UAS: Stand Strong or Give In to Passion?

[ghostrdr]

I thought I had this kicked. I was happy with my current stable of ukuleles. Some really unique and beautiful instruments.

You know the story...

And then... a new one comes along that you just have to have.

sigh what to do. I'm 90% sure I'm buying another one. In my mind, I'm trying to justify it by saying, I'll sell one or two to cover the new one, but which to let go?

Will this struggle never end? haha.

 

[MikeZito]

I have always been a firm believer that as long as you can pay your bills, put food on the table and keep a roof over your head, it's okay to indulge in your passions. Besides, someday when I'm dead, my son will be able to sell any of my instruments that he doesn't want to keep for himself, and use the money to bury me!

 

[Olmeck]

I’ve put an emphasis on playing more and going to lessons and I find myself browsing less and just wanting to get home to play and perfect the songs I’m working on. I do have my travel uke being built atm but I think I’ll be happy with my ukes for the foreseeable future once I have it in hand in the estimated August timeframe.

 

[eternal tinkerer]

I’ll say that there’s room for spending time both “collecting” and practicing. Sometimes I just want to learn a new song or play more smoothly a section of a song I already know. Other times I want to find out if I can play or sound better with an uke I haven’t played recently or at all yet.

 

[badhabits]

I have always been a firm believer that as long as you can pay your bills, put food on the table and keep a roof over your head, it's okay to indulge in your passions.

agree... as long you're not seen as a hoarder. most all hobbies/pastimes have a cost

 

[EDW]

One can easily argue either side of this. There are people here who have a couple of instruments that they love, while some need to build an addition to their house. There are also many who are somewhere in between.

Some thoughts--Will it add anything unique or special to the collection or is it just another pretty thing? Will you enjoy it any more than those you have? Will this be something that will bring you some long lasting pleasure, or is it just the flavor of the moment? As the popular expression goes "will it bring you joy?"

Remember, you can only play one at a time!

 

[Joyful Uke]

Remember, you can only play one at a time!

Yes, but I usually play at least 2 during a practice session.

To OP, I assume there is something special about the ukulele that reawakened your UAS, and you're even thinking of selling one or two to bring in the new one, so that sounds reasonable to me if, as noted by EDW, it will bring you joy.

 

[ailevin]

A tough choice. It's true that playing the ukulele can at times distract us from UAS. Yet if you spend time here, with the codependent support of others on the forum, you can follow your true passion to acquire ukuleles. Of course, I'm joking, but coming here looking for strength to fight UAS is like going to a bar to find an AA meeting.

I agree with @Olmeck that time an energy is finite and when I'm playing more, I spend less time looking. In my own case, more time playing also impresses me with how terrific my instruments are, particularly relative to my ability to play them. I guess it is all about finding the balance that is right for you.

 

[Mercury59]

UAS. Is there a cure?

No.

 

[keenonuke]

I thought I had this kicked. I was happy with my current stable of ukuleles. Some really unique and beautiful instruments.

You know the story...

And then... a new one comes along that you just have to have.

sigh what to do. I'm 90% sure I'm buying another one. In my mind, I'm trying to justify it by saying, I'll sell one or two to cover the new one, but which to let go?

Will this struggle never end? haha

 

[keenonuke]

I guess if resisting or losing out on a purchase brings relief - then you know. Will making a purchase bring the walk of shame? Or will it be the glory of having gained the crown of another beaut with a wonderful sound and the satisfaction that brings.

For those who remember it's akin to "the thrill of victory or the agony of defeat" (ABC Sports from long ago).

 

[Mo So]

I've bought a few that I thought I'd enjoy more than I do - those are headed off to Reverb, I think. An Ohana guitarlele, an Enya Nova Pro, a Cocobolo tenor. I did give in the other day and buy a used Kala banjolele that was inexpensive enough that I don't care that it'll never be my "main" uke. Will I "lose" any money on them when I resell? Sure, but I had them for the playing for a bit and none of them were SO expensive that the pile of "lost" money is a problem.

 

[rainbow21]

There is no reason to feel guilty if you acquiring something that you want to spend your money on and if it brings you some joy and satisfaction. I followed the path once of turning down one I wanted and lamented it for a year until I was fortunate enough to purchase its replacement.

Same if you buy this one and it satisfies in some way. There is no rule that you have to sell one or two others unless they are supplanted by the new one or do not get any play time.

