Obligatory introduction

Good evening. I am Professir. I am 64 years old and a buttugly old biker given a second chance. I have played music since 1967....Guitar/banjo/fiddle/mandolin until a life saving open heart surgery. It messed me up pretty good, so 5 repair surgeries left me with a badly damaged right arm. About 20% functions. SO (after I sold all my instruments to pay medical bills) I am taking up ukulele. It’s the only thing I can play without too much pain. I will be saving up over the next year (hey, life on disability) and most likely getting a Martin S1. I only want to buy/own one.....so I dont want to get something less expensive for “just now” only to collect dust when I get the dream. SO....HI there. I hope to be a positive addition and welcome friends. Blessings and have a good day.....or make it one.

Welcome. I am finding the aging process kinda sucky. But making music makes it kinda wonderful.

Hello and welcome, Professir I'm another old (82) ex-biker. I took up playing uke when I was in my late fifties, to accompany my (so called) singing. Still at it, after a battle with prostate cancer and surgery on the left hand.

It's good to be alive!

John Colter

Thank you for the add! I am excited to learn what I can and contribute what I can.

Welcome Professir!

I hope you'll soon be able to strum and pick a nice instrument of your own. Your voice might still sing out while you save up!

Thanks all. I am reconsidering this “all or nothing” approach. I see flights and a few used Ohana’s for sale that I could get into in a couple months.....then save for the dream. Seems its hard to go wrong with those 2 brands.

professir said:

Thanks all. I am reconsidering this “all or nothing” approach. I see flights and a few used Ohana’s for sale that I could get into in a couple months.....then save for the dream. Seems its hard to go wrong with those 2 brands.

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Going to Hawaii? I love this plan. My wife and I will join you.

Welcome professir! Where there's a will, there's a way. It's great to find a way to still make music in spite of some physical challenges. Good luck on your uke journey. btw, you can put some Aquila "mandolin" nylon uke strings on your uke for gdae and you'll be up and running!

Welcome professir! There are a lot of folks here with issues and as bunnyf wrote "where there's a will, there's a way." I echo your thought of getting something you'll be happy to play from the beginning, but I doubt if you won't still be thinking about other "better" ukes that might sound different than yours. Enjoy!

Wow, another biker in the group! OK, ex-biker, but once a biker, always a biker, right? As a beginner you need two things: (1) an instrument with decent tone quality, and; (2) a good setup on the instrument. Tone quality is subjective and self explanatory. "Setup," however, is an issue that a beginner probably won't know about. Setup refers to the level of the frets, and the clearance of the strings over the frets. A good setup will make the difference between an instrument you have to struggle with to play, frustration, and disappointment, and an instrument that helps you along and pleases you on your journey toward playing proficiency. So, rather than order from Amazon, buy from a reputable dealer that advertises "setups" on newly purchased instruments. Tell the dealer that you are a beginner, and specifically ask for an "easy to play" setup. Then, you will be OK.

Welcome Professir!

Hello Professor.
Welcome. Another x biker here. A doozy of an accident in 2007 concluded my riding career.
I am 73, and decided to learn to play an instrument at 65. I read on the net that it was a great thing to do in retirement.

Nothing I have ever experienced could have been more true. A life changing event. Although Arthritis is my demon,
I find it just annoying.

Good luck to you.

Terry