Anybody into ukulele? Listening? Playing?

[Blackhorse]

My wife wants to get a ukulele and take lessons. So I’m looking for a nice instrument. Suggestions?

 

[Bambam]

I have a few. This is just a couple in my collection. It is a fantastic instrument to play. I would be more than happy to help you with any questions you might have.

 

[Blackhorse]

Wow! That’s more like roommates!

 

[UkuleleDude67]

I play and teach. Good entry is a Kala. Good amazon brand is Carmel. Sopranos are too small. Look for a concert size.

 

[Bambam]

Wow! That’s more like roommates!

That's about half of them.

 

[Bambam]

I play and teach. Good entry is a Kala. Good amazon brand is Carmel. Sopranos are too small. Look for a concert size.

I'm 6'2" and 320 lbs and my Martin Soprano is my favorite. I like the size, feel and sound of it

 

[UkuleleDude67]

I'm 6'2" and 320 lbs and my Martin Soprano is my favorite. I like the size, feel and sound of it

Magic word is Martin.

 

[Bambam]

Magic word is Martin.

There is something special about them

 

[Bambam]

Ohana is another excellent choice to start on.

 

[Bambam]

Anuenue are very nice looking and sounding as well

 

[Blackhorse]

Oh my…a gold mine here. Excellent. It’s for my wife. She’s 5’1”…tiny hands. She ordered two. A Soprano and a Concert Donner. Figured she would pick the one that felt better, sizewise. Question: will she need to have it set up or whatever by a local shop?

(Taking a break: wife & son just got home from an overnight road trip to go to a Bob Dylan, Willy Nelson, John Mellancamp concert in George, Washington…back later.)

 

[Blackhorse]

Back…

Been looking around via uTube, etc. and have seen lots of stuff. Names mentioned here that are familiar are Kala, Ohana, Anuenue…and of course Martin. In 1968
I had a college roommate that had a Martin 12 string. If I ever forget the “Martin tradition” he’d remind me. I don’t remember the model but even I could coax some lovely sounds from it.

If I join my wife as a new uke owner I’d maybe be looking at $200 - $300…with as wide a fret board as possible to accommodate my hulk-like hands. I’d also prefer to avoid Chinese if possible. Usually that doesn’t bother me. But with this, it does.

 

[Bambam]

Back…

Been looking around via uTube, etc. and have seen lots of stuff. Names mentioned here that are familiar are Kala, Ohana, Anuenue…and of course Martin. In 1968
I had a college roommate that had a Martin 12 string. If I ever forget the “Martin tradition” he’d remind me. I don’t remember the model but even I could coax some lovely sounds from it.

If I join my wife as a new uke owner I’d maybe be looking at $200 - $300…with as wide a fret board as possible to accommodate my hulk-like hands. I’d also prefer to avoid Chinese if possible. Usually that doesn’t bother me. But with this, it does.

Bruddah Iz was 757 lbs and played a Martin Tenor uke.

 

[Bambam]

 

[Blackhorse]

Yeah, if I didn’t have to wait for a bit I’d pick the base level Martin, either solid woods or laminates. The lam body pieces just seem tougher against moisture and humidity, which is always a good thing here in Oregon. We’ll see.

 

[Bud Savoie01]

You might be able to get a good secondhand one, since over half of the people I have known who got a uke gave it up after a while. It's a nice instrument to learn. You tune it to "my dog has fleas" and the chord shapes are identical to those of a guitar on the four treble strings (i.e., ignoring the two bass strings on the guitar). You will probably begin by strumming with the right hand, but you can do a lot if you can find a five-string banjo picker who plays old-time (i.e., not bluegrass) style, who can show you some old-timey right-hand techniques. Here's an old English folk song about a real man:

 

[Idlefellow]

Magic word is Martin.

Hard to beat a Martin anything. Just got my HD-28 back from the shop with its new pickguard and repaired top crack. Sorry; not to steal the thread...

 

[Bambam]

Yeah, if I didn’t have to wait for a bit I’d pick the base level Martin, either solid woods or laminates. The lam body pieces just seem tougher against moisture and humidity, which is always a good thing here in Oregon. We’ll see.

Zzounds has a payment option for them. That's how I got the 2 Martin Tenor ukes I have.
One is Koa and the other is the street master solid mahogany

 

[Blackhorse]

Idlefellow: no theft seen or imagined. It’s all of interest.

Bambam: my credit rating is well into the 800’s cause I use credit for things like our new car and/or new HVAC system. Not wealthy…just habits. Plus, I thought it would be wise to see how we react to the one my wife will open on August 26. Maybe “el Cheapo” will be enough to fulfill my hopes and dreams. That sounds very unlike me, but you never know.

 

[Blackhorse]

Here’s a birthday present: