Guitar v Uke - 1st post

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gritstone

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Hi Guys, I'm new here and though I'd kick off with this post:

I played acoustic guitar for many years, and was always disappointing at my personal lack of ability on it. I then had a 10yr gap, and picked up a Uke for the first time recently (bit of a leap of faith).

I have to say I am quite amazed at how much easier it is for me to play. Not just easier, it feels so much more natural and intuitive to me -I feel a better player on my Uke after just a few weeks than I ever did after years on a guitar.

Bottom line is, I'm really enjoying it and wished I'd found out about Ukes years ago - feels like coming home:

I've now got 3 and love them all: Pono, Kala and Eleuke. Must try a Ohana sometime...
 
Sold a guitar today.

Bought a uke today. ;)

Welcome home to UU! :D
 
ditto, my guitar is abandoned in the corner now :D
I have extreme eczema on my hands, so I never thought I'd be able to manage an instrument, but then the ukulele came along!
 
gritstone said:
...wished I'd found out about Ukes years ago - feels like coming home...
Click to expand...
Welcome. You'll read a lot of posts like yours over the next year or two. Many of us felt the same way. I played guitar 45+ years before I picked up the uke.
 
Welcome to UU Gritstone, As you are probably already learning UU is a great place to be.
You must have an Ohana? Don't forget Mainland and Flea...
This is actually a dangerous place if you are trying to not get UAS. The whole website is pretty much infected.
 
Aloha gritstone,
They are alot of ukulele players here that are/was into other instruments. Myself, I started on the uke first before the guitar. Small 3rd grader hands fit the uke better...seemed that way for all the kids in my neighborhood in Honolulu.
Anyway, welcome to the forum, enjoy your stay.............................BO............................
 
I started on guitar, which certainly made picking up the uke quite quick.

Would NEVER sell my guitars though, and still gig them regularly. But I am finding that I have been playing uke MORE for a couple of years.

Always weird when I go back to the guitar too - the string spacings are tough to go back to!
 
I'd been planning to learn guitar for years and ended up going for a ukulele instead. So I guess I missed a step? ;)
 
Dotted said:
I'd been planning to learn guitar for years and ended up going for a ukulele instead. So I guess I missed a step? ;)
Click to expand...

Me too! I just bought my first guitar (electric) last week actually. Holy cow - those suckas make the uke feel sooooo easy. Not sure I'm going to get too far with it but we'll see. I'm doing better on my lap steel than on the regular (electric) guitar. My fat fingers prefer the string spacing on the uke (or the bar on the lap steel).
 
Welcome to the UU...

I played chord guitar for about 15 years. Through the uke (two years in) I am even interested enough to learn all that cpmplex chord stuff I never bothered with before. When I play a uke it sounds bright and empathic with what I am up to. Could never go back to the guitar now and like you, wish I had found the uke years ago!

Glad to find similar minds,

Chris
 
I like both, but maybe I'm out of step with the UKE V GUITAR battle that seems to exist, although it always seems more lightheartedly with ukers (guitar players seem to take it more seriously judging by some vitriolic comments I've read on guitar forums). But then I prefer 'smaller guitars' (my favorite being my SX Baby-E), and bigger 'ukes' (my Kala Baritone).

I picked up a Mandolin the other day, now that really did feel that it would be difficult to master.
 
bazmaz said:
I started on guitar, which certainly made picking up the uke quite quick.

Would NEVER sell my guitars though, and still gig them regularly. But I am finding that I have been playing uke MORE for a couple of years.

Always weird when I go back to the guitar too - the string spacings are tough to go back to!
Click to expand...

I have 52 guitars and now 3 ukes, but I really need to sell about 44 guitars ....... I could use the closet/studio space :) Love my ukes and need a lot more
 
I see myself as an amateur musician first and foremost so I'll choose whatever instrument does the best job at breathing life into a piece. I seriously doubt that I would ever give up my six guitars, or my lute, or my Irish tin whistle. I need one more lute (baroque) or perhaps a 13-string guitar and then I might be satisfied. Or perhaps I'd need to add a theorbo.

Of course, every instrument has certain advantages. For me, playing the ukulele is very comfortable owing to the low tension of the strings and the fretting hand can cover a substantial amount of territory.

You've obviously found it to be a good fit so congratulations!
:)
 
Yes there's certainly something about the ukulele......I tried guitar before and gave up after about a month. I tried mandolin and gave up after about 2 -3 months. I've been playing a ukulele now for about 9 months and have no thoughts of putting it down. Not sure if its because its easier or if its just that lovely tone it emits but I think I'm hooked.
 
Well, welcome to ukeland.

Me,
I like guitars.
I like ukes,

They both be cool.
 
Been playing guitars for a couple of years, and once i picked up a uke for the first time I felt that this was the instrument I had been looking for.
Though the uke is amazing, I sometimes miss the deep tones from the guitar. however, my guitars has been very quiet since I've bought my ukulele.
 
Welcome gritstone!

With me it is both/and rather than either/or :)

Peace,

James
 
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