Cause of UAS.

Icelander53

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It just occurred to me this minute what a major cause of UAS is. It's posting here on these forums.

Discuss please!
 
Maybe for you lol, but for me its the internet as a whole, its so easy to acquire them online. Also ukuleles are relatively cheap compared to guitars. Its so easy to acquire three to four of them at the cost of one decent guitar. At least thats the excuse I use to fund my UAS, lol. I've gotten into a habit lately to take old mandolins, putting uke strings on them and then adding a pickup, so now I have even more options for my UAS lol. it doesnt help that I've always been a collector though, used to collect comics and cards when I was young so this is just a natural extension for me.
 
It just occurred to me this minute what a major cause of UAS is. It's posting here on these forums.

Discuss please!

You my friend have discovered the sole reason for all GAS = Gear Aquisition Syndrome, repeated exposure to a stimulus. This is how all addictions start out and are maintained. I just came back from a weeks vacation and had no desire to buy anything. But once back at home spent most of yesterday surfing the web in a fit of uke luste. I went through the same thing with golf. I have a basement full of clubs to prove it.:rolleyes:

It is usually fueled with buying less expensive used equipment. I can somehow rationalize buying three items at $350.00 but a single purchase of $1000.00 is too much. I did finally stop with the golf equipment by purchasing top of the line equipment fit to me and realized I could not BUY a game with more stuff.
 
It's why I own about 8 pair of expensive binoculars. Once I quit posting on the forums I quit buying. That was many thousand too late.
 
I agree that roaming through the listings and posting here does keep my appetite whet, but after a strong run the first six months buying eight under $200 ukes, I've learned enough now to slow down a lot. I traded three of those for one nice Kala, and I ordered a semi-custom a couple of weeks ago, and I already gifted one other and will very likely sell one or two more.

If the semi-custom comes out well, I'll order a full custom from the same builder, and judging by my NUS (Nikon acquisition syndrome) where I stopped when I had the complete setup I needed for my photo work (pro gigs), I think I know myself well enough to say I will not need to buy anything more (famous last words).
 
I agree. You are ALLLLLLLLLLLL enablers. Shame on you.

Absolutely. When I first got interested in ukulele and wanted to get one, this is where I ended up that very first night and I read and read and read. Woods, sizes, strings, sustain, warm sound, traditional sound.... I was instantly sucked in and assimilated. But, there are worse things that I could be sucked into, right? This forum and the ukulele is a blessing in my life. Definitely. So, enable on, my soul needs it!



Editing to add: YouTube was and is the secondary gateway to UAS for me. The sound samples. People talking lovingly about a brand or size. All the lovely sounds coming from so many lovely instruments....
 
It just occurred to me this minute what a major cause of UAS is. It's posting here on these forums.

Discuss please!

The uke already is an offbeat interesting instrument which it drew me too plus it's hollow bright sound (soprano-tenor) and its mellow soft tropical sound (baritone) brings people in. Now wanting more and more its the search for a new sound i think, each tonewood is different each uke has a new sound, resonator (totally new experience which im yet to experience but im dying for), if you only play soprano trying a new size is exciting, its a brand new voice, trying an electric ukulele is a new crazy experience that opens up ukulele players to a new world. There is such much to be said but in short its all about the desire for something different and adding a new sound to your musical arsenal.
 
I don't think the forums create UAS, but they sure help me find stuff that feeds my UAS!
 
I don't think the forums create UAS, but they sure help me find stuff that feeds my UAS!

for me i see stuff on the forum i'll never afford, like a national resonator uke, a risa LP tenor/soprano
and any kamaka and i want to cry :( so i feed my uas with cheap ukuleles i can afford. I know the search
would be over for me, if i could obtain a few different types of high end ukes, but at this point in my minimum wage life
and the age i am and still not making any money i don't see myself affording any of these gems.
 
I don't think the forums create UAS, but they sure help me find stuff that feeds my UAS!

This. And the search for "your" sound, the personal holy grail of sound, size, playability, materials. That and the whole "well there's always one better..." Which of course there is, but seriously, we must take time to play. Because as a previous poster stated, more stuff can't buy you a game, or here, make you a better player.

And yet we search on!
 
This. And the search for "your" sound, the personal holy grail of sound, size, playability, materials. That and the whole "well there's always one better..." Which of course there is, but seriously, we must take time to play. Because as a previous poster stated, more stuff can't buy you a game, or here, make you a better player.

And yet we search on!

Thanks for quoting me on "more stuff can't buy a game" or make you a better player. The problem with ukes is this............better sounding ukes make even your mistakes sound better. Right there is reason to buy high end instruments. I am doomed, so are many others who are just now pondering that last statement;) Misery loves company, fools seldom differ, bright minds think alike......take your pick.
 
for me i see stuff on the forum i'll never afford, like a national resonator uke, a risa LP tenor/soprano
and any kamaka and i want to cry :( so i feed my uas with cheap ukuleles i can afford. I know the search
would be over for me, if i could obtain a few different types of high end ukes, but at this point in my minimum wage life
and the age i am and still not making any money i don't see myself affording any of these gems.

