Considering new uke but is it just UAS?

I would also change the strings first. During that time you can also try to learn about your instrument. Check each string individually before you take it off how high it sits, clean the fret wires and the fretboard. Maybe it looks a bit dry as well. Take a better look inside now that the soundhole is easily accessible.
Once you've swapped the strings you'll have to wait until they stretch. Then you might again wish for a second instrument. You will probably be able to keep your uke to take it everywhere and let others maybe play on it. A newer uke, whether significantly better or more expensive or not, will probably help with motivation and trying out different tunings.
 
Rllink said:
Well the title asked if it is just a new uke or if it is UAS, so I just thought that it is hard to answer that particular question without having a definitive measure for UAS. So my question seems relevant to the his question.
Click to expand...

Good point.

It could be an interesting thread on its own, too, though, since I would guess that there are a lot of different thoughts on what UAS really is.

But, you're right, the OP did ask if he had UAS, and that's hard to answer without a definition of UAS.
 
The OP has been playing for a year, plays with a jam group, and does some singing/performing. It seems reasonable to step up to a solid top or all solid ukulele. In the course of a year, the OP hasn’t been craving a different uke, so it doesn’t look like the UAS bug has bitten thus far.
 
It always (or at least almost always) makes sense to do a good setup on a uke you already own. Every uke deserves to sound its best. Even if you buy more ukes later (this can happen) the old uke will be more useful to you with a good setup. It will also be easier to sell if you decide to move it along. It's a win/win.

As for UAS, this is not a thing for you to worry about at this stage. Stepping up from a beginner uke to a nice solid-top instrument is a very reasonable thing to do and you will notice a real improvement in sound and playability. In fact, this is probably the best bang-for-the-buck purchase you'll make in your uke-playing life. Enjoy!

I don't think UAS is a worry at any stage as long as you're maxing out the 401k and nobody in your family is getting resentful about the money you're spending. If you ever catch yourself buying ukes for the sheer thrill of the purchase and you can't articulate a good reason for why you might choose to play this uke in a given situation instead of that uke... well then it might be worth reading up on shopoholics. People say "it's cheaper than therapy" but when we're talking K brands and Mya Moe and vintage Martins I'm not so sure! :cool:
 
"The closest I can get to Jake Shim's sound for under $300"

May I suggest $300 worth of lessons?

JK....
 
Wow, what a lot of great feedback and ideas, and especially the funny comments. I am actually not in any danger of UAS, no matter how many of you were hoping for another comrade in arms...:) I have great resistance to collecting things unless I am confident that I will use them. Hence, the starter uke to see if I stick with it. The starter uke is getting more attention than the starter telescope that I bought a few months ago. So i am pretty sure that another prettier and better sounding uke is in my future. Not so much for the telescope....

I do live in Florida so, dryness is not likely an issue, but I am thinking it might still be wise to stay with laminate sides and back. I am hoping for a good balance between nice sound and "wash and wear". Just starting the thought processes, so am keeping options open. But I don't want something so expensive and fussy that I am a slave to its upkeep.

I also will look into the condition of my strings. They are the originals so certainly could be part of the small problem I am having. I had not thought of that. Thanks everyone who suggested it.

Ok, before I head for bed, here is my take on how many ukes I think may eventually be my max level, if I ever get to a place where I am doing more serious playing. One concert with high G, one with low G, and a tenor, and maayyyybe a cute little soprano for plane trips. Four max should do it. But seriously, that would be a long way down the road. Right now, I just want to focus on one good sounding one, and improving my playing. I see this venture as I do my photography hobby. I started with a consumer level DSLR until I knew what features I wanted that were lacking in the "starter" camera and then invested in the well featured model that fit my hands and my style to a tee. Have not succumbed to CAS (camera acquisition syndrome) because I upgraded to exactly what I wanted and what fit with my perception of my needs and skill level. My take is that I will wait until NatGeo comes knocking before I start blowing the big bucks on a high end pro model full frame with the $10k bazooka lens. Likewise, I want my new uke choice to meet my current needs and desires without blowing a hole in my purse.

