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

[Ukecaster]

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!

Yeah, it's easy to spend $2K+ a year on golf, if you are serious, and play often. As a hobby, it entertains, and can be one's passion and stress reliever. Mine is ukes. But...you can't re-sell all those rounds of golf, so I don't feel so bad about experimenting with a few low/med priced ukes per year.

 

[bbkobabe]

I do not collect harmonicas,

Uh huh...

Thank's for sharing your "tools of the trade" with us!

 

[uketorik]

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!

Life is short, enjoy ukes! 😊

 

[uketorik]

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.

Your Ono tenor is breathtakingly beautiful! Congrats.

 

[efiscella]

Both of my recent UAS irrational purchases were due to regrets that I had for selling two favored ukes. I sadly sold a wonderful 1927 Martin Style 2 soprano, mostly because it had some cracks. It was the absolute best-sounding soprano I ever had. I then purchased a 1940's player so that I would once again have a vintage Martin soprano. But still, lamenting over that style 2, I purchased yet another 1940s soprano almost exactly like the one I have. I certainly did not need it.

Another regret was selling a 2001 custom Kanile'a super tenor made by Joe Souza. It was such a wonderful uke and I played it often but a friend showed an interest in it and I sold it to him. I have regretted selling it. About two months ago I stupidly thought, after watching a SUS video with Alex playing a Kanile'a Islander super tenor would make up that mistake. I opened the box of the Islander and it is nothing like the Kanile'a that I had. It now sits in my uke room unplayed.

And now the third, but I caught myself. I owned a wonderful 1940's Martin Style 1 tenor. No cracks, just some dings. I loved playing it. I sold it to purchase a 1968 Martin Tenor in great condition. everyone at that time was talking about the Martin IZ model and I was thinking, "are you kidding, I can purchase a 1968, the actual Iz model."- LOL. I made the purchase, I get the 1968 Martin and find that the sales tags are still on it. the uke is in its original case and the sales receipt is in the case. it has never been played. It is in pristine, new condition. Because of this, I don't want to play it and now I don't have a vintage Martin tenor to play and I love the Martin tenor. I have a collector's piece that I won't play. I was looking to buy another one to make up for the one I sold, but there are not many out there for sale that are decent and affordable.

 

[bbkobabe]

UAS UPDATE: BWA sopranino arrives...

And is unplayable. Now I must pay the heavy toll of returning it. On me. International. To Vietnam. Ouch...

Well, it was originally listed for $0.99 USD. I got it for 102.50. Maybe I should have known?

I thought it would be playable...

They saw it as... wall art?

IMPULSE PURCHASE SCORE BOARD: 0/2 (with one still in the mail)

 

[badhabits]

Well that sux bbkobabe... What is wrong with it?

 

[mikelz777]

UAS UPDATE: BWA sopranino arrives...

And is unplayable. Now I must pay the heavy toll of returning it. On me. International. To Vietnam. Ouch...

Well, it was originally listed for $0.99 USD. I got it for 102.50. Maybe I should have known?

I thought it would be playable...

They saw it as... wall art?

IMPULSE PURCHASE SCORE BOARD: 0/2 (with one still in the mail)View attachment 145290

Is that a Bruce Wei?

 

[Renaissance-Man]

I thought it would be playable...

It looks sweet. What's wrong?

 

[bbkobabe]

Well that sux bbkobabe... What is wrong with it?

The C and E strings pop out of their slots on the nut... I thought I'd broken a string at first. And playing, and they slip out and join the G and A strings.

Is that a Bruce Wei?

Right... it was listed in their eBay shop.

It looks sweet.

It does LOOK sweet... bit I was hoping it would sound nice as well. I'm not clear on what the issue is... Not enough down pressure on the strings? Slots in the nut not cut deep enough? String tension insufficient to keep the strings in place? All of the above?

But one thing is clear: No one tested it before it was shipped. The first string popped out within the first 30 seconds of playing after I tuned it up.

This purchase is feeling more irrational by the moment... and I'm not feeling so good about the moment of weakness I was having when I ordered it.

Like I said: It was listed at a minimum reserve of $0.99, so maybe I should have thought about this a bit more before I started bidding...

