Hi all, mentioned this in another thread, but I’m on a mission to get people playing the ukulele! Thought it suitably esoteric enough of an instrument for snuffers to warrant an OT. I’ve started my own uke blog aimed at beginners looking for views on instruments, parts, tips etc. See here! http://gotaukulele.blogspot.com/ hope it’s of interest, and hope some of you get one bought. Dead easy to learn and huge fun.

Sounds like fun. I’m mainly a guitar man. But I have had an interest in getting a sitar.

Beauty of the uke is that it is cheap, and easy. If you play guitar, you’ll fly on uke. Chord shapes are same as top 4 strings on guitar, 5 octaves up.

@pauljmuk I am seriously considering it, I checked out the blog and it was really interesting.

I generally only use 2 strings at the most. Have released about 10 CDs now just with that.

Sorry pal, but I got caught on a telephone hotline for 30 minutes once, where they played an infinite ukulele song-loop. Tried to avoid the energy being cut off, as the company made a mistake with my changed bank account… so just had to take that crazy, endless song, or my fridge would have unfreezed the following day. I still hear that song some nights…

I have a uke PaulJ…can play a bit. It seems a good instrument to start the kids on.

youtube the ukulele orchestra of great britain. Here’s one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFoS9bho2Ww I play classical/spanish guitar and wouldn’t mind going electric at some point.

You can get electric ukes! Great instrument to start kids on, I would second that!

The Ukulele goes great with a good falsetto voice too.

Thinking about Tiny Tim?

Awwww you had to mention tiny tim . Does uke reputation no favours! There are loads of cool people play the uke too! Amanda Palmer, frank skinner, phill jupitus, George harrison (rip), harry hill

Tiny Tim creeps me out. Weirdo.

Conscious that buying a uke can be confusing, did buyers guide on how cheap you should go here: CLICKY in a nutshell - if money tight, get a Makala. Bit more cash? Get a Lanikai or cheap Kala. If you can go over £100, get a Flea or a Mainland

… and if money is no object, get a vintage Ludwig Wendell Hall. Or so I’m told by a friend of mine who won one in a raffle organised by the George Formby society. (It was a Banjo-Ukelele to be precise).

Agreed - sorry, my buyers guide is for wooden ukes really

Thanks everyone for support. Seeing lots of snuffhouse referrals to blog. Any uke advice needed just ask!

I’ve played a little uke on the side since I was a bout thirteen, when my mom got one for a birthday gift but never really used it herself. I like to play some Bowie and other stuff on it, but I’ve actually mainly wrote a few of my own songs though. Not to say I’ve devoted a great deal of time to it though; guitar and piano are my main pursuits.

Bowie on uke! Cool!

Yeah, the main son I play is “Queen Bitch”, and some others, but I don’t quite like them as much as that one. Plus, that song is one of my favorite Bowie songs, as it is about him watching Lou Reed trying to by heroin off of a hooker. Not that I do heroin, I just like the Velvet Underground.

Blog update Advice for beginners on different ukulele sizesClicky

By the way, what types of ukulele do some of you guys have, all I have is a little pineapple one, not the standard shape.

Me, as you see from blog, soprano, concert solid mahogany, and concert neck on soprano electric. Shortly another soprano joins fold. Never felt need for tenor or baritone.

New post on my blog that may well help sway the undecided - just got hold of a £25 uke (£25!!!) which plays brilliantly, and seems to me to be the perfect, low risk, beginner uke See review here Clicky for review

Nice, I have two thrasher guitar’s, but no thrasher ukulele. If i was inclined to play more often I just might get one of those.

Mine says:" Universal Wordwide Trading inc" on the inside. Kind of a cheap model, I suppose. Someone I knew went to Hawaii a couple years ago and I really wanted one of the Kamaka but a bit pricey to start out. Is it worth the money PaulJ, as far as tone and such , to spend the extra beans?

