Hello-ha from the middle USA

I may know some of the folks here. Back several years ago I was pretty active on a couple of uke forums. This seems like a very cool place and I am glad to be here.

I've been playing music for close to 40 years. Mainly electric bass and guitar, but several other instruments as well.

Back around year 2000 I started developing hand/wrist pain and despaired that I was going to have to give up stringed instruments. My wonderful wife (also a musician) stepped in and suggested ukulele to me, thinking the lower tension, nylon strings (and fewer strings) would allow me to keep playing strings but without as much pain.

She was 100% right and for a few years I played uke exclusively. Eventually, though, I went back to playing rock and roll with electric instruments.

Now, however, I am ready to chuck all that and get back to uke. I have some health and pain-related issues that I think the uke will solve. Plus, I just love the instrument. I never should have put it down.

A good friend of mine recently shipped me his old baritone uke, but I am in the market and think I will probably go back to concert scale, and likely with a low G string.

Anyway, good to be here. Hope everyone is having a great day!

Welcome to the UU forum, Griffis

Welcome to UU Griffis!

Welcome and congrats on chucking the other instruments for the uke. The uke is the best one anyway.

Nickie said:

Welcome and congrats on chucking the other instruments for the uke. The uke is the best one anyway.

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Well, I agree with you there. It is a vastly underrated instrument and unfairly stereotyped.

It's easy enough that most anyone can get around and learn a few chords and have fun, but serious enough to warrant serious playing if that is your thing.

That is the very thought that struck me when I first took up uke 15-16 years ago, and I felt it deeply--that "uke is the best one anyway." But ultimately I got pulled back into the rocking out thing. that is also fun, but I'm pushing 50. My rock star days are behind me.

One thing that really appeals to me about uke is that most of my life I've played electric bass. The tuning is different, but just the fact there are four strings...my big Homer Simpson fingers are much more suited to playing a 4-string instrument.

Plus, when I wrap my hands around the neck of an instrument, I see 4 fingers. I always fumbled around too much on the 6 string (guitar.)

I did try (and fail) at various times to take up violin and cello. I've also played some tenor guitar and tenor banjo (steel strings and verrry narrow necks) and even mandolin (8 strings but 4 courses...so really like a doubled 4 string)--sounds beautiful but the fretboard is more cramped than the smallest soprano ukes I've played, plus keeping them tuned is a nightmare.

anyways, I talk too much. Thanks for the kind words and welcomes everyone!

Hello & welcome! I related to much of what you said - I too play bass. Something about 4 strings!

Glad that you found us!

Welcome aboard.

Greetings and welcome, glad you joined us. Lots of great concert ukes around...can save a bundle here on the Marketplace with a little patience. It's my preferred size, but I have everything but a bari. Just had cortisone shots in my thumb joints yesterday.....wow, quite an experience. Hoping I can play with a little less discomfort. Good luck.

Hola and welcome from sunny Arizona!