My other Bruce Wei is a thin body tenor, and although it sounds very sweet, also had an issue, cracks in the face. They offered to fix/repair that one, but I opted to hold onto it. Hopefully they will be willing to work with me on this one as well. But I am feeling twice burned by BWA at this point. I'm sad that both of these purchases have left my feeling a sense of disappointment.

NUD is supposed to fill the soul with a sense of elation, right?

Now I'm starting to dread what happens when the bass arrives...

 

[Kenn2018]

The C and E strings pop out of their slots on the nut... I thought I'd broken a string at first. And playing, and they slip out and join the G and A strings.



Right... it was listed in their eBay shop.


It does LOOK sweet... bit I was hoping it would sound nice as well. I'm not clear on what the issue is... Not enough down pressure on the strings? Slots in the nut not cut deep enough? String tension insufficient to keep the strings in place? All of the above?

But one thing is clear: No one tested it before it was shipped. The first string popped out within the first 30 seconds of playing after I tuned it up.

This purchase is feeling more irrational by the moment... and I'm not feeling so good about the moment of weakness I was having when I ordered it.

Like I said: It was listed at a minimum reserve of $0.99, so maybe I should have thought about this a bit more before I started bidding...

My other Bruce Wei is a thin body tenor, and although it sounds very sweet, also had an issue, cracks in the face. They offered to fix/repair that one, but I opted to hold onto it. Hopefully they will be willing to work with me on this one as well. But I am feeling twice burned by BWA at this point. I'm sad that both of these purchases have left my feeling a sense of disappointment.

NUD is supposed to fill the soul with a sense of elation, right?

Now I'm starting to dread what happens when the bass arrives...

I bought a tenor double bout version three years ago. It sounds ok, but the fret wires are very low and rounded. The intonation is only so, so. Originally I was going to donate it as a raffle prize for my uke club's Xmas dinner. But I don't think I will.

 

[Pier]

last week I bought a Kiwaya KTS4, I didn't need it, but after years with only one soprano, I decided to spend some money on another one

my UAS now is a Kiwaya KTC1 that I found used, and I'll try (and probably buy) it next week! gosh!

I didn't buy(yet) but was very tempted to buy a Mahimahi S3 Martin . The things holding me back is:
1. I have their willow series but had to buy all 3 soprano, concert, tenor and the S3 is also made in all 3 sizes
2: The satin finish.
3. I have about 50 instruments and 10 bikes already

the S3 is a bomb! the finish is not actually "satin", it's kind of open pore finish, you can feel the wood grain.

this morning I did this short and fast comparison using my 6 years old Mahimahi and the just-arrived Kiwaya KTS4

the Mahimahi has been my only uke since 2017, he replaced an Ohana SK38, which was nice (the old one with rosewood fretboard), but felt a bit cheap.
after an year spent on the Ohana I tired the Mahimahi, and sold the Ohana

the only thing about the Mahimahi is that it came with a couple of sharp frets in the higher portion of the fretboard, if I can recall it right, they were the last two.
being in that position was an issue because the sharp edge was on the A string side, and the fingers were scratched my the frets. however I bought it from Mercatino dell'Ukulele here in Italy, and they took it back, riefined the frets and sent it back to me in a week after that, 6 years have passed and only last week I decided to buy an higher end uke, but the Mahimahi S3 is still a beast.

PS: it has a narrow nut, so on the first frets the strings are a bit too near.

 

[bbkobabe]

I bought a tenor double bout version three years ago

I guess these Bruce Wei's are a bit of a hit and miss... unless you order custom like KohanMike does... No special treatment in these bought "off the line" models...

My BWA tenor plays really well and has great intonation. It's sitting right here on the couch with me right now... But as soon as the cracks opened up, my resale value dropped to near zero. Bummer...

I like it and probably won't sell it... and probably couldn't, realistically... but I really like that idea of donating an unloved ukulele as a raffle prize... Genius!

 

[bbkobabe]

UAS scoreboard update: BruceWei responds quickly... And says:
Dear Bill

"First of all, I'm so sorry for all about this. Please don't worry, I'll try my best to solve this matter at your satisfactory close

In this case, please help me take it to a local luthier to help you cut the nut slots a little deeper then let me know how much it cost. I'll send money to you

Thank you so much for your time & I look forward to hearing from you soon !"

