Does the UAS Ever End- What's Your stash?

[GX9901]

UAS does end. I'm a live example. At the peak, my collection was about 25 pieces as well. Since then, I have scaled back significantly and sold off about half to fund other collections: knives, flashlights, watches, etc. My friends say I'm a hoarder, not a collector.

Off the top of my head, I still have:
Kamaka Soprano
Kamaka Concert
Kamaka Tenor
kamaka Tenor 8 String
KoAloha Superconcert
KoAloha Tenor
KoAloha Pinapple Sunday
KoAloha Tenor Sceptre
Kanilea Tenor Soundmonster
Kanilea Tenor Gloss
G String Tenor (will sell)
Leolani Tenor Gloss (will sell)
Leolani Tenor Satin
Flea Pineapple Design
Fluke Tenor Hibisucs
Applause UAE148 Tenor (will sell)
Mele Koa Tenor
KPK Tenor

At the end of the day, it seemed a bit excessive to continue my UAS when other things in my life take up so much time. I've been pulling 90 hr work-weeks for the past month or so...it's been ridiculous. Haven't seen an ukulele in the past 2 weeks. T_T

Holy crap Jon! I didn't know you have all those ukes! You can sell off many of them to easily fund an, uh, R-brand thingy you've been contemplating.

 

[Chris Tarman]

I have 18, about 8 of which I play pretty regularly. There are another 4 or 5 that I play SOMEWHAT regularly. There are 2 that are unplayable, but I like having them. My latest acquisition was my most expensive to date. I feel that I have (mostly) upgraded or filled some specific niche with every purchase (apart from a few odds and ends that I bought because they were just cool, like my 2 old Harmony sopranos). I feel that I can slow way down now. There are a few things I still want though: a Banjo-uke; a custom soprano; a Martin Style 0 (which isn't necessary, but I'd like one); the Martin Style 3 that is hanging on the living room wall of a drummer I know (TORTURE!!!); and maybe a couple more Mainlands, like a Cedar soprano and a mahogany pineapple (to switch up what I have now). Oh, and a K-brand soprano someday, maybe. But I'm MOSTLY done. I could actually be content with the addition of a banjo-uke and a custom soprano. I suppose I'd still buy something now and then though...

 

[experimentjon]

Holy crap Jon! I didn't know you have all those ukes! You can sell off many of them to easily fund an, uh, R-brand thingy you've been contemplating.

Haha. Yup. When I started on UU, I had no money and only two Tangis that my dad had bought in the mid 90s but never played. Back then, you even bought me my first UU Shirt since I was a poor high school kid. (Nope, I have not forgotten and am still very grateful.) I thought $20 was a lot of money since that was half-a-month's allowance!

Then, when I graduated from high school, one of my friend's dad, the CFO of a large company in Hawaii hired me as an intern with zero experience in the database stuff that I had to do, and basically all of the money I made went into buying ukes. In those days, and esp through my freshman year in college, the economy was awful, so there were some good deals to be had on Craigslist. (I've only bought four of the high-dollar instruments new, and they're all keepers.) As I continued to work, I continued pouring money into the musical investments, esp since I could play them too and it was fun.

But now, all I do is work. So it makes little sense to hoard all of the ukes other than the definite keepers. Meanwhile, I do wear a watch every day...and I will be working in a client-based business...grad present!

 

[Plainsong]

And by R-brand thingy, you mean you'd rather have an O-brand thingy with the initial PO and an orange bezel. Fixed that for you. I'm in no way projecting my own wants onto you.

I'd like to think my UAS has an end. Maybe I'm just fooling myself.

 

[thatukuleleguy]

25? I am both in awe and jealous. I got my second uke for Christmas this year and pretty soon after realized that I needed another one. Unfortunately, UAS and money don't play well together.

 

[fleadoc]

dude you are seriously ill
Not sure if UAS is infectious, autoimmune, or, god forbid -psychiatric
whatever the mechanism of disease you are in fact textbook

 

[marymac]

It's not a sickness, it's a joy! I'm currently at 14 ukes. Not planning to expand any more but who knows. Notice the lap steel that I've snuck onto this list? If I get any more stringed instruments it will probably be in that category. Maybe a Sierra 8-string Laptop...