If you look at my recent blog posts, great fun ‘can’ be had for a few clams… Thing is, there is a risk with some at the cheap end that you get a pup… Some low Enders are always bad, but I think the makalas for only 25 quid are a bargain. May be the odd shoddy one, but worth risk in my view. The vast majority are very playable. That said, if you start off, get a good one and really take to it, you WILL then upgrade, the big question is how far do you go. Me, I am not professional, And my prize uke is £175. The Hawaiian ukes are so so sweet but cost minimum £500. I could never justify that. Heck, there are pro performers out there who would never consider that money. Flea seem popular with professionals (£120 ish). Hell, you can get a Martin fir £300. My advice depends in how serious you are, and whether you have guitar type background. If you do, and are super serious spend bit more, flea, ohanA, kala, mainland. If you are total beginner testing water, be careful but makala and lanikai worth the risk in my view. If the bug bites, you then upgrade. Likewise, if you start at higher end, go back to the makala brand at some point like I did for a brilliant camping uke!

How would this be for a beginner? http://cgi.ebay.com/Oscar-Schmidt-Concert-Ukulele-Active-EQ-Pickup-Sys-/180488957878?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Guitar&hash=item2a05faefb6

Meant to be half decent ukes, though if I’m honest, you are spending money on electrics there- are they reall necessary?

Well, I might want to play loud lol!

I have unusually small hands fingers and can’t really reach all of the strings my guitar real well (and its a three-quarter size and I still have this problem) and I have had the ukele suggested to me before as an instrument I should try. I’m up to my eyeballs in debt from ‘pre-pact’ panicked snuff/snus acquisitions, but I just thought I’d remark to say I am reading along here with interest

Speaking of Ukulele, have any of you guys seen that video from the eighties (approximately, maybe it was early nineties), where a stand-up comedian plays a few songs like “Purple Haze” and a few others on an electrified little uke? I think the video can be found on youtube under something like “songs you wouldn’t usually hear on the ukulele”.

It can be a weirdly expressive instrument played well and I’ve heard ‘while my guitar gently weeps’ played hauntingly beautifuly on the uke. The Beatles were great fans and played pretty well, probably due to the George Formby influence.

The more I look, the more I want! Now, if only the personal digits would cooperate!

It is a lovely sound played well. Do some YouTube searching re the small hands, sopranos are perfect. Reason they go down well in schools. If hands are big, that’s cool, get a concert scale! And re the post on electrics… Was just saying that for a first uke, would concentrate on uke quality rather than electrics. That is a nice uke, but a bad uke electrified is just as bad. I would check what acoustic instruments you can get for same money. Must say, I’m delighted with interest and various views of my blog. I am passionate about music and am trying to get more people playing the uke. (that was point of the blog). Great news is through a variety of links to blog I can confirm three people bought ukes this week cos o the blog!!

Hey, this sounds interesting! I must check out your ukeblog, paul. Here’s my favourite uke-duo, U900, playing “Walk, don’t Run”

I’m thinking I really want one. Choosing is confusing. I wonder if there are any stores here in BF-Kansas that sell ukes.

The moment I find a teacher I’m going to buy me a uke!!

Shouldn’t be confusing! And really, it’s a simple instrument, don’t worry about teachers, there Is so much online to help. Check links on right side of my blog (see OP) and pay special visit to ukulele underground forum. Ask questions there, or feel free to email me (contact details on blog) it really is a simple, fun, cheap instrument!

Is the Hurdy Gurdy still somewhat popular? I really like the obscure instruments and their history.

Bart, Garmarna from Sweden use a hurdy gurdy. Garmarna is a folk-hard rock kind of fusion. Actually I think a lot of these Nordic bands use it. Try here: North Side I strongly recommend the sampler CDs at the bottom of the page; only $5.00! A lot of the bands on this label pass throgh here on their N. American tours. Our local Celtic music club and our New Sweden club are rather friendly with each other. There seems to be a strong shared musical interest.

I’ve listened to the Ukelele Orchestra of Great Brittain just now…amazing!! I’m going to buy me one.

Damn. My computer went *pop* really loud and shut down and won’t start up again. Consensus says power supply. There goes my uke dream for a little while longer lol.

yeah its not a ukulele and thus a bit off topic but still … where else am I gonna put this?InnerestingMore inneresting (wth matching drums!)

i’ve been playing bass for a while. Maybe i will give this ukulele thing a shot.

Blog updated - if you have money in the £100 area to buy a uke with, and dont want to worry about quality issues, you could do a LOT worse than buy a Flea Uke. My review here - Flea Ukulele Reviewreally cant go wrong with a Flea

Too bad i suck playing musical instruments I would love to play this stuff.

oh boy, I fancy the Koa Flea! I’ve wanted to learn the uke for some time. my sister lives in Hawaii and plays, sings teaches. I should really do this, hmmm

Paul, just watched some of your vids. Love your flea and YOU playing your flea:) Wow!

Thanks iggy - great instruments the Fleas - they cost a bit more, but they take away all of the worry of whether you will get a dud instrument. USA made, and because of how they are made, virtually impossible to get a bad one. ap - the beauty of the uke is that anyone can pick it up. I could teach you a song on one in 15 minutes.

so many wonderful colors to choose from and all gorgeous! I’m seeing lots of options on the Flea you have, do you recommend any of them?

All fleas are essentially the same, you can order longer necks, wood fretboards and custom designs but… Mine in bog standard plastic neck. If you order standard neck with fancy design it’s the same uke. I don’t even see point of wood fingerboard. Doesn’t change sound. Go with the basics, have fun!

Ordered a Mango flea soprano today. Can’t wait

In grade school they would have the teachers check our heads for uku(s) whenever there was an outbreak. You could always tell the ones that had them bad because their heads were shaved.

A little update on my Flea purchase. I’ve changed my order for the 2nd time with Fleamarket. First change was just the color and the 2nd change today was from Soprano to the Flea Tenor. What made me change my mind to Tenor is my favorite song “Somewhere over the Rainbow” played by “Israel Kamakawiwo’ole” (rip, I love ya always). He played a Martin tenor in low G.

Either way you will love your flea. Well done!

I’m looking at a Kala KA- 15S Soprano. The guy on ebay I’m looking at upgrades the strings, and they have a deal where you can get a bag and tuner with it.

Kala - great entry to the world of ukes.

I like that the guy upgrades the strings and fine-tunes and adjusts the instrument before sending it out.

I’ve got an Ashton soprano which I bought about 2 months ago. I really love the Uke and this thread has made interesting reading. Stefan

Was it pretty easy to learn?

Not too bad. I bought a load of songbooks and looked at videos on Youtube and it is sort of sinking into place. Stefan

I’ve got a “Hudson” ukulele that my ex got me for my birthday. I ever really got into it, I guess I just don’t have a musical mind or the dexterity and coordination a string instrument requires. A shame really, as the consensus here is that they’re a fun instrument to play.

Loving how this thread has grown. So pleased to read of those getting hold of ukes. As instruments go, they can be cheap, certainly fun, and portable too! All go get one, get a cheapie to start with but read my blog and other blogs to avoid pitfalls ( I’d recommend makala I’d you want to go cheap end) then have fun!

Keep an eye on blog folks. New posts, plus, if I have hopefully persuaded you to buy, I am trying to get a list of tutors who are prepared to let me post details… Meanwhile- scroll down and have fun watching Kermit the Frog sing Ukulele Lady - does life get better?Uke Blog

I’m making tie-dyes and hippy-type jewellery this weekend. The Old Man is going to go out to try and sell some, and I’ll get my uke!

Cool!

how’d you do selling this weekend Carol?

We’re still making. We have some appointments later in the week.

Blog update! If you are in Balham, you might like thishttp://gotaukulele.blogspot.com/2010/05/balham-uke-society.htmlif you are anywhere else in the world, you will no doubt by scared by this

I’m ordering mine next week!

Paul, I am down right thrilled with my Flea! It’s my happy pill! I love your blog and Uke Underground. I’ve learned “chunking” in one night. Great lessons on utube and Uke Minutes:). I’m one happy woman! I can’t wait for you to get yours Carol…my only suggestion, make sure you get good strings. The stock Hilo strings sounded horrible to my ears. Re-strung my Uke with Aquillas and the difference is like night and day. Thank you Paul for posting this thread and lighting my fire! I play till my fingers hurt, hopefully that won’t last long.

I’m getting mine from a dude on ebay who includes the aquilla strings, plus any fret-nut adjustments that might be needed. And a tuner, because I’ll go nuts without one lol.

So pleased you are getting ukes! Fleas and flukes are brilliant ukes. Aquila strings are great, try worth brown mediums on fleas and flukes also, different sound, just as sweet, keep buying people, let’s have uke revolution!

I’m not getting a Flea. I’m getting a Kala Soprano. I may end up getting one of those cute dolphin bridge ones at some point…a purple one.

sorry - flea comment was to iggy. Kalas are great ukes also!

w00t! I just ordered my uke! Ok, now I’m nervous I’ll be too dumb or uncoordinated to learn to play it lol.

