UAS strikes hard... and what was your most recent irrational purchase?

[Jimpro]

For me the two biggest elements driving UAS are: Collecting (while I am a player not collector) and good price. I nearly always say to myself “well I have this one so I NEED to get that other one (like not settling for one Kiwaya but buying from each of its brands). Second, the uke always seems to be a great price - like well below street price. Because it costs less it justifies buying it. At the end of the day I got a number of Japanese ukes from Japan notably lower than buying in US. Of course I sold them for even less than I paid which only furthered others on this forum’s UAS😂

 

[mikeinmontara]

I’m intrigued by the blurred out fretboard… NSFW inlay? GPS coordinates of your house? 🤔

Haha. Not sure what happened with that photo. Maybe it was the checking account # inlay?

 

[SebastianF]

It feels good to read your stories, looks like I am not alone.

Now, here is mine: I have eyed the Anuenue Cedar Bird for quite a while (also the cedar topped Lightbird too). Initially they were only made in a very small batch that I missed, and those sold rarely ever passed their owners on the used market, at least without the price and hassle of overseas shipping. I always watch TUS / HMS's brilliant stuff on youtube (always a highlight) so eventually I heard about new Cedar Birds being made and subsequently offered exclusively. Well, needless to say this had my head spinning. Thing is, TUS is great and if I was in the US I would not thought twice about buying it. But being in europe, with import tax, shipping, additional export cost for the shell inlays and conversion rates this would have been much more expensive.
So, a couple of weeks later the exclusive deal was apparently over as Anuenue sent one single Cedar Bird to SUS. Alex himself said he did not expect them to ever get hands on. I don't remember if it was Youtube or Instagram, but I saw it literally a couple of minutes after they put it on their site. Knowing how rare these are and how soon this one would sell, I was excited to say the least.
But, to counteract my UAS (it's not that I am not aware... 😅), I thought, no impulse purchases. I do not need another uke, I am lucky to own luthier made, K-brand and other excellent ukes. So, take the dog out for a quick walk and grab some fresh air, at least this just went online so I would have a few minutes. Needles to say, it was sold when I came back and left my frustrated that I didn't buy it right away.
So, time goes on and my mind still longing for that Anuenue. I love my AMM3e but I really wanted to try one of their Mitsuda designs with the "mount fuji" X bracing. I already own 3 great sounding and playing spruce topped tenors, one with rosewood back and sides, so no Moonbird. The Lion sounds gorgeous, but the looks are not my thing. Then I saw this UT-3K with crazy curly koa at SUS: https://www.southernukulelestore.co...grade-koa-bird-series-tenor-ukulele-w-case-1/. I went for it, knowing what Brittni Paiva does with this uke. Super happy and no regrets at all.
Fast forward about two weeks, I saw SUS got two more Cedar Birds in. This time I acted immediately. 😅 Amazing ukes, both in their own right, and so different in sound too.
But yeah, completely irrational for me. I wouldn't have bought both otherwise, certainly not both within a single month!

 

[ghostrdr]

my recent irrational purchase was an Ameritage Gold Tenor case. I now have a great case with no uke to put inside...

not the most well thought out plan.

 

[Oldscruggsfan]

Meaning no offense to the carefree spirit of the OP, no purchase is irrational unless the money was earmarked elsewhere, e.g. the old country music line of “drinking this month’s rent”.

My last truly irrational purchase was in 1990. I replaced the tires for a newly purchased 1986 Ford Ranger pickup. The tires had a good 30k miles of tread remaining but my 25-year-old eyes communicated the silly message to my brain that they appeared too narrow for the truck. As often happened with thoughts that popped into my brain at the spur of the moment, I took action.

Maturity is almost always a good thing.

 

[Renaissance-Man]

Meaning no offense to the carefree spirit of the OP, no purchase is irrational unless the money was earmarked elsewhere, e.g. the old country music line of “drinking this month’s rent”...

Well, yes, that's a valid example, I suppose. But, this is not an absolute definition. Every purchase here deemed irrational by the purchaser is irrational.

 

[jango]

To me, an irrational ukulele purchase is one where you had no intention (or need) for another uke in your arsenal but bought it anyway.

 

[Jimpro]

To me, an irrational ukulele purchase is one where you had no intention (or need) for another uke in your arsenal but bought it anyway.

… and relied on emotion or flawed “rationale” for having it - most often accompanied LATER by UBR (Ukulele Buyer’s Regret)….

 

[Renaissance-Man]

Yup. I wholeheartedly agree with bbkobabe, Jango, Jimpro, Oldsscruggsfan, and any other UAS fellow. Speaking just for myself, I enjoy making irrational ukulele purchases, and I'm not about to change my behavior. It may be a redundant purchase, but it makes me oh so happy.

