Thanks, it sounds much better in this recording. Is it amplified?
The sound in the video sounds a bit muffled which made me wonder.
How would you compare the sound to other tenor ukes unamplified?
Quieter? litte/lot? bright/mellow?
Thanks,
~Paul
I've been shooting my vids with a little camera called The Flip. It's a cool gadget, but the sound is horrible imo. To my ears, the sound has a flangey quality in the vids I've shot with it and dl'd to YouTube.
The recording was made with Zoom H4 using the onboard mics (so the uke is acoustic, not plugged in), and I think it does a better job of capturing the sound. If I get some time in the next few days, I'll try to make a solo uke recording ... I've been working up the bossa nova tune
Hô-Bá-Lá-Lá.
I can't really compare it to other tenors, for this is the only one I've played. I do have a mahog pineapple soprano (also from MGM). The soprano strikes me as being a little more lively acoustically and a bit more responsive.
I tried one for about half an hour. Like any all-laminate instrument, it is not as good acoustically as a solid-wood uke. To me it had a slightly "dead" tone.
The point is that it is not really meant to be primarily an acoustic instrument. It is attempting to imitate the qualities of a jazz guitar (something like a Gibson), and it does this really well.
Kala have come up with a brilliant idea. I'd love to own one.
KEN
Ken, I think your assessment is accurate. I noticed that it sounds a bit better with a pick ... perhaps, like any archtop, this drives the top better than just playing with fingers? I'm on the fence about using a pick.
This uke has a pretty high gloss finish. When I first opened the case, I wasn't too sure if I was going to like it. I have a nylon-string guitar with a similar finish that I'm not totally happy with the sound, but I've used it on tons of gigs and recorded with it (so I guess I got used to it).
I tend to lean towards standards and the Great American Songbook tunes, and I think this uke is a good sound for it -- and aesthetically it is perfect.
Stack.... did you record it acoustically or plugged?
I like the song, btw.
All acoustic, Pippin. I put my Zoom H4 about chin high and hit record. Since I'm getting over a cold, it took about two or three takes just get through without having a coughing fit.
I'm glad you like the song! Not too often does one gets to work
millimeters into a tune about football.
*
As I mentioned, I have a soprano pineapple -- I've had it for about a year. I played it occasionally, but it didn't really speak to me, if you know what I mean. This archtop tenor has really got me stoked. I've been uke-mad for the last month.
Check this out. I've got this old unknown archtop from 1935 (date stamp inside says so) that I've had for around 15 years. This guitar needs some TLC by way of a set up and other things. Eventually, I'll get a shot with it and the uke.