Hankering for a Tenor

[Olmeck]

My advice would be to go a little slower and more deliberate with this purchase instead of impulsive. I agree with what others have said and that it’s worth it to spend up for a better quality instrument. Another bonus of this is the resale value. If you buy the more affordable option it’ll be tougher to sell that if you decide playing uke isn’t your thing. If you buy a more expensive instrument it’ll be easier to resell and might be out the same amount of money as the more affordable option in the end.

Now that long winded part is over I’d highly suggest going and playing some instruments yourself if it’s an option where you live. You say you want a tenor but maybe you actually want a baritone and would find that out when you pick one up. There are also nuances like nut width, string spacing, fretboard radius, string tension, action, etc that you can experience. If that’s not an option I would still make every effort to figure out the things you would value in a new instrument so that you can put a list together of the options available that fit those requirements then call a dealer to discuss with them and get some input.

 

[ZaBeth]

Okay. You guys are giving me much to think about, which is why I posted the thread, after all. Mostly, I think I need to slow down and continue learning the basics for now.

I may reply to some of your individual responses tomorrow.

 

[ailevin]

Haha. I did the reverse. Same number as well.

I went concert, concert, tenor, tenor, soprano, tenor, concert. I'm not counting two Enya Nova U sopranos, and a poor lonely fairly poor soprano that spent 12 years in the closet before this outburst of UAS. Also, to be fair, one of those tenors is my wifes Kamaka and one is my Christmas MIcracle KoAloha tenor, a gift from my wife.

 

[Weatherman]

Really fun thread. I'm new too. Just got my first ukulele about a week ago, but I'm hooked. I started with a tenor and it seems like the perfect size. The sound is wonderful (all solid wood mine is). I don't need another ukulele, but I already want another. I'm going to take it a bit slow and try to figure out what woods might give me a different sound than I get from this mango. That's where I'm at.

I'm also a firm believer of buying a higher quality so you aren't constantly trying to acquire new instruments. I searched for 3-4 weeks before I pulled the trigger on my Pono. When I saw it, I need it was the one I had to have and ordered it the same day. It was the only one in that research time that made me pull the trigger.

Edit: I would be interested to hear more about different ukuleles/woods for different kinds of music.

 

[ZaBeth]

You joined us here at the end of May, but how new are you to ukulele? Is that when you started to play?

How long does it typically take you to know if you're going to follow through on the latest interest?

I started learning soprano/concert at the end of May and am currently in the throes of The Barre Chord Struggle. (I'm taking Matt Stead's beginner course and supplementing with other resources.) I just took in my new Honolua concert to a local luthier this morning for a setup, because I suspect slightly high action is interfering with my learning said barre chords.

While at the shop this morning, I tried a few Ponos, a Magic Fluke, and the Martin T1K. Of the ukes I tried, my preference was for the Martin, because the fuller tone "spoke to me." The Ponos are pretty nice, too, and although I liked the tone of the Magic Fluke, I hated the tuners.

I typically know pretty quickly if I'm going to follow through on an interest, and tend to go "all in" when I do. The challenge, as I said, is my impetuosity: I tend to buy first and ask questions later, sometimes leading to buyer's remorse. (The secondary challenge is the push me/pull you against my exceedingly frugal spouse.)

I really appreciate your -- and others' -- thoughtful responses to my post. Thanks!

 

[ploverwing]

Edit: I would be interested to hear more about different ukuleles/woods for different kinds of music

Not quite what you're asking, but an interesting video nonetheless:



This is closer:

 

[Weatherman]

Not quite what you're asking, but an interesting video nonetheless:



This is closer:

These are great! Thank you. Listened to the tone woods one already and saving the strings one for another day.

 

[UkeinPDX]

First, start a separate thread on "how to deal with a cheapskate spouse and UAS?". There are likely many strategies based on experience that will be shared.

I dealt with my controlling and cheap spouse by splitting up with her! Now I have 2 very nice Ponos and 2 Kamakas!

I kid. Unless you have other more substantial reasons to leave the relationship. That is another topic

 

[UkeinPDX]

Now for my serious response. I feel like buying used for something like an instrument is such a good way to go. I’m not sure what area you’re in but here in Portland I see something sweet on Craigslist every few weeks. I got my Pono baritone deluxe there for 300 bucks. And the best part is if you don’t like it you can always resell it get that money right back into your pocket.

 

[ZaBeth]

Now for my serious response. I feel like buying used for something like an instrument is such a good way to go. I’m not sure what area you’re in but here in Portland I see something sweet on Craigslist every few weeks. I got my Pono baritone deluxe there for 300 bucks. And the best part is if you don’t like it you can always resell it get that money right back into your pocket.

If only. In my part of Canada, only the crap appears on Kijiji (our answer to Craigslist). Ditto for Facebook Marketplace. I've got my eyes peeled, though.

 

[emba]

You’re still pretty early in your uke journey. There is definitely no harm in using what you have to focus on the basics while saving money for a nice uke. And if you save the money over time perhaps your spouse will not mind the spending so much, plus it will demonstrate your seriousness about this new enthusiasm.

I started feeling the tenor itch a few months in to playing, and I bought a solid spruce topped Ohana. I had it strung low G. As it turned out, no matter what I thought I wanted, low G, tenor, and spruce were just not for me. Buying a few! more ukes had taught me i would have been happier with a mahogany concert strung reentrant. So maybe I could have figured that out without buying so many ukes (6, which is about 5 more than my husband would prefer, not for money but for space reasons. He’s a lot more minimalist than me.)

But I don’t really know if I could have figured it out without buying so many, because my only local music stores (if you stretch local to mean within a two hour drive) don’t carry much that isn’t laminate. I think I’ve seen a couple of acacia solid tops, but that’s it.

I do think buying used is the way to go, because you can get more for your money (which should appeal to your frugal spouse) but Mim often has B-stock instruments with small blemishes that are marked down, and she’s good about describing and photographing the blemish, which is another way to get something a little better for less money.

The better the instrument, the easier it will be to sell if you want to, later. But you also have to keep in mind how comfortable you are with selling online or locally/willing mess with it.

 

[ploverwing]

Mim often has B-stock instruments with small blemishes that are marked down, and she’s good about describing and photographing the blemish, which is another way to get s

I bought my Ohana from Mim, and there was an issue with one of the strings (resolved with a string change on my end, thankfully). When we were communicating, and she realized I was in Canada, she mentioned that she'd considering no longer shipping to Canada because it complicates (and makes very expensive) her customer support efforts. So for Canadians thinking about ordering from Mim's (which if she still sells to Canada, go for it!), contact her first before clicking the complete purchase button.

 

[ZaBeth]

I bought my Ohana from Mim, and there was an issue with one of the strings (resolved with a string change on my end, thankfully). When we were communicating, and she realized I was in Canada, she mentioned that she'd considering no longer shipping to Canada because it complicates (and makes very expensive) her customer support efforts. So for Canadians thinking about ordering from Mim's (which if she still sells to Canada, go for it!), contact her first before clicking the complete purchase button.

Yeah, I'd already eliminated Mim as a possibility because of the international thing. Sometimes being a Canadian complicates things.

 

[ploverwing]

Yeah, I'd already eliminated Mim as a possibility because of the international thing. Sometimes being a Canadian complicates things.

Tell. Me.