Dealing with the pangs of UAS

How does one manage it, I wonder? I mean, I've only been a member of the "club" (despite my strict adherence to Groucho's wisdom), and I've already reached my 3rd instrument. And I find myself coveting others on a daily basis.

At first I attributed this phenomenon to the simple premise of desiring a better instrument. My first 'ukulele was a toss-away souvenir that I inherited from my dad (to whom I gave it to initially). After finding my interest piqued with that one (which I've subsequently given to a nephew), I went and got a real 'ukulele - the Luna Concert Tattoo laminate.

It looked, felt, and sounded better. But it couldn't have been more than a day or so before I found myself looking to upgrade again. I got very lucky, and a few weeks after getting that Luna, I found the aNueNue solid koa tenor.

Now I don't even look at the Luna anymore. The difference in sound, construction, and looks is like the difference between a fingerpainting done by a spasmodic possum and Picasso's Guernica.

Yet here I am, maybe two weeks after getting the aNueNue (which I really really love), and I'm already planning strategy for picking up a status-symbol 'ukulele. Either a Kamaka or KoAloha, or maybe spending a bit more for a custom by Pete over at Pohaku Ukulele.

What is this madness? I can only play one at a time, right? I can justify it easily enough. Different sizes have different sounds, as do different woods and different makers. And, I can keep one tenor as low G and the other with traditional tuning. But really, it comes out sounding like the sort of blah blah blah addicts use when they talk about using.

Is there a way to tame this, or is it just part of embracing the 'ukulele? And will getting one of the Ks, or the custom finally cure it, or is it something that keeps coming at you, no matter what? Or is this just one of those things that hits when one first dives into the lifestyle, and that will start to ease off as time goes by?

I guess I just need to know if I have to prepare a bunch of explanations to give the wife when I come back with more and more 'ukuleles. Thankfully, she thinks this is a good hobby

My friend,
my answer (by now) for this is:
"how much it takes to last your curiosity for new sounds, or your money..."
I'm in the 15 months of UAS, and have had more than 30 ukuleles until this configuration I have today.
Good luck with your UAS! I hope to have healed with my Kamaka tenor I bought yesterday (although it has not yet arrived)...

PoiDog, have you seen the thread about "The One"? You might find some of those musings helpful.

I've bought a grand total of seven ukes since I started playing a couple years ago. I've kept four. Never had the UAS to get "one of every new thing that comes out" or even one of every size; for me each acquisition (and deaccession) was a matter of learning what I was looking for in an instrument. I *think* I've finally found it.

PoiDog said:

I guess I just need to know if I have to prepare a bunch of explanations to give the wife when I come back with more and more 'ukuleles. Thankfully, she thinks this is a good hobby

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Well, a good wife will recognize your hobbies and understand.

Honestly, look at something like golf, where playing a single round costs you as much as a lower-end uke.

Then, understand what she likes to spend on as well. Maybe she likes to buy handbags or shoes or cookbooks and kitchen gadgets. Whatever.

I was in Guitar Center last weekend and was noodling on a Luna Tattoo Tenor that was something like $70 and it was pretty nice for very little money... sounded good... easy to play. I could have easily just bought it and had another uke. But the truth is, I like my tenors so much more that it wouldn't be long before I didn't play it. So I walked. I bid on the carbon fiber tenor today, but I knew it would end up north of $500 and I wasn't able to play it so I talked myself out of going for it. Got up and left the house until it was over. Same thing with the pallet tenor a few weeks ago... although that one is going to end up on my got-away list.

My point is that there will always be UAS, but to keep from have a house full of ukuleles and a bank account full of holes, I need to put a lot of thought in my UAS. I have to look at a ukulele as where it will fit in with my other ukes and will it be unique enough for me to take it out and play after the aquisition high over.

I think you are correct in going after a Kamaka or KoAloha, because then you'll have a quality ukulele to compare when looking at future ukuleles.

