You don't need a fancy ukulele

I'm happy to have found this thread...I nearly started a similar one. Some great discussion here.I'd like to preface my two cents with the following:

1. I've been making music for 40 years, on several different instruments, guitar among them. I started on uke in 2000. In my life I've owned very low-end, budget instruments, high-end production instruments, custom built guitars handcrafted by world class luthiers, and plenty of vintage pieces. I feel I know and can discern the differences and nuances between levels of quality.

2. None of this means I claim to be a great musician, and it most certainly doesn't mean my opinion counts for more than anyone else's.

3. None of what I say is meant to come off as reverse snobbery, or as any kind of judgment of anyone else. As players, we each have our own likes, dislikes, goals and philosophies. People should feel free to spend their money how they want on whatever they want; it's nobody else's business.

That said, some of what I quote below really resonated with me:

hollisdwyer said:

I don't think anyone 'needs' a fancy Uke. My top priorities are playability and tone, in that order. High quality craftsmanship is, for me, highly desirable but not a mandatory.

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anthonyg said:

It doesn't HAVE to be a fancy ukulele. As long as the instrument has a good action, decent intonation and a nice tone then its a great instrument to play...

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drbekken said:

I love the rare occasions when I can sit outdoors up here in the almost-arctic and play my Rogue soprano or my Rogue baritone. They are sometimes all I need. I don't know why I often prefer them over way better ukuleles; I guess it has something to do with the carefree, no-stress feeling I get...plus the downhome funky sound. Cheap, in a good way.

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mmfitzsimons said:

Prior to 1879, the entirety of humanity trudged along without a single ukulele between them. Crazy, I know.

But I get what you mean. I already owned three solid koa ukes when I bought my plastic Dolphin—what's that tell you? I think this is unique to the ukulele world—is there any other instrument where the low-end and the high-end mingle freely, without judgment or bias? World-class uke players will happily pick up a Dolphin and absolutely jam on it. And why not? It's fun! It's musical! I don't imagine too many top guitarists or pianists having the same attitude, which is a shame for them.

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farmerjones said:

This is one reason I have no desire to own a uke that costs more than, say, $1000. I'd be scared to take the thing out of the case for fear of damage! A couple of the 'high-end' (to me, at least) baritones I'm ogling are less than $500... costs enough to be well made, cheap enough to actually play.

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After decades of live gigging in rock bands (mostly as a bass player) and being on the instrument roller coaster of constantly buying, selling, swapping, etc., I have gotten off that bandwagon. I am selling off everything musical I own, save for a couple ukuleles and a few harmonicas (at which I am a novice.) It feels good. No regrets.

The peace of mind and sheer unadulterated human pleasure I get from the ease of just having a simple instrument to grab and play...no cords, effects pedals, EQ settings, huge amps to haul around and adjust settings on, etc. If you've ever played loud rock and roll live onstage for an appreciative audience, well, that's a hard addiction to kick. But I did my bit, had my fun, have countless great memories (some very fuzzy!) and, now pushing 50 and living with chronic pain, time to leave that all behind.

One of the most appealing things, for me, about the uke is its history as a populist instrument. One many people could get their hands on even during the Great Depression.

These days you can really get a decent instrument for low money, regardless of what the instrument is. For me, having a high-quality uke of solid woods might be nice, but it makes no sense. Laminate ukes may not be as resonant or sonically gorgeous as more finely crafted ones (in general, at least) but hey--essentially they are little boxes with strings. The fact ukes are, fundamentally, not really fancy is part of their charm for me.

People truly should play whatever they want...whatever makes them happy, with whatever appointments they desire and at whatever price point. For me and my needs, I prefer laminated ukes, in part because they are less delicate and less prone to changes in weather, and this leaves aside price.

As someone above noted, really as long as your instrument has decent action, intonates and has reliable components, that's 90% of the battle right there.

I will always sincerely congratulate a person for a NUD, whether they had to scape and save for a $40 Mahalo or they buy a new boutique $3000 ukulele every month.

But I honestly have zero interest in owning multiple ukes, or high-dollar ones. I don't care to have something so nice and valuable I have to worry about. Just wanna have fun and play it into the ground. Right now my most expensive uke cost $110. New Gretsch G9100 soprano. It's all I need, quality-wise (though I do have an incoming used concert uke I scored for $50.) The Gretsch is actually nicer than a vintage Gretsch I used to own.

I don't intend to end up with a bunch of ukes, but if I ever buy more, I seriously doubt I'll ever feel the need to spend more than $150 or so on another ukulele. And I love this instrument.

I'm too much of a beginner to know for uke, but on guitar I always felt like there were great, inexpensive, mass produced finds to be had, but you had to play 6 or 20 mass-produced guitars with your ears ON and pick the one that had a really sweet tone. The rest ranged from fine to bad. So for someone who is willing to try on a bunch, the cheapies can be awesome. But if you're new, don't have a good ear, or don't care to hunt, the finer instruments are a more sure thing.

That said, rarely is my playing good enough that it really matters all that much!

My Blackbird Clara sure isn't fancy, but it sings! It is my main player.

