Question: Has your plastic uke ever gotten wet?

glennerd

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I know there are more reasons for buying a plastic uke than waterproofness, but I’m curious as to how many plastic ukers get their ukuleles wet. My gut feeling is it’s a bit like the whole “you need an SUV to go off road” even though 95% of SUV owners don’t leave the asphalt. So, marketing.

I'm sure there are people with lifestyles that demand it, but then there are others who dream of the lifestyle that requires one. I’ll admit, I’ve been interested in them, even briefly owned one, despite the fact my ukes rarely leave home, if ever.

Anyway, leave a comment if you’ve so much as played in a slight mist, all the way to using it as a paddle. Comment too if you have no intention of ever getting it wet.

(Don’t mean to repeat something if it’s been discussed before, but a search turned up nothing)
 
I'm in need of a plastic uke for our commercial fishing boat! Seems like a good idea.
 
We've never baptized these, but we (Ukers For Life) own 2 Kala Watermans we use at the Shriner's Children's hospital. They get wiped down with wet disposable towels after each kid plays.
 
Wet isn't the only reason to go plastic: my outdoor uke lives in the car where I'd worry about temperature damage with a wood uke. That said, it did come to the beach and it's been played in the rain. Mostly because I could.
 
Wished I had one when I took my Ohana out for a Christamas caroling in the drizzle. Someone had an Outdoor and it was perfect for the occasion. I am considering one for the Ukulele Hot Springs event.
 
Only real reason to have one is if you go hiking or such, & might get it wet - I don't know anyone daft enough to stand out in the rain & play one. :)

Of course, some might play one in the bath....... ;)
 
Only real reason to have one is if you go hiking or such, & might get it wet - I don't know anyone daft enough to stand out in the rain & play one. :)

Of course, some might play one in the bath....... ;)

Taking singing in the shower to a new level!
 
Only real reason to have one is if you go hiking or such, & might get it wet - I don't know anyone daft enough to stand out in the rain & play one. :)

Of course, some might play one in the bath....... ;)
Hope you weren't equating drizzle with rain because that would be really daft, though judging someone with a plastic uke for playing in the rain is daft too.
 
My OU has been thoroughly soaked a few times, makes camping with an uke much less stressful.
 
Yes I can't remember the occasion, but my plastic uke was indeed rained on once. I found that the weight of the little droplets of rain on the strings knocks it completely out of tune.

I've given both of my plastic ukes away now, and don't think I'm likely ever to buy another one. Given that they don't work in the rain I can't quite see the point of them (except as inexpensive beginners' ukes for schools).
 
Mine go boating, so yes they get wet.

They also go camping, so they get sweaty and full of bug spray and smoke.

Lastly, they stay in my car, so there are temperature extremes.
 

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Not a plastic ukulele, but my Makala has gotten rained on several times and survived.
 
It's more about the fluctuations in temperature and humidity than about getting wet. You can leave a plastic uke in the car. You can take it outside in the winter play for a few hours and just walk back inside. Can't do that with wood. I will admit, the first day I had my Outdoor Ukulele, I spilled 1/3 of a beer inside the sound hole. Just rinsed it out in the sink.
 
The nice thing about a plastic uke is that you can bring it with you when rain is in the forecast. Imagine standing outside playing a KoAloha in a downpour. If the environment is going to be questionable - dirty, dusty, windy - a tough uke is perfect. By tough, I mean plastic, carbon fiber, or some other synthetic material.

I have a Waterman, a Klos, and I sold an Outdoor.
 
The nice thing about a plastic uke is that you can bring it with you when rain is in the forecast. Imagine standing outside playing a KoAloha in a downpour. If the environment is going to be questionable - dirty, dusty, windy - a tough uke is perfect. By tough, I mean plastic, carbon fiber, or some other synthetic material.

I have a Waterman, a Klos, and I sold an Outdoor.
That is very true, but I can't visualize myself standing in a downpour and playing a any ukulele? If I'm out busking and it starts raining, I put my uke in a gig bag and seek shelter somewhere until it ends. I might get a few drops of rain on my ukulele, but not enough to soak it. I think that there are people who are subject to extreme conditions, but I think the majority just like the idea of it.
 
I read a thread on this forum yesterday about someone who likes to play the uke in their jet tub. So that's a good reason to have one!
 
I read a thread on this forum yesterday about someone who likes to play the uke in their jet tub. So that's a good reason to have one!

Most definitely, and playing while whitewater rafting as well, which is what I'm pretty sure at least one member here is doing. :)
 
That is very true, but I can't visualize myself standing in a downpour and playing a any ukulele? If I'm out busking and it starts raining, I put my uke in a gig bag and seek shelter somewhere until it ends. I might get a few drops of rain on my ukulele, but not enough to soak it. I think that there are people who are subject to extreme conditions, but I think the majority just like the idea of it.

Our group played in town last summer, and the forecast indicated the possibility of rain, so we came prepared. Some people had non-wood ukes, and when we got some rain, they tried to shelter theirs. Fortunately, it was a light rain, and it ended quickly. Still, these wooden ukes are not bare wood, so a bit of rain isn't going to dissolve them.

Maybe spray them with Rain-X is rain is expected. :D
 
Haha, some pretty interesting answers here. I could definitely see playing in the rain if you lived in the tropics, but not appealing where I live.

Playing while white water rafting sounds like an extreme sport. Hope that's on YouTube! I'd watch that.

Certainly temperature extremes are a big reason for them too, and durability, depending on the model. The Outdoor I briefly had looked like it could handle all kinds of temperatures.
 
Wet isn't the only reason to go plastic: my outdoor uke lives in the car where I'd worry about temperature damage with a wood uke. That said, it did come to the beach and it's been played in the rain. Mostly because I could.

I was out on our back deck working on a webcam project using old iPhones, when I spied a red wasp flying around my green Outdoor Tenor! I actually could hear it's wings buzz against the strings like it was trying to play.
 
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