John

You may have to work the UAS Twelve Step Program developed by another UU'er:
Step 1: Buy 11 ukes
Step 2: Admit you are powerless over ukuleles
Step 3: Start over with Step 1 again.

PoiDog said:

I guess I just need to know if I have to prepare a bunch of explanations to give the wife when I come back with more and more 'ukuleles. Thankfully, she thinks this is a good hobby

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13 Ukes in our house in less than a year...
Just go with it, and remind yourself you married the right girl

hello, my name is dave...i started playing the "ukulele" one year ago. since then i have bought 13 ukes. 2, for my sons..well, i bought a fluke, didn't really 'gel' with it, and gave it to my oldest son, 12, and then bought a $30. soprano for my other, younger son..9, mainly to justify me buying more for me! ( and trying out a soprano!) but!..i really , really like uke playing! and now have a good smattering of good ukes in their various sizes! soprano ukes are fun, but just not really for me, not coordinated enough to play clean...thought tenors would be "the" uke for me..but have realized concerts are my true uke. i have a cheapo tenor at work that i can goof around with and not worry about if it is damaged, though for a $50. uke, it has turned out to be a good player. i scored on a kamaka concert on ebay, it has become my go to uke. i bought my wife a oscar schmidt concert, really, she wanted to learn! and, i am awaiting a mainland red cedar concert that i used my birthday money to get.....i try to keep them all in tune, and play all of them once in a while..
it's a nice hobby, i will never be jake or julia nunes, or ken, or jeeper, or any of the amazing people i have seen here.....but that's okay.. it's fun. and, i have extras in case friends stop over and need to play..and then see why they should start getting into the uke. i guess i'm like a uke pusher. have fun! 12 is a good number to have...for now.....

Like I tell everyone, all it takes is a little self control. Do you really NEED a new instrument? Will that little brand on the headstock of your new instrument make you happier? We all grow accustomed to the material possessions in our lives, even very expensive things. You will grow accustomed to your future Koaloha/Kamaka/etc and search for the next one afterward.

Basically, just prioritize and ask yourself if you really need a new instrument.

i was a guitar person from 12 to 25...then life intervened, wife, job, kids,...life...didn't play anything for 25 years...until last year. no, i don't "need" a new instrument, but now, time, and a a new view on things brought me to the ukulele...and in the few months of playing..i do "get"..that you get what you pay for...and i am not taking food out of my kids mouths for my hobby...but i do see the restraint one ought to take with any new fascination,...that being said,...just as an appreciation of knowledge of business, or art, or history, or whatever is that might stimulate ones creative juices to start, ...and as an old man, to get them to start flowing again, is worth the price of what one can afford. any way...have fun with what you can do...all good!

I conquered my UAS by learning how to build them

I'm only relatively new, but I don't really understand the whole UAS thing.

I started on a cheapo £20 ukulele to see if I could actually learn to play and love it. I did, so I went and bought a good quality ukulele that I have fallen in love with. I've gotten into the groove with this one, gelled with the way it feels, the string height, weight balance, etc... To be honest if it broke and I was in the market for another ukulele, I'd probably buy another of the same!



This is the second best answer so far:

zac987 said:

Like I tell everyone, all it takes is a little self control. Do you really NEED a new instrument? Will that little brand on the headstock of your new instrument make you happier? We all grow accustomed to the material possessions in our lives, even very expensive things.

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But this is the best:

Nixon said:

I conquered my UAS by learning how to build them

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I started on a cheap £12 Ukulele of no brand name, upgraded to an Ohana which was around £50 then a week later to a Luna Tattoo Pineapple Soprano for around £60, then took a long break, got gifted a KPK Soprano, my first solid and was happy with my four for a while, then decided I wanted an Eleuke because of the electric side, couldn't get one in the UK without paying huge custom charges so settled on a Tanglewood Acoustic/Electric for around £100 and now have an Eleuke on the way which is more money than I want to admit, but my Dad is paying for it. I still play all my Ukes, except the £12 one because she buzzes and I can't seem to fix it, need a luthier and to be honest think it would cost too much to fix her because of how little I paid for her.