Thanks again for all of your comments! You guys are the best.

Dale
 
I spent three years with my first mainland concert...then it quickly went downhill from there! You can definitely develop late onset UAS ��
 
May be asking the wrong crowd "Should I buy another uke?" A bunch of kind enablers around here.

That being said buy an instrument that you aspire to play to its level. Or perhaps it's buy the instrument that inspires you to play to a higher level?????

I have 3 ukulele's they are all a little different, they all play to a higher level than I can, I play them weekly, I am happy when I am playing them, the sound of each is unique, I enjoy each for what it is......
 
I think UAS has kicked in when we buy a uke just for the sake of it and not because there is a "real" justification such as problems with ukes that are already owned. I have used borderline justifications like having different ukes for different purposes, but those are not necessarily valid reasons for purchase.
 
You can’t go wrong with a Mainland or an entry level Pono.
 
merlin666 said:
I think UAS has kicked in when we buy a uke just for the sake of it and not because there is a "real" justification such as problems with ukes that are already owned. I have used borderline justifications like having different ukes for different purposes, but those are not necessarily valid reasons for purchase.
Click to expand...
So a continuation of my comment about defining UAS, how do you define "real" justification? I would contend that no one "really" needs to play the ukulele. That very first one is not "really" justifiable. But I too have made some pretty hollow justifications for something I "really" didn't even need to justify in the first place. Just food for thought.
 
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Here’s a few things I have learned since taking up ukulele 4 + years ago:

1. YOU can never have too many ukes but you will, through UAS and playing, find one or two you like. KEEPERS
2. All solid wood will up your game and sound. I started on Pono AT acacia tenor, but HMS has MT [mahogany) or MGT (mango are all good, in your budget and will sound so much better.
3. Who you buy from is everything. A good ukulele specific dealer like HMS, MIMs or Uke Republic will mean the new ukulele will come out of box super playable and you are off.
4. Now that you are sticking with Ukulele and enjoy it, going solid with a good set up will help your playing and enjoyment.
5 strings make all the difference to a Uke and sound. Experiment. Cost is cheap. I’m still trying all kinds of string option on my five tenors. Be bold. I change string every two months or when I hear sound quality going down.
6. A good hard shell case is mandatory for my ukes.
7. You still have to humidify a laminate, so going solid isn’t that much work. You can use Oasis In Sound hole or Humidity packs by DAdarrio or humidistat disks is another good one. So, don’t let humidifying your ukuleles hold you back.

I’m sure there was more I’ve learned. Back to your question, upgrade from starter ukulele to something nice isn’t UAS, it’s just the natural evolution in your playing.

Enjoy and keep on playing.
 
I have only one ukulele, but I still think you should buy a solid top (if not all solid wood) instrument. Sooner or later you will "need" a better instrument than your current one and any problems now are going to get more and more frustrating. Having said that it would be worth getting a set up on your current instrument as well so it is as good playing as possible.
 
Update! Today I bought a new tenor uke, an Ohana solid cedar top and laminate willow sides and back. I opted for the low G string and am very pleased with the sound. I am also pleased and surprised that I was able to buy sorta local rather than ordering and shipping. I found a very well stocked store in Nokomis called the Ukulele Place. Jeff, the owner, was great to work with and stuck with me long after closing time, since traffic jams got us there much later than planned. I could sit down and play a whole bunch of ukes and compare side by side. And Jeff played all of them for me so that I could hear from the front. It gave me a good feeling to reward the store with the purchase rather than taking advantage of the opportunity and then going off and buying on the internet. Sat down and played for quite a long time tonight when I got home, and it seems to play easier than my starter uke and I enjoy listening to the sound. It's really pretty too! I am a happy camper. And since I now have a new uke to play, I can take the risk of trying to file down the fret on the old uke to see if I can get that buzz out of there. Then I'll have a foul weather uke. If it doesn't work out, I can start saving my pennies for a new concert uke! Win -win!
 
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