I recently acquired another reason for not wanting a very fancy uke. We had moved the piano from the dining room to the music room to keep our cats from roosting on it. We placed the uke table where it was. Our smallest cat, Goofball, thinking she was jumping on the piano, jumped up there and missed, dragging my new cocobolo ukulele to the floor with her. It now has a knick on the edge of the top. If that were a $3K uke, I probably would have tossed my cookies right there. But then again, a uke that fancy should be in its case.
I have little use, however, for a uke that has to be kept in a case.

Nickie said:

Fancy, I guess, is in the eye or ear of the beholder. A lot of folks might not think so, but my newest uke, my Cocobolo concert is pretty darn fancy to me. Do I need it? Heck no. But - I play more now than I did before I got it. If I didn't have it, would I still play more? I dunno....I don't want to find out either, I love my fancy uke!

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Agree Nickie, my Mainland red cedar concert is fancy to me, too. It offers the sound I want. The gloss finish bugs me, but there's nothing in my budget to do anything about that. Still, it's the best sounding uke for what I play, and that makes me play it more than any other uke I've had - and I've had many over 13-14-ish years of playing! This one is my only now, and aside from the gloss issue, I wouldn't change a thing about it.

2manistrings said:

Agree Nickie, my Mainland red cedar concert is fancy to me, too. It offers the sound I want. The gloss finish bugs me, but there's nothing in my budget to do anything about that. Still, it's the best sounding uke for what I play, and that makes me play it more than any other uke I've had - and I've had many over 13-14-ish years of playing! This one is my only now, and aside from the gloss issue, I wouldn't change a thing about it.

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If the gloss really gets to you just remove the strings and hardware and patiently work on it with 1000 grit crocus cloth or something similar. When that is done and you have restrung and are back to playing, just rub your palms on it for a few years and you get the most beautiful patina. Like the arms of your favourite chair that takes on an exquisite finish over the years.

Yah, I've been playing my Mainland ukes this week, a Cedar/Rosewood Tenor and a Mango Concert. They're great ukes for leaving out of the case and having nearby ready to pick up and play. Plus, they play and sound really sweet. I don't think there's a better value in solid wood ukuleles!

I also pulled my Kanile'a Concert from its case and practiced with it for awhile, and was reminded why it's my favorite uke. That Hawaiian feel and sound is incredible!

Am I just as happy playing my Mainland ukes? Sure, they're great and I don't have to worry so much about dents, dings, or other hazards. They're the ukes I take to UWC while the Kanile'a stays home. But in the unlikely event I ever record a ukulele album, I'll want my Kanile'a in the studio.

Steedy said:

Am I just as happy playing my Mainland ukes? Sure, they're great and I don't have to worry so much about dents, dings, or other hazards. They're the ukes I take to UWC while the Kanile'a stays home. But in the unlikely event I ever record a ukulele album, I'll want my Kanile'a in the studio.

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My uke kind of blends these two worlds - I had my Clara outside, playing for a while, then did some yard work. I was watering my plants, when the hose sprung a hole and water spurted out with quite a bit of pressure, right in the direction of my patio set, where my uke was sitting. I moved the hose so the hole was aimed at the pool and let my uke sit out and dry. No harm no foul. But it plays, sounds and feels like a dream. I knew I needed a ukulele that could take a little bit of "the elements" with my two boys, all the wrestling, all the pets, and all the playing I like to do outdoors.

JessicaM said:

I'm too much of a beginner to know for uke, but on guitar I always felt like there were great, inexpensive, mass produced finds to be had, but you had to play 6 or 20 mass-produced guitars with your ears ON and pick the one that had a really sweet tone. The rest ranged from fine to bad. So for someone who is willing to try on a bunch, the cheapies can be awesome. But if you're new, don't have a good ear, or don't care to hunt, the finer instruments are a more sure thing.

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I agree with a lot of what you say here, but disagree with some as well. I also come from Guitar World and obviously there are going to be differences--in sound, feel, everything--between two instruments even if they are identical instruments from the same manufacturer that rolled out of the same plant the same day with sequential serial numbers.

For whatever reasons, one might be a lemon and in the other, some mystical alignment happens which makes it THE best example of that specific instrument.

But the past couple of decades with CNC machines becoming the norm, I find it less and less true. With good specs and some decent components (many of which can be modified/swapped for others anyway) the consistency in quality is pretty phenomenal these days, at whatever price point/quality level.

It's true though, that I could play a whole wall of identical Mahalo uke cheapies and from them find a couple that just really sing and play and feel better to me. This is one reason why it's always preferable to play an instrument before you buy it whenever possible.

One thing is, I think the idea that a beginner has to have a certain brand or spend a certain amount of money can be dissuasive. I don't think that's necessarily what you are saying, but I think it happens a lot in the world of electric guitars. Some kid wants to play guitar and idolizes Clapton, for instance. He goes to the store and instead of being put together with a perfectly decent, completely serviceable $200 Squier Strat, a salesperson tries to convince him: "Oh, you're a fan of Slowhand? He'd never be caught dead with this. You wanna be able to play like Eric Clapton, you'll need the $3000 Eric Clapton signature Strat model!" and so on. Another thing I see a lot from guitar world is the attitude that you aren't a "real" musician unless you play a certain brand, or have dropped a certain amount of money on your gear and what have you. It's dispiriting and petty.