 

[Ukecaster]

I've learned so much from my UAS mistakes...I think I'll make a few more!

 

[mountain goat]

To me, an irrational ukulele purchase is one where you had no intention (or need) for another uke in your arsenal but bought it anyway.

… and relied on emotion or flawed “rationale” for having it - most often accompanied LATER by UBR (Ukulele Buyer’s Regret)….

lol. i'm feeling called out here
i think my last 12 may have been irrational...

 

[bbkobabe]

I recently purchased a Seydel solist pro 12 harmonica that was supposed to be in chromatic tuning.

So... do we call this HAS?

 

[bbkobabe]

Meaning no offense to the carefree spirit of the OP, no purchase is irrational unless the money was earmarked elsewhere,

Good point... I spent about $600 all told, which (fortunately) does not threaten my mortgage payment!

lol. i'm feeling called out here
i think my last 12 may have been irrational...

Nothing personal, MG, but ah... 12? Does that count the two Watermans?

It may be a redundant purchase, but it makes me oh so happy.

I'm trying to avoid redundant purchases... I needed that Lahua so I would have a high G tenor uke for teaching... "needed" a bass... wanted a sopranino.

FULL DISCLOSURE: I just missed on an 8 string baritone... Kinda relieved I was outbid... but at least it would not have been redundant!

But I am feeling pretty happy right now!

 

[uketorik]

I feel that all my uke acquisitions had been very rational, carefully considered affairs. Or perhaps that's how my uke obsessed mind chooses to rationalize it!

 

[hands_on_lanzon]

Ouch! I don't know what's got into me... I was doing so well there... for a while...

I just started my ukulele journey last summer 2021 and I haven't done well at all. Just when I think I've got the UAS killer, the next irrational beauty pops up that starts the internal rationalization! Maybe we should have all the single uke owners be sponsors that we can call in times of weakness! 😅 for some odd reason, I think I'd lose their number.

OK: So how about you? What was your most recent irrational UAS moment?

Come clean!

I had JUST received the UAS killer, Ono tenor, back in late September. I even listed my 1-in-1-out in the marketplace!... and that's where it started. I got a trade offer for a thin-line cedar/padauk Kinnard that I was strongly considering. Even this consideration went against the spirit of the 1-in-1-out model. I spiraled into my research and listened to as many sound samples as I could of the uke in consideration and other Kinnards of all sorts, sizes, and statuses. You can imagine where this is going.

It eventually turned out that the cedar/padauk trade wasn't for me, but the UAS was already in full swing. There were 4 other thin-line Kinnards available online. In the first moment of weakness, I reached out to Kevin at Kinnard for sound samples of three available ukes. I studied these sound samples and ogled over the pictures, trying to fight the UAS and all the accompanying rationalizations* for about three days until I finally succumbed and pulled the trigger on this gorgeous cedar/palo escrito:



The rationalization:

1. Of course I needed a thin-line!
   1. I could use this for travel to be a little smaller than a standard tenor (I did research for a thin-line hard case, to no avail).
2. Looks amazing.
   1. The wood selection and grain is unique (my first time hearing of/seeing palo escrito and my only instrument with sapwood).
   2. The headstock is unique (a little shorter with no Kinnard signature at the top).
   3. John's work is impeccable. I watched an interview where Kevin mentioned that John uses jewelers glasses while he builds, so he sees every tiny imperfection.
3. Sounds amazing.
   1. I was able to select this one out of five available thin-lines with sound samples.
   2. I've developed a love for cedar.
   3. Palo Escrito is also known as Mexican rosewood.
   4. The cedar/rosewood combination on the thin-line body creates a crisp attack with good brightness, clarity, and note separation while maintaining warmth.
4. I could afford it at this time and use it for my lifetime.
   1. I would go on to list another 1-in-1-out (listed!).
   2. Said lifetime is short (memento mori).

Irrational aspects:

• It's a pretty penny.
• The prior 1-in-1-out has yet to sell.
  • (I'm completely OK keeping this for as long as I need)
• I JUST got an Ono tenor a month prior.
• I have too many ukes (according to my better half... and other non UAS sufferers).
• I already have two other cedar top tenors (that both still have their unique sound and feel).

The decision becomes pretty obvious, right? Right?!? Right.
I'm afflicted.
See item 4.2 above.

 

[Jimpro]

I just started my ukulele journey last summer 2021 and I haven't done well at all. Just when I think I've got the UAS killer, the next irrational beauty pops up that starts the internal rationalization! Maybe we should have all the single uke owners be sponsors that we can call in times of weakness! 😅 for some odd reason, I think I'd lose their number.