You know, it's funny; I'm one of those who has been fortunate enough to acquire some of my "holy grail" instruments. And while some of them are really spectacular, I get the same amount of pleasure from playing a more modest uke. There are definitely folks on this forum who acquired a Moore Bettah or a DeVine or what have you, and that was it; they never wanted another uke. For me, I enjoy variety and the thrill of the hunt, and I imagine I will always be like that.

The other thing I'll observe is I used to be as enthusiastic about mandolins as I am now about ukes, and acquired a pretty impressive collection. Over the years, as my mandolin playing fell off, I felt silly having so many, and sold most of them off. The three I kept were neither the most expensive nor the fanciest; they are the ones that I most enjoyed playing, period. Well, okay, one of them is pretty darn fancy, but it sounds sooo good!
 
You know, it's funny; I'm one of those who has been fortunate enough to acquire some of my "holy grail" instruments. And while some of them are really spectacular, I get the same amount of pleasure from playing a more modest uke. There are definitely folks on this forum who acquired a Moore Bettah or a DeVine or what have you, and that was it; they never wanted another uke. For me, I enjoy variety and the thrill of the hunt, and I imagine I will always be like that.

The other thing I'll observe is I used to be as enthusiastic about mandolins as I am now about ukes, and acquired a pretty impressive collection. Over the years, as my mandolin playing fell off, I felt silly having so many, and sold most of them off. The three I kept were neither the most expensive nor the fanciest; they are the ones that I most enjoyed playing, period. Well, okay, one of them is pretty darn fancy, but it sounds sooo good!

my dream ukes are
a national resonator concert
kamaka baritone
risa lp tenor and soprano
a Martin soprano and tenor ( used
to own a Martin soprano but I sold it
when I was short on rent some years ago
still am upset over it).

hopefully one day I'll make enough money
to afford the ukes I want.
 
I think there are 'false positives' for UAS, and then the real thing.

The real thing, for me, was finding instruments that either offered some additional variety, so that my playing as well as learning advanced, and finding instruments that seemed to add to my abilities by their quality. I have reached that point now, so I feel like my UAS is in remission, at worse.

In fact, I had a target instrument on my "acquire" list which came up in the Marketplace. A smaller tax return caused me to have to back out of the deal early on. But I have found that my hands are full with playing the instruments I have now, so I am actually grateful that I didn't get that one. Plenty of time when I am looking for a new stimulus.

The "fake" UAS happens at least once a week in the Marketplace, where I see a uke that is just gorgeous. But then I remember that I already have a bunch that I already love.
 
This. And the search for "your" sound, the personal holy grail of sound, size, playability, materials. That and the whole "well there's always one better..." Which of course there is, but seriously, we must take time to play. Because as a previous poster stated, more stuff can't buy you a game, or here, make you a better player.

And yet we search on!

Thank you! I think what fuels mine more than hanging out on UU is visiting B&M stores, seeing what my firends are playing that's new, and going to TBUG, our festival....got my 1st taste of UAS at TBUG....I drooled everywhere, my eyes bugged, and I couldnt stop blathering "gimmie, gimmie".
 
Thank you! I think what fuels mine more than hanging out on UU is visiting B&M stores, seeing what my firends are playing that's new, and going to TBUG, our festival....got my 1st taste of UAS at TBUG....I drooled everywhere, my eyes bugged, and I couldnt stop blathering "gimmie, gimmie".

That's actually my excuse - because that's exactly what it is - for not going to uke festivals! That is something waiting to happen. I was going to say an accident, but that's not it. I think many of you know what I mean, even if the word escapes me just now. :eek:
 
If you resist it for long enough I promise it will be cured! Ah... who am I kidding, it'll be back as quick as it left.
 
I have to say that in the short time that I have been playing the ukulele, I've had to make an conscience effort not to buy another uke. I don't think that I've seen one yet that I didn't want to take home. But I've been around the block a few times. I remember when I got into fly fishing, I loved fly fishing, and soon I just had to have a better fly rod. I was convinced from the moment that I cast a fly that a better rod would help me cast farther, and if I could just cast a little farther I would catch more fish. But soon, it became all about fly rods, and not about fishing. I fell in love with fly rods and reels, fly lines, and flies. Instead of going fishing, I sat at home and fingered my fly rods. So it went with many of my endeavors in life. So when I bought my first ukulele and started playing, I knew where "I" wanted to go with it, and I knew where "it" could go if I let it. No doubt I will get another ukulele some day, but not until I've mastered the one that I have.
 
Backpacking, flyfishing and fishing in general, telescopes and binoculars, stereo equipment, tennis, golf, guns, etc etc. Fortunately money has rarely been an issue, but if I had to wait to master something to get my second one then the U.S. economy would have crashed a lot earlier. :music:

I was born and bread to be a consumer. I'm a product of nature and culture. I don't rock the boat because I can't. If it's not UAS it would be something else. As long as I'm still playing and progressing and having fun then why the he_ _ not?
 
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