Is the uke bubble bursting?

Tigeralum2001

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Or is that just the sound of some people curing UAS?

I have noticed the marketplace has been busy with a lot of nice ukes at very good prices. Some of them have been hard to sell- several price reductions and weeks before selling. Why is this the case? Is it coincidence or a movement?
 
Oh CJ now I understand your question..is the the buying slowing down..good question

I am close to that..but I will keep what I have and keep playing/practicing more..for me playing the ukulele is not going away..but for me I am at the end of my UAS..for sure..you too right?

but check with me at the end of 2014...lol
 
Yes, I admit my buying has slowed. I can only imagine 2-3 ukes even tempting me, quite frankly. Well, that is at current prices. If there is a fire sale, I might have to be one of those who picks up all of the bargains! I'm a player for life. I almost look forward to the bubble bursting so I can pick up some cheap, nice ukes... Then again, I have some vintage Martins I may need to cash out of while they still command a good price! ;)
 
like I been saying forever,,since you knew me I am keeping all of my ukes and now starting to feel relived that I am going to stop buying soon..and practice more etc..try to focus on the real goal..to play the ukulele better/for real..

so good question CJ I just never thought it out before>> see what the others say..
 
I have just got back from the Frankfurt Musikmesse where I spoke to dealers from all over the world. The latest markets include places like South Africa, Egypt, Russia, Hungary, Israel, Brazil, as well as quite a number of new areas of Asia.

In time, older markets, like the USA and UK, may become saturated with UAS-crazed players as well as those that have found a cure. But the world is still a big place and eventually the whole planet will become infested. But this will take time. Then there's the rest of the galaxy ...
 
If I were a ukulele builder or ukulele company I would be looking into Asia..they are going ukulele crazy,they have the money and they want the best..i know there are problems with shipping to other countries,but the great builders can just use different materials..maybe no abalone and for sure no Brazilian Rosewood

I always wondered if you ship a uke via the airline cargo service do they really check what you are sending if only sending one or two at a time?

I know if you take it on the plane as baggage or carry on ..I can see them questioning you on what is made of..if they even know what they are looking for..

just my 2 cents
 
Yes, it has burst. Case in point; as of March 14th of this year, I had never touched a ukulele. By the 15th, I owned a Pono ATDC. Last Sunday, I bought a mango/cedar tenor MP and sometime after the 22nd of April, I will receive a practicably indestructable polycarbonate uke. I am done.
 
Actually I think the bubble is far from bursting...it is just that ukers want to upgrade and get better ukes, for whatever reasons...why not clear out the less popular ones and
you buy and search again....am I saying there might be some lemons, well maybe....be careful then when buying second hand and choose wisely...
 
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Good points by all. Maybe the English speaking world is slowing down. I hear Asia is white hot. Plus attention span in the US is approaching that of a gnat, and the uke has been on quite a tear. Maybe it is something else's turn?
 
Times are hard, I haven't bought a 'ukulele in over 2 years and sold 2/3rds of my herd
 
The custom builders will always be in demand. The people to ask are the dealers such as Mainland Mike, Mim and Andy K or MGM from HMS. They are the only people who can look back at sales data over the past few years and gauge any increase or falloff in trade.

Be interesting, but ultimately pointless, because it's impossible to say whether a downturn in trade (if there were a measurable drop) was directly connected to the current economic climate.

My guess would be that at the lower end of the market (read "cheaper"), sales would probably be level or even rising, because people will always want to learn to play a musical instrument, regardless of economy, but when money is tight, they will naturally gravitate toward the sub-$ 100/£ 100 Ukes, rather then the mid/upper range Kala's/Ohana's etc.

Please be aware that the validity of my opinion should be judged against the fact that my A-Level Economics studies were characterised by an utter inability to remember what "CBI" was short for.
 
BUT China is RED HOTTTTTTT!!!!

Really? This week I'm here in Xiamen, Fujian (just across the straights from Taiwan) and although I do see a few cheap Chinese-made ukes in every music store when there were none just one year ago, it's nothing like the uke craze we have in Thailand. I'm hoping you're right, however! Have you heard of any big sales in Shanghai or Beijing?
 
I think what you're seeing in the marketplace is the sobering impact that income tax day has on luxuries - it seems to happen every year about this time on our side of the pond... :)

John
 
I think what you're seeing in the marketplace is the sobering impact that income tax day has on luxuries - it seems to happen every year about this time on our side of the pond... :)

Depend on if you get a tax return or not.

I'm stuck with my current inventory unless i get way more serious about playing this ukulele in public. Just very tempted to use one for leading music at church but that might go over like a lead brick. I think I might be able to get away with it if the piano player is absent and the backup piano player (me) decides to play ukulele instead. It's only a couple of songs anyways.
 
Depend on if you get a tax return or not.

I'm stuck with my current inventory unless i get way more serious about playing this ukulele in public. Just very tempted to use one for leading music at church but that might go over like a lead brick. I think I might be able to get away with it if the piano player is absent and the backup piano player (me) decides to play ukulele instead. It's only a couple of songs anyways.

I think everyone that is getting refunds files early and blows their return by February. As 4/15 approaches all you've got left is us folks who are going to owe and don't want to pay up one minute before we absolutely have to...though this year I was pleasantly surprised in that the damage wasn't as bad as usual - of course that was because my alternate sources of income pretty much dried up, so I guess it's not really worth cheering about.

I used my baritone to lead worship when I filled in for our leader while he was out of town a few weeks ago. Puzzled the old folks but all the kids knew what it was. :)


John
 
I believe it is far from bursting as well.
At the Reno Festival I saw many new builders with nice ukuleles.
I saw a lot of folks drooling and many new expensive ukes bought and taken home.
Mya-Moe has almost a year back log. A few years ago our choices for $1,000 + ukes was limited, today our choices are greater,
I believe buyers having more choices are being more selective.
I sold a few high end ukes just because I was not playing them.
I gave away many inexpensive ukes just to spread the ukulele joy.
 
Or is that just the sound of some people curing UAS?

I have noticed the marketplace has been busy with a lot of nice ukes at very good prices. Some of them have been hard to sell- several price reductions and weeks before selling. Why is this the case? Is it coincidence or a movement?

I think many folks (me included) buy a uke to try it. If you don't love it, you sell it. There are lots of great ukes to try. So some great ukes get sold.

Prices are supply and demand driven. Is there more supply, or less demand? While the economy may be improving in the US, I don't think folks have any more money to spend on non-necessities.
 
Ask HMS if the bubble is bursting. They're struggling to get ukes out the door fast enough.
 
Yeah, it is definitely over.

This year I bought a new (but heavily discounted) LoPrinzi koa concert, a used Collings koa tenor, and a used Larrivee mahogany soprano.

No baritones for me, so I have the set, definitely done.

Wait a minute ....... I just watched some videos of people playing resonator ukes, now they look really interesting :drool:
 
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