willie wixom vs Da Silva

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BIGDB

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i just put a deposit on a willie wixom and i was thinking is it worth me saving more money and getting a da silva or mya moe or are willie wixoms good for the price?


thanks
 
Its your call. Speak with the various builders and get some feedback from them. Go with whoever you like.
 
Aloha,
I own a Wixom and I love mine, but it's YOUR call and your MONEY.
Good luck..........................BO........................
 
I own a Da Silva and 2 Mya-Moe's.
All are excellent, I have never regretted buying any of them.
 
Seems like you are comparing apples to oranges...however, it's your call like everyone is saying
 
I seriously doubt that anyone will come on here and say one is better than the other. So maybe you can try to look at some facts that you can compare. Both Mya Moe and DaSilva have been making ukes for quite a bit longer than Willie, and they have more experience (both have built hundreds). Wixoms are far more inexpensive than Mya Moes and DaSilvas, but the Wixom fanbase is pretty enthusiastic about their instruments. Of the three, DaSilva has the most experience making artistically unusual ukes (see matt dahlberg's uke). Mya Moe has an incredibly impressive selection of diverse woods.... I know Dasilva has an awesome batch of Koa, but I don't think he dabbles in as many woods as Mya Moe.
 
It's the player, not the instrument.

The better the player, the more accurate the statement above is... IMHO, for a newbie or a less-skilled player, a better instrument helps tremendously:

1. It's easier to play. Better action, intonation, etc.
2. It sounds better (tone, sustain, volume)
3. It's an investment (which tends to up my commitment level)

It's like trying to learn golf with junk clubs or tennis with a lousy racket. The better equipment won't make you a better player, but it will take some of the discouragement out of the equation.

In terms of the OP, it is difficult to compare the relative values of custom instruments. I'm in line for a Mya-Moe and quite happy with my decision. But I've seen some fine pictures of WW in this forum...


Best,
rocko
 
i disagree with some of your statement. i might represent a minority here in my opinion but i learned how to play the guitar on the crappiest classical guitar ever built. the action was 1/4" at the nut among others . my tiny fingers was raw every practice. that didnt discouraged me one bit. in fact, it did the complete opposite. another thing i noticed is alot of newbie players tend to get so caught up in the idea that an expensive instrument will always sound better. that really really anoys me beacuse its a complete baloney. like the other post had said ' int not the instrument, its the player".
if you want a good investement go buy gold bars.


The better the player, the more accurate the statement above is... IMHO, for a newbie or a less-skilled player, a better instrument helps tremendously:

1. It's easier to play. Better action, intonation, etc.
2. It sounds better (tone, sustain, volume)
3. It's an investment (which tends to up my commitment level)

It's like trying to learn golf with junk clubs or tennis with a lousy racket. The better equipment won't make you a better player, but it will take some of the discouragement out of the equation.

In terms of the OP, it is difficult to compare the relative values of custom instruments. I'm in line for a Mya-Moe and quite happy with my decision. But I've seen some fine pictures of WW in this forum...


Best,
rocko
 
i disagree with some of your statement. i might represent a minority here in my opinion but i learned how to play the guitar on the crappiest classical guitar ever built. the action was 1/4" at the nut among others . my tiny fingers was raw every practice. that didnt discouraged me one bit. in fact, it did the complete opposite. another thing i noticed is alot of newbie players tend to get so caught up in the idea that an expensive instrument will always sound better. that really really anoys me beacuse its a complete baloney. like the other post had said ' int not the instrument, its the player".
if you want a good investement go buy gold bars.

While I admire your tenacity for learning on a poor instrument, I'd be hard-pressed to recommend to anyone that they learn on a poor instrument when they have the means to acquire a quality instrument. I do agree that a quality instrument need not be expensive, and doubly agree that it is not true that an expensive instrument will always sound better (although I don't see anybody claiming that-- it would be sort of a silly claim).

With musical instruments, as with many things, "quality" is a specious term. At certain levels, "quality" has more to do with preferences than absolutes. For example, I own a fairly expensive guitar. I didn't buy it because it's expensive, I bought it because it fit me better than any guitar I had ever played, and the price was more than worth it for me. I've played $20,000 guitars that I wouldn't pay $100 for because they didn't suit me. It's not right/wrong, better/worse; it's fit and preference.

Is figured wood, fancy inlay, etc. worth the price? Obviously it is to some people, since they buy it. For some folks, the visual impact of the instrument is an important factor. Others treat them as tools, and prefer a more functional look. Not right or wrong, but perference.

