$, New Uke!!!, and ::fidgets here:: Please Help!

MikeR

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Patience has never been my strong suit.

I began playing the ukulele about a month and a half ago and, after two weeks, decided to upgrade from my 50 dollar Lanikai LU21 I got from amazon.

My price range was around $300. Not too much more for a decent beginner instrument, right? Well, I was looking at the Islanders when I saw the Pono AT. One thing lead to another (maybe you can relate?) and I ordered the Deluxe version with a MiSi Pickup and the sturdier hardshell case for a total of near $800 (with shipping) from MusicGuyMic.

I ordered it February 2nd and it should be arriving to Hawaii Music Supply March 4th...this sunday!!!

My point is, I've been a nervous nerotic wreck ;p...my girlfriend has complained that I look at the pono more than I look at her. If I'm being completely honest, I refresh the HMS product page 15 times a day (at least) just in case they miraculously get it in early.

4 days until it arrives to HMS and who knows how much longer to do the set-up and pickup install...any tips on how I can distract myself and not go any crazier?

Thanks ;-)
Mike
 
Hello Mike,
Take your girl friend out for dinner. Just play your nice Lanikai. That's about the only tips I can recommend......1931jim
 
This is simple. While you're waiting for the uke to arrive, get yourself into another hobby. I suggest falconry. You'll be less focused on waiting for your uke if you also have a baby hawk on order.

My gf just read this and said she approves!
 
Order ANOTHER new uke to take your mind off the wait for the first one!
 
Get a dolphin for your girlfriend. If she doesn't like, get another............................................................uke!!
 
Heh, I was internet window shopping earlier today then put away the laptop. My husband walked by and said "You have that I want to buy things look in you eye." Busted. He knows me better than I know myself. So you can put away the computer and go to dinner, but she'll know that when you gaze into her eyes, that you're seeing Ponos. Take two ukes and post about it in the morning. :D
 
You're all CRACKING me up.

Bob, you and I think alike!

Chris...I almost did buy an Islander at the Aloha Warehouse in San Francisco, CA to hold me over until the Pono arrives. But I can't have my gf thinking I'm irresponsible ;-)

Steve...yes, psychotherapy. But you never responded to my last post in your thread, 'convincing my spouse.' Will you give me a discount on psychotherapy too?

Plainsong, yes, my gf is very smart and intuitive. It's really bad when I hug her and gently strum the phantom strings extending from her neck to her waist. I really scared her when I asked her to hum multiple notes at the same time as I strummed ;-)
 
Here's what you gotta do.. start researching strings. it should keep you busy for at least a few days.

Also, did the pono if come with a humidifier??? no? better look into that...
 
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grandpoobah, thanks for these tips but I have already researched strings and humdifiers/dehumidfiers! that got me through about a week and a half actually =) I've decided to start with the ko'olau strings in this order: mahana, alohi, and the golds. The mahana strings are stock that come on the pono's (the poor man's ko'olau). I'm not sure if HMS changes them out though to Aquilas; I'll ask when they fill the order. If I don't find a set that I love the sound of I'll then try both sets of worths.

I decided to try the low g too. I like the running baselines, even though it lacks that high pitched 'ukey' sound. I've been playing around with different strings on my lanikai lu21 soprano. I have a combination of classical guitar strings on it with the d string as my low g (funny on a soprano, right?) and the aquila c string. The fat nylon string didn't have enough tension on it and slid out of tune really easy.

All Hawaii Music Supply ukuleles come with humidifiers. But I live in San Francisco, CA...I've been watching the humidity closely for the past year or so and it stays between 55-62 percent humidity. If anything, I think I'd need to get a dehumidifier (but those are expensive). Most musicians I know in the area don't worry about humidity here though.

Anything else I could obsess about for the next week or two?

