What ukes have you acquired this year? & What ukes did you let go?

Doc_J

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2018 has been an eventful year in my uke experiences. Some amazing ones left, and some amazing ones arrived. Each change seemed like a reasonable idea at the time. Keeping the collection at a stable level is important. Got my very first Hive and Little River ukes this year (both truly outstanding ukes). The other arriving ukes were from wonderful builders I have experienced before. While the ukes that left are missed, there are no regrets.

Here's what I have let go this year (so far):
  • vanPelt sinker sinker redwood/koa tenor
  • Mike Pereira spruce/rosewood baritone
  • William King long scale koa tenor
  • I'iwii curly mango tenor
  • LFdM cedar/rosewood tenor
  • Larrivee Silver Oak/ spruce baritone
  • Pohaku curly koa baritone
  • Kinnard mahogany baritone

Here's what arrived (to date):
  • Pegasus curly mango tenor
  • Mya-Moe bearclaw/EIR baritone
  • Hive Katalox/red spruce tenor
  • Graziano spruce/koa double puka baritone
  • Howlett Koa baby baritone
  • Little River "The Tree" Mahogany tenor
 
I've been a good boy, no more new ukes, (can't remember if it was this year, but I did let 6 go to a new (care) home project locally). :)

Mind you, I have bought some other instruments, do they count? ;)
 
It's been a bad UAS year so far in 2018, though I can justify my purchases by saying that I'm getting instruments that all have unique voicing and that work great for different styles of music.

So far, I've bought a Blackbird Clara, a Koaloha pikake koa concert, and a Kanile'a koa GL6. I have a LoPrinzi koa baritone in the works that will be done sometime soon, and that should close out the year for me.

I don't have any plans to thin the herd, but I'm now officially into one-in one-out territory. I've got all my bases covered in terms of travel instruments, a "beater" instrument I'm not afraid to throw around, and instruments in all sizes. With 8 total, I can play every instrument over the course of a week, but if I buy any more, some are going to get neglected. To those who are collectors, hey, no problem, if that's what you enjoy, that's awesome! I'm not really one for holding on to one though if I'm not picking it up at least once every week or ttwo to jam, that's just my personal feeling.
 
Bought a Duke10 tenor, Little Gem concert, and cheap Kala soprano ($20 on CL) just to check hand sizing. May let the Duke go as I'm finding tenors are too big for me.

Someone told me try and turn the tenor to a concert with a capo and a re-tune, but we'll see. the Little Gem just arrived, and man that puppy is LOUD! Love the color and the neck feels really good in the hand. Definitely not something I'd play as an everyday, but want to learn fingerpicking, so may want it for that.

Haven't gotten rid of my first Kala tenor yet, but that may be going along with the Duke. If I get those sold and learn to play a little better, may go for cedar top and spruce top concerts. My main playing uke is a Mainland mahogany.
 
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Aloha bruddah Hodge!

2018 has been an eventful uke year for me as well!



Here's what I have let go this year (so far):

- Breedlove KB Signature Myrtle/Bearclaw Sitka Spruce tenor with slotted headstock and radiused fretboard
- Pono Limited Edition Master Series Acacia/Torrefied Spruce tenor with beveled edge/armrest, side sound port, slotted headstock, and radiused fretboard
- Pono PC 5 Rosewood/Spruce tenor w/side sound port, slotted headstock, and radiused fretboard (RTSH5-PC-S-SPO)
- Pono PC Macassar Ebony/Cedar tenor w/cutaway, slotted headstock, and radiused fretboard
- Rebel Quark Rosewood/Spruce tenor

Here's what arrived (to date):

- Romero Creations "Replica" Mahogany/Spruce tenor
- Kanile'a Aldrine Guerrero Signature tenor with slotted headstock and Gilbert tuners
- Hive Ziricote/Adirondack Spruce tenor
- aNueNue Moon Bird UT200E Rosewood/Swiss Moon Spruce tenor w/aNueNue Air Air Dual pickup system
- Kala USA Custom Shop Myrtle/Spruce tenor
- Josh Rieck Flamed Myrtle/Torrefied Spruce tenor with cutaway, beveled edge/armrest, and radiused fretboard


I wil be moving back to the mainland in the next few months. I have too many ukes in my collection to bring to the mainland with me, so unfortunately, I have to re-home a bunch. I will be trying to decide which ones to re-home, but it will be very difficult to do so because I love all of my current ukes! If anyone might be interested, PM me and I can fill you in on what I have and can send pics as well. Mahalo nui loa!

:shaka:
 
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Bought in 2018 & then let go ......Imua Soprano that was beautiful & sounded great. I loved that little uke and deciding to part with it was difficult, but it needed to live with someone who jives better with soprano. I just received a Gold Tone Little Gem banjo uke and sent it back to Uke Republic today. This was a 100% impulse buy to try out a banjo uke. Not my thing.
 
Within the last year I got a Baton Rouge 8 string tenor. I quickly restrung it with only the G string in octaves. I've recently tuned it down to DGBE with just the D string in octaves. I need to restring it and am trying to decide what best to use.

Someone gave me a bright yellow Mahalo soprano. It had the original yukky nylon strings and sounded pretty awful. I replaced them with Living Water soprano strings and was surprised by the change as it sounded much better than I expected. A cheap and cheerful uke which I will be keeping for occasional use.
 