Low G Ukes
--------------
Anakoneke Custom Cat Koa Concert (will arrive tomorrow - 2/25/11)
Black Bear All Spruce Concert
Mike Pereira Pineapple Concert (Mahogany/Redwood)
Kala Solid Acacia Tenor

High G Ukes
--------------
Roy Smeck Vita Uke (1930s)
Boat Paddle Long Neck Soprano (Cocobolo Rosewood/Spruce)
Earnest Stradelele Concert (Curly Mahogany)
Pohaku Concert Deco (Mahogany/Spruce)
Koaloha Soprano
Makala Dolphin (in the car)

Electric Ukes
---------------
Kala U-Bass (Spruce top)
Eleuke Metallic Black Concert Jazz Cutaway
Roland Micro Cube Bass RX

Banjo Ukes
-------------
Mainland Concert Banjo-uke

Lap Steel Guitars
--------------------
Mountain Made 6-string Acoustic Lap Steel Guitar with Pickup (tuned to C6)

Ordered but not arrived
-----------------------------
Red Beansprout Concert Banjo-uke - will arrive when it arrives (it's my Zen banjo)

 

[Plainsong]

Soprano
The Helsinki Ukulele (Pete Howlett)
Hibiscus Flea

No longer have:
Koaloha pikake soprano
Koaloha standard soprano


Concert
Mainland matte mahogany (Mal)
Eleuke sunburst jazz uke

No Longer have:
MP Koa/maple binding
Kala spruce/lacewood
Pono PCO
Koa Flea
Risa uke stick

Superconcert
Kanilea K1 deluxe (Gaius)

Tenor
Kala Archtop (soon to be back in commission!) (Laura)

No longer have:
Pono PTO
Surf Fluke

Retired:
Aqua blue Kala tenor

 

[GX9901]

Three pages into this thread and no pictures posted?

Here's my somewhat outdated stash:

The Mainland concert was replaced by these:

:music:

 

[kendra]

25! Wow. I only have 5 - I can't wait to tell my husband that I don't really even have a problem. (He would disagree.)

No photos from the computer I'm at, but I have 5 ukes all named after Star Wars characters:

1. Fluke Skywalker - mango colored concert fluke (named itself, obviously)
2. Vader - Spalted mango Lanakai concert (got him at my first uke fest, which is basically a sci-fi convention for us uke geeks and why I started naming my ukes after Star Wars.)
3. C3PO - Champagne colored Recording King Resonator uke. (3PO being the obvious choice for a metal uke)
4. R2D2 - Soprano Stagg uke with internal pick-up. (Small and electronic - like R2)
5. Billy D - Tenor Mahogany Mainland (named for the actor who played Lando because of it's smooth tone - like Billy D's smooth voice)

I still need a UkuLeia, a Boba Fret, and a Han Soloing uke. Of course, after 2 more uke fests and a trip to Hawaii later in the year, I might be able to fill the whole Cantina!

 

[marymac]

25! Wow. I only have 5 - I can't wait to tell my husband that I don't really even have a problem. (He would disagree.)

No photos from the computer I'm at, but I have 5 ukes all named after Star Wars characters:

1. Fluke Skywalker - mango colored concert fluke (named itself, obviously)
2. Vader - Spalted mango Lanakai concert (got him at my first uke fest, which is basically a sci-fi convention for us uke geeks and why I started naming my ukes after Star Wars.)
3. C3PO - Champagne colored Recording King Resonator uke. (3PO being the obvious choice for a metal uke)
4. R2D2 - Soprano Stagg uke with internal pick-up. (Small and electronic - like R2)
5. Billy D - Tenor Mahogany Mainland (named for the actor who played Lando because of it's smooth tone - like Billy D's smooth voice)

I still need a UkuLeia, a Boba Fret, and a Han Soloing uke. Of course, after 2 more uke fests and a trip to Hawaii later in the year, I might be able to fill the whole Cantina!

Good to know there are other scifi geeks here. Love the names!

 

[dsummers]

I plan putting pictures up when get someone to assist me as I'm basically a paper pencil and paper guy except what I have to do (like find me a Kamaka tenor). It is nice to know there are others that have flown over the koo koo's nest. Does anyone ever say to you, "why do have so many, you can only play one at a time."

 

[marymac]

Does anyone ever say to you, "why do have so many, you can only play one at a time."

All the time. I just laugh. Clearly they have never known the love of good uke.

 

[Chris Tarman]

All the time. I just laugh. Clearly they have never known the love of good uke.

My co-workers ask me this all the time. I ask them "How many guns do you own?" and that shuts them right up.

Oops.. I replied with the wrong quote! I MEANT to reply to the the "Does anyone ever say to you, "why do you have so many, you can only play one at a time" " quote.

 

[Plainsong]

Good to know there are other scifi geeks here. Love the names!

Hey mine are sci-fi named too, the ones that have names. Mal, Gaius, Laura... two are from the same show and one is now Castle.

 

[marymac]

Hey mine are sci-fi named too, the ones that have names. Mal, Gaius, Laura... two are from the same show and one is now Castle.

I know exactly who they are! But Gaius? He was definitely not my favorite character. I remember your previous avatar - how come no Kara in your uke collection? Nothing edgy enough? Loved Firefly too.

 

[Ronnie Aloha]

Haha. Yup. When I started on UU, I had no money and only two Tangis that my dad had bought in the mid 90s but never played. Back then, you even bought me my first UU Shirt since I was a poor high school kid. (Nope, I have not forgotten and am still very grateful.) I thought $20 was a lot of money since that was half-a-month's allowance!

Then, when I graduated from high school, one of my friend's dad, the CFO of a large company in Hawaii hired me as an intern with zero experience in the database stuff that I had to do, and basically all of the money I made went into buying ukes. In those days, and esp through my freshman year in college, the economy was awful, so there were some good deals to be had on Craigslist. (I've only bought four of the high-dollar instruments new, and they're all keepers.) As I continued to work, I continued pouring money into the musical investments, esp since I could play them too and it was fun.

But now, all I do is work. So it makes little sense to hoard all of the ukes other than the definite keepers. Meanwhile, I do wear a watch every day...and I will be working in a client-based business...grad present!

Glad to hear that your hard work has paid off Jon. Good luck with your career. An R-watch should come soon. If the R is the same one I collect then I have five of them. The O's with the orange bezel are cool (NCIS) and I almost pulled the trigger on one myself. However, I went with an Italian P-watch instead.

As for ukes, I've actually sold two Kamakas off in the past month (Liliu and concert.) They were easy to let go once I got my MB. I'm down to:

KoAloha Concert, 2 crown tenors, soprano, crown super concert, crown tenor Sceptre and spiked bridge Pineapple Sunday.
Kamaka 2 sopranos, tenor
Pono Slot head mahogany
MooreBettah Tenor
Leolani Tenor (Sam's Club)
Kala soprano travel uke
Kanile'a UV tenor

 

[roxhum]

I Love all of you crazies suffering from UAS because I have bought most of my ukes at really good prices right here off the UU marketplace!!!

 

[SweetWaterBlue]

There is really not a cure, but I find I can find it off temporarily by simply vowing the learn to play the instruments I have well before I get another one. If I could just follow that, I would probably never need another.

My medicine only works for so long. I am picking up another soprano this morning. Sheeesh!!

 

[Plainsong]

Gaius redeemed himself I think.

But I thought of that name because of the curl on the body. It has dreamy hair. (a line from The Plan)

The Kala is jet black... Blackbird... Laura. Also it's sick, so that just fit.

The Mainland is no nonsense, and my days of playing are certainly coming to a middle.

I still have a Myamoe on my wishlist, and a Koaloha concert, and if my parents go to Hawaii.. who am I kidding, a Kamaka tenor. I'm still reserving some names.