What is your traveler?
- Thread starter Ukecaster
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mikelz777
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You're not alone. While I really enjoy playing my uke, I don't need to have one at my disposal every minute of every day and I won't feel like I'm going to go through withdrawal if I don't play for whatever duration my travels might be. I've been on two trips during the COVID era. On one of those trips I would have been too occupied to play and even if I had the time, I don't know that my wife would have been appreciative being held hostage to my playing in the hotel room. I did have some time on my hands on the other trip but I probably wouldn't have played anyway because I would have chosen to do something else.
We are busy packing up to RV the winter in Florida. I'll be taking my Loprinzi tenor 8 and my new Fanner tenor electric. I have cheaper instruments but l would miss the better ones too much. If I was going hiking or to the beach and such I'd take the Makala (which plays and sounds nice imo)
captain-janeway
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Took one once traveling and only pulled it out once before I fell asleep. won't waste the space next time. Had too much fun doing other stuff.
Poul Hansen
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I have converted my Ford Galaxy van to a mini solo camper and outside summer the evenings get quite long, so I pratice in the car, guitar, ukulele and mandolin and hope to get so much better, that I can open the door in the daytime and entertain someone or play with someone, so I always have an intrument in the car(and a Kindle with lots of books on it)
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It really depends on where I'm traveling to and what the purpose of the travel is. If I'm going somewhere to visit friends, I'll typically have at least a day or two where I have to entertain myself all day because they have to go to work. If I'm vacationing by myself, I know that inevitably there's going to be a day (or several days) where I just want to hang out in the hotel all day. Going camping, or to the beach, or somewhere where there's downtime where you just kind of sit and hang out? Why not bring a ukulele?
That being said, I don't really have a dedicated travel uke, as I haven't really been traveling. Last time I traveled I didn't bring one, but bought one when I got there and brought it home with me.
That being said, I don't really have a dedicated travel uke, as I haven't really been traveling. Last time I traveled I didn't bring one, but bought one when I got there and brought it home with me.
PeteyHoudini
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I travelled to Blackpool (UK), Hamburg (DE), and Hawaii with the same Martin Bamboo OX in just a Martin carry bag on the plane. That Bamboo uke is made to survive WW3! It also is easy to get through customs cause it's not an expensive uke. You can get charged entry duty for bringing in instruments.
PeteyHoudini
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Yep. Also entering Europe, they can charge you at the airport, 20% of the value of your uke. I speak fluent enough German and they never bother me. I tell them.... "das ist nur eine kleine Gitarre." (that is just a little guitar). And they let me pass. In England, I tell them at customs, it's a ukulele like George Formby and they love that. Going to Hawaii... no questions asked if you're carrying a uke! hehe
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They can charge you for bringing in your own possessions that you're going to take out of the country with you? That's bizarre.
PeteyHoudini
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Bringing in an instrument across international borders is the equivalent of you sending the same thing in the mail to a friend overseas. Unless you have special paperwork claiming ownership and import of that instrument for a certain reason when travelling, you are basically importing the said instrument that could you be selling, etc... Obviously, it's just one instrument for personal use but you can end up paying. They've always asked me how much is it worth and I reply in German, "zweihundert-dreihundert Dollars." Then, they let me go thru. Don't lie cause they will go check it online if they don't like you.
It's funny cause everyone brings so much more expensive electronics across borders..iPhones, tablettes, laptops.... and they never question those.
Peter Frary
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I haven't travelled since Spring 2020. I used to bring my Tiny Tenor 6. Fits under an airplane seat and is great for late nights in a hotel room.
PTOEguy
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Most of my ukes are good for travel - I've got a Flight travel uke, a Flea and a Blackbird Clara. The Flight just happens to be as well set up as any uke I've ever owned - and that is just down to chance - I've played other Flight ukes that weren't nearly as good. So the Flight often goes because I can totally afford to be out $50 if it gets damaged or lost. Plus it is a hoot to play - it has a nice raucous tone and is just a bunch of fun to play. The Clara will come along when the travel is more secure because it gives me joy to play it - but it would be a much bigger stretch to replace, so there are some places it doesn't go.
My Gold Tone Little Gem is another great uke for travel - durable (lot of plastic), lighter than most banjo ukes, and fun to play.
My Gold Tone Little Gem is another great uke for travel - durable (lot of plastic), lighter than most banjo ukes, and fun to play.
Very recently, I got an Aiersi Pineapple Soprano uke. Cost me twopence, at least compared to most of my other ukes. It was supposed to be made out of HPL but I think it's regular laminate judging by the grain on the top. I think it's still durable enough that I'm comfortable taking it with me on trips. It's also supposed to have a richlite fretboard but I think it's some other type of technical wood. I haven't experienced any fret sprout yet though despite the low humidity we're already having where I live, so I'm very happy with it so far. Surprisingly loud and punchy sound as well.
PeteyHoudini
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I have one more great uke for travel as well: My soprano RISA stick. I've travelled with it but I realized they don't like it at airport security screening because they ALWAYS take it out of the scanned bag wondering what the hell it is. So, I stopped bringing it through airports. hehe
Voran
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Yeah for me, playing a ukulele IS living in the moment. Wish I'd had mine years ago.
EDW
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PeteyHoudini
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hehehe! Made me laugh out loud!!! Damn good idea! Though, it caused so much trouble at airports in Canada here, I gave up bringing it and then I had my Bamboo-zle uke shortly after that with its own carry-bag! The RISA stick is great and they even advertised it as a travel uke in the UK - UKE Magazine (that I subscribe too). However, airport security DO NOT like that PUPPY! hehe Saying it's a ukulele confuses security staff even more or a musical instrument... I think your "cheese slicer" would work better! heheI would tell them it is a cheese slicer
hands_on_lanzon
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Last time I traveled back in August, I brought along my Kala Pacific Walnut Soprano (KA-PWS) and it was doing the trick in the hotel room until... I visited the Ukulele Source in San Jose and heard the sweet siren sounds of a Spalted Mango Romero Creations STC. Let's just say I'm a dumb sailor and I went crashing into the rocks. Ended up gifting the PWS to a close friend and falling in love with the STC. I purchased it with full intent to have it be my future travel companion, but reading thru this thread strikes a little fear with the solid wood going thru different temps and humidities. Or maybe I'm just using it as a UAS justification to eye a Blackbird 
. If I do that, I for sure won't be gifting the STC!!
. If I do that, I for sure won't be gifting the STC!!
richntacoma
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This. So this. I am off to Colombia in December and perhaps some other travel as well, and playing in amazing places is just such a pleasure.
