Question about playability vs cost

Joyful Uke · Jun 20, 2021

Wineshop said:
Again - thanks for all the help. I'm going to go and play some tenors nearby just to gauge the feel (even if they are cheaper models). One of the things I love about the concerts and sopranos I own is the ability to form exotic chords that may utilize the width of 7 or 8 frets. That's fun! I want to make sure jumping up a size doesn't hamper that ability. I'll just have to play a few and see. If there's little difference I may then look at longer scales. Long term - the Kinnards look amazing, but I'd like to stay married. If my next bonus is good enough .. who knows. The Mike Periara ukes look like a legitimate option. And I'd love to try a Blackbird. Also how about Pono as an option? They make a cutaway spruce top for $800 or so which looks great. I did some searching here and they seem to get mostly positive feedback. FYI -I'd say playability is more important than tone or sustain, but my experience with guitars is usually when they play easy and fret easy, they tend to sustain a tad better by design. But I really want to be able to hop around as effortlessly as possible. And I realize it won't play like a steel string guitar - even my nylon classical acoustics don't - but I'd like to give it hell trying! And practice will help that - even the ukes I own get easier with practice. So I'll get there. Thanks again!

Tim

I think that everything that has been suggested to you comes in concert size as well, so if you decide that you like that scale better, most of what everyone has said still applies.

The current base price for a Kinnard Series 1 is $1750, so still out of your range, but if you put a WTB (want to buy) in the Marketplace, you never know what might come up for a used one, with the added bonus of not losing your spouse.

Same for any other ukulele that might be of interest to you, in any size. We've got people on the forum with some interesting collections, and they might be willing to part with a ukulele if they knew they had a buyer.

If you don't mind taking a bit of a chance buying used, that might help get the price down to your range, even if new they'd be out of your range. I've only bought used from the marketplace here, but haven't had any problems from doing so, though that doesn't guarantee that you'll have the same luck.

You're coming from a background that might make it easier to figure out what you want, and then it's a matter of finding one.
This is my only instrument, so I had major UAS for a bit, while I tried to figure out what was "it" for me. Once I found that, though, my UAS was cured.

Enjoy the hunt for your next ukulele, whatever it might be.

etudes · Jun 20, 2021

Wineshop said:
Again - thanks for all the help. I'm going to go and play some tenors nearby just to gauge the feel (even if they are cheaper models). One of the things I love about the concerts and sopranos I own is the ability to form exotic chords that may utilize the width of 7 or 8 frets. That's fun! I want to make sure jumping up a size doesn't hamper that ability. I'll just have to play a few and see. If there's little difference I may then look at longer scales. Long term - the Kinnards look amazing, but I'd like to stay married. If my next bonus is good enough .. who knows. The Mike Periara ukes look like a legitimate option. And I'd love to try a Blackbird. Also how about Pono as an option? They make a cutaway spruce top for $800 or so which looks great. I did some searching here and they seem to get mostly positive feedback. FYI -I'd say playability is more important than tone or sustain, but my experience with guitars is usually when they play easy and fret easy, they tend to sustain a tad better by design. But I really want to be able to hop around as effortlessly as possible. And I realize it won't play like a steel string guitar - even my nylon classical acoustics don't - but I'd like to give it hell trying! And practice will help that - even the ukes I own get easier with practice. So I'll get there. Thanks again!

Tim

A pono tenor was my first uke after playing guitar for decades. I love the Ponos and still have my tenor (rosewood with cedar top). Hard to go wrong with them IMHO. Very playable and inspiring instruments. I'll second Cadia's comment that the aNueNue Moonbird's are special and also have an amazing pickup system. Good luck..

clear · Jun 21, 2021

Wineshop said:
... So my question: should I expect the neck to be more loving (yes, my word!) higher up the neck for those crazy chords that I have to play to support my melodies? Do I just have to order one with a good return policy in case I don't like it? And if that's the case, what in that price range would you suggest for a guy who's 80% fingerstyle, and strums only when I have to! I hope all this makes sense. FYI - all 3 of my ukes have really nice setups, so I don't think that's the issue.

Thanks so much!
Tim

What do you mean by "loving" neck? You mean the finish? profile? If you can be more specific, I think you'll get better answers. The uke neck is so narrow, almost any profile is playable, but I still prefer thinner necks of the Kamaka over the chunkier necks of the Kala. As for finish, I've never played a uke with a really good neck feel, but it doesn't matter too much because I don't normally play up the neck on a uke.

When I do play up the neck, I don't find uke neck finish/profile being the limiting factor in playability. Instead, I find the small fret distances to be limiting because it forces me to keep my barre finger very straight (I normally have a bit of a curve in my barre finger). The straight finger creates a very non-ergonomic situations with my other fretting fingers.

It is always good to buy from a store with a good return policy. I think you always know this, but just in case, if you think you might want to return the uke, you don't want to ask for a setup (many stores won't allow returns once they've setup the uke for you).

clear · Jun 21, 2021

I think a pic can help a lot in this case:

Notice the guitar picture, my index finger has a natural curl but it must be straight on the uke. I'm fretting the same chord shapes on both instruments (the uke just needs 1 less finger to fret it).

Also, I don't think the uke is really designed for playing up on the neck often; there are other instruments better fit that type of playing.

Knows Picker · Jun 21, 2021

How about a tenor banjo??

Carefully selected nylon strings will fit a shorter scale tenor banjo with the scale length up to about 20 inches, and you can keep the GCEA tuning!

Question about playability vs cost

Joyful Uke

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etudes

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clear

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clear

Well-known member

Knows Picker

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