A perspective on UAS if you're willing to do a little horse trading

Soon after I started to attempt to try to play this frustratingly satisfying happy-making instrument I decided I wanted a quality mahogany concert scale that wouldn't break the bank.

I like a relatively bling-free classic looking uke. The Mainland Slotted Head Concert pushed all of my buttons and I thought it was my holy grail. It really kinda was. And I loved everything about it. But I was intimidated by solid wood and its care and my dry, dry, dry winter climate. And it lived in its box with a humidifier.

So what did I do? I traded it straight up for a Mainland Red Cedar/Rosewood Soprano Pineapple. I really liked what I had read and heard about the tonewood combo and I just loved the look of that pretty little thing. Maybe I thought a smaller solid wood uke would be easier to take care of. And it came in a hard case. I don't know. And oh, did it sound great. And ring?!!!! I really loved that uke, but I decided the soprano scale is not for me.

So what did I do? I traded it straight up for a concert neck Tiki Flea. Bulletproof from the take-care-of-it solid wood phobia I had. Absolutely love it. Great sound. No worries. But the string spacing is difficult for me. Half inch apart vs. 3/8 inch on what I'm used to. I've got short stubby fingers.

So what did I do? Sold it... and someone else is all happy and looking forward to new uke day.

Tomorrow my new Mainland CONCERT NECK Red Cedar/Rosewood Soprano Pineapple arrives! Back to solid tonewood and and I think THIS one is the holy grail. For now. We'll see.

MORAL OF THE STORY:

$250 Mainland Slotted Head Concert
$220 Mainland Red Cedar / Rosewood Soprano Pineapple
$225 Tiki Concert Scale Flea
$245 Mainland Concert Neck Red Cedar / Rosewood Soprano Pineapple
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$940 worth of ukes. Enjoyed, evaluated and all but the last one, passed on to happy new owners.

$315 out of pocket includes $65 above what I sold the Flea for. Plus about $20 in postage for shipping.

That much fun and enjoyment of the instruments and the opportunity to refine my preferences ( I love long neck sopranos) and then end up with a uke I'm really, really happy with... as AE says, priceless!

Ahhh...but it's clear you don't suffer from UAS... You suffer from UTS (Ukulele Trying Syndrome). Real UAS is much more expensive and the difference is you'd be out the $940 and be trying to find places for four ukes...

John

Yea, I guess real UAS becomes chronic after you think you know what you want. Because, I'm sure, you never really know what you want.

Well played!


Scooter

OldePhart said:

Ahhh...but it's clear you don't suffer from UAS... You suffer from UTS (Ukulele Trying Syndrome). Real UAS is much more expensive and the difference is you'd be out the $940 and be trying to find places for four ukes...

John

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Eureka!!!! The lightbulb has finally gone off. UTS!!!!Thankyou John, sometimes you just gotta know what it is you're dealing with before you can get the cure eh. O happy day...

Wow, that's some intense research! I don't have UAS (or UTS) anymore. I've found the uke I've always wanted, and we're hopelessly in love! It turned out to be mahogany for me...
I hope you've found your permanent partner, and that you never cheat on her with another uke!

Oh, you monogamists!

I'da kept them all. I fall in love with all mine.

You might as well buy a custom baritone and skip right to the final uke.

coolkayaker1 said:

You might as well buy a custom baritone and skip right to the final uke.

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It's on order

Bill1 said:

An interesting story. Did you take them back to the shop to trade them or sell them in a classifieds thing or by word of mouth?

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Found the 2 traders and 1 buyer right here in the marketplace!