help for a complete beginner at the uke?

emilylane

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so i've been interested in learning how to play the ukulele for a while now and i decided that before i spend a lot of money on a quality uke, i might as well try out a cheap one and see how i like it. i bought a very cheap uke (it's almost toy like..) at ron jon's surf shop today for around $15. i know that this will sacrifice quality of the sound and such but i just wanna get a feel for the instrument. so basically here are my questions:

- what kind of strings can i buy to replace these plastic ones that it came with? (i get confused with the soprano and tenor strings and which ones i need)
- is it possible for me to learn the uke (basics) on this cheap ukulele that i bought?
- what's the best way for me to begin learning how to play?

oh and any other advice you have to help me is greatly appreciated. i figured that this is the place to go to ask for help about ukes :) thanks for the help!
 
Aloha Emily,
Welcome to the UU and our forums...for the real beginner click this site and click on the right uploads...for beginners.. http://www.youtube.com/user/madelinelpots?blend=2&ob=5#p/u
Also you can google Musicteacher2010 and Paxukulele for awesome ukulele video tutorials and Dr Uke for songs, chords and instructions...Have fun and enjoy...Happy Strummings..MM Stan
 
so i've been interested in learning how to play the ukulele for a while now and i decided that before i spend a lot of money on a quality uke, i might as well try out a cheap one and see how i like it. i bought a very cheap uke (it's almost toy like..) at ron jon's surf shop today for around $15. i know that this will sacrifice quality of the sound and such but i just wanna get a feel for the instrument. so basically here are my questions:

- what kind of strings can i buy to replace these plastic ones that it came with? (i get confused with the soprano and tenor strings and which ones i need)
- is it possible for me to learn the uke (basics) on this cheap ukulele that i bought?
- what's the best way for me to begin learning how to play?

oh and any other advice you have to help me is greatly appreciated. i figured that this is the place to go to ask for help about ukes :) thanks for the help!

one of my students bought one of these and we ended up hanging it on her wall and buying a dolphin. We couldn't get it to stay in tune and I got so many splinters while trying to change her strings i quit. If yours is better than hers, you should be able to get by on it. I personally wouldn't waste money on changing the strings. I'd put that money towards a new uke.
 
one of my students bought one of these and we ended up hanging it on her wall and buying a dolphin. We couldn't get it to stay in tune and I got so many splinters while trying to change her strings i quit. If yours is better than hers, you should be able to get by on it. I personally wouldn't waste money on changing the strings. I'd put that money towards a new uke.
thanks, that's helpful knowing that you teach this.. i think i am better off buying a better uke. i've already tried tuning this one and it definitely does not sound like it's supposed to :) haha. i'm thinking of buying a lanikai lu-21c concert uke.. what's your opinion on that?
 
and thanks for the warm welcome and the help guys..and any advice and tips are still greatly appreciated :)
 
i am very familiar with these ukes. they are horrible. friction tuners on them wont stay in tune for one song. you're REALLY better off with just getting a dolphin with aquialas. a ron jon uke will turn you off of ukulele for life. good luck!
 
i am very familiar with these ukes. they are horrible. friction tuners on them wont stay in tune for one song. you're REALLY better off with just getting a dolphin with aquialas. a ron jon uke will turn you off of ukulele for life. good luck!

i decided to go farther than the dolphins and i went for the lanikai uke.. i should get it in a couple weeks and hopefully i'll have a better experience with that one. i won't let this crappy instrument ruin this for me! haha :)
 
Hi, at which Ron Jon's did you buy it? Are you able to return it? I live very close to the Cocoa Beach Ron Jon's. It is possible it may be a player. Some of the feedback on their website indicates at least a few people found some of them playable. If you are near Cocoa Beach, bring it to the Space Coast Uke Meetup at the Cocoa Beach Library this Saturday evening at 6PM. We'll get you on the right track.
 
