So.............. how about those Cardinals?!!
Hey, I think you've used that line before. Give us something fresh!
So.............. how about those Cardinals?!!
Hey, I think you've used that line before. Give us something fresh!
It seems to me that the cost of good quality luthier made ukes is getting a bit astronomical. I saw today a post for a "hand"made uke which substantial help from machinery to take the strain, listed for £4000! And an accompanying diatribe as to why this was a "fair" price.
I understand that the cost of living, materials etc is rising but this seems a bit extreme. And you cannot comment or make any suggestion that this is the case without being barred from this particular sellers page.
What is a person to do if they want something locally made that won't break the bank. No wonder people source things from abroad!
Seems such a shame and not completely justified to squeeze people for every dime they're worth.
Since pretty much all ukuleles are hand made.
LOL You can't be serious?
Oh no! Mean mister luthier squeezing all the proles for all their dimes!! Give me a break!!!
:agree:
Oh no! Mean mister luthier squeezing all the proles for all their dimes!! Give me a break!!!
:agree:
From what I've seen your ukuleles are pretty reasonably priced. As a luthier how would you defend the £4,000 ukulele which, extra bling aside is little different to a £1,000 or £2,000 ukulele?
DPO said:-
"[UkingViking]Since pretty much all ukuleles are hand made.
LOL You can't be serious?"
As I said earlier in this thread, "hand made" is not a useful term. In the widest sense, all wooden ukuleles are hand made. Call it hand assembled, if you prefer, but we are just arguing about the meaning of words.
A luthier from the eighteenth century would not consider any of today's top range ukuleles as properly "hand made" - unless there are still people out there making ukuleles from the raw timber using non powered tools.
John Colter
So.............. how about those Cardinals?!!
Yes, DPO, 'hand crafted' makes an important distinction and is more precise. I was not suggesting that use of power tools and other labour saving devices and techniques is cheating. I'm all for it. I'll bet Antonio Stradivari would have given his right arm for a band saw.
John Colter
This is a good article about the cost of making a uke. Nothing shocking, but it puts it in perspective.
https://liveukulele.com/gear/buying-tips/ukulele-price/
Alternative title to this thread: the expanding loss of the understanding of value in a mass-produced, instant gratification, disposable human world...
IMO some of these high priced ukeleles are more than instruments, they are works of art.
I prefer the term "Hand Crafted"
Powered tools are capable of doing exactly nothing without my hands.
As I use no CNC or computer assisted tools in my builds they are as I stated above "Hand Crafted"