Hi Folks,
UAS is pullin' at me again.
I tried to keep playing soprano (bought and tried 3 different ones so far) but the smaller scale and tighter nut with keeps causing my fretting hand to cramp.
I am mostly a tenor player, and baritone after that, and I have concert Flea, as well as the Epiphone LP (both are fine, but stay at HOME) but really want a carefree, but nice-sounding, nice-playing beater concert to keep with me when I am out and about without too much worry if it gets dinged up or OMG stolen or smashed.
Thus rules out ALL customs, solid-wood, and one-off instruments AFAICT...
I DO NOT want a Waterman, Bugs gear, Woodi, or any other all-plastic uke.
I would also prefer to avoid aliexpress or ebay with foreign or lesser-known vendors, luthiers, factories from Asia. (i.e., Caramel, Rubin, Kmise, Bruce Wei Arts, etc)
I'd like so spend no more than ~$100 since once I cross that threshold in saved funds, they always get wiped out by something else more immediate than another uke...also this is my pain-point where I would not lose sleep if the uke got smashed or stolen...
so what is the current CHEAP and FAVORITE commodity (as in EASILY replaced) concert beater uke that everyone loves?
Some thoughts are:
Makala MK-C
Lanikai 'Sailor Jerry' concert uke
Kala KA-SLNG
Gretsch G9100-L
Kala KA-C
IIRC seeing some of the Kala Makala Ukadelic's in CONCERT SCALE, such as the tie-dye model, but last few times I looked they are ALL 'now' soprano-only...one of these might fit the bill if I could find one...
I am also NOT opposed to buying used, and actually would prefer it since it helps another person (to put cash in their pocket) and not just feeding a nameless and faceless Asian factory or giant corporate retail company.
Also, to add that I am in the USA, so USA vendors are preferred.
Please share your detailed experience with any recommendations that you might have...
Mahalo,
Booli
UAS is pullin' at me again.
I tried to keep playing soprano (bought and tried 3 different ones so far) but the smaller scale and tighter nut with keeps causing my fretting hand to cramp.
I am mostly a tenor player, and baritone after that, and I have concert Flea, as well as the Epiphone LP (both are fine, but stay at HOME) but really want a carefree, but nice-sounding, nice-playing beater concert to keep with me when I am out and about without too much worry if it gets dinged up or OMG stolen or smashed.
Thus rules out ALL customs, solid-wood, and one-off instruments AFAICT...
I DO NOT want a Waterman, Bugs gear, Woodi, or any other all-plastic uke.
I would also prefer to avoid aliexpress or ebay with foreign or lesser-known vendors, luthiers, factories from Asia. (i.e., Caramel, Rubin, Kmise, Bruce Wei Arts, etc)
I'd like so spend no more than ~$100 since once I cross that threshold in saved funds, they always get wiped out by something else more immediate than another uke...also this is my pain-point where I would not lose sleep if the uke got smashed or stolen...
so what is the current CHEAP and FAVORITE commodity (as in EASILY replaced) concert beater uke that everyone loves?
Some thoughts are:
Makala MK-C
Lanikai 'Sailor Jerry' concert uke
Kala KA-SLNG
Gretsch G9100-L
Kala KA-C
IIRC seeing some of the Kala Makala Ukadelic's in CONCERT SCALE, such as the tie-dye model, but last few times I looked they are ALL 'now' soprano-only...one of these might fit the bill if I could find one...
I am also NOT opposed to buying used, and actually would prefer it since it helps another person (to put cash in their pocket) and not just feeding a nameless and faceless Asian factory or giant corporate retail company.
Also, to add that I am in the USA, so USA vendors are preferred.
Please share your detailed experience with any recommendations that you might have...
Mahalo,
Booli