Hi, at which Ron Jon's did you buy it? Are you able to return it? I live very close to the Cocoa Beach Ron Jon's. It is possible it may be a player. Some of the feedback on their website indicates at least a few people found some of them playable. If you are near Cocoa Beach, bring it to the Space Coast Uke Meetup at the Cocoa Beach Library this Saturday evening at 6PM. We'll get you on the right track.

oh i didn't buy it at the cocoa beach one, i got in in the ron jon's in long beach island, new jersey. i was on vacation there this past week and decided to get it on the way off the island. i'm not worried about returning it though, it'll just turn into a decoration for my room now :) haha but thanks for the help!
 
yep, that's what i ended up buying just now, thanks stan! :)

Good choice, you won't regret it :)

I've a Stagg, a LU21, a Kala KA-C, tried to change the strings and so... these are just taking the dust now.

I didn't change anything on my LU21-C, factory strings, factory setup, it starts to be "polished" on some arrays, the painting is gone on some arrays on the neck, that means it's a good Uke, at least for a beginner like me. :D

I plan to get a Tenor now... :drool:
 
oh i didn't buy it at the cocoa beach one, i got in in the ron jon's in long beach island, new jersey. i was on vacation there this past week and decided to get it on the way off the island. i'm not worried about returning it though, it'll just turn into a decoration for my room now :) haha but thanks for the help!
Long beach Island....I used to take the train to there ...my friend had a greek gyro store on boardwalk...and we used to go fishing for flounder and bluefish with the old guys there..that was fun...
get some Aquila on that baby...MM Stan
 
i would 100% recommend a lanikai lu-21c. that is the first uke i ever had and i still play it! it sounds really good. this may be a shameless plug but i have been throwing around the idea of selling mine. I don't have it in the marketplace or anything but if you would be interested at all i think you would really like it alot. its very easy to tune and it sounds great for its price. you can pm me if you think this may be a uke you would want to get for cheaper. If not i hope you find the ukulele that is right for you! and Don't give up! its the best instrument you could of ever picked up.
 
so i've been interested in learning how to play the ukulele for a while now and i decided that before i spend a lot of money on a quality uke, i might as well try out a cheap one and see how i like it. i bought a very cheap uke (it's almost toy like..) at ron jon's surf shop today for around $15. i know that this will sacrifice quality of the sound and such but i just wanna get a feel for the instrument. so basically here are my questions:

- what kind of strings can i buy to replace these plastic ones that it came with? (i get confused with the soprano and tenor strings and which ones i need)
- is it possible for me to learn the uke (basics) on this cheap ukulele that i bought?
- what's the best way for me to begin learning how to play?

oh and any other advice you have to help me is greatly appreciated. i figured that this is the place to go to ask for help about ukes :) thanks for the help!

Aloha -

By now you've found that the folks here are more than willing to offer as much help as they can. As for me, I think I can offer a sympathetic tale and much encouragement.

Basically, I started on a super cheapo uke as well, but just wanted to live with it for a week or two to see if the whole thing was for me. Here I am, about 2 1/2 months later, and I've graduated to a much better model, and the ability to play about a dozen songs fairly well. My advice is this:

1. Understand that your 'ukulele is not good, and the awful noises you may hear are probably more the fault of the uke than you. But even with that, you should begin to get an idea of how to hold it, how to strum it, etc. And, you should also begin to find out if the desire to continue is there. Let's assume it is.
2. Start saving right now for a better model. Get the absolute best one you can afford. For about $75 or so you can get a decent 'ukulele that will sound much better than what you're playing now. For about $150, you can get a very nice sounding one. If you are serious about continuing, buy the best you can. At the very worst, you'll end up with an 'ukulele that you can have as your "knockabout" one.
3. Practice and realize that this is an incremental process. The first two weeks may be nothing but struggling to hold the uke and forcing your fingers into proper fret positions. But soon you'll hear progress and want to learn more and more. It is easy to get discouraged, but everyone started as a newbie. Everyone. And (from what I can tell), everyone still practices. Everyone.
4. Most importantly, have fun. Enjoy your new hobby, enjoy the journey, and enjoy the entire lifestyle. Every bit of evidence points to the 'ukulele being the most fun, happy, and enjoyable instrument there is. If you're not having fun, you need to take a step back and get yourself in the right place.

So, e komo mai to the club!
 
Long beach Island....I used to take the train to there ...my friend had a greek gyro store on boardwalk...and we used to go fishing for flounder and bluefish with the old guys there..that was fun...
get some Aquila on that baby...MM Stan

i love it there i go every summer :)
 
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