I need more Ukes!

Hello! I just got my first Uke the day before yesterday (An Oscar Schmidt Tenor laminated mahogany). I've played bass for the past 14 years and dabbled in guitar, piano, percussion (cajon, conga, bongo, live PA performances). Needless to say I'm an instrument hoarder and the Uke got me bad. They are so cute! and cheap! I mean I know they get up there but considering what I've payed for some basses (upwards of 3 to 5 thousand dollars) Ukes could really start multiplying around the house. I'm also obviously experienced in woods so it's hard not to want one of each. So far I need a flea and a fluke, and a pineapple maybe the MP3 one, I like koa, and mahogany, and mango, spalted mango, a monkey pod and... Anyway What are the must haves, or Top Tens. I already got my eye on that Pineapple Sunday, I know it would be a big upgrade from $50 one but man it's purdy.

HMmmm, tough question. There are so many "must haves" dependent on playing ability, finances, esthetics, but for me it's has to sound good regardless of price. You are picking a great time to get into ukes, more and more uke makers are producing great sounding ukes for less money. YouTube is a blessing, but if you live somewhere where you can see, hold, and play as many ukes as possible, that too is a big blessing. Many of us can't do that. Research, research, research to find out exactly how much you can get for your money, play all sizes to see which ones feel most comfortable. I guess because you are already a musician, you have contracted UAS quickly. Good luck and read as many posts as you can on this site....it's the best. When you find some, compare, ask questions here in the appropriate room, keep your eye out in the marketplace, a guy just sold an inexpensive pineapple uke for $45. Good luck

Must haves?
IMO: makala dolphin, stagg frog and stagg manga.
MUST! Cheap, cute and fun.

Thank you for the kind replies. I've enjoyed the ukulele a lot so far. I think that being in music all my life plus the fact I'm also an avid collector (memorabilia, comics, sneakers) is a perfect storm for me to get hooked on ukes. I also compose with a fellow musician and we've been doing this for a couple of years and his home studio has a ridiculous amount of instruments. He just built a cajon the other day out of a conversation we had about Acuña. So he's not helping matters either lol.Yesterday he was talking to me about recreating Medieval Instrument from old plans, it's a whole thing. I actually know some Luthiers in the island that mostly make Cuatros which is another instrument I have recently picked up (I'm amazed it took me this long, as being in PR they are ubiquitous here). And the Cuban Tres. My dad also does a lot of woodworking as a hobby and I helped which further fuels my love of exotic woods. Just figuring out the names in English from Spanish and playing them is a thrill. One wood that has really surprised me was mango, I never thought about working with mango.

Oh man, you sound a lot like me. I've played bass for 30 years, and I am a collector of all sorts of things, chiefly basses, ukes, tobacco pipes, and bicycles... and lately, watches. Ukuleles are perfect for a musician/collector because they're small and (compared to a lot of other instruments) inexpensive. I play (or USED to play, more accurately) a bit of acoustic guitar, and I always wanted a vintage Martin but wasn't a good enough guitarist to justify spending that kind of money. So one of the appeals of ukulele for me was that I could actually be good enough to justify a vintage Martin uke, and I could afford some of them (so now I have TWO).
If I was going to suggest things to get, I'd say:
At least TRY all the sizes. I have at least one of each size (except sopranino), but I could actually be happy just with sopranos now. I rarely play my tenor or concerts. Once in a while, I'll play my Baritone, but just because that particular one is really special.
You ought to try to get SOME kind of vintage uke from the heydays of the instrument ('20s or '30s). Some of them are surprisingly affordable.
A banjo-uke (I don't have one yet, but plan on it this year).
As for woods, at least get a mahogany and a koa. I've only tried a few others (spruce-tops, cedar/rosewood, acacia, and a few others), but really, mahogany and koa are the best and most "ukey" in my opinion. But hey, if you find something you like in a different wood, and you can afford it without jeopardizing your finances and/or family life, then go for it!
And yeah, you gotta have a Flea! And a Dolphin (I don't have a Dolphin yet either, but someday!).

We do sound a lot alike! Ukes look so collectible, especially because of their size and price range. This is why my piano collection never took off. Collectors get started with all sort of things I think. I also collect vintage video games and wrestling memorabilia. And the instruments have taken over one room already. As my interest in other instruments grow so does my collection. Just looking them up, researching, playing, it's been a journey in and out of itself. My approach to collecting has always been having unique things and must haves. If it makes any sense I like buying from companies that have nice home pages I think it helps a lot in getting information about who they are and their instruments. Kamaka has a very well made page, I enjoyed reading their history.

Aloha Eduardo,
Welcome to the UU and our forums and the ukulele...Have fun and enjoy!! Congrats on your new Oscar Schmidt...I see you have UAS already....google Musicteacher2010 and Keonepax for awesome ukulele
tutorial videos...Happy strummings...MM Stan..

