleeping. A picture of me playing a uke was stuck in my head for awhile. I had no musical experience besides a week stint with a trumpet when I was in 5th grade. Why did I want a uke so bad? Having no knowledge of the ukulele I looked through ebay and found a uke that was only a dollar (plus shipping) I decided it be fun to see what happened. A week later, a light blue ukulele painted with white flowers arrived at my college apartment. It's strings were plastic, it's fretboard could have been made out of cardboard for all I know. I didn't even know that it needed tuning. (again no musical.. or common sense.. knowledge) So there I sat in my college apartment on youtube trying to figure out how to play Hey There Delilah and how to form a damn G chord. Eventually I stumbled onto Aldrine's lessons at IamHawaii and sooner or later I found UU.

In the first 4 months, I got a little better but was literally stuck on Over The Rainbow and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. One day I walked into a subway and got the number of a cute girl and invited her to a party at my apartment later that night. She was fun but I figured she was just like every other girl... at least until I brought out my Ukulele. She had a voice that was so beautiful, and was funny and wasn't afraid to call me an ass. I fell in love with her during the first song we played together. And she was the catalyst that sparked my musical ability. For some reason when we started playing together and hanging out, music became easier for me.. Since then we've been everywhere together, all kinds of adventures from Brooklyn, NY to Boston, to American Idol and Nashville Tennessee. The uke has always been with us every trip.

Oh yeah, here's another thing that the ukulele has brought us.

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The ukulele has helped me through some problems that I never thought I would have to deal with. I have gained such a passion for this instrument and literally have dedicated my life to it.

It all started with my Grandfather though. ;)

He actually won my Grandmother over with an ukulele. He would go to her house to borrow her ukulele. One day he surprised her with a song and the rest is history! That uke was an old harmony soprano. We recently found it in their basement. It is in multiple pieces and has definitely seen better days. It is one of those plywood, plastic fretboard, cheap ukes, but boy does it ever have sentimental value! My Grandpa Bill is where it all started for me. He bought a Hohner Uke about 8 years ago and he'd try to teach us his favorite song, "Five Foot Two". If it weren't for him and that uke, I would not be playing today. He's been my biggest motivator, inspiration and has done more for me than I could ever give back.

Well he has had some terrible health problems the last few years. Over a year ago he spent 6 weeks in the ICU of a hospital, dealt with heart problems that magnified and suffered many other problems while he was in the hospital. It is a miracle that he is alive, but he tends to over achieve. He is still going boating, teaching at University of Washington, skiing and spending loads of time with all of his grandchildren. (I frequently go to the Seattle Symphony with him) Recently, he has shown more of an interest in relearning the ukulele. We bought him an Amigo Baritone, but the friction tuners are very difficult for him to use. (He has some sort of arthritis in his hands) He has monster hands, not just long fingers, but fat fingers too. His Hohner soprano is simply too small for him to use. I have been letting him borrow my Kala KA-T, but someone like him deserves such a nicer instrument. I am asking that you give my grandfather the Maui Music Uke because he is most certainly worthy of one.

Here is a picture of him playing a mandolin that is tuned GCEA at my Eagle Scout Project at my church a couple years back. He was most certainly playing "Five Foot Two".
Thanks for reading. ;)

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