UAS strikes hard... and what was your most recent irrational purchase?

bbkobabe

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Ouch! I don't know what's got into me... I was doing so well there... for a while...

I was suddenly was thinking to myself (first sign of danger... watch out for that thinking stuff) that: I have every size of ukulele now... except a sopranino and a bass...

And in a moment of weakness, I ordered one of each... My poor aching credit card!

They are both in the mail now... A BruceWeiArts sopranino and a Kala Hutch Hutchingson bass.

I used to play bass before they became too heavy and started hurting my shoulder. I swear: They were gaining weight and getting heavier every year... so that purchase kinda makes sense.

And besides: I need the bass so I can play "All I want for Christmas is you", with that cool walking bass line.

And I need the sopranino, ah... er... um... like a hole in the head...

Still wondering about that one, actually... pure impulse purchase. But it was only $103 so why not!

AND: I just bought that orphaned/damaged Lehua last month, which I rescuked, repaired, and now play at school...

OK: So how about you? What was your most recent irrational UAS moment?

Come clean!
 
These are two recent cheapo curiosities that "I wish I hadn't" when I was bored during the summer.

Aklot Banjo Ukulele - Sep, 2022 (A generic concert scale banjolele)
I describe it as "a creature." Had a custom bridge made to space strings the same my concert ukuleles
The Maple is handsome enough, but doubt I'll play it much.

<edit 25 Nov, 2022> Actually, this banjo ukulele is growing on me. Not as a "strummer" but as a lazy blue-grassey-like picker.
I like the percussive "doink-doink-doink" sounds that I get out of it.

Aklot Electric Soprano Ukulele - Sep, 2022
Bought it solely because it had a 3 band EQ.
Setup and intonation were good.
Satin stain was too "orange and thick" but was evenly applied.
Tone is good but subdued, as the body has almost no resonance.
Plugged in, it did what I wanted. Able to cut mids out altogether and roll off the highs.
Sounds like a ukulele without needing an external preamp.
I have no reason to amplify but already have amplifiers, so... it's a functional toy.

--> There was one purchase that was a "Glad I did" moment.

Lanikai CDST-C - Aug, 2022
Feels and sounds great. A definite keeper. Thank you, Salsarev.
 
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I’ve got my eye (and ear) on a Flight Victoria. I’m arranging to try it in person before purchasing, so hopefully it’ll be worth keeping long term.

Not recent, but the uke I am currently trying to sell is a Bonanza concert Homestead. Nice little thing, but the nut is too narrow. I’ve been slowly changing out (and upgrading) my collection for this reason.
 
My mailman delivered one to me today, Sunday. It's an odd 3-string acoustic mini guitar with a 14" string scale. I have it apart now. I'm adding a pickup, and I'm converting it into a ukebox (cigarbox) thing. Clamps are on, and glue is drying, so I had to put it aside.
I expect another Amazon delivery tomorrow with a so-called carbon ukulele.
Then there's parts coming next weekend too. I'm just having fun, is all...20221113_143401.jpg
 
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My most recent UAS moment is only kind of irrational. I was Christmas shopping on Amazon for family members and somehow landed on the Enya Nova U (carbon fiber concert) page. It happened to be an Amazon deal at the time and was selling for only $64.00! I couldn't resist at least giving it a try at that price thinking I could easily return it if I didn't like it. The purchase was irrational in the sense that I'm trying to reduce the number of ukes in my collection and even have one for sale in the Marketplace. (An all-solid mango Rebel concert - check it out!) I don't need more ukes.
My rationalizations for making the purchase:
- It was only $64.00 delivered!
- My wife is an infrequent player and has been dinging up my all-solid mahogany so I wanted something for her to play that I wouldn't have to worry so much about.
- The first time I ever played outdoors it was under a pavilion but the roof was designed in such a way that when it rains and it's windy, you can still get wet. My wife and I were both playing all-solid ukes and they both got wet as if you had sprayed them down with a mister/spray bottle. Since then I thought it would be nice to have a plastic uke so I'd never have to worry about that again.
- If I wanted to teach someone uke or someone wanted to play around with one of my ukes I thought it would be nice to be able to hand them something I didn't have to worry about.
I got the Nova and was very surprised at how nice it sounded, much much better than I expected from a plastic uke. I like it and I'm going to keep it! It's going to be my outdoor/travel uke.
 
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I didn't buy(yet) but was very tempted to buy a Mahimahi S3 Martin . The things holding me back is:
1. I have their willow series but had to buy all 3 soprano, concert, tenor and the S3 is also made in all 3 sizes
2: The satin finish.
3. I have about 50 instruments and 10 bikes already
 
My Japanese rabbit hole was for sure irrational for me. It wasn’t enough to buy one - I had to have one of each from the Kiwaya family - famous, Luna, Kiwaya, Nakanishi (spin-off). Fortunately I didn’t go for k-wave etc. of course they were all wonderful! But I had to give up some other non Japanese wonderful ukes to get those. Now I am left with one a - which is a special Famous prototype anniversary edition long neck soprano that I paid too much money for. And to top it off I moved down to that size bcz of arthritis my doctor now wants me to go back to tenor or baritone size!
 
lots of "cheapo curiosities", fortunately most bought from places with good return policies... the most irrational are the repeat buys. like a(nother) waterman when I vowed to never buy again and even left myself a note not to do it! and then after getting rid of it got another! Oh and a banjo uke.
 
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My mailman delivered... an odd 3-string acoustic mini guitar with a 14" string scale
If you are interested in tuning GBE:
(These are the same intervals as standard guitar and uke strings 1-3.
Hint: a G chord transposes to ukulele C. The "o" means optional fingering.)
 

