Wife seeks advice with holiday gift

My husband is a stringed instrument junky and I love feeding his habit during the holidays - especially with unique and interesting instruments.

Currently he has: soprano uke, concert uke, baritone uke, mandolin, banjo-lele, violin, and a large selection of guitars.

I have considered the following a possible gifts: electric uke, lute-lele, baroque-lele, mandocello (expensive), mandola, mando-lele (limited finds & spendy), ubass uke, and a strange little tuna can uke from theukerofoz.com.

Don't really want to spend more than $500-$600 (less is better) but I want something inspired -

Advice please...

I would say the U-bass will be a huge hit. it is so much fun and the most compact bass you will find. Also with the "rubber" strings it is really a unique experience to play.

eocb said:

My husband is a stringed instrument junky and I love feeding his habit during the holidays - especially with unique and interesting instruments.
Currently he has: soprano uke, concert uke, baritone uke, mandolin, banjo-lele, violin, and a large selection of guitars.

Click to expand...

Hi Eoch

I've been lusting after a Sitar (or a Veena), if you're thinking about outside the box..... Inside the box, how about a cello? I don't know what kind of quality you can get for a cello under $600 (you don't want a toy)......

Amazon carries a Sitar!

http://www.amazon.com/Sitar-Standard-Dark-Padded-Nylon/dp/B001B66VOG

Again, I don't know the quality......

Cheers
Chief

Oddly missing the Tenor Ukulele.....hmmm
If you live in Manhattan...check out EVM or check out their web site..EVMNY.com
I agree, you are a wonderful wife to support his music passion....

What a great lady and wife!

How about a resonator ukulele (example- http://www.elderly.com/new_instruments/items/UK998.htm ), or a 6 string uke http://www.meleukulele.com/shopexd.asp?id=26. Maybe a travel uke like the Kala thinline http://www.kalaukulele.com/Search_R...Search=fromSearch&btnSearch.x=8&btnSearch.y=6
You are a very good wife.
–Lori

You should get him a fluke ukulele or flea ukulele!!!! They look really modern in a way and have a back like an ovation guitar. I hear they're also really durable.

or an 8 string tenor for less than $250

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350415949674&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

What about a cigar-box uke?

Tom Guy at BlueGrassUkes makes some awesome ones that run around $300 give or take.

If he just likes to collect stringed instruments, how about a Harp, or I have been wanting a huge classic "stand up" bass. If ya want to make it relevent to the forum and stay Uke, I love the idea of a cigar box uke. I been wanting one of those too.

I also agree about the cigar box uke. Tom Guy makes an outstanding ukulele (see the following youtube review by Ken Middleton)

http://www.youtube.com/user/KenMiddletonUkulele#p/u/36/j69pkVK3xCg

I own one and love it. It has a wonderful sound. Please check them out.

I'll second the suggestions of a tenor uke, a Flea (or Fluke), a UBass, or a resonator uke.

Beyond ukuleles, how about a mountain dulcimer?



Or if you really want to get left-field, there's the nyckelharpa...



On the more electric end of things, there's Chapman Stick...



Those last two will probably be out of your price range though. :-(

JJ

JamieFromOntario said:

What about a cigar-box uke?

Tom Guy at BlueGrassUkes makes some awesome ones that run around $300 give or take.

Click to expand...

If you wanted a Tom Guy cigar box ukulele...Eugene just traded his a couple weeks ago in mint condition...You missed out!! on that one...

Eigenharp Pico

Something a little different and easy to learn is the chromatic strumstick.

http://www.strumstick.com/html_pages/Chromatic%20Strumstick4Str.htm

It has four strings (GDBE tuning, like a baritone ukulele or the bottom four strings of a guitar).

Wow is he lucky, Tenor Uke with a Low G would be nice if he is diggin the other ukes. The mountain dulcimer is a great idea. Don't know if he likes electrified instruments but a lap steel is great fun (get him some C6 strings to play Hawaiian).

Or you could change gears and get him a harmonica pack http://folk-instruments.musiciansfriend.com/product/Hohner-Case-of-Special-20s-Harmonica-5Pack?sku=500325

Harp holder http://folk-instruments.musiciansfriend.com/product/Hohner-HH01-Harmonica-Holder?sku=584366

And a Book http://books-videos-music.musiciansfriend.com/product/Music-Sales-Rock-N-Blues-Harmonica-BookCD?sku=947123

Darn! What a shame we're both already married!

Having said that, I just thought about what would happen if my wife (or any other family member) tried to buy me an instrument - with them not being players I shudder to think what they might come up with... For example, I've pretty much stopped buying guitars because I really have everything I need in that instrument. I've got a couple of great electrics, a good six string steel, and a decent six-string classical (and several others that have become closet queens - a dozen average guitars don't equal one good one). If my dear wife decided to go get me a guitar I'd have to play it even though it probably would end up not holding a candle to what I already have.

If there is a really good full-service music store in your area you might try something like taking him out for a really nice lunch followed by a leisurely visit to said store to let him pick out an instrument. That's more personal than a gift certificate but you don't run the risk of getting something that he has no interest in or that is an inferior "duplicate" of something he already has.

(And honest folks, I swear, there is an end to GAS (UAS, etc.). When you get that acoustic guitar that is everything you want in an acoustic guitar, you stop even looking at others. I guess it's kind of the way a marriage is supposed to work. Now, you DO need an acoustic steel, an acoustic classical, a solid body electric with single-coils, a solid-body electric with humbuckers, a hollow-body electric, a soprano uke, a concert uke, a tenor uke... And at this point, I won't make the marriage analogy! :rofl