Eduardo said:

We do sound a lot alike! Ukes look so collectible, especially because of their size and price range. This is why my piano collection never took off. Collectors get started with all sort of things I think. I also collect vintage video games and wrestling memorabilia. And the instruments have taken over one room already. As my interest in other instruments grow so does my collection. Just looking them up, researching, playing, it's been a journey in and out of itself. My approach to collecting has always been having unique things and must haves. If it makes any sense I like buying from companies that have nice home pages I think it helps a lot in getting information about who they are and their instruments. Kamaka has a very well made page, I enjoyed reading their history.

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I agree about collecting things that you can get info about. I met an English pipemaker in 1998. I had 3 of his pipes then. In 2001, I went to England and visited his shop. After that, we became pretty good friends, and I would help him with his table at the Chicago Pipe Show. When he died in '09, I had 85 of his pipes. Now I have 89. The other pipe makers I am most enthusiastic about are guys I've met at pipe shows. On the other hand, it's sort of fun to collect things that there is almost NO info about. Martin ukes are sort of in between those two extremes. There is a lot of information about them, but not much SPECIFIC information. Often the best you can do when dating them is to get them into the right decade.

I know, I know. My SO is about to run me off due to my collection of tubas!
Have you considered a bamboo ukulele? They are considered VERY earth friendly, compared to other types of wood.

Check it out: http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?40394-Tall-Grass-Ukuleles

I collect wrestling belts, like real handmade, and last year I actually went to a weekend convention in Charlotte to meet the makers and talk to them. The same with art, whenever they have Gallery Nights I try to make it downtown to meet the artists.

I was reading about bamboo the other day and it looks like a good option.

I would say for a starter's collection, it is good to try out the sizes so you know what size you will want for the more expensive ukes. In the search, I would include a Mainland, Ohana, and Kala brand ukes, and if you are especially active a Fluke or a Flea. Choose what interests you the most and experiment with the long neck versions. See if you like low g tuning (best tried on a tenor neck). I have Koa, Mahogany, Mango, Spalted Maple/ spruce, Zebra wood, acacia, plastic body-wood top, and myrtle wood ukes.

I would say my most stellar ukes at the moment are the Kanile'a K-1 superconcert, and the Ohana 5 string tenor, followed by the Mainland concert Mango. The Pineapple Sunday is very nice (I don't have one...yet) and would be a great addition provided you liked the size.

–Lori

Eduardo said:

...What are the must haves, or Top Tens...

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The list changes daily, and depends on what you see or play at any time. Like cats and garlic, you can never have too much uke in your life.

agree with Ian, such a subjective thing, what kind of uke you favour and why. For what it's worth, the favourite ukuleles in my collection at the moment are

1. Mya Moe mango soprano
2. Collings spruce / mahogany concert
3. Kamaka pineapple soprano (Koa)
4. LoPrinzi Koa soprano
5. Mya Moe mango tenor resonator.

But, like Ian said, it changes (almost) daily and I've left out many ukes that are very precious to me also. A flea, a beansprout banjo, black bear, a bambino etc etc...The next person's top 5 will most likely be entirely different to mine. Try as many different brands as you can as as many different woods so your choices can be as informed as possible mate.

UAS tends to follow a particular kind of trajectory: you start by buying everything!!!! ...then narrow and refine your collection down over time based on the experiences you've had.

happy shopping Eduardo!!!!!!

I know everyone is different. I collect and play mostly soprano instruments, and mostly mahogany. But if someone told me I could only have ten, here's my thinking as of now.
(In no particular order)

1. Vintage Martin Soprano
2. Kiwaya KTS4
3. Ohana SK35
4. Makala Dolphin
5. Kamaka Pineapple
6. A Flea
7. Banjo Uke
8. Loprinzi Concert Model C
9. Collings Tenor Mahogany UT1
10. Mya-Moe Resonator

As you can tell, I have not achieved my top ten. I may start working on the Collings tenor or Kamaka soon!

Lori said:

I have Koa, Mahogany, Mango, Spalted Maple/ spruce, Zebra wood, acacia, plastic body-wood top, and myrtle wood ukes.

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You need a cedar top as well.

Wow thanks for all the replies people! Comming into a new instrument it's a lot of help. Unfortunately it seems like this weekend BAS beat UAS. I am making a list of ukes to own, I promised myself I wouldn't go above 10! This is my first acoustic instrument, well not counting the piano but I don't collect those, so the plethora of woods as hit me right in the face. So obviously a koa one, mahogany, zebra, monkeypod, spalted mango (I have this idea of getting a mango pineapple, sort of wordplay kind of things, it should be funny), acacia, bamboo. I'm using a concert but want to feel both the tenor and soprano. I think a travel soprano would cool to keep handy. And all companies sound so great.

As a bass player, which I am also, you must put a Kala U-bass on your list, I ordered mine yesterday. Check them out.