Again--not saying you are doing anything like that--I'm just ranting!

Which brings me back to one of the things I adore about my favorite instrument. Easy to learn a clutch of songs on--almost immediately rewarding in small ways--but difficult to master. It can be as simple or complex as you want. You can spend as much or as little as you want. And I see very, very little of the same sort of "My toys cost more than your toys!" type of attitude in Ukulele World. People generally seem more supportive and helpful than in most musician forums I've spent time on.

Nickie said:

I recently acquired another reason for not wanting a very fancy uke. We had moved the piano from the dining room to the music room to keep our cats from roosting on it. We placed the uke table where it was. Our smallest cat, Goofball, thinking she was jumping on the piano, jumped up there and missed, dragging my new cocobolo ukulele to the floor with her. It now has a knick on the edge of the top. If that were a $3K uke, I probably would have tossed my cookies right there. But then again, a uke that fancy should be in its case.
I have little use, however, for a uke that has to be kept in a case.

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Sheesh, what a terrible story. It's one of those situations where to some players, a sub-$150 uke may be all they can afford (like me!) and so if something bad like that happens it still hurts. I just shelled out $110 for a Gretsch soprano (actually, I bought the Gretsch concert first, but took it back a couple days later and swapped for the soprano) and to me that is a significant purchase. To others, the same uke at the same price might be something they pay little mind to and just toss in the back of the car...they might consider it a toy.

But yes--there are many reasons I no longer care to own things that have a lot of perceived value. I don't want to own stuff I have to worry about. If something happens to one of my ukes, it would hurt, and I might not be able to replace it quickly, but I COULD replace it. It would be much harder to replace a 1920s Martin Style 0 or a custom-built Black Bear.

I have seven Ukuleles ( Ukuleli?) and none of them cost more than $160 individually, all but one under $90. In point of fact I spent less on them in aggregate than the cost of 1/2 a "quality" instrument. Now I generally play only three or four a day, to hear their individual voices, but I do get a kick out of them and feel I have not touched their potential for making music. They are all laminates and I have them next to me hanging on the wall.

I go by my local Uke shop often, sometimes I buy strings or whatever, but I play the K's and KK's and Emerald Bays and lots of Very Expensive ukes, but have yet to find one that is $1000 better than my $65 Rubin Travel Tenor, to me.

I'd need to be 100X better player to get 10X the fun out of my cheap herd of Zebrawoods.

My Outdoor Ukulele tenor has brightened my trips. I can bring it along in the car and always have something to play at my destination.

This trip was a lot of fishing and campfire watching, and even though I am covered in woodsmoke and bug spray, the uke cleans up just fine. The 17 year cicada hatch was a great background orchestra.

spookelele said:

need.. is like... food, water, shelter, companionship..

A uke is a luxury no matter how much or little you paid.

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hollisdwyer said:

I disagree IMO. Making music can be for some a major element of self actualisation. On top of the 'needs' triangle for sure but it is the need that fulfills us as human beings. Maslow may be turning in his grave because of my paraphrase.

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True "needs" are the things that allow us to survive and keep going. True needs are few: air, food, water, shelter.

But beyond that, there are things I believe most people do need: companionship, some kind of mental engagement, if for no other reason than to keep your brain from atrophying...some form of fun & pleasure...

And beyond those things, I feel there are certain people who may legitimately NEED to create...through whatever medium. Some people (I feel this way myself) feel as though writing, painting, making music, etc. are not choices but things that compel them. I don't think I could ever NOT make music and be happy or fulfilled. It feels like something I HAVE to do. Would I survive if I could no longer play any instrument or make music? Yes. But life would be much darker.

For me that would be like living without companionship. You can survive it, but is it really "living?"

IMO, our humanity comes, in part, from our interactions with others. And, for some--most of us here, I'd reckon--from our creative outlets. So, I may not strictly HAVE to play an instrument or make music in order to survive physically, but it would have an immeasurable negative impact on what you might call my soul or spirit and I feel it would make me less of a real human being.

I realize not everyone feels this way, and that doesn't make them wrong, or lesser beings or anything. But some people are just called to be creative.

actadh said:

My Outdoor Ukulele tenor has brightened my trips. I can bring it along in the car and always have something to play at my destination.

This trip was a lot of fishing and campfire watching, and even though I am covered in woodsmoke and bug spray, the uke cleans up just fine. The 17 year cicada hatch was a great background orchestra.

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I am increasingly interested in a plastic uke. Even though my wood ukes are, by most standards, cheap laminates and I don't have much (relatively speaking) invested in them, it would hurt if they were damaged and difficult for me to replace.

the idea of a cheap plastic uke is very appealing. something that would be fine outside, that can be cleaned easily, that can easily withstand changes in temp and other climate variations...