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Impressive list as always Hodge. I often wonder how you could sell some of those gems.......then I see what you acquire and it certainly evens out.

The year of 2018 has been my slowest year ever. If you said last 12 months there would be much more activity listed. I am in a real happy place with everyone of the ukes I own, all keepers

Acquired

Kimo super concert, sinker redwood and walnut
Fred Shields super soprano pineapple all walnut
LfdM long neck tenor build in progress, sinker cedar and curly myrtle.......should be done sometime in September

Sold

Blackbird Farallon to Brenda, she is happy happy.

I took up guitar 4 months ago. I am glad you didn't ask about guitar purchases :biglaugh:
 
Wow, you guys have been busy!
None for me. A premature, not-so-well planned retirement has put the kibosh on buying stuff.
Back to work for me, on Monday....which may put another uke within reach, after taking care of some fiduciary responsibilities.
 
I've bought a Teton tenor and an Islander Guitalele, both from the marketplace here. Each one fills a need, the Teton is my silent practce uke and the Islander gives me a chance to explore chord voicings beyond 4 notes as well hopefully progress in jazz by playing guitar tabs. Nothing parted with yet, but I am debating parting with my Cordoba 32T as well as my Graziano concert.

John
 
A quite year with only my Beau Hannam Australian Blackwood Tenor, that I commissioned in 2015, arriving. It was worth the wait.

349466A7-1E08-439D-B2C7-4C26E67A1B8F.jpg 658AC44D-C0AF-4281-A530-47ACFBB521F9.jpg 31E10569-7E53-4ED3-8A52-606A69E46101.jpg

Didn’t sell anything this year.

I must admit that I do feel the stirring of the UAS as I just got an “all clear” two days ago from the serious health issue that I was dealing with for the past 13 months.
 
A quite year with only my Beau Hannam Australian Blackwood Tenor, that I commissioned in 2015, arriving. It was worth the wait.

View attachment 111211 View attachment 111212 View attachment 111213

Didn’t sell anything this year.

I must admit that I do feel the stirring of the UAS as I just got an “all clear” two days ago from the serious health issue that I was dealing with for the past 13 months.

Even better than a new ukulele is good news regarding your health. But a new ukulele would be a good way to celebrate the good news. -:). Enjoy both your good news as well as your Beau Hannam.
 
I can't post these in one fell swoop so I'll do them separately.

In January I bought online a Savanah Lightning Travel Bass Guitar for $225 from Zorro Sounds that I had modified and painted for $650.

Savanah green both.jpg



8 tenor cutaway ukes, 3 acoustic bass ukes, 8 solid body bass ukes, 7 mini electric bass guitars

• Donate to The Ukulele Kids Club, they provide ukuleles to children's hospital music therapy programs. http://www.theukc.org
• Member The CC Strummers: https://www.youtube.com/user/CCStrummers/videos
 
Wow, hollis, that BH uke is drop dead gorgeous!
I'd say with that uke and your excellent health report, you have plenty to celebrate!
More pics, more pics!:drool:
 
Mike, isn't modding ukes fun? I'm trying to decide what to do to my Duke banjouke next to make it more fun. Maybe a colored vellum head....
 
I saw some fishuleles in Camden, Maine this week. I did not buy one. But I did buy an Outdoor Ukulele a couple weeks ago. I believe I’m done shopping for ukuleles. I have all I need.
 
Also in January I bought a Lanikai Bocote Thinline uke for $359 from Zorro Sounds online.

Lanikai Thinline Bocote 800.jpg



8 tenor cutaway ukes, 3 acoustic bass ukes, 8 solid body bass ukes, 7 mini electric bass guitars

• Donate to The Ukulele Kids Club, they provide ukuleles to children's hospital music therapy programs. http://www.theukc.org
• Member The CC Strummers: https://www.youtube.com/user/CCStrummers/videos
 
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In April I bought a Bruce Wei Hawaiian Island Paddle uke on eBay for $284 to replace the Bruce Wei custom Hawaiian Island Brown Burst uke he made me last year ($345), which I raffled to my uke group. The proceeds ($640) going to The Ukulele Kids Club for ukes we give out to kids in UCLA/Mattel Children's Hospital.

Hawaiian Islands paddle & brown.jpg



8 tenor cutaway ukes, 3 acoustic bass ukes, 8 solid body bass ukes, 7 mini electric bass guitars

• Donate to The Ukulele Kids Club, they provide ukuleles to children's hospital music therapy programs. http://www.theukc.org
• Member The CC Strummers: https://www.youtube.com/user/CCStrummers/videos
 
This month I bought a Lanikai Thinline Solid Spruce top for $149 specifically to raffle to my uke group for more donations to go to The Ukulele Kids Club and the kids at UCLA/Mattel.

Lanikai Thinline raffle uke 800.jpg
 
Wow, hollis, that BH uke is drop dead gorgeous!
I'd say with that uke and your excellent health report, you have plenty to celebrate!
More pics, more pics!:drool:

Yes Nickie, acquiring a fine new instrument would pick my spirits up even further. My elevated confidence has led me to join a small orchestra. Now all I have to do is remember how to read music notation. It’s been over 55 years since I’ve had to do that.
 
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