What’s your ukulele “hot take”?

[Patty]

Other hot take of mine: Overly happy music is about as interesting as watching paint dry.

No, I'm serious - I understand this comes off as an overgrown mosher being edgy, but if a song is overly happy there's no conflict and resolution and therefore not much interesting going on.

Most of the songs in “The Sound of Music“ make me wanna puke.

 

[etudes]

I feel that. I bet I've seen less than 5 min. total of Jake's videos. I have almost zero interest in ukulele virtuosos. I have almost zero interest in just players who don't sing. There's something about technical perfection that lacks feeling and soul. I too find it boring. I rarely, if ever, actively seek out ukulele videos for the sake of entertainment. If I'm watching a ukulele video, 99.75 percent of the time it's a tutorial or I might listen to covers to get an idea of how I would/should play a song or parts of a song or learn a song I don't know.

Since Jake was mentioned a few times - I enjoy his solo playing. My hot take is I've never seen Jake 'phone in' a performance. He leaves it all on the field. Starting at about 1:40 this is a 'wow' for me.

 

[VegasGeorge]

Do you have a perhaps controversial or uncommon opinion on a ukulele topic?

I’ll start:

I think it’s better to save up for a nice, quality intermediate or higher tier uke than buy 7+ entry level Makalas, Lunas, Kalas, etc. of various sizes and varieties. Having a lot of different ukes is fun, and I get that they’re so much less expensive than guitars and many other instruments so collecting is fun and relatively cheap. But I’ve seen SO many people with collections who don’t seem to have a really quality mid-tier or higher uke in there (not really on this forum, but in a lot of the uke facebook groups) and once you get one it makes SUCH a difference. The sound and playability of a solid, well built instrument is such a huge motivation to practice and improve.

To boil it down, I’d rather have one Kamaka and play it all the time than 25 entry level ukes of all sizes, configurations, etc. (Coming from someone who can’t afford a Kamaka at the moment, btw…lol). But hey, no knock on people who wanna collect to their hearts content…!

OK, I agree. But then again, it would be even nicer to have 25 Kamakas! All kidding aside, every player needs at least one really nice Uke. And then, build from there.

Actually, that's exactly my history. Way back in the neolithic age, my late wife brought my first Ukulele home with her from a trip to Hawaii. It was a Kamaka Soprano. So, there it is. Just what you said!

 

[etudes]

my hot take:

I came to the ukulele as a long time guitarist about 6 years ago.

Finding great sounding ukes has been much harder than finding great sounding guitars (and more expensive). I've returned ukes in the 2K price range because of dead notes/ wolf notes. That might make me a look like a snob but it does takes the fun out of playing.

I've found used acoustic guitars for under $1,000 that slay with great tone, but not so much with ukulele..

The best playing experience has been the Mya Moe Myrtle tenor..

 

[Wiggy]

... But I think it has to do with what I'm playing, maybe things like the weather, (humidity levels? Does that impact sound?), and just enjoying variety.

I finally was able to turn the air conditioning off and throw open some windows. Whoo-Hoo! Fall is approaching and sleeping is good.

Low 50s overnight with 98% humidity, or it rains (100%). Daytime returns to upper 70s with 50% RH while being sunny or not. This coming week will be in low 80s daytime with mid 50s at night. I won't be turning the A/C back on* - just shut the windows in the morning when I get up.

* Unless S.O. demands it for a few hours in the late afternoon

These humidity and temperature swings require tuning of every one of my ukes before use. This is expected and normal. Soundwise, they vary from thud to sparkle as the humidity drops. (That last comment is probably all in my head; allergies, or otherwise.)

My Flights (TUC-55 and TUS-55) couldn't care less about the weather. They rarely need tuning and always sound the same (big and bold).

I do notice that the ones I have had the longest (3-5 years) require the least tuning. BTW - I don't change strings unless they unravel (wound), get frayed or chipped (unwound), or break. I like stability.

 

[SeriousTube]

Tiny Tim a great musician? An incredible musician? Maybe you've seen performances I haven't seen? I think that he was a great and incredible music historian but his ukulele playing was very average at best.

Some of his songs were quite remarkable. The Other Side comes to mind. But it is because of the lyrical imagery, not the quality of the instrument playing. There isn't even any ukulele on that one. Also, I don't know any musician who can sing the low and high notes in the finale of a song at the same time in a live performance as he did with I Got You Babe. (Well he doesn't really, but he pretends that he does )

 

[Voran]

Since Jake was mentioned a few times - I enjoy his solo playing. My hot take is I've never seen Jake 'phone in' a performance. He leaves it all on the field. Starting at about 1:40 this is a 'wow' for me.

Jake has a hypnotic speaking voice. I hear him speak and I forget to be 32 and jaded to hell. Oh how I break for the basses and baritones lol.

