Do you play your really expensive ukes?

MentalAtom

MentalAtom

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Hey everyone,

Just a random thought I had. I have been playing for over a year now and think I'm in for life, so I'm gonna start saving for that "one" hawaiian-made ukulele. Of course, they tend to come in $1000 or so and they look so pretty, so I'm just curious - Those of you that have these kinda instruments and also others, do you also play the expensive ones just as much as the others, or do they tend to stay in cases and come out on special occasions? When they're valuable I can understand maybe you would be nervous to damage them or something.

There is no big deep question here, I'm just curious, as I'm pretty sure once I eventually save and get my hawaiian uke I'll be careful with it but I'll also play it as much as I can, that's the point after all!
 
I have a Kamaka and a Kanile’a and I play them both (the Kamaka more because of the more comfortable neck shape) and, when I lived in Hawaii, wouldn’t hesitate to bring them to the beach to play while the kids got in the water.

I understand some people get wrapped up in the cost, but I’ve got a theory that they’re more wrapped up in the resale value if you know what I mean. ;-)

Not that there’s anything wrong with prospecting, but if I was trying to maintain a pristine collection, I would be nervous about playing them and that’s something I’m not interested in. I play all of my ukes and the only time I get nervous is when a kid wants to play one and I don’t have a strap attached to it for added security. Beyond that, I’ll play and play and play.
 
If you get a Ukulele for artwork collection, it's understandable not to play it.
But if you get a Ukulele as an instrument, why not play it no matter it's expensive or not? Also playing is the best way to maintain an instrument.
 
Well to start with I wouldn't call a $1000 Hawaiian K brand ukulele a particularly expensive ukulele. I'd call them a mid priced professional instrument.
Having said that, I take my Wise tenor ukulele which is a luthier built Australian custom instrument of similar cost out busking with me all the time. It's taken a few dings and scratches but when all is said and done I bought it to play it.
 
I am never going to get a really expensive instrument (>$2500), since I would be hesitant to bring it anywhere and I would hold back playing it.
I dont have any "regular high end ukes" yet ($1000-2500), also partly for the same reason, partly because I am hesitant to use the money.
But I play my mid range instruments (around $500) without regard to them being more expensive than my cheapos.
I only buy ukes to play them. I dont usually perform for other people, but if I should do it would probably be at a bonfire or a venue. I would want my playing to be optimized for that rare occasion, so I want my best ukes to be some I would dare to bring. I wouldnt want to practice at home on a super bling instrument, only to perform on a cheaper one.
 
Ukuleles are meant to be played, but I understand the question. If you are only going to have one nice ukulele, why not limit playing to increase life span? From what I have found, $1,000+ ukuleles are pretty sturdy and can handle regular playing. They actually hold up better than heavier built sub $1,000 instruments. As long as you are not reckless, I bet you can get 20 years of regular playing out of it. Just take care of it along the way!
 
I have several “expensive “ ukuleles. My go to is my new KoAloha anniversary tenor.
For a gig plugged in it is either my KoAloha super concert or Vento tenor. Outdoors and camping the Blackbird Farallon.
 
I play my expensive ukes every day, but I have to say that I never take them on vacations, in cars, on camping trips. I've tried, but I'm just not wired that way. When I play my ukes, I play my ukes. It is an event. When I go to the beach, that's the event. So I don't take my ukes camping--not because I'm afraid of getting them dirty--but because it is a waste of my time; I would never take them out of their cases.
 
Over the course of 4 years of playing I have owned 15 different ukes. I've gotten down to 4 now, ranging in price from $600-$1400 give or take. I play them all at home, at church, at my local uke group jams and classes, and at festivals. They are played inside and outside. They travel with me on airlines. The Blackbird Clara goes camping and kayaking with me. I try to be as careful with them as possible.
 
Those are the ones I play and take to jams, that's what they're for!
 
RafterGirl said:
The Blackbird Clara goes camping and kayaking with me.
Click to expand...

How convenient. You can use it as an actual boat paddle.

I don't think I actually have any mid-range ukes currently. Unless you count my Cocobolo concert, they're all what I would call high-end around that $1000 mark. I've sold all my mid-range ukes simply because I rarely played them, so yes, I definitely play my most expensive ukes.

To be honest, I'm still constantly looking for cheaper ukes that I could take with me on trips once this damn pandemic is over, but the issue is I want to get something that I'd be happy to play at home as well as on trips. I'm a bit hesitant to take any of my more expensive ukes with me so I want to find one that's a decent player but one that I wouldn't worry over if it got damaged.
 
My most expensive uke is a custom for $780 and I will play that anywhere, anytime.

Gypsy full 800.jpg


This is Michael Kohan in Los Angeles, Beverly Grove near the Beverly Center
8 tenor cutaway ukes, 4 acoustic bass ukes, 10 solid body bass ukes, 14 mini electric bass guitars (Total: 36)

Donate to The Ukulele Kids Club, they provide ukuleles to children in hospital music therapy programs. www.theukc.org
Member The CC Strummers: www.youtube.com/user/CCStrummers/video, www.facebook.com/TheCCStrummers
 
Playing does not decrease the value of the uke... it is depreciated once you pay for it. Then it will hold its used value for a long time and might actually appreciate in value. This is true whether unplayed or with slight wear and tear. So a $1,000 uke may hold value at $700. It is really not a good financial investment if you are looking to invest.

OTOH, if you play it all the time, you quickly derive more than the $300 (or even $1,000) that it cost you. Everytime you think of your uke (even without picking it up), everytime you see it, everytime you talk about it, you derive value. Now if you play it, that is when you easily exceed the price you paid for it. It feels better, sounds better, and looks better every time you strum or pick a note.

And it saves you the $500 that you would have spent on a different uke while wondering if you should get a $1k uke down the road.
 
My reason to buy an expensive ukulele is always the sound.. so not playing it is counter productive.. an instrument is not really an investment in a monetary sense but it is an investment into the joy one gets..
 
Last edited:
My first ukulele was a Kala solid acacia tenor. I poromised myself I would get a Hawaiian "K brand" ukulele, but not until I could hear, feel, or otherwise tell the difference between a K brand ukulele and my Kala. A couple of years after I began playing, I bought a Kamaka tenor, and I never looked back. I ended up selling the Kala tenor to a friend at a deep discount. I found that I liked playing the Kamaka more than I liked playing the Kala, and that meant that I actually spent more time playing, which helped me to improve more quickly than I had before buying a Kamaka. I have since bought a number of custom instruments and tend to play them more than I play my Kamaka, although I'm mindful not to place the expensive ukuleles in dangerous environments. I have flown to Hawai'i with my most expensive instrument and I've played that instrument outdoors there.
 
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