Smitten in North Carolina

I've been lurking here the past several weeks, absorbing all the great information shared in the many forums.

About a month ago I saw the documentary "The Mighty Uke" for the first time. I was already familiar with Arthur Godfrey and Tiny Tim (that should date me!) and have been a fan of Jake Shimakuburo for a couple of years, but this documentary put ukes in a whole new light for me.

After 5 years of frustration trying to teach myself guitar--and acquiring a stable of (mostly Martin) guitars--I was really attracted by all the fun people seemed to be having playing ukes in the film. I never considered it before but now I thought, maybe they are on to something there and maybe I should try it out. This was just a week before my anniversary so my wife obliged me by letting me order a ukulele from eBay.

Well, I am smitten! Not only am I entranced by this instrument, in only a few weeks I'm farther along than after 5 years with the guitar. There is just something about this instrument that makes the whole experience fun and enjoyable, no matter how many times I screw something up. This is just awesome! I've always been interested in music, but only in my "middle years" have I actually decided to try to make music thus the guitars, but after only a few weeks I finally feel like I am making music.

My first uke is an Oscar Schmidt spalted-mango OU7T. I was influenced by its stunning looks and Ukulele Mike's Youtube lessons. I do love it. This weekend I decided I had to find out what a soprano is like so I picked up a Lanakai LU-21 at Guitar Center. Very different, but not bad--especially after I reslotted the nut to drop the action there, and replaced the really bad saddle with a bone one I fashioned from a spare guitar saddle. And I'm already on the lookout for my first solid-wood uke as my Christmas present.

I've really got it bad, too. I'm starting to think about thinning my stable of guitars by selling some off so that I can afford more ukes.

Well, this is long enough. Just had to share my enjoyment and excitement. I've been a longtime member of a similar forum (the Unofficial Marting Guitar Forum) and I'm so glad to find this place.

You'll hear more from me from now on.

Doug

welcome to uu! it's great to see another nc denizen around.

i would highly recommend joining a uke group/club in your area. there's one in charlotte, wilmington and i'm sure there are others.

this site is a great resource for budding enthusiasts.

happy strumming!

Hi Doug! Welcome to UU! You know, I have strummed on the guitar for over 40 years, but I have never encountered a more friendly and accepting group of people than the Ukulele community! It is a totally different world than the usual group of guitar players. Finding people to jam with on guitar is hard. Finding people to jam with on ukulele is easy! The ukulele community is much more social, much more accepting of new people, and a whole lot more fun than you could probably find in the guitar community. Start planning now for the next Ukulele World Congress coming up next June. It will be my first one, but I am really looking forward to it. Maybe I will be able to meet you in person there!

Mike

That's precisely why I love ukulele so much. It's a blast every time you pick it up (including the first time). It's also one on the few things in life that's always fun, even if you're not especially good at it (like *cough*me*cough*, for example) kinda like bowling and pool. Looks like you've got early-onset UAS, there, you'll have quite the collection soon!

Welcome to UU, DougNC! I'm down in Southern Pines. That's a little far from all of the regular jams so I haven't been to many. In addition to the charlotte and wilmington jams mentioned by 3nails4holes, there are also jams in Ashville area and one in Durham. Hope to see you around at one!

Always good to see another NCer, I 'm a newbie as well, but having a ball.

Hi Doug,

Uking is good for the mind (trying to memorize songs), the body (getting those fingers moving faster between chords) and the spirit (you're making happy music!).

Extra to that is is the fascination of different-looking and different-sounding instruments, plus the value of making new buddies who have an interest in how your playing is coming along.

It's a multi-win hobby...AND one you can still do in a power outage!

Another improving beginner in NC,
GT

I had no idea there were so many North Carolinians here. I'm an immigrant from Yankee country--Washington D.C. metro area--who moved to north High Point 4 years ago to escape the rat race. Love NC! Left corporate IT operations management behind for an IT technical position with a not-for-profit healthcare agency. Best decision I ever made, although I could sure use that salary now that I used to make. I will take the trade-off, though.

One of the great things I love here is being only a 1-hour drive from Merlefest every year!

Now I have to seriously think about making the trip to central Indiana next June for the Ukulele World Congress. All those miles driving for just a weekend...I don't know. I'll have to think about that.

Doug

I'll be ... came down from N.VA. in '95.

I haven't seen many on here from the Piedmont. There's a group in Durham? Hmmmmm!

You're closer to Mim's in Charlotte than I am. She's just far enough away from me to discourage a run down just for kicks.

Doug
near Raleigh

<Blinks and looks back and forth between the Dougs> Lol! Cool!! The Durham Jam meets at High Strung Violins and Guitars. They meet on most First and Third Mondays each month. They have a blog but it doesn't get updated regularly.