 

[ploverwing]

Not ukulele, but Brad Robert's great bass-baritone voice @Voran

I grew up in love with the Crash Test Dummies because of his voice.

 

[Voran]

Oooh, he has a luxurious voice.

 

[AZChris]

my hot take:

I came to the ukulele as a long time guitarist about 6 years ago.

Finding great sounding ukes has been much harder than finding great sounding guitars (and more expensive). I've returned ukes in the 2K price range because of dead notes/ wolf notes. That might make me a look like a snob but it does takes the fun out of playing.

I've found used acoustic guitars for under $1,000 that slay with great tone, but not so much with ukulele..

The best playing experience has been the Mya Moe Myrtle tenor..

I have a similar background only I have been heavily into uke for a year despite always having a uke or 2 around for many years. It's hard to compare the guitar and uke worlds. I'm a bit snobby re: guitars, i.e. my Fenders are USA, I'm into Japanese classicals etc.. To be a uke snob is a lot more expensive. I think I paid more for a used KCM-00 than a Strat plus. I'm still learning about ukes -- I'm sure there are some out there that are like Eastman is in the guitar world where they compare to guitars twice the price.

 

[bbkobabe]

Not ukulele, but Brad Robert's great bass-baritone voice @Voran

I grew up in love with the Crash Test Dummies because of his voice.

I can relate to the car crash part... I got hit so hard last March I feel like I was pushed into next year... I have yet to catch up with myself...

BTW: Brad claims that the reason his voice is like that is because he has three testicles... true story!

 

[Ziret]

I love that voice, too. Try The National for a more-recent take.

 

[Voran]

I can relate to the car crash part... I got hit so hard last March I feel like I was pushed into next year... I have yet to catch up with myself...

BTW: Brad claims that the reason his voice is like that is because he has three testicles... true story!

I shudder to think what I have...https://vocaroo.com/12QLTONmfHos

 

[bbkobabe]

I have a similar background only I have been heavily into uke for a year despite always having a uke or 2 around for many years. It's hard to compare the guitar and uke worlds. I'm a bit snobby re: guitars, i.e. my Fenders are USA, I'm into Japanese classicals etc.. To be a uke snob is a lot more expensive. I think I paid more for a used KCM-00 than a Strat plus. I'm still learning about ukes -- I'm sure there are some out there that are like Eastman is in the guitar world where they compare to guitars twice the price.

Have you tried a Pono? I would say they fall into this category...

 

[Patty]

Since Jake was mentioned a few times - I enjoy his solo playing. My hot take is I've never seen Jake 'phone in' a performance. He leaves it all on the field. Starting at about 1:40 this is a 'wow' for me.

You’re right. He always gives 110%, and seems so joyous about giving it.

 

[Patty]

my hot take:

I came to the ukulele as a long time guitarist about 6 years ago.

Finding great sounding ukes has been much harder than finding great sounding guitars (and more expensive). I've returned ukes in the 2K price range because of dead notes/ wolf notes. That might make me a look like a snob but it does takes the fun out of playing.

I've found used acoustic guitars for under $1,000 that slay with great tone, but not so much with ukulele..

The best playing experience has been the Mya Moe Myrtle tenor..

Yeah! This never occurred to me (played guitar long ago). There was so little fussing about tone, intonation, sustain, and so on with my old Goya. Perhaps an average acoustic guitar just achieves great sound easier than your average ukulele. Why? Is it merely a matter of size?

Then there’s the other big difference: I never felt I had to have more than one guitar. There was no GAS (Guitar Acquisition Syndrome).

 

[ploverwing]

I can relate to the car crash part... I got hit so hard last March I feel like I was pushed into next year... I have yet to catch up with myself...

Ow.

 

[Uke with Smitty]

…I'm sure there are some out there that are like Eastman is in the guitar world where they compare to guitars twice the price.

You’re right about that and one of them is…Eastman. Or was; sadly they stopped making ukes. My Eastman EU3C is one of the best playing concert sized ukes I’ve ever played and it was almost laughably low priced for the build quality.

 

[Cluze]

Perhaps an average acoustic guitar just achieves great sound easier than your average ukulele. Why? Is it merely a matter of size?

I suspect it really is just down to scale length. Volume and sustain are much more challenging with a small body. It can be done, and done well, but it isn't as easy with a soprano for instance. As far as intonation goes, I really think this is just about scale length. The exact frequency that you get from a vibrating string depends on (among other things) the length. A typical guitar has a scale length that is nearly twice as long as a soprano ukulele. If you have a fret even 1 mm off from where it should be, this is a much bigger effect with a smaller scale.

 

[EDW]

Every ‘ukulele player should begin their serious study of the instrument on a decent soprano.

The soprano is the only uke. Anything else is just a wanna be!