For the OP: at a certain level, nobody can tell you what you want; they can only relate their experiences with a certain instrument and help you make the decision as to whether or not that's the experience you want.
 
WW vs DaS???? Like, in a world-title fight? Now that'd be worth seeing on the UWC stage next year... :p
 
WW vs DaS???? Like, in a world-title fight? Now that'd be worth seeing on the UWC stage next year... :p

I don't want Mike and Willie to come to blows, so I put Mike DaSilva and Willie Wixom in googlefight.com. DaSilva won handily, 58,900 to 2,680.

There. Now it's settled.

:)

By the way, why did you have to make me go to the DaSilva web site? The spruce over myrtle concert he has up there is sweeter than sweet.
 
i disagree with some of your statement. i might represent a minority here in my opinion but i learned how to play the guitar on the crappiest classical guitar ever built. the action was 1/4" at the nut among others . my tiny fingers was raw every practice. that didnt discouraged me one bit. in fact, it did the complete opposite. another thing i noticed is alot of newbie players tend to get so caught up in the idea that an expensive instrument will always sound better. that really really anoys me beacuse its a complete baloney. like the other post had said ' int not the instrument, its the player".
if you want a good investement go buy gold bars.

I admire your tenacity as well. I would guess more people quit learning out of frustration with the instrument.
Most beginners don't know about intonation or action, they just think they suck at playing.
Learners can get a nice instrument for learning for less than $100.

Customs are a different story.
 
The better the player, the more accurate the statement above is... IMHO, for a newbie or a less-skilled player, a better instrument helps tremendously:

1. It's easier to play. Better action, intonation, etc.
2. It sounds better (tone, sustain, volume)
3. It's an investment (which tends to up my commitment level)

It's like trying to learn golf with junk clubs or tennis with a lousy racket. The better equipment won't make you a better player, but it will take some of the discouragement out of the equation.

In terms of the OP, it is difficult to compare the relative values of custom instruments. I'm in line for a Mya-Moe and quite happy with my decision. But I've seen some fine pictures of WW in this forum...


Best,
rocko
Where did you come up w/the name rocko?
 
To unhijack this thread (cyberfights between luthiers and whether it's possible to learn on a crappy instrument are legitimate, interesting and fun topics, but neither of those discussions is really helping to address the OP's specific question).

I read the OP's initial post as asking not to compare the ukuleles directly, but to compare their relative value, as the OP acknoledged that to buy something other than a Wixom would require saving more money that has already been saved for the Wixom. In other words, is a Wixom a better value at $600 than a Mya-Moe is at $1,200 or a DaSilva is at whatever Mike's charging these days? What I'd say in response to that question is that there are too many personal variables, so it really depends on what kind of ukulele you envision having. For example, Wixoms seem to be a bit heavier than Mya-Moes (which are noted for their lightness) and DaSilva ukes. If you get a Wixom uke for $600 that some might believe is worth $800 on the open market, is it really a value if you wanted a lighter uke? In addition, there's the experience of working with the builder. Mya-Moe would be the first to tell you that it builds "made-to-order" ukes; that is, you can choose along some parameters, like what wood to use, whether to get a slotted headstock, and which tuners and strings to get, but not among others, like the bracing, body size and shape, etc. I'd use this as a basic guide: If you want to get a custom uke without paying what are generally considered to be custom prices, you may prefer a Wixom. If you want a high end custom uke, you should talk with Mike DaSilva. if you want a hig end uke that isn't quite custom but has a great reputation, get a Mya-Moe. The best value for you is the ukulele that meets your expectations for both the instrument itself and the level of involvement you want to have in its design. Good luck, and let us know what you decide!
 
Stick with your Wixom. You won't regret it. And as far as options go, Willie will let you pick any wood you want and will do any design you want. I wouldn't trade my wixom for a mya moe and DaSilva. Not because they aren't quality ukes but because my wixom is uniquely mine. I haven't seen another like mine. Also I was able to get a 5A Koa set at a 60 dollar upgrade charge...are you kidding me? So much curl in this thing I dare not stare at it for too long. If your not satisfied with your willie you can always sell it and invest in a DaSilva. And if your not satisfied with the DaSilva you can sell it. eventually you will find what your after. One of the nice things is that these builders ukes seem to retain their value. Better than the stock market!
-JC
 
Who is Willie Da Silva anyway? What is a google fight? My Oh Moe!
 
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