So now what? Get thee (me) to a luthier... or just cut the slots deeper myself and hope for the best...

Either way, I get a chore along with my solution... Would have been best if it was done right the first time.

I'll need to sleep on this...

 

[badhabits]

There's no zero fret, right? Cutting the nut slots deeper will fix, but will lower the action...and could possibly result in a buzz. In that case a new nut will be needed. I'd take it to a luthier and get it done right if BWA is paying.

 

[Wiggy]

UAS scoreboard update: BruceWei responds quickly... And says:
Dear Bill

"First of all, I'm so sorry for all about this. Please don't worry, I'll try my best to solve this matter at your satisfactory close

In this case, please help me take it to a local luthier to help you cut the nut slots a little deeper then let me know how much it cost. I'll send money to you

Thank you so much for your time & I look forward to hearing from you soon !"

So now what? Get thee (me) to a luthier... or just cut the slots deeper myself and hope for the best...

Either way, I get a chore along with my solution... Would have been best if it was done right the first time.

I'll need to sleep on this...

Please excuse the tone of my explanation:

To be honest, I have never purchased a ukulele that didn't need to have the nut slots adjusted. Logically, when manufactured, they must be cut a bit high as one cannot "raise" them later if too low. The nut slots may need to be lowered* for the "action" a person likes at the 1st fret. This, I call part of the "setup."

(*cut deeper)

If this is truly all takes to make it playable, then this is a normal new ukulele. The other option is to have it "set up" to your liking as Mim and others do.

However (IMO), if the problem is at the bridge/saddle (too high, or too low) you have a viable complaint.

<edit> Again, I apologize for the terseness.

 

[rainbow21]

So now what? Get thee (me) to a luthier... or just cut the slots deeper myself and hope for the best...

Either way, I get a chore along with my solution... Would have been best if it was done right the first time.

I'll need to sleep on this...

In a case such as this, I would consider trying to do the cutting yourself initially if you are comfortable doing so. Then if it does not work out to your satisfaction, bring it to the luthier and forward the charges to BW. Folded sandpaper actually works if you do not want to buy fret files. Really have nothing to lose and gain some learning and maybe save a one or two trips to the luthier.

 

[bbkobabe]

In a case such as this, I would consider trying to do the cutting yourself initially if you are comfortable doing so. Then if it does not work out to your satisfaction, bring it to the luthier and forward the charges to BW. Folded sandpaper actually works if you do not want to buy fret files.

Thanks... I was heading this way...

I was gifted the tools belonging to a jewelers who's son, someone I used to work with, and was sent my way... Because I do lapidary.

BTW: if you are ever looking for tiny or odd shaped files, look to jewelry supply companies... they sell round files smaller than the diameter of an E string on a sopranino...

It's more about the principle maybe? Over a $0.99 ukulele? Maybe I should just hang it on the wall... better as a story than an instrument?

And, the elephant in the room: The shipping each way and the cost of the instrument are about equal... This is on both of BWA's and my minds for sure.

What to do, what to do...

 

[Oldscruggsfan]

Two words: Needle Files. A set with a half-round that will work for nut slots should cost less than a set of strings and is worth a shot. I don’t really understand why, if Bruce is so confident that the nut slots are the problem, he doesn’t just ship you a new nut.
[Oops- I had not seen your response about already owning a set of files when I posted this.]

 

[Wiggy]

I've posted this probably too many times before, but here goes:

<edit > Before you do this, check that the clearance at the 12th fret (determined by saddle height) is within spec. I never thought about this until now, but lowering the saddle will also affect (reduce slightly) clearance at the 1st fret.

Nut slot depth adjustment check.

Check 1st fret clearance by holding at 3rd fret.

While holding each string at the 3rd fret, there should be just a tiny bit of clearance over the 1st fret (a few thousandths, at most - the thickness of a sheet of printer paper), or just barely touching the 1st fret.

Note: While holding the 3rd fret, try to make each string play (use a pick - or look as you press down) to detect if there is any clearance. There should be "some."

Just barely touching (no clearance) is dangerously close to as low as you should go. Any more, and you will have fret buzz.

(BTW - I saw this method in a Baz video.)