Play that uke!

[clear]

Many of us own more than 1 uke; and, naturally, there's a uke that's played less than the others. Let's do something special for that lonely uke. Let's play it! So, dig into your closet and bring it out; take it for a little spin and tell us something about it.

Here's my little lonely uke; I think I last played it maybe a year ago or more. It's still got its original strings (since its built date from June, 2020; I think I bought it during that month too). It sounds pretty good; but ,sadly, it just doesn't compare to the little Kamaka HF-1 in terms of everything so it hardly see any play time.

 

[rhiggie]

I was going to say there's always a reason to keep a "beater" backup in case it might rain when you're playing outside, in case you want to strum on the beach or in a canoe. But that's no beater. Many here know my thoughts on ukes that aren't getting played. Move them back out into the music world where they will get enjoyed. Then get yourself a beater, or maybe a beater and a banjolele, or at minimum, have a high G and low G uke to strum for variety. Then they will both get played. Ukes are people too! They are sad when left in their dark case unplayed...

 

[KohanMike]

I had eight ukes for a number of years, and yes, a few I didn't play very often. Recently I found that I was playing my thinline more than any of the others, and realized that it was because it was the most comfortable for me due to nerve damage to my neck spinal cord from radiation treatments for cancer long ago. That prompted me to let go of my seven standard depth ukes and replace them with three thinline. I now rotate regularly between the four being that my group meets online twice a week and in person every other Sunday and Wednesday. I also meet on the alternate Sundays with an acoustic guitar group playing my ukes.

 

[Bill Sheehan]

Many of us own more than 1 uke; and, naturally, there's a uke that's played less than the others. Let's do something special for that lonely uke. Let's play it! So, dig into your closet and bring it out; take it for a little spin and tell us something about it.

Here's my little lonely uke; I think I last played it maybe a year ago or more. It's still got its original strings (since its built date from June, 2020; I think I bought it during that month too). It sounds pretty good; but ,sadly, it just doesn't compare to the little Kamaka HF-1 in terms of everything so it hardly see any play time.

Hey Clear, that sounds really nice!

 

[Arcy]

I don't think I have a neglected uke right now - I did before last week, but I took my concert with me to California. I'm not sure I'd played that one since well before Covid - I gravitate to either my Soprano or Baritone. I only wanted to bring one uke though, and the pieces I wanted to work on required either high-G (so not the Bari) or playing north of the 12th fret (which I couldn't do on the Sop with a 12th fret join). Ohana Concert joined at the 14th fret to the rescue!

This was my second uke, after the disastrous Fender Soprano, before a Peter Luongo workshop required low-G and pushed me into tenors. The concert's been hanging out unplayed in its case for years. It turned out pretty well for the use, and I liked the way the chord-melody bari-piece sounded well enough that I may convert it over and restring something reentrantly. There were only a couple of chords that need rearranging to keep the high fourth string from interfering with the melody.

The other win was that my wife tried it out and liked the unwound strings. She gave up steel-string guitar because she didn't like that it desensitized her fingertips and made needlework more difficult.

 

[Canada Jim]

Well one I don't play at all is a soprano Roy Smeck Harmony that was given to me by a friend who found it at a flea market and thought I might like it. It's one that my grandson is allowed to play without asking when he visits.


The Ukulele Song - Loudon Wainwright III

 

[Bill Sheehan]

Well one I don't play at all is a soprano Roy Smeck Harmony that was given to me by a friend who found it at a flea market and thought I might like it. It's one that my grandson is allowed to play without asking when he visits.

Awesome, Jim! Love those feisty lyrics!

 

[Oldscruggsfan]

This is a capital thought for a thread.
As to me, I’m just scratchin’ my head.
Yowling Tom’s my one and only
I have no uke that’s lonely.
So color me vicarious instead.

 

[Bill Sheehan]

This is a capital thought for a thread.
As to me, I’m just scratchin’ my head.
Yowling Tom’s my one and only
I have no uke that’s lonely.
So I’ll enjoy your ignored ukes instead.

Outstanding!

 

[ukudancer]

I play all my instruments regularly except for my electric taisho koto. Mainly because I haven't gotten it to sound half as good as I'd like and partly because I haven't taken the time to truly learn it.

But as far as ukes go, I play them all.

 

[ripock]

This is my loneliest uke. Nothing wrong with it except that it least fits in with my goals because of its lack of a cutawy and its re-entrant tuning. But I play it tonight in honor of the spirit of the thread

 

[Ukecaster]

Sadly, my most delicate one, a 20s Martin Style 0, stays in its humidified case more than it should, while my Flea, Fluke and 2 Famous sopranos are the near-at-hand, daily players. Of course, when played, it is glorious! With heating season ending soon, I'll be able to leave it out more, and it will resume its spot as the top dog...I think.

 

[Oldscruggsfan]

Well one I don't play at all is a soprano Roy Smeck Harmony that was given to me by a friend who found it at a flea market and thought I might like it. It's one that my grandson is allowed to play without asking when he visits.

A great one. Loudon Wainwright penned those lyrics, am I right? Inspiration for BazMaz’s site title, and one of his standard “uke review” tunes?

 

[Oldscruggsfan]

Outstanding!

Edited, as I ought to have done earlier.

 

[Canada Jim]

A great one. Loudon Wainwright penned those lyrics, am I right? Inspiration for BazMaz’s site title, and one of his standard “uke review” tunes?

Yes, I should've credited Loudon. I guess I made a basic assumption that everyone knew that.
The Ukulele Song - Loudon Wainwright III

 

[ailevin]

I played five of our ukuleles today. Three were quick sessions of five to ten minutes with instruments I don't play regularly (Pono ATD, Kamaka HF-3, Anuenue C4). The two tenors were low G and the concert was high G. The Kamaka is my wife's primary instrument so it is played daily. The Pono and Anuenue are played very little these days.

The other two ukuleles, a KoAloha KTM-00 tenor and a Pops Okami Wow soprano, eagh got around 45 minutes of playing and/or practice time. Both are strung with low G and they are my daily drivers.

 

[rustydusty]

Occasionally I will pick up a uke that doesn’t get much play, and quickly realize why that’s the case…
The ukes I do prefer are upgrades that sound better and are more comfortable play…

 

[ploverwing]

My tenors are getting precious little play time since I received the Ohana soprano and had it strung low g. My Famous soprano isn't getting much play time because I've not been practicing reentrant. I am travelling (with the Ohana) at the moment but when I return, I'll give the others a little lovin'.

 

[Oldscruggsfan]

Yes, I should've credited Loudon. I guess I made a basic assumption that everyone knew that.
The Ukulele Song - Loudon Wainwright III

I wasn't criticizing, only noting the tune's provenance for the sake of any UU newbies who may be as oblivious to such details as I was just nine months ago. Not knowing the great Mr. Wainwright from Adam's off-ox, I actually PM-ed Barry Maz to ask the name of the tune with that great, quick-timed Am7-Bb-C-F7 progression. Understandably, he referred me to his webpage, LOL.

 

[Voran]

I don't have a lonely uke. I always rotate mine so I don't get too bored of any one list of songs.