I want to start...

Red Ruckus

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been wanting to get into this instrument. ive never played an instrument besides a kazoo, and a ukulele seems easier to learn than a guitar. theyre small and conveniently sized. i like this instrument because it makes people smile. you cant frown and listen to ukulele.i saw a "starter" pack at my local Guitar Center...
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40 bucks too! what say you, then?

also... i need to familiarize myself with the music jargon. like i said, im really new to the music scene. i cant read music, but my high school choir teacher says i have a good ear for tone and pitch.... i read a bit of a thread that talked about a ukulele "setup." what is meant by a "setup?"
 
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A setup is a process some sellers put a new ukulele through to address potential playability and sound issues. This link provides details. Some ukuleles, especially lower priced ukes, can benefit significantly from a setup--a setup can sometimes be the difference between a ukulele that is playable and one that is not.

I am not familiar with the "Firebrand" brand of ukulele, so I can't speak to this package, but I suspect that you might be better off investing a bit more for a higher quality ukulele. Maybe someone who has seen or played this ukuele at GC will chime in here.

There are quite a few threads on this board with recommendations for starter ukes, including brands, price ranges, and sellers. I'm sure you are eager to get started, but you might want to take some time to read a few threads, read some reviews of ukuleles on this site and other sites, and learn a bit about what your options are.

That said, as you suspect, ukuleles are great fun! Welcome to the forum!

Cindy
 
"Firebrand" is a name for the ukulele that comes with this kit from this manufacturer(Alfred). like a "First Act" guitar from Walmart. just generic. i may upgrade the strings though. ive been reading alot and folks tend to talk about humidity alot. i live in Houston so its pretty much always above 70% humidity... is this a concern?
 
"Firebrand" is a name for the ukulele that comes with this kit from this manufacturer(Alfred). like a "First Act" guitar from Walmart. just generic. i may upgrade the strings though. ive been reading alot and folks tend to talk about humidity alot. i live in Houston so its pretty much always above 70% humidity... is this a concern?

It's not a concert because I doubt that's a solid wood instrument lol and I think you should start with a better uke. Are you sure you want to stick with the ukulele or are you just trying it out to see if you like it? If you're serious about it, I wouldn't buy it.
 
it is not a concert. its a soprano. i kinda want to try and play an instrument in general. the uke appeals to me mostly because of its size. its convenient. and light enough to put up somewhere like on a shelf when not in use. if i like playing, i will most certainly upgrade. its the learning material that gets me though. reviews say it is very basic stuff, and thats what i need. the only "real" musical instrument i ever played was a "recorder." and that was like 20 years ago.
 
it is not a concert. its a soprano. i kinda want to try and play an instrument in general. the uke appeals to me mostly because of its size. its convenient. and light enough to put up somewhere like on a shelf when not in use. if i like playing, i will most certainly upgrade. its the learning material that gets me though. reviews say it is very basic stuff, and thats what i need. the only "real" musical instrument i ever played was a "recorder." and that was like 20 years ago.

Sorry, I meant "concern". I was referring to you being worried about the humidity. And if you want a cheap starter uke, there are better options for that price that would come with a good setup. If you are looking to buy this one because it comes with learning material, no need to worry about that. This site and the whole internet has PLENTY of free information for you that will help. I learned just from watching youtube videos.
 
I'd look into how well this brand stays in tune, what type of strings they use, things like that. In the under-$100 range you will not get real wood, of course. Your best bet will be to go play it, regardless of your skills. Doesn't matter - it's Guitar Center, and that's why they should have these out on the floor.

I agree with finding the right training material. I spent a considerable amount of time looking for things online, when what really worked best was just a book. I think the advantage of a DVD, though, is that they can help you understand things like tuning and strumming.

With an inexpensive uke, though, you will probably need a decent setup done. That'll cost a few bucks. For me, that was what took my off-the-shelf Lanikai and finally made it playable. It wasn't remotely playable before that! Ouch!

Good luck, and welcome! Take your time, don't rush and try to learn it all in a weekend - it can't be done - and you'll miss some of the fun along the way.