One of the best distractions I might add are these forums...I read them before I go to work in the morning...when I'm on break at work and when I get home from work. I'm playing my ukulele right now and reading forums. Lol, I think I've caught the uke bug. On the bright side...I have been playing my Soprano a lot...learning bar chords up the fretboard. So when I get my tenor I'll be able to play it a lot better =)
 
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Lol!!! Ok, looks like you got the strings covered. And in SF the humidity isn't an issue...

So next step... Start looking for area groups to meet up. Uke ppl are general easy going and don't care if you suck btw. Not saying you suck, but I do, and people have been cool about it. Next you can get super neurotic about growing your fingernails, start looking for a strap, songbooks, watch a bunch of jake s and James hill videos.

If you've already done all that, just keep refreshing the status/tracking and checking your email constantly. This is pretty much what us serious uke ppl do all day. Also you can refresh the uke market place forum every 5 minutes. That's more of a "pro tip" though...
 
I have been a little nervous about looking for uke groups yet, but I think that could be a lot of fun!

I have started filing my nails. I played the classical guitar for a while so I already had the extra extra extra fine grit sandpaper (don't know what it's really called) that I finish the nails with after I file them with a regular revlon style file. And you just reminded me about strap buttons. I need to make sure they install those on the ukulele when they fill the order! Can I use a guitar strap for an ukulele or do they make much smaller ones?

I have several book: Ukulele for dummies, The daily Ukulele (though I'm not familiar with a lot of the songs, an older friend of mine lent me some cd's with a lot of those songs on them), fingerstyle solo for ukulele, and fretboard roadmaps. I've also been transposing one of my classical guitar soloing books called 'guitar solo' for the ukulele using a program called MuseScore.

I've seen Jake but hadn't heard of James Hill; thanks for the tip!

Is there a status/tracking place on the forums here? I set it up to get an email from UU when a post has changed but I only get one at a time I think. It says to check the thread before you'll get more updates.

Uke Market...you sir are a bad influence ;-)
 
You sound pretty much good to go. All you can do now is practice, and find a good artist for that tattoo..
Also a shoe lace is really all you need for a strap. Guitar straps can be overkill on a uke, especially if it's padded. If your uke has a pickup, you are pretty much set. Some people add a strap button on the base of the neck, but ukes are so light you can tie a string to the headstock and be ok.
You might want to just kill your time on YouTube then. I learned a ton from ukulele mike's videos. He's literally got hundreds of videos of songs to learn. They are great and can help bump you up to intermediate level fast.
 
This is the best time to spend taking your girlfriend out and giving her more attention..ha ha because when your ukulele arrives I suspect you'll focus more on the ukulele..
 
Grandpoobah, are you suggesting I tattoo a some ukulele strings on my gf's back? This has possibilities...

stan, I think you may be right. She finds it entertaining now that every time she texts/calls me I'm a) playing my ukulele, or b) on these forums.

With a little bit of guitar experience and some music theory books, I'm able to figure out a lot on the ukulele. Some teachers I work with are doing a talent show sometime in March and the first song they've chosen is "nothing compares to you," the prince song covered by Sinead O'connor.

One of my coworkers plays in a bluegrass band and recently got an ukulele...seeing him play it made me want to get one. He is playing open chords and I spent about a week figuring out the chords up the fretboard for a higher voicing (so when we play we won't sound alike). I spent the next and several weeks to perfect the chord changes/build up strength in my hand for all the barr chords. Then I switched to a low g and had to learn some new chords shapes for a proper voicing.

I'm a math teacher and tend to like the technical aspects of playing the instrument...where you play each note and why. When I get my Pono Tenor I will spend more time learning the fretboard and learning how to sight read music.

With the low g I am also practicing fingerpicking the arpeggios to "hallelujah" and "what a wonderful world" by Izzy.

Thanks for all your advice and resources! This forum is awesome. =)
 
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Do what I do... While waiting for the uke you ordered to arrive start researching your next uke!
 
Congratulations. Good ukuleles are easy enough to come by, but good girlfriends... well, you might want to check your priorities.... just sayin'.
Welcome to the crazyhouse!
 
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