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If you are interested in tuning GBE:
(These are the same intervals as standard guitar and uke strings 1-3.
Hint: a G chord transposes to ukulele C. The "o" means optional fingering.)
Thanks Wiggy. I've played guitar since my preteens, but I always appreciate someone trying to assist. It's a good thing to do for someone.
 
I bought my Tyde Tenor a few months ago. Not sure it was "irrational" at the time. I definitely didn't need it. And it definitely isn't cheap. Months later, it feels much more rational than it did at the time. Im not sure how "irrational" is defined when buying a uke. Maybe if you're struggling financially but you buy something anyways? 036885EE-DDAE-40E1-BF6D-D5C81C61EA55.jpeg
 
Nothing irrational about my purchases. I bought two bass ukes; another Hadean copy of a Hofner violin Beatles bass, and a direct from China solid body bass uke that I was planning to modify like my other bass ukes, but Pat Wilkins is so backed up, and I have another one with him now, I decided to hold off on the modifications of the new two, boxed in a closet for now. I also have a tenor cutaway thinline being completed by Bruce Wei Arts in Vietnam.

Michael Kohan in Los Angeles, Beverly Grove near the Beverly Center
4 tenor thinline cutaway ukes, 3 thinline acoustic bass ukes, 5 solid body bass ukes
•Donate to The Ukulele Kids Club, they provide ukuleles to children in hospital music therapy programs. www.theukc.org
•Member Cali Rose & The CC Strummers: www.youtube.com/user/CCStrummers/video, www.facebook.com/TheCCStrummers
 
2018 Pete Howlett; "Legacy," Solid Koa, Double Bout, Tenor. Always wanted a Howlett. I followed him on FaceBook for quite a while. Enjoyed his build blog. Great sense of humor in the face of adversity. And have only heard one at a ukulele festival. I liked it a lot. A bucket list tenor. You just don't see them for sale. I like the Revelator Pete developed, but not as much as his older double bout tenors. Then, one recently came up for sale in the UK.

Totally irrational purchase. I had decided to not acquire any more tenors until after I moved to Arizona. In fact, I vowed to divest a number of ukes and reduce my collection before I move. I had successfully resisted several excellent tenors that had come up for sale. Until, I saw this:

301372551_10159292201573759_3040400172976883547_n.jpg
Original listing photo. Which does not do the instrument justice. I kept returning to the listing for two weeks. I asked the seller some questions. He wasn't keen to sell it to someone in the US. But if I paid the shipping and PayPal fees, he'd consider it.

I then asked for some additional photos. And some more questions. The exchange rate is very favorable right now for USD to GBP.

He sent me a link to it being played.

My resolve crumbled.

It's a great little tenor. With a thin-ish body, it has great projection. Bright for a koa body. It has a thin, D-shaped neck, and Pete's setup. With excellent intonation. It's a true player's ukulele. Totally lives up to my expectations.

Now, which of my "keepers" do I shed in order to make room for it?
 
I bought my Tyde Tenor a few months ago. Not sure it was "irrational" at the time. I definitely didn't need it. And it definitely isn't cheap. Months later, it feels much more rational than it did at the time. Im not sure how "irrational" is defined when buying a uke. Maybe if you're struggling financially but you buy something anyways? View attachment 145220
I’m intrigued by the blurred out fretboard… NSFW inlay? GPS coordinates of your house? 🤔
 
I got dangerously restless while I was waiting for my Liam Kirby build and on the spur of the moment I bought a used pink mango big island concert.

I don’t play concert size and I don’t like pink, so I think that pretty much ticks the irrational purchase box.

I’d sell it if I thought there was anyone else out there daft enough to buy it.
 
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2018 Pete Howlett; "Legacy," Solid Koa, Double Bout, Tenor. Always wanted a Howlett. I followed him on FaceBook for quite a while. Enjoyed his build blog. Great sense of humor in the face of adversity. And have only heard one at a ukulele festival. I liked it a lot. A bucket list tenor. You just don't see them for sale. I like the Revelator Pete developed, but not as much as his older double bout tenors. Then, one recently came up for sale in the UK.

Totally irrational purchase. I had decided to not acquire any more tenors until after I moved to Arizona. In fact, I vowed to divest a number of ukes and reduce my collection before I move. I had successfully resisted several excellent tenors that had come up for sale. Until, I saw this:

View attachment 145223
Original listing photo. Which does not do the instrument justice. I kept returning to the listing for two weeks. I asked the seller some questions. He wasn't keen to sell it to someone in the US. But if I paid the shipping and PayPal fees, he'd consider it.

I then asked for some additional photos. And some more questions. The exchange rate is very favorable right now for USD to GBP.

He sent me a link to it being played.

My resolve crumbled.

It's a great little tenor. With a thin-ish body, it has great projection. Bright for a koa body. It has a thin, D-shaped neck, and Pete's setup. With excellent intonation. It's a true player's ukulele. Totally lives up to my expectations.

Now, which of my "keepers" do I shed in order to make room for it?
Nice lookin uke... I bet it sounds amazing.

I'll need to start ignoring the marketplace once you start listing keepers... I'm sure it will lead to irrational thoughts and UAS triggers.
 
I recently purchased a Seydel solist pro 12 harmonica that was supposed to be in chromatic tuning. Turns out it's just a 12 hole diatonic blues harp that doesn't play very well. It sounds just OK, and you can't play it fast. A lot of the Irish reels and such that I play with the band require smooth fast transitions between notes. At $116+ it's on the top tier of blues harp prices. Unfortunately you can't return harmonicas...
 
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