Ukuleles

[TRW]

OK I'll kick this one off - anyone know of any reasonably priced but playable / good ukuleles?
A couple of hundred quid (yeah yeah I'm a cheapass but hey its a little instrument needed for one song!!) at most...preferably less...vibe is more important than fancy lutherie...

Preferably located or with good distro to the UK.

Cheers Tom

[Power Supply]

Check out Bushman.
Excellent (especially for the $$).

www.elderly.com

[TRW]

Thanks I'll check them out...

Tom

[Pohaku]

Actually, as odd as it looks, the Fluke sounds and plays quite decently.

Get the Fluke (which is a concert size model) or the tenor sized model rather than teh sopranos size model (the Flea). I would get the upgraded wood fretboard with metal frets so you can used metal wound strings and then tune it Hawaiian style -- For your tenor uke, do the Brahdah IZ' (Kamakawiwo`ole) method and it will be easier to play. Again, this is (for GCEA):

1) put the C string where the G string goes,

2) put the G string where the E string goes,

3) put the E string where the C string goes,

4) leave the A where it is.

So you have the top string (the G) a metal wound string and the others nylon. This in effect 'slacks' the strings (except the A) and makes the instrument easier to strum. Also gives you a much better and fuller low end.

If you get the standard model, the fretboard and frets are plastic and metal wound strings will trash them.

That should give you a decent sounding uke within your price range. If you want to get a wood uke, exect to pay more. I like Kamaka for new wood ukes. Avoid the new cheap Martin uke (the S-0 I think) -- not worthy of the name. There are lots of good makers in Hawaii now, but you might have a problem getting one in Europe. Haven't ever played a Bushman so I can't offer any advice there. Used Martin and Gibson tenors are generally the best with Kamaka running after them, but they will be pricey unless you luck into a deal.

[TRW]

Thanks Pohaku, good info.

After looking about a bit I'm definitely into getting a concert body...I tend to like concert bodies on guitars as well.

I found a few shops with a good selection here in the UK. Don't like new Martin guitars so was def. not gonna look at their uke!

Cheers Tom

[Power Supply]

Originally Posted by TRW

Thanks Pohaku, good info.

After looking about a bit I'm definitely into getting a concert body...I tend to like concert bodies on guitars as well.

I found a few shops with a good selection here in the UK. Don't like new Martin guitars so was def. not gonna look at their uke!

Cheers Tom

I own a concert Bushman. It even stays in tune!
I lust for an old Martin but too expensive.
I think some of the Island brands have good, inexpensive
models now too. Elderly has tons of them. That's where I
got my Bushman (a brand I hadn't previously heard of).
I might try a Fluke someday too. I got a DVD
of Mr. Beloff and it was cool.

Keep an eye out for the Ukulele Occasional magazine.
It's occasional but great!!

Good luck.

[TRW]

Originally Posted by Power Supply

Keep an eye out for the Ukulele Occasional magazine.
It's occasional but great!!

LOL

I found a nice looking Bushman Jenny Concert body at an attractive price....its quite far away but I'll try and get there to try it out.

Anyone have a good link for uke playing / tuning styles etc?

Cheers Tom

[Power Supply]

Originally Posted by TRW

LOL

I found a nice looking Bushman Jenny Concert body at an attractive price....its quite far away but I'll try and get there to try it out.

Anyone have a good link for uke playing / tuning styles etc?

Cheers Tom

I bought the Brozman and Beloff DVD's but
Beloff also has a site with some cool stuff.
I can't remember it but I bet if you Google
Jim Beloff you'll find it.

[TRW]

Cheers I googled about a bit and found a few interesting sites with some examples....might pick up a Jumpin' Jim DVD at some point.

Tom

[Pohaku]

Here are my babies. From left to right:

Gibson T-1 Tenor
Martin T-15 Tiple
Martin Style 3
Martin Style 2
Martin Style 1
Martin Style 0 (older)
Martin Style 0

I've got a Gretsch soprano also, but it looks better than it plays.

[TRW]

Nice collection!!!


Tom

[Pohaku]

Thanks. I grew up in Hawaii. One of the Style 0s is mine from when I was a child. At the time it was the standard school instrument for grade school kids in Hawaii, much the way recorders are now.

[TRW]

Man, I got a recorder at my school and it sucked!
A uke would have been so much cooler!

-Tom

[jackinthebox]

Originally Posted by Pohaku

Thanks. I grew up in Hawaii. One of the Style 0s is mine from when I was a child. At the time it was the standard school instrument for grade school kids in Hawaii, much the way recorders are now.

WOW! koa martins for schoolkids!!!!!
Are they all koa? I know that it's a hawaiian wood but did they make them in hawaii or in nazareth? i wish i had just one oof those.

[Pohaku]

Actually, all of mine (in the picture) are mahogany. If they were koa they would be worth considerably more. Koa was an upgrade from the "standard" wood which was mahogany. I did have a Kamaka uke from the 70s that was Koa, but my sister has it now. All of the Martins I have were made in Nazareth. I don't believe they ever made any in Hawaii. In the 70s, Kamakas were a cheaper alternative to Martins or Gibsons -- but even those are now worth serious money. They are really good instruments as well.

[jetpackbassist]

i recently played a Hohner that was kinda nice... it was a tenor koa. played beautifully, sounded smooth and full, and was promptly sold to someone else.

it sold for about $200 USD.

[sedohr]

Originally Posted by Pohaku

Here are my babies. From left to right:

Gibson T-1 Tenor
Martin T-15 Tiple
Martin Style 3
Martin Style 2
Martin Style 1
Martin Style 0 (older)
Martin Style 0

I've got a Gretsch soprano also, but it looks better than it plays.

Beautiful instruments! thumbsup

Kalli

[Devina]

a uke player


http://www.abc.net.au/message/blacka...c/s1330306.htm

[cjac9]

Can anyone tell me what kind of uke this is? I'm thinking tenor but not sure. For those of you that really know their ukes - what tuning?

http://soundcloud.com/chris-jacobie/ukulele

[doorknocker]

If you're looking for Ukes, Hawaii is the place to be!

Solid Wood Ukulele

[Pohaku]

I'd say it's a tenor. Sopranos sound more "plinky". Concert sized ukes aren't seen that frequently and also don't sound as full as a tenor. Not a bari. Most people using a uke for pop/rock music use tenors. Easier to play and intonation is less fussy. Sounds like standard IZ tuning (GCEA) with the 4th string dropped an octave. I'll pull out a uke when I get home and see.

[cjac9]

Thanks Pohaku! Let me know when you find out about the tuning.

Any thoughts on:
http://www.koolauukulele.com/pono.html

Tenor w/ spruce top and mahogany back and sides? Or some other wood combo? Excited that it has a truss rod!

[Pohaku]

Yup. Just standard tuning. Sounds like IZ tuning with the 4th string G dropped an octave. Google it if you aren't sure what it is. Strings are either switched around so that the 4th string is a wrapped string or a wrapped 4th string set was used. Gives you better bass response and makes it sound fuller. See my description earlier in this thread. You can buy wrapped 4th string sets these days.

[3waytie4last]

I've recently become obsessed with ukuleles.

Bought 2 Kanile'as (Kanile'a Ukulele - Home) in the last couple months, a super tenor and an 8-string tenor. Not at all cheap models, but so damn fun that I haven't picked up a regular guitar in months.

All guitar players should try one.

Uke pron: