Ukulele Whore-ders/Neglected Ukuleles

Raygf

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The "neglecting your starter uke" thread has me going through all of my cases. I just pulled out my Pono mahogany tenor. What a fantastic uke! And what a shame it does not get more play time. I have it tuned down a half step and strung with high g Worth clears.

I know we joke about UAS a lot around here, but I've been seriously contemplating the questions, Why do I have so many ukes and do I truly need them all? I have 2 customs on order (An Earnest Instruments Concert neck Cigar Box should be done in July and a Glyph tenor I ordered 3 years ago starts in November. Very excited about this one!!!). Still, I find myself looking at the Ohana spruce top/rosewood soprano. I do not own a spruce top/rosewood uke, but don't want another soprano. Luckily they are not making a concert or tenor model. I would pull the trigger on either one of those in a heartbeat. Problem, what problem?

Open up those cases all of you "Ukulele Whore-ders" and strum a few chords.

Regards,
Ray ("Ukulele Whore-ders Group" Member)
 
Great post Ray...I too have wondered "why do I need this many ukes"

I have made efforts to keep the herd down (currently 5 ukes). I hate to think of an instrument just sitting when someone could be enjoying it or learning on it. I (like others I'm sure) keep looking for that "perfect" uke and before you know it, you have quite a collection.
 
I think the need a UAS intervention program like that TV show about hoarders.

As for myself, I look upon my ukes as works of art. I love the grain of the wood and craftsmanship that goes into each one. I hardly play anything except my Kamaka and KoAloha tenors (low g, High G; respectively) but I do occasionally pull out one of the others and renew my appreciation for them. Much like you did with your Pono.
 
My son has become fascinated with my ukulele cases and wants to open them up every day. So we do that and I get to play each of my ukes for just a little while before moving on to the next one. It makes me appreciate each one even more. I'd like to winnow my collection down a bit, but each uke has its own special feature. And because I play them all I don't feel that guilty.

Although I notice that I've been playing my sopranos much more than my tenors lately. I think I'm starting to prefer the smaller ones! :)
 
Well, I just recently got started playing the ukulele and bought my first tenor in the last week of March this year. A week later I bought a soprano. Then I re-strung my tenor to low G and realized I can't easily switch between low G and high G tuning easily so...another tenor arrived last week. Let's see....in about 8 weeks (and without income due to my stroke I had in January and am still recovering) I have bought 3 ukuleles and really want a Kala UBass since I am also a bass player....Hmmmmm UAS? I guess so...singing - I don't want to work; just want to strum on my uke all day.....yeah, that's it....
 
In my case it was trying to find the right fit and feel, and also wanting both low and high g instruments in a couple of sizes. Most of mine are previously owned, only two were bought new. Most were relatively inexpensive. I figure I'll get it winnowed down to maybe four or five at some point. Currently four are in some state of repair as well. The ones that aren't in that process get played.

As someone who used to be a collector of things (espresso cups and Maori tribal art for example), I think it's also that compulsion, plus wanting to try combinations of tonewoods and sizes. My better half collected diecast cars for years, and finally seems to have lost interest.

Collecting itself if done to excess sometimes indicates compensation for a lack somewhere else, but as for ukes, it's a heckuva lot cheaper than collecting say Ducatis or Ferraris. Much less maintenance too. :)
 
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I have more than I really need, but there are about 4 or 5 that I play on a regular basis (Martin Style 2, Kala Flamed Koa soprano, Flea, and Mainland Pineapple), plus a couple more that I spend some time with now and then (Kala Acacia Tenor, Martin S-O soprano with Low G tuning). But the others I play for at least a few minutes each when I re-soak the humidifiers. Except for the laminates and the two plastic Maccaferri Islanders, which are hanging on the walls and get played now and then. So yeah, I play all of them at least a little bit.
 
My son has become fascinated with my ukulele cases and wants to open them up every day. So we do that and I get to play each of my ukes for just a little while before moving on to the next one. It makes me appreciate each one even more. I'd like to winnow my collection down a bit, but each uke has its own special feature. And because I play them all I don't feel that guilty.

Although I notice that I've been playing my sopranos much more than my tenors lately. I think I'm starting to prefer the smaller ones! :)

Sharing them with your son must be utterly sublime Alan! I cannot begin to imagine. Very cool!

I agree that all of mine have their own special features/unique qualities that made me buy them and I love collecting and playing them and because of that I don't feel that guilty about it either.

Regards,
Ray
 
Well, I just recently got started playing the ukulele and bought my first tenor in the last week of March this year. A week later I bought a soprano. Then I re-strung my tenor to low G and realized I can't easily switch between low G and high G tuning easily so...another tenor arrived last week. Let's see....in about 8 weeks (and without income due to my stroke I had in January and am still recovering) I have bought 3 ukuleles and really want a Kala UBass since I am also a bass player....Hmmmmm UAS? I guess so...singing - I don't want to work; just want to strum on my uke all day.....yeah, that's it....
Hey, if you're recovering from a stroke, consider ukulele playing and singing as physical therapy. Absolutely no guilt there!
–Lori
 
I have eight now, and I wouldn't mind streamlining the collection. Probably going to give away my cheap Harmony in a contest this summer; maybe someone could use it as a wall hanging or a birdhouse. ;) And as much as I like my KoAloha tenor, the Pineapple Sunday has a greater "gotta-have-it" factor so I wouldn't be against a trade.
 
These days it's my guitars that are being neglected, not my ukes. Only have two (high G and low G) and they both get played regularly.

Yeah, I know what you mean. I have a few guitars too. My guitar playing has benefited from my ukulele playing. Not sure why, but I notice a difference when I pick one up. I try to play both regularly. It helps to have a performance to prepare for. My last one was a friend's gallery opening in May. I sang and played guitar and ukulele. The next one is ukulele only on June 26. I think I'll perform a short set at a house concert before the 26th with guitar and ukulele. If I don't have a goal I meander.
Regards,
Ray
 
I've only bought two ukuleles for myself (the other two were gifts), but when my mothers asks why I don't sell any of them, I justify my collection by pointing out how my ukuleles are strategically located throughout the house. My beater Makala concert sits in the basement, so I can play when my computer crashes (which is unfortunately often). My tenor Fluke is located in the living room, so I can play while I watch tv. And my kala acacia tenor and my harmony baritone are in my room. I have a ukulele on every floor. I'm effectively covered, no matter where I am. :D
 
All of mine are hanging on the walls of my house. None of them are neglected. They are all played regularly by me and my kids. If I kept them in their cases they would be ignored. And I loan them out to interested uke players all the time. Right now I have four out.
 
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