I had JUST received the UAS killer, Ono tenor, back in late September. I even listed my 1-in-1-out in the marketplace!... and that's where it started. I got a trade offer for a thin-line cedar/padauk Kinnard that I was strongly considering. Even this consideration went against the spirit of the 1-in-1-out model. I spiraled into my research and listened to as many sound samples as I could of the uke in consideration and other Kinnards of all sorts, sizes, and statuses. You can imagine where this is going.

It eventually turned out that the cedar/padauk trade wasn't for me, but the UAS was already in full swing. There were 4 other thin-line Kinnards available online. In the first moment of weakness, I reached out to Kevin at Kinnard for sound samples of three available ukes. I studied these sound samples and ogled over the pictures, trying to fight the UAS and all the accompanying rationalizations* for about three days until I finally succumbed and pulled the trigger on this gorgeous cedar/palo escrito:

View attachment 145261

The rationalization:

1. Of course I needed a thin-line!
   1. I could use this for travel to be a little smaller than a standard tenor (I did research for a thin-line hard case, to no avail).
2. Looks amazing.
   1. The wood selection and grain is unique (my first time hearing of/seeing palo escrito and my only instrument with sapwood).
   2. The headstock is unique (a little shorter with no Kinnard signature at the top).
   3. John's work is impeccable. I watched an interview where Kevin mentioned that John uses jewelers glasses while he builds, so he sees every tiny imperfection.
3. Sounds amazing.
   1. I was able to select this one out of five available thin-lines with sound samples.
   2. I've developed a love for cedar.
   3. Palo Escrito is also known as Mexican rosewood.
   4. The cedar/rosewood combination on the thin-line body creates a crisp attack with good brightness, clarity, and note separation while maintaining warmth.
4. I could afford it at this time and use it for my lifetime.
   1. I would go on to list another 1-in-1-out (listed!).
   2. Said lifetime is short (memento mori).

Irrational aspects:

• It's a pretty penny.
• The prior 1-in-1-out has yet to sell.
  • (I'm completely OK keeping this for as long as I need)
• I JUST got an Ono tenor a month prior.
• I have too many ukes (according to my better half... and other non UAS sufferers).
• I already have two other cedar top tenors (that both still have their unique sound and feel).

The decision becomes pretty obvious, right? Right?!? Right.
I'm afflicted.
See item 4.2 above.

Brilliant!

 

[rustydusty]

So... do we call this HAS?

To me, this was an "upgrade". I do not collect harmonicas, and am always looking for a better or a different sound. The harp is my main instrument in our band, and they like me to play in just about every song in whatever set list we are doing. My goal is to not sound like I'm playing the same style in all the harp parts. I will play diatonic, tremolo, chromatic, octave, and Richter tuned harmonicas in a normal gig...

 

[tensen]

To me, an irrational ukulele purchase is one where you had no intention (or need) for another uke in your arsenal but bought it anyway.

Exactly. I have rational reasons for my ukulele purchases. They aren't good reasons, but they are rational.

 

[ploverwing]

my recent irrational purchase was an Ameritage Gold Tenor case. I now have a great case with no uke to put inside...

not the most well thought out plan.

Hmmm... That sounds to me like some serious quality time needs to be spent on the marketplace forum...

 

[rainbow21]

The most irrational situation (in theory) is to have your spouse say: "Don't you dare buy another ukulele!" and you do it anyway.

I don't think rational/irrational is the important factor affecting UAS. I suspect our spending habits and life's experiences all play an influence. This weekend I was "explaining/justifying" a recent purchase of a very nice, not cheap, ukulele that I just received (NUD forthcoming). When characterized as a "spender", I retorted that they have a nicer car and travel more than I do and my cancelled vacations during the pandemic paid for my ukulele.

But I have made a number of purchases of ukuleles that were not needed in any way and with the knowledge that they would not be better than what I was playing. I bought and gave away an Enya Nova. I bought an aNueNue Moon Bird with the knowledge that I would receive my Kinnard shortly. I was very curious about it and figured that I would be "renting" it for a bit before reselling. I have a Mya Moe soprano that I will put on the marketplace as it satisfied another curiousity at a great price.

In response to some posts here in UU on costs, I looked at green fees at local golf courses. The cheap public ones are around $50 a round. I have friends that play twice weekly, not counting occasional weekend tournaments. A really nice Taylor driver club can be over $500. So one year of golfing will cost more than a lifetime of ukulele for most players. It is very similar to UAS, but supercharged.

So buy those ukuleles and live life fully!