UAS progression

So about 6 month's ago I buy a yellow Mahalo on a whim when picking up strings for one of my son's bass and a mute for another of my son's trumpet.

The Mahalo sellers learned a good lesson from street drug dealers. The first hit is free or close enough that you do it anyway.

One month after my first taste, I need more. Painted plywood is just not doing it for me anymore. I want a taste of the real stuff. I get in touch with the legendary MGM and get hooked up with a KALA KA ST.

Bliss.

For about 5 months.

But I am ever curious about better things. I see and listen to Jake and Aldrine playing Kamakas, I see and listen to Ken Middleton's awesome reviews of the mighty Kanile'a, I hear the wispers of the mighty Martin's and Gibsons's of days gone by.

I once again hunger for more.

Last night I sucombed and purchased a Kanile'a K1 tenor. I am getting in deeper and deeper and using progressively harder and harder stuff.

Is there an end to this madness?

Waterguy said:

....
Is there an end to this madness?

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Nope. But it's a good madness.

Waterguy said:

So about 6 month's ago I buy a yellow Mahalo on a whim when picking up strings for one of my son's bass and a mute for another of my son's trumpet.

The Mahalo sellers learned a good lesson from street drug dealers. The first hit is free or close enough that you do it anyway.

One month after my first taste, I need more. Painted plywood is just not doing it for me anymore. I want a taste of the real stuff. I get in touch with the legendary MGM and get hooked up with a KALA KA ST.

Bliss.

For about 5 months.

But I am ever curious about better things. I see and listen to Jake and Aldrine playing Kamakas, I see and listen to Ken Middleton's awesome reviews of the mighty Kanile'a, I hear the wispers of the mighty Martin's and Gibsons's of days gone by.

I once again hunger for more.

Last night I sucombed and purchased a Kanile'a K1 tenor. I am getting in deeper and deeper and using progressively harder and harder stuff.

Is there an end to this madness?

Click to expand...

I thought there was an end after I got my Kamaka. (With only owning a Lanakai, Applause and Fluke before hand)

One Amigo Baritone, Tiki Flea, Bugsgear, G-String, Custom MP Soprano and now a Ko'olau later I think the light that I saw at the end of the tunnel was just some light reflecting off my next uke.

There is absolutely no end to the madness. Luthiers will always find ways of improving and experimenting with the ukulele and there are so MANY different ukueles in the world that you just wanna try more and more and more and more.........and so on forever. Just look at deach. he has so many that he gives them away so other people can feel that,"holy crap the ups guy is here!" feeling! Playing, collecting, and enjoying ukuleles is a never ending procees with uncountable possibilities. Its good that you started man. Be warned, this ride will never stop. So keep your hands inside the ride at all times, fasten your seatbelt, and enjoy the ride.


(im done with my shpeal now xD)

thejumpingflea said:

Custom MP Soprano

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Would love to see some photos of your custom MP soprano jumpingflea!

You just have to scratch that itch...

Then you start making excuses... A Koa Soprano and a Mahogany in satin and in a gloss finish, now let look at some inlays ooh yea .... but Yea I still like the plain look... another one is ok I don't have a problem.... They are woodworks of art yea thats it....if I have 2 of the same I can test the sound of strings....

Wow look at that Mango Tenor,,,, wait MGM has a new thin body Kala Soprano.....

It just goes on and on... one fix needed after another.... it's not excuses It's a reason they are different... like your shoes....

go koaloha!

As a former 12 stepper.....Yes it never ends...We must realize that
1) we are powerless over our uke addiction and that our buying has become unmangageble
2) Came to believe that the uke God will enventually cure all our UAS
3) Made a decision to turn everything we own into ukuleles
4) Made a searching and fearless inventory oif all our ukes
5) Admitted to God and our spouses that we had to turn all our attention to the uke
6) became entirely ready to sell all the ukes we dont use on ebay or craigslist
7) Humbly sold all those ukes and turn the money over to our spouse
8)Made a list of all ukers that you had gotten to good a deal from in acquiring ukuleleles and were ready to make amends to them
9)Return all underpaid for ukulele to them unless it would injure yourself or others in the process
10) Continue to take inventory oif our ukes and when we had toomany be ready to part with it
11) sought thru practice and daily playing to improve our conscious contact with the ukulele
12) having had the spirit of Aloha now instilled in us thru the ukulele try to spread the knowledge of the JOY OF UKE and practice these pricipals daily (in other words Deach somebody LOL)

I like to imagine that I've got my UAS under temporary control with the four nice instruments I've currently got. Two concerts and two sopranos. It's manageable and I can have a different one in each room I frequently inhabit so they all get played regularly. (I've got a Koaloha in my lap as I type this) They cover a good range to suit my playing mood.

But there's still three more that I'll have to eventually get to fulfill my current UAS aspirations. A nice Hawaiian vintage (probably a Kumalae and I'm gonna have to play it before I buy it.), a banjo uke and finally a custom made especially for me.

I also try and tell myself that I'll wait until we go visit the in-laws on Oahu before I get another. (I mean, it would be silly to bring a uke to Hawaii. I'll have to pick one up there to play while we're visiting.)

But that also doesn't mean that I don't still daily browse Ebay listings. I'm only human and infinitely weak in the face of a really good deal.

I may succumb.
Probably will.
I'm OK with that.

See these folks for help. Ask them about their "12 Frets Program".

I just received my third ukulele last night. While I love all three, it's sheer muscle memory that makes me open up MGM's eBay store in the first five minutes of using the internets.

I'll let you know how duct-taping a sliver of koa wood to myself as a makeshift patch works out.

haole said:

I just received my third ukulele last night. While I love all three, it's sheer muscle memory that makes me open up MGM's eBay store in the first five minutes of using the internets.

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Amen!

haole said:

I'll let you know how duct-taping a sliver of koa wood to myself as a makeshift patch works out.

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lol!!!!!

You can only hope that maybe your time between flare ups with lengthen as your collection grows.

I had to stop at 11 ukes in 6 months.....there was no food in the house and the kids were getting hungry.....seriously.