"Having" vs. "Wanting"...

[Bill Sheehan]

"After a time, you may find that having is not so pleasing a thing, after all, as wanting. It is not logical, but it is often true."

This was said by Mr. Spock in an episode of Star Trek. And it got me to thinking... I must admit that when I'm "hankerin'" for a particular uke, or style of uke, a big part of the fun is going to bed at night thinking about it, and waking up in the morning thinking about it again, looking forward to researching it, digging into the different possible options out there, etc.

Seems like (at least sometimes) once I pull the trigger and order a uke, there can be a subtle feeling of "letdown", I suppose because even though I'll soon "have" that uke, I will have lost the fun of dreaming about having it!

Anyone else experience this effect?

 

[Teddy]

Been there, got the t-shirt.

Just wait until you start selling some and having those regrets too

 

[mikelz777]

I've been there several times. The dream is sometimes more fun than realizing the dream. Right now I'm working on enjoying the dream until the dream goes away. I already have enough realizations sitting around the house.

 

[EDW]

I know exactly what you mean. Sometimes I think it is the thrill of the chase. This does not apply just to instruments, but to other things in life as well. I often try to temper the buying and ask myself is it something I NEED? Will it serve a purpose? Will it do something that other instruments I own cannot do?

It is possible to end up in that constant chase and never actually feel fulfilled. It helps me to think a little more purposefully. Otherwise it is just more stuff.

 

[rainbow21]

Ask the 50% or so of Americans who get divorces...

It certainly was true of beanie babies... the chase was where all the fun resided. My UAS has subsided, and I am actually missing the excitement of "shopping" for the next uke (I still surf the HMS and others daily, but "the thrill is gone".

 

[ghostrdr]

"The journey is better than the inn." - Cervantes

But, I might argue that getting the uke (or arriving at the inn) is the beginning of another journey...

 

[KohanMike]

I too will constantly think about a want until I fulfill it, but I have no let down when I receive it, I find I'm quite happy having it from that point on. I'm in the middle of this right now; for the last couple of months I've been seeing a tenor uke on Bruce Wei Arts' eBay store, a gypsy jazz (oval sound hole) made of beautiful solid curly walnut (he's made me a variety of instruments in the last 8 years, including a gypsy jazz tenor uke with wide D sound hole).

I have a laminate standard style Hadean acoustic walnut bass uke, but the body is deeper than I like, so I'm either going to sell or donate it. I asked Bruce to make me a 21.5" scale bass uke with the more classic D sound hole, curly walnut, 2" deep. It cost $850 including express shipping to Los Angeles and will take about 3 months. This is a mock up I made from his tenor image.

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Michael Kohan in Los Angeles, Beverly Grove near the Beverly Center
8 tenor cutaway ukes, 4 acoustic bass ukes, 10 solid body bass ukes, 14 mini electric bass guitars (Total: 36)
•Donate to The Ukulele Kids Club, they provide ukuleles to children in hospital music therapy programs. www.theukc.org
•Member The CC Strummers: www.youtube.com/user/CCStrummers/video, www.facebook.com/TheCCStrummers

 

[Voran]

I don't really experience this - really enjoying my uke and only really ordered an extra one because of the dangers of rain warping the wood.

I would like a sopranissimo though and a ukubass, but that's a different project for some time further down the line.

 

[Voran]

I too will constantly think about a want until I fulfill it, but I have no let down when I receive it, I find I'm quite happy having it from that point on. I'm in the middle of this right now; for the last couple of months I've been seeing a tenor uke on Bruce Wei Arts' eBay store, a gypsy jazz (oval sound hole) made of beautiful solid curly walnut (he's made me a variety of instruments in the last 8 years, including a gypsy jazz tenor uke with wide D sound hole).

I have a laminate standard style Hadean acoustic walnut bass uke, but the body is deeper than I like, so I'm either going to sell or donate it. I asked Bruce to make me a 21.5" scale bass uke, curly walnut, 2" deep. It cost $850 including express shipping to Los Angeles and will take about 3 months. This is a mock up I made from his tenor image.

View attachment 136402

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Michael Kohan in Los Angeles, Beverly Grove near the Beverly Center
8 tenor cutaway ukes, 4 acoustic bass ukes, 10 solid body bass ukes, 14 mini electric bass guitars (Total: 36)
•Donate to The Ukulele Kids Club, they provide ukuleles to children in hospital music therapy programs. www.theukc.org
•Member The CC Strummers: www.youtube.com/user/CCStrummers/video, www.facebook.com/TheCCStrummers

Oh man. It's f*** gorgeous...Wish I had a spare 850 to spend.

 

[clear]

"After a time, you may find that having is not so pleasing a thing, after all, as wanting. It is not logical, but it is often true."