Aloha!
 
this is good!! i feel your correctness about the learning. ive learned so much already... i could invest a little deeper in a nicer piece. i would still have to read and watch alot. i still intend to go to GC and check these things out personally tomorrow... i was surfing the GC website and it turns out theres a used Mitchell MU70 for 50 bucks... worth it?
 
My wife got a Mitchell Baritone there just after Christmas. I was really surprised at how good the tone is. The reviews look good on the soprano. For the price I think it would be a fantastic starter uke.
 
today after work, i will be going to my local GC to handle my first ukulele! i still havent quite made up my mind on what th get though. i will probably just try one out for a bit and educate myself further. i get paid on Saturday anyway. thats probably when i will make my purchase. IM SO EXCITED!!!!!

 
Just play it! You may outgrow it or decide to move on, either way you gave it a go! You may also fall in love and upgrade, keeping this one as your "beater", which is cool too!:shaka:
 
Guitar Center also has a very basic beginner class they hold for free once a month. You don't even need to have your own uke, they will let you borrow one. I would describe myself much like you. I bought a cheap laminate and realized very quickly that I did not like the tone. My opinion is buy the best you can afford now so you don't have to upgrade later. Now if you think this just might be a fad and you may not stick with it then by all means get a cheaper 50 dollar laminate uke. I thought the sound from the Mitchell ukes was acceptable. I bought my uke at GC and went through 3 different ones before I found one I wanted. Each time bumping up to the next level until I ended up with an all solid wood uke. I just loved the sound it made, sweet and mellow. You just don't get that from a laminate uke. However, I think by summer I will end up with a cheaper uke that I can take to the lake and camping so my good one does not get abused. Good luck, it's fun stuff!
 
Here's a YouTube intro to it. Looks like it includes Aquila strings, which are most likely to make the uke sound as good as strings can. The Instructional materials along are worth nearly $20. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhF2WZtwOCQ

Here more on the subject of a "setup.": http://www.theukulelesite.com/ukulele-setup.html

I don't know how "craftsy" you are, but lowering the nut and saddle and smoothing the fret ends of need be, is not rocket science. One of my chief requirements in making any purchase is, "am I getting my money's worth?" Reviews on this pkg aren't bad. If you like uke and get a better one, you will have a "beater", and one on which you can "practice on" to install a pickup, new tuners, or anything else you want to learn how to do to a uke without worrying about messing up your "good one." I bought a little Makai soprano pineapple way back for that purpose.
 
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i went by my local GC today and held a few ukes. i saw the Mitchell there and held it for a while. its not a soprano like i originally wanted, its a concert, but it fits my arms a bit better. im 6'4 so my arms are pretty long. yea. its a Mitchell MU70. used. $50. i like it. im picking it up tomorrow along with a Hal Leonard's ukulele beginners book. probably a cheap tuner as well.
 
i went by my local GC today and held a few ukes. i saw the Mitchell there and held it for a while. its not a soprano like i originally wanted, its a concert, but it fits my arms a bit better. im 6'4 so my arms are pretty long. yea. its a Mitchell MU70. used. $50. i like it. im picking it up tomorrow along with a Hal Leonard's ukulele beginners book. probably a cheap tuner as well.

Congratulations! Hope you have a great time. That's what it is all about.
Try places like Scorpex that have songs with the chords. You will be playing songs in no time.
http://scorpexuke.com/ukulele-songs.html
 
Have fun with it, see where it takes you. I believe everybody around here has more than one uke. Gotta start some where. Enjoy the journey.
 
I GOT IT!!!! its shiny! nice polished look. its a used piece so the black nylon strings are pretty much pre-stretched. i feel the sound is quite full. the whole time i spent in the sound room strumming it wrong i had a smile on my face! i cant wait for my kids to wake up from their nap. im probably gonna watch some youtube videos on holding techniques. see what fits me best and go from there. i realized i dont need a pick to strum. my job as a tire tech have made proper callouses for me.when i strum i feel like this...

Esteban_guitar_300.jpg
 

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