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My Oscar Schmidt OU28T 8-string tenor has a noticable sitar-like buzz on the lower 2 courses open and on all courses when fretted and picked hard even detuned a whole step. It was worse at standard pitch. I notice that the saddle is slightly compensated but has no real string slots. Possible...

I posted an earlier version of this a couple hours ago on Mandolin Cafe -- it applies here too. The Amador-Calaveras Butte fire (see here), California's worst of the year, is now burning within seven miles from my home. Most of its spread is in another direction but evacuation is already being...

Yet another Indestructable: http://www.instructables.com/id/Constructing-the-Laser-cut-folding-ukulele/ It's a laser-cut kit. From the page: This folding ukulele is a soprano-size instrument that can be folded up into a package measuring about 9 inches long max. Looks like it compacts to about...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-String-Acoustic-Puerto-Rican-Cuatro-Guitar-/251980103574 Well, it's almost a guitar, right? I got this baby a very few weeks ago directly from this seller's warehouse shop near Los Angeles, along with an F-type mandolin (1025A), a mandola (1031W), and baritone...

Build your own indestructable: http://www.instructables.com/id/One-Piece-Ukulele/

You have your pineapples and boat paddles and blasters and what all. You probably don't have something like these: http://www.ebay.com/sch/Musical-Instruments-Gear-/619/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=childrens%20egyptian%20oud&_fscr=1 In case you don't like clicking eBay search links, these are...

When we recently traveled the USA SouthWest and scoured music shops, my wife and I strolled into a store in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I strummed various instruments. When I got to an Alvarez tenor, she said, "That's mine." And so it is. And tonight was her first uke lesson. She has carpal-tunnel...

I've recently mentioned and discussed some 5ths tunings. Here are some of my thoughts thereon, if anyone cares. I've been playing guitar for 50 years and noodling at mandos for 30 years; I am much more of a guitar-chord guy. I love playing melodies on mandolin but have a hard time with chords...

Yet another New Uke Day has rolled around. I will not brag about snagging a classic. I will not accuse those who do mention their expensive acquisitions of snobbery. Yet I am almost afraid to reveal some brand names because they're not masterpieces of the luthier's art. Quite the opposite. But...

I joined UU after acquiring a Kala KA6 six-string tenor, tuned g-cC-E-Aa. I've asked for help a couple times, with no response, but I'll try again: Does anyone here have tricks / tabs / tools for playing a 'uke with two octave courses? Strumming / chording is no problem but fingerpicking is a...

I have a couple pervy ideas I'm afraid to post on the Builder's forum. But here... Anyway, I'd thought to bring two soprano ukes on my current long road trip but I couldn't fit them into a large soft briefcase that is otherwise unused. (I brought the Kala KA6 tenor instead.) Whilst driving...

I saw mention of ukulele kits and did some googling and eBay searching. MANY MANY kits are available for soprano-concert-tenor ukes, mandos, lutes, guitars, banjos, dulcimers, etc. Long ago I scratch-built dulcimers. I'm feeling inspired to build some custom instruments - Luthiers Mercantile...

My main 'uke now is a Kala KA-6 six-string tenor, factory-strung as G4, C4-C3, E4, A4-A3. That means it's high-G, the C doubled an octave up, and the A doubled an octave lower. In each double-string course, the lower-octave string is on top. I found it impossible to hear the high A! First thing...

I now own two of the only three mandolins in my life, my grand-dad's ancient, heavy Guckert Deluxe banjolin, and an old Kay flattop. (The older Italian gourd-belly warped long ago.) I'm happy with the Kay. I'm considering a cheap (US$46) Rogue RM-100A to restring uke-style as a mandolele, a...

Howdy. I've fingerpicked guitars (mostly) for a half-century. I started on mandolin some years back but only got serious with it fairly recently. My first smaller instrument was a nameless banjo-uke with tension pegs that sat neglected for a few years -- till I got a Kohala soprano 1.5 years...