This was said by Mr. Spock in an episode of Star Trek. And it got me to thinking... I must admit that when I'm "hankerin'" for a particular uke, or style of uke, a big part of the fun is going to bed at night thinking about it, and waking up in the morning thinking about it again, looking forward to researching it, digging into the different possible options out there, etc.

Seems like (at least sometimes) once I pull the trigger and order a uke, there can be a subtle feeling of "letdown", I suppose because even though I'll soon "have" that uke, I will have lost the fun of dreaming about having it!

Anyone else experience this effect?

Experience this effect? Yes, mainly because I ordered ukes that I've never played on and have the wrong mental picture of the ukes. If I held on to that line of thinking, then I never would have found the uke that I love.

Since we're quoting, here's something from Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan.

"The needs of the many outweighs the needs of the few or the the one." -- Spock, ST:TWOK.

Think of this quote instead when you buy your next uke. Your money is helping ukulele workers feed their families.

 

[Voran]

Experience this effect? Yes, mainly because I ordered ukes that I've never played on and have the wrong mental picture of the ukes. If I held on to that line of thinking, then I never would have found the uke that I love.

Since we're quoting, here's something from Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan.

"The needs of the many outweighs the needs of the few or the the one." -- Spock, ST:TWOK.

Think of this quote instead when you buy your next uke. Your money is helping ukulele workers feed their families.

Haha this makes me feel better. I do find the different sizes fascinating and would like a sopranissimo next but feel guilty about spending so...

 

[clear]

I've been there several times. The dream is sometimes more fun than realizing the dream. Right now I'm working on enjoying the dream until the dream goes away. I already have enough realizations sitting around the house.

When the dream goes away, you'll actually feel much happier. I have absolutely no UAS after finding the uke that I love.

 

[Bluesy]

"After a time, you may find that having is not so pleasing a thing, after all, as wanting. It is not logical, but it is often true."

This was said by Mr. Spock in an episode of Star Trek. And it got me to thinking... I must admit that when I'm "hankerin'" for a particular uke, or style of uke, a big part of the fun is going to bed at night thinking about it, and waking up in the morning thinking about it again, looking forward to researching it, digging into the different possible options out there, etc.

Seems like (at least sometimes) once I pull the trigger and order a uke, there can be a subtle feeling of "letdown", I suppose because even though I'll soon "have" that uke, I will have lost the fun of dreaming about having it!

Anyone else experience this effect?

Yes, every time I pass a shoe store.

It's the thrill of the hunt and associated adrenaline rush of hunting and gathering. Like any adrenaline rush, it can lead to a slump once the initial flush wears off.

Bluesy.

 

[clear]

Ask the 50% or so of Americans who get divorces...

It certainly was true of beanie babies... the chase was where all the fun resided. My UAS has subsided, and I am actually missing the excitement of "shopping" for the next uke (I still surf the HMS and others daily, but "the thrill is gone".

I used to have HMS (and others) bookmarked and surf there often. Now, I have no desire to shop for ukes. When the desire to buy is gone, there's no desire to shop in me.

When I had UAS, it wasn't too bad to get me to buy a uke; one sure-fire way is to give me a good deal on one and I'd bite (because if I don't like it, I'll just flip it). Now, without UAS, even if an awesome deal comes along, I'd pass. I don't even care to flip it.

And you're right, I miss those days of UAS.

 

[Voran]

I wouldn't get a uke just for the sake of having one, but that said, I do want a spare for different tuning, plus the different sizes would be fun to learn.

 

[Sporky]

A lot of shopping is about experiencing purchasing power as well. Knowing that it could be yours, but doesn't have to be. And in a way you're giving up that power when you do end up with the ukulele.

 

[Voran]

A lot of shopping is about experiencing purchasing power as well. Knowing that it could be yours, but doesn't have to be. And in a way you're giving up that power when you do end up with the ukulele.

Never thought of it as giving up power. I feel more powerful playing a ukulele.

 

[Ziret]

I wouldn't get a uke just for the sake of having one, but that said, I do want a spare for different tuning, plus the different sizes would be fun to learn.

Watching/reading you slip down the UAS hole has been so entertaining—because I totally relate. You’re in denial right now. But the sopranino and ubass are waiting in the wings.

 

[Voran]

Watching/reading you slip down the UAS hole has been so entertaining—because I totally relate. You’re in denial right now. But the sopranino and ubass are waiting in the wings.

Haha yeah I went down a Youtube rabbit hole lately and now find myself coveting the little sopranissimos...the Hadean bass one as well, it sounds how I've been looking for...wonder how the strings would handle being downtuned to D-Bb-C-F.

 

[LorenFL]

Sometimes I think it is the thrill of the chase.

Beat me to it. "It's not the kill, it's the thrill of the chase."