UAS: a theory of justification

Howdy all

just reflecting this evening on my illness and came up with a bit of a theory...

I've decided that one needs to be a sufferer of UAS to fully appreciate the ukulele as an instrument and as a consequence, make better purchasing choices over a lifetime of playing.

What I have noticed in myself is a 3 stage progression, kinda like this:

(stage 1) get addicted to the ukulele. begin suffering from UAS. then buy as many ukes as your budget and your wife / husband will allow.

(stage 2) as you gravitate to particular ukes and watch others gather dust, the selling process begins...a thinning of the herd as they say...this then provides you with more money to focus your buying into those brands and builders you come to prefer. this stage repeats itself, being further refined each time...

(stage 3) end up with a smaller, higher quality collection based on your experiences in stage 1 and 2. Ensuring you have a couple of "bangers", but perhaps 3 or 4 of each scale that you know suit you, will get played and sound great.

I hope your BS meters haven't gone through the roof by now, but seriously, this is what has happened to me this year as I enter stage 3. I have had as many as 30+ ukes in the house, but have recently sold nearly all of the cheaper ones and a couple of expensive ones, reinvested that cash into a Kamaka, Mya Moe etc so that the collection is worth roughly the same amount of money as it was previously, but is considerably smaller and of substantially higher quality...what do you all think?


So by
(stage 4) we're actually talking about a REVERSE UAS theory which emphasises quality over quantity!!! The point being though, that one can't get to stage 4 without going through each previous stage. We need UAS people!!!!! :iwant:

Aloha Eugene,
Actually stage 4 is buying all custom ukes and just keeping your fav's....ouch to the wallet....lol MM Stan...

mm stan said:

Aloha Eugene,
Actually stage 4 is buying all custom ukes and just keeping your fav's....ouch to the wallet....lol MM Stan...

Click to expand...

hey Stan...I'm with you bruddah! You must be at stage 5 (must be a nice view from there) ...at the moment I'm just on the cusp of stage 4. Only got one custom, a Black Bear, and she's a ripper but can feel more coming after some more sales...

This is the start of a very good point paper if you ever decide to go back to school! Makes sense...

I don't know what's happened to me... but my desire is really to play.. maybe because I just don't have the justification (or cash) to buy more ukes... however, I have only been playing a short time(less than 3 months and already have 3) but I really just want to play my luna... One uke is pulled apart no strings, or tuners and wouldn't have a bridge if I could get it off. (getting a new paint job) Ok.. maybe I would be buying a fluke or flea if I had the cash. And an amp for my luna, which I don't really need, because you can't hear me singing over my uke anyhow, which could be a good thing! Maybe I do need an amp. and a microphone...Humm.. must be stage 2.5....

fitncrafty said:

This is the start of a very good point paper if you ever decide to go back to school! Makes sense...

I don't know what's happened to me... but my desire is really to play.. maybe because I just don't have the justification (or cash) to buy more ukes... however, I have only been playing a short time(less than 3 months and already have 3) but I really just want to play my luna... One uke is pulled apart no strings, or tuners and wouldn't have a bridge if I could get it off. (getting a new paint job) Ok.. maybe I would be buying a fluke or flea if I had the cash. And an amp for my luna, which I don't really need, because you can't hear me singing over my uke anyhow, which could be a good thing! Maybe I do need an amp. and a microphone...Humm.. must be stage 2.5....

Click to expand...

Aloha FitnCrafty,
My quota when I started was one uke every month, looks like you're following my path so far....only bad thing about that it is ...ouch!!! my empty wallet, but i'm happy...isn't that all that's supposed to count????

I don't know if that's justification, or more just an explanation of the progression. To have a valid excuse, you need to think larger than just the ukulele community...you need to make it applicable to others.

How about this:

Ukuleles make me happy. I want to buy more ukuleles because buying them (responsibly...we don't want anyone losing their house) makes me happy. I need money to buy ukuleles, so I have to go to work. I have to work harder to get more money faster to buy my ukulele, but I'm not sad or grumpy about it because I go home and play the ukuleles I have. I save enough, buy the ukulele, and repeat the process.

In short, UAS makes me a harder worker and a more productive member of society.

Skitzic said:

I don't know if that's justification, or more just an explanation of the progression. To have a valid excuse, you need to think larger than just the ukulele community...you need to make it applicable to others.

How about this:

Ukuleles make me happy. I want to buy more ukuleles because buying them (responsibly...we don't want anyone losing their house) makes me happy. I need money to buy ukuleles, so I have to go to work. I have to work harder to get more money faster to buy my ukulele, but I'm not sad or grumpy about it because I go home and play the ukuleles I have. I save enough, buy the ukulele, and repeat the process.

In short, UAS makes me a harder worker and a more productive member of society.