My point? I've been playing 11 months at the end of July and I'm on to number 6, but I still play them ALL (except for Astrid) and use them all, eventually if I "outgrow" the entry models then I'll sell them, but for now they still appear in my rotation, sure I have my go to Uke, Hope or Hoa (Tanglewood or KPK) but I know that Sopranos are my size and see no point in having one of every size if I won't play them, and yes I drool over other people's acquisitions, and love them and wish I had them, and I'll drool over eBay and such, but I know I can't afford them nor do I NEED them so I deal with the UAS pangs by admiring but if I'm tempted to buy, I have to justify it to myself financially and other ways and if I can't, I don't bid.

Hope that helps

I think UAS is different for every person, so everything I say here applied to me and might not apply to anyone else.

It took a few years for my UAS to settle down after I started playing ukulele. I went through about 20 ukes (although I never had more than 5 at a time). I'd always sell and look for something prettier/better sounding/higher quality. My UAS eventually kicked the bucket when I got *the uke* I'd always been dreaming about. Now I have just that one and couldn't be happier. I think in the early stage of playing that it's natural to want to move up in instrument quality as your playing skills increase. I think UAS can easily get out of hand, to where you have more ukes than you know what to deal with; however, I think you'll know if your UAS is getting unreasonable. It might help to have a "sell one, then buy one" policy to keep the number of ukes in check.

The 'sell one, buy one' policy is great Nat. That's the one I've adopted now. Working so far.

eugene ukulele said:

The 'sell one, buy one' policy is great Nat. That's the one I've adopted now. Working so far.

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Eugene, it's the only way I was able to justify bringing in more ukes. And it was easier on my pocketbook as well. Plus it's nice to send a uke on to a person whom you know will appreciate it a lot more. I get a pretty good high from reading other people's "New uke day" threads here. Also, I just sold my two Kamakas and was almost as anxious for them to arrive as the buyers were. When I heard they were both happy with their Kamakas, I was thrilled.

I pretty much agree with Natalie and Jane. I just started playing the uke 11 months ago and.... I don't know for sure how many I have bought and sold, a dozen maybe. I am uncomfortable having more in the house then I actually enjoy playing but the buying and selling is part of my learning process and figuring out what I like and what personally works for me. I need to live with a uke to get to know it. I think even if we had a large assortment in local music stores I still would need to bring them home and get to know them. I don't think I have found my "the one" yet but have a pretty clear idea what the one needs to be. Or maybe I am not just a one uke sort of girl. I am pretty happy with the Black Bear Soprano and the Kamaka Pineapple right now. And I just love the Mainland brand and bought my Mainlands at such great prices from UU marketplace that I have no burning desire to sell them. I will some day though, to fund the "one"!

Wow, loads of really great insight into this. Thanks for the perspective.

I think my initial addiction was (at least partially) fueled considerably by the sheer fun I was having after I committed myself to the uke. That and the fact that once I got hooked, I really did want to get an instrument that had some quality and that I just liked to hear. My wandering eyes and covetous nature have been significantly diminished with the aNueNue, which is good. It seems that now that I have a "big boy" 'ukulele I'm much happier.

Thankfully, I've got enough sense not to have to go into hock just to get the status-symbol model. I still plan on getting a top-shelf 'ukulele, but only after I've saved enough in my special fund. I'm almost halfway to affording one and figure that I've got another six months or so before I have the cash to walk into a store and get it.

The sell one - buy one model seems like a really sound way to go, and I would do that, except I think I will give away my Luna to a niece / nephew / godchild instead. I figure I might acquire more karma by passing on the gift of uking, instead of using that to further enable my own joy.

Mahalo nui loa for all the comments, guys!

I'd say I suffer from the significantly less costly VUAS (virtual ukulele acquisition syndrome) where I spend way too much time in forums, at online stores, listening to sound samples on YouTube, etc. planning my next purchase. I've been "planning" for several months now.