Get onto ukulele underground forum. (or my blog!!). That forum is brilliant. Any questions, no matter how silly you may think it is will be answered by the friendliest bunch. I should know, I’m one of them!

I’ve peeked in over there. I have to quit being shy and register at some point.

My wife will kill me if we add more instruments to the house: 4 basses, numerous bass live rigs, pa gear, acoustic guitar, custom electric, mountain dulcimer, mandolin, cigarbox violin, gu-zheng, kids acoustic guitars, various drum and percussion instruments, keyboards and synths and all that. I got a lot of gear, more instruments would be a tough sell on her. Especially when I am eyeing some more bass gear… Ken

Is it bad that my first uke isn’t even here yet, and I’m already eyeballing others?

Sounds like how Bass guitars and amplifiers and effects and… Ok how anything that makes a potentially musical noise is for me. Ken

OMG that kid with the homemade toy piano-uke-kazoo thingy! LoL it’s killing me!

Hey Ken - thats the beauty of Ukes - they are so small - stick one under the sofa!

Carol - nothing unusual in eyeballing new Ukes - you are now on an official slippery slope with a problem called UAS (Ukulele Acquisition Syndrome)

Mandolins are about the same size, thinner in profile though. Uke’s tend to be cheaper for a quality product. Heck the only reason I picked up Mandolin was because travel guitars suck and I wanted something I could travel with on the motorcycle. Ken

uke is perfect ken. problem is, you end up buying lots, them their diminutive size means nothing! In meantime, for UK members, how about this uke based world cup song?CLICKY

Hey, heard this on NPR this morning and thought of this thread: http://ww.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127116452&ps=cprs Ken

I was hoping mine was getting here today. It didn’t.

I am presuming Carol that by lack of an update, your Uke arrived, and you got so obsessed with it you havent slept since??

Lol Paul, that’s what happened to me! Carol?

Busy with the latest/newest bass mega loud + mega light rig. In short the wife would most certainly kill me over any more music gear purchases in the near future. Ken

LoL, you busted me. So far, I suck lol.

I’ve just learned “House of the Rising Sun”, sounds quite good I’ve surprised myself. Stefan

Maybe you folks could post a picture of your ukes when you get a chance?

my own uke reviews all hereCLICK

I may get one of those dolphins someday, in purple. Anyway, meet Chloe.

Someone in Lawrence is selling these. 50 bucks for the pair, and she’ll sell them individually. She has no clue what they are, what size, brand, or anything, and neither do I. Any clue paul?

Can’t tell from the pic. Look like tenors. How do they play?

I have no idea. They are in an ad for sale. I emailed her about them and she’s clueless.

haha Lawrence, I love that place!

I was going to go up today, but it’s supposed to rain hard.

I also hear a rumour Mainland will soon be doing Banjo Ukes! Anyway, in other news - check out this Bowie cover on Uke and Melodica - brilliant

Mainland mahogany concert on the way:) will post pics when it arrives. I’m silly with excitement!

brilliant brilliant choice iggy! superb instruments

I just figured out the Hanukkah Song!! Wooty to the w00t!!!

OMG WANT! Tie-Dye Flea. They make one with a tenor neck!

german national anthem on ukeUke

That tie dye is wonderful eh?

There’s my new Mainland concert.

There you go, iggy. Nice instrument!

thanks spam, how did you do that?

paul, if I was playing that uke, it would be hard to tell where my shirt stopped and the uke began!

@ iggy - Just do as you did, but click the Html radio button below the text input box before posting

LoL, The Old Man thinks that I need one of these Fender ukes with the telecaster headstock.

Lol, not attractive at all IMHO

ok, left this thread alone for a while - think I did some good as I created some new uke players - how are you getting on? need any tips? As for me - I have a new uke arrived today - a slim body travel uke by Bruko (all solid handmade in Germany) and I love it. That plus other news, including me going a bit mad and buying my 9month old daughter a uke (she loves to bash them!)… on the blog…CLICKY HERE

ps, i quite like the fender looking uke. That said, I have heard that aside from their top of the range on (which is pricey for what it is) you should leave the others alone…

Sorry to resurrect old thread but very interested to know if any of you bought ukes on back of this thread, and if you did, how are you getting on. I’m continuing to build my uke blog aimed at beginners, and if you need any tips or advice contact me through the blog. www.gotaukulele.co.uk