Click to expand...

:agree: Except I don't go to work, I studied harder so that I can have more time to play my Ukes!

Skitzic said:

I don't know if that's justification, or more just an explanation of the progression. To have a valid excuse, you need to think larger than just the ukulele community...you need to make it applicable to others.

How about this:

Ukuleles make me happy. I want to buy more ukuleles because buying them (responsibly...we don't want anyone losing their house) makes me happy. I need money to buy ukuleles, so I have to go to work. I have to work harder to get more money faster to buy my ukulele, but I'm not sad or grumpy about it because I go home and play the ukuleles I have. I save enough, buy the ukulele, and repeat the process.

In short, UAS makes me a harder worker and a more productive member of society.

Click to expand...

thanks Skitzic! That's the kind of comment I was hoping to get!

I'm not 100 percent sure I'm with you though...My approach was based more on the idea that the "pure" UAS is based on indiscriminant accumulation of ukes...but that, in time, it would go full circle and result in a more discerning, less impulsive desire to buy and therefore a more considered, smaller, higher quality collection. So that, in the long run one can justify their UAS on that basis: one's knowledge base is increased through (over) exposure and thus, you become a more discerning buyer.

The other thing you said I find interesting is your reference to being a more productive member of society. Surely there are so many ways one can be "productive" in society through means other than working hard...all depends I suppose on how we define "productive"...I'm not sure we need an excuse for UAS that encompasses the rest of society. What has "society" got to do with my own hobby / passion that is idiosyncratic to an individual? I consider myself to be productive in society - not because I work hard to make money to spend to stimulate the economy - but in ways like social and emotional support to people, participation in community service work that I don't get paid for. To me it's just too long a bow to draw to try and link the two.

Of course, there is the distinct possibility I've really not understood your point at all!!! (wouldn't be the first time!) What say you?...

eugene ukulele said:

thanks Skitzic! That's the kind of comment I was hoping to get!

I'm not 100 percent sure I'm with you though...My approach was based more on the idea that the "pure" UAS is based on indiscriminant accumulation of ukes...but that, in time, it would go full circle and result in a more discerning, less impulsive desire to buy and therefore a more considered, smaller, higher quality collection. So that, in the long run one can justify their UAS on that basis: one's knowledge base is increased through (over) exposure and thus, you become a more discerning buyer.

The other thing you said I find interesting is your reference to being a more productive member of society. Surely there are so many ways one can be "productive" in society through means other than working hard...all depends I suppose on how we define "productive"...I'm not sure we need an excuse for UAS that encompasses the rest of society. What has "society" got to do with my own hobby / passion that is idiosyncratic to an individual? I consider myself to be productive in society - not because I work hard to make money to spend to stimulate the economy - but in ways like social and emotional support to people, participation in community service work that I don't get paid for. To me it's just too long a bow to draw to try and link the two.

Of course, there is the distinct possibility I've really not understood your point at all!!! (wouldn't be the first time!) What say you?...

Click to expand...

I was thinking more along the lines of justifying the uke purchases to a spouse who may not be interested in ukuleles. So the quality of the build will be lost on them. All they know is you want to spend $1,000+ on a uke. Saying 'this is a high quality, hand crafted custom ukulele made in Hawaii by blah blah blah' is probably not going to have any effect. They're just going to see the price tag and wonder WTH is wrong with you.

I really like your breakdown on the process though. I think that is the path most people follow and it will work well within the ukulele community. I also agree with you that there are other ways to be a productive member of society, not just working hard and spending money. But if I needed to justify my ukulele purchases to my significant other (which I don't. I am blessed with a very accommodating fiance who asks which uke to buy me for Christmas ) I would say something along those lines.

Make more sense now?

I feel that the term 'it's a ukulele thing, you wouldn't understand.' would apply here.

That 's good too... Too bad being a mom didn't pay better, or being a student (which costs a fortune) Ah.. alas I love my 'job' though and yes MM, happiness counts LOTS!

Skitzic said:

I was thinking more along the lines of justifying the uke purchases to a spouse who may not be interested in ukuleles. So the quality of the build will be lost on them. All they know is you want to spend $1,000+ on a uke. Saying 'this is a high quality, hand crafted custom ukulele made in Hawaii by blah blah blah' is probably not going to have any effect. They're just going to see the price tag and wonder WTH is wrong with you.

I really like your breakdown on the process though. I think that is the path most people follow and it will work well within the ukulele community. I also agree with you that there are other ways to be a productive member of society, not just working hard and spending money. But if I needed to justify my ukulele purchases to my significant other (which I don't. I am blessed with a very accommodating fiance who asks which uke to buy me for Christmas ) I would say something along those lines.

Make more sense now?

I feel that the term 'it's a ukulele thing, you wouldn't understand.' would apply here.

Click to expand...

the good thing with my husband is I can just remind him (kindly and gently) about the enormous (and expensive) comic book collection, which includes figures... that usually works great... each spouse has to have something... so they can relate to each other!

At last...a REAL breakdown of the stages of UAS!(Scary how true it is!) Hello...my name is Bruce...and I am a Ukeaholic! Now we just need a recovery program and/or a pill to treat it! *OR...would that be another ukulele?*

eugene ukulele said:

My approach was based more on the idea that the "pure" UAS is based on indiscriminant accumulation of uke

Click to expand...

So if you discriminately purchase ukes based on budget, size, sound, and type of wood preferences than it is not UAS or "pure" UAS?

I consider myself an "art" collector. No one says art collectors have issues right? : )

Pueo, I agree about the Moore Bettah. I think that will be the Picaso in my collection and no further collecting will be necessary.

Mandarb said:

So if you discriminately purchase ukes based on budget, size, sound, and type of wood preferences than it is not UAS or "pure" UAS?

Click to expand...

hi Mandarb...

good point you make...I guess I was just trying to differentiate between a UAS that is about buying merely for the sake of buying / aquiring and a UAS that evolves into a less impulsive, more considered method. Point being you only get more discriminant as you move through the stages. Both are forms of UAS though and to use the word "pure" was probably a little silly!

UAS will never end, you're living at the moment, and believe what you believe now...when I said, Id be happy if I got those in the past and got them and don't need any more, temptation and wants will always be
there..no matter what.....if your passion is still there.. There will always upgrades and progression in material objects and the temptation will always be there to attain them...its human nature.. he he of course
this doesn't apply to significant others....lol....

Skitzic said:

I was thinking more along the lines of justifying the uke purchases to a spouse who may not be interested in ukuleles. So the quality of the build will be lost on them. All they know is you want to spend $1,000+ on a uke. Saying 'this is a high quality, hand crafted custom ukulele made in Hawaii by blah blah blah' is probably not going to have any effect. They're just going to see the price tag and wonder WTH is wrong with you.

I really like your breakdown on the process though. I think that is the path most people follow and it will work well within the ukulele community. I also agree with you that there are other ways to be a productive member of society, not just working hard and spending money. But if I needed to justify my ukulele purchases to my significant other (which I don't. I am blessed with a very accommodating fiance who asks which uke to buy me for Christmas ) I would say something along those lines.

Make more sense now?

I feel that the term 'it's a ukulele thing, you wouldn't understand.' would apply here.

Click to expand...

yes I'm definately with you now. I went through that same stuff you're talking about with my own wife over the past couple of years...at stage 1 and into stage 2 she kept questioning my sanity etc...now as I've moved into stage 3 she's just been worn down and pretty much given up...like your fiance, she's almost at that point of asking "which uke for Christmas" too...hmmm...maybe I subconsciously wrote out that theory to justify UAS to my wife!!!

fitncrafty said:

This is the start of a very good point paper if you ever decide to go back to school! Makes sense...

I don't know what's happened to me... but my desire is really to play.. maybe because I just don't have the justification (or cash) to buy more ukes... however, I have only been playing a short time(less than 3 months and already have 3) but I really just want to play my luna... One uke is pulled apart no strings, or tuners and wouldn't have a bridge if I could get it off. (getting a new paint job) Ok.. maybe I would be buying a fluke or flea if I had the cash. And an amp for my luna, which I don't really need, because you can't hear me singing over my uke anyhow, which could be a good thing! Maybe I do need an amp. and a microphone...Humm.. must be stage 2.5....

Click to expand...

Hi fitncrafty...

you KNOW what is happening to you I think!!! you are presenting with classic signs of stage 1 UAS which, if left untreated...progressses inevitably onwards...I agree though,in the end it's all about the playing because the uke is such a happy instrument that puts smiles on faces and brings people together I think your luna is beautiful too and I'd be playing it flat out if I had one...like I said before to you, really hoping to get that same model for my wife for Christmas: this is a more insidious form of UAS and slightly harder to detect, otherwise known in medical circles as: IRBTFMSS or "I'm really buying this for my spouse syndrome". The only cure for this one sadly, is divorce!!!

fitncrafty said:

the good thing with my husband is I can just remind him (kindly and gently) about the enormous (and expensive) comic book collection, which includes figures... that usually works great... each spouse has to have something... so they can relate to each other!

Click to expand...

same here mate...were Fiona to take me to task over my UAS I always have the HAS to retaliate with!!! My wife has "Horse Aquuisition Syndrome" which is a rabid form of AS given the tendency of animals to reproduce...start with 2 and end up with???.....Look what happened to humans with Adam & Eve...