I possibly may have reached my UAS stopping point by being able to purchase some great ukuleles. They are essentially three custom built ukuleles. If another tempts me in the future, good!

 

[Kenn2018]

I get as much pleasure and satisfaction buying and playing different tenors as I do learning and playing them. Different designs, features, woods, bling. They all sound and play differently.

I think it's important to decide if you want to own several base or mid-level ukuleles, or two or three really fine quality ones?

Do the instruments bring you joy when you play them? Are you addicted to the thrill and excitement of getting a new uke?

 

[Patty]

coming here looking for strength to fight UAS is like going to a bar to find an AA meeting

Hahahahaha … you said it, my friend!

 

[SeemingMusic]

I’ve put an emphasis on playing more and going to lessons and I find myself browsing less and just wanting to get home to play and perfect the songs I’m working on. I do have my travel uke being built atm but I think I’ll be happy with my ukes for the foreseeable future once I have it in hand in the estimated August timeframe.

I'm completely in this situation! Life has been busy and I've had less time to browse ukes as well as this forum. TUS didn't release videos for a while when Andrew went to Japan. Without exposure to all these nice glittering ukes, and only just focused on practicing, I haven't felt any desire. I'm rushing home to practice everyday after work or excited in nailing a new piece after learning it in my lesson.

Everyone in this forum is too nice and too encouraging of acquiring new ukes.

 

[KevinFL]

I get as much pleasure and satisfaction buying and playing different tenors as I do learning and playing them. Different designs, features, woods, bling. They all sound and play differently.

I think it's important to decide if you want to own several base or mid-level ukuleles, or two or three really fine quality ones?

Do the instruments bring you joy when you play them? Are you addicted to the thrill and excitement of getting a new uke?

Bingo!

 

[RafterGirl]

I'm having this dilemma, but not with ukuleles. My other passion is whitewater rafting. I've been whitewater rafting for over 25 years. Like ukuleles, I've been through numerous types & sizes of rafts. 10 years ago I put together my "dream raft." Over the past 5 years due to a variety of circumstances & lack of luck in getting river permits, I haven't done as many whitewater trips. I had accumulated a small fortune in river rafting gear over the years, and felt bad that my raft was just sitting on my trailer, not being used. I had also gotten into kayak touring on mild rivers & lakes that kind of filled the gap. So about a year ago I made the difficult decision to sell my raft (kind of). It went to my "river granddaughter" so it didn't really leave the family. Well......I just got back from a wonderful whitewater trip last week. My entire river family was together for my best river buddy's memorial and scattering his ashes on his favorite river in Idaho. I got to row my old raft a bit with my granddaughter. It really got my heart beating for river rafting again. Since I've been home, I've been drooling over rafts online. It's pretty irrational to think of spending a ton of money again on something that may end up back in the same place, but it's really got my juices flowing. Rafting gear costs way more than a new ukulele (maybe....some on TUS are close in cost to a new raft), but the feeling of shopping for something new is the same.

I like what MikeZito posted above ....... "I have always been a firm believer that as long as you can pay your bills, put food on the table and keep a roof over your head, it's okay to indulge in your passions."

 

[JEngle1122]

If you "have" to have it, that might be compulsive behavior and I would say definitely fight against that.

If you want it, and can afford it, that's fine.

I don't find the term UAS very helpful. There are some aspects of ukuleles that I am finding a little uni-dimensional. I think that might be why there are so many different kinds, and why many people have more than one. Also, because it's not possible to try some ukulele before you buy it 90? 95%? of the time, if you want to try something new or different, you almost don't have a choice but to just buy one and see what it's like.

I decided to buy a few things to learn what I liked. I currently have three ukes. But any time my brain tells me I "have" to have something that is definitely a luxury item (like a fourth ukulele) it's time for a really close look at why I had that thought. If I just want it, and there's no harm in it (like financial harm, or relational harm, for example) then knock yourself out.

my two cents, as someone who really couldn't afford the three ukes I have, but also really value playing music and need more joy in my life.

 

[KevinFL]

I get as much pleasure and satisfaction buying and playing different tenors as I do learning and playing them. Different designs, features, woods, bling. They all sound and play differently...Are you addicted to the thrill and excitement of getting a new uke?

I've always viewed finely crafted wood instruments as art in themselves. Beautiful to behold as well as play. Some folks like to buy paintings or statuettes to collect and admire. I like wooden instruments for their intrinsic beauty and I get to play them. For me that's a huge win. I don't feel bad about adding to my collection if I find something I really like.