Disposable Uke (throw away)????

artwombat

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 27, 2014
Messages
58
Reaction score
0
Location
Brisbane
What would you buy ???

If you wanted a uke to learn on for a few weeks but then you had to trash it.
 
Catch 22. Anything worth learning on isn't an instrument that I would throw away. REALLY cheap instruments can suffer from really POOR intonation which isn't going to do anything for a learners confidence.

I'm not sure what to suggest although cheap instruments are by and large getting better.

Anthony
 
I can't get past this premise. Why would you "trash" a playable ukulele? Why wouldn't you at least give it away?

Maybe this is your way of asking "what is the best ukulele that is both inexpensive and playable"?

Cindy
 
I know some people buy instruments as props and stuff that will get destroyed while being photographed for filmed.... but they are not really playable. Buy a makala dolphin, put on some nice strings. Have an ok time playing it and when you have to go, GIFT it to someone.

We don't need more trash in the landfills.
 
I know some people buy instruments as props and stuff that will get destroyed while being photographed for filmed.... but they are not really playable. Buy a makala dolphin, put on some nice strings. Have an ok time playing it and when you have to go, GIFT it to someone.

We don't need more trash in the landfills.

:shaka::shaka:
 
So these would be like "burner" phones, only you could really burn them when you're done?!!! Burner Ukes.
Better yet would be ukes to replace/augment the Gideon Bibles.

Or ukes to borrow with book & CD from your library. By the time you have to return them, it is out of your system, or you get your own. . .
 
I don't understand the question.
 
I bought an Applause UA-10 to learn on before I knew anything about ukuleles, and it wasn't inexpensive. But it did sound like crap, especially after I bought a Kanilea deluxe super concert from Music Guy Mic. As a matter of fact, I named it "Dogshit."

But I played it happily every day for three months as I found the joy that the ukulele could bring before I had to "retire" it. But I didn't throw it away, I re-purposed it. And it know has a place of honor in my uke room. It is useful to me every day.


 
I bought an Applause UA-10 to learn on before I knew anything about ukuleles, and it wasn't inexpensive. But it did sound like crap, especially after I bought a Kanilea deluxe super concert from Music Guy Mic. As a matter of fact, I named it "Dogshit."

But I played it happily every day for three months as I found the joy that the ukulele could bring before I had to "retire" it. But I didn't throw it away, I re-purposed it. And it know has a place of honor in my uke room. It is useful to me every day.



This is genius.

As far as a throw away ukulele, how about building one with a large can and some scrap lumber? It probably won't sound or feel very good, but it will be something to use, and you can recycle the parts when you're done.
 
It is not a matter of giving it away it is a matter of it falling apart.!!!!!!

Awwww I knew no one would be satisfied with my lack of detail but here goes .............

The uke will be taken to a remote island on the equator, the humidity is soup, it is very hot and it will be moved about on the island with a lot of tropical rain and fungi growing things in places and on people that you don't want to know about. It will not be in an air conditioned room. It is not difficult to get caught in a tropical down pour and the reason for being there is employment so you can't do things when you choose to, you mostly have to do things when they need to be done or someone says they have to be done.


The actual island and the job I am not at liberty to say but I can assure you that this is a real situation.


The outdoor uke is too expensive landed in Oz and the BUGS GEAR importer in Australia has found that no one he supplies will touch their plastic model so he is not ordering any.

A Bugs Gear plastic could be OK if I can get one into Oz at a reasonable price.

I was also thinking a solid uke might be less likely to de -laminate but there might be an issue on how waterproof the pick up and amp/headphones is.
 
Try a Jack Daniels uke. I play only high end ukes these days but needed something that would likely be trashed on a camping trip. This was cheap and surprisingly good sounding. Nice a sturdy too which is good when your sleeping under the stars and have literally no protection for it. I just strap them to my backpack and go. Your looking at about 100aud. Another option is a bruko ukulele. They're made like a "brick dunny" and sound pretty good. I learnt on one of these. They would probably stand up to a bit more abuse but will cost around 200aud... Good luck.
 
This was my first uke, but in green- and I still play it occasionally:
http://www.amazon.com/BadAax-Sun-Bu...396850818&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=badax+ukulele

I only paid $20 shipped last summer-
it's not just a cheap uke- it plays VERY well- and the fretboard and frets are REALLY nice- better than a lot of entry ukes I think-
the depth is thin, but somehow it has a lot of punch- the strings are remarkably thick flourocarbon-

You woundn't want to throw it away tho- give it to some lucky person- I gave two of them as gifts last Christmas.

Amazon lists several colors- and a different length in inches in every listing- I think they're all standard soprano length actually.
 
Last edited:
artwombat, in light of the new information you've given, may I suggest that if you end up with an inexpensive wooden uke that you spray the inside of the sound box with clear poly. Several very light coats should help protect it from moisture. If it's a laminate top & back, it won't hurt, but you wouldn't do this to a solid top, obviously. I have a uke in which the back & sides are so thin, that I wonder if the inside poly is part of the structure.

Anyway, since you have given a description of the conditions you will be facing, you should know that the best way to protect the uke is dipping it. I recommend a solution of half polyurethane & half sheep dip, with a dash of pyrethrum. :)
 
It is not a matter of giving it away it is a matter of it falling apart.!!!!!!

Awwww I knew no one would be satisfied with my lack of detail but here goes .............

The uke will be taken to a remote island on the equator, the humidity is soup, it is very hot and it will be moved about on the island with a lot of tropical rain and fungi growing things in places and on people that you don't want to know about. It will not be in an air conditioned room. It is not difficult to get caught in a tropical down pour and the reason for being there is employment so you can't do things when you choose to, you mostly have to do things when they need to be done or someone says they have to be done.


The actual island and the job I am not at liberty to say but I can assure you that this is a real situation.


The outdoor uke is too expensive landed in Oz and the BUGS GEAR importer in Australia has found that no one he supplies will touch their plastic model so he is not ordering any.

A Bugs Gear plastic could be OK if I can get one into Oz at a reasonable price.

I was also thinking a solid uke might be less likely to de -laminate but there might be an issue on how waterproof the pick up and amp/headphones is.

So I'm right at the equator with all the horrible things tropical places are accustomed to and I find that a dehumidifier (silica gel beads) works well at keeping fungi away on wet days. The monsoon is just over so it's very hot at the moment with the occasional shower. If you keep your uke in a proper case, it should be fine. A laminate uke in a waterproof gig bag would be better if you're gonna be lugging it around.
 
What about just a little old TV Pal uke. You can get one pretty cheap on ebay. They play okay and are totally plastic and very small :)
 
Thanks for all the great suggestions I am working through to see what is currently available. The Dolphin is around Brisbane in truck-loads but some of the others are not. I am no expert but my mate is happily uking on a new Dolphin with Aquilla, It is good enough to make him happy and it sounds fine to me.

So I will check out all the suggestions thanks everyone.
 
What about a new release Kala Ukadelic? I am not sure about all of them, but the Steam Punk has an ABS back & sides and a laminate top, though the neck is apparently mahogany.
Only thing is they don't seem readily available in Oz, but if you want one, I know someone who has one they want to get rid of (me ;))
 
Top Bottom