rustydusty
Well-known member
Or, the use of endangered wood species in high end ukes…
Just sayin’…
Just sayin’…
I read somewhere that the slightly higher tuning was supposedly used to help school kids sing along to the songs they were playing that might have been a little too low to sing in key otherwise.Yep. Chalmers Doanes brought in that tuning to Canada it seems but it goes way to Hawaii too from my vintage songbooks
Now that you mention it, I don't see a recycling symbol on my Waterman!Here's a super duper unpopular opinion: Plastic ukes are bad for the environment.
Good point. Or styrofoam. Or disposable diapers.I get your point but I’d be surprised if the lifetime impact of plastic ukuleles on all the landfills in the world equal the impact of a months worth of plastic soda/water bottles sold at a few high-volume convenience stores here in the states.
Thanks for rehabbing and rehoming ukuleles to those that want/need them.Fair question. I will attempt to keep it brief. Because I could write a diatribe.
I have a thing where I spend a little time each week rescuing, rehabbing, and rehoming castoff and homeless ukes to people who want/need to play music but otherwise couldn’t afford them. An inordinate number of these ukuleles are manufactured by the usual suspects. In my experience the quality is not worth what Kala charges.
Kala is absolutely not alone in this. What sets them apart is that they position the company as “the world’s most popular and most trusted ukulele brand” and they repeat it so often that people start to believe it. Paid posts show up constantly in both my Facebook and my Reverb feeds so I know it’s common. How many people are quitting because they got a uke that isn’t fun to play?
That’s the dislike. If I have resentment, I think it may come from the company doing very little (other than price) to distinguish the, ahem, genuine-layered-wood assembly-line instruments from the ones that range from actually decent to first-rate, finely crafted instruments. Sure, we know the difference here on this board. But the new players have no point of reference, they are convinced that it’s a great brand, and it smells intentional to me.
I get that I am probably alone on this and that’s okay. I came by my opinion honestly through handling more Kalas than most ever will. I keep my mind open to rebuttals and opposing views.
The "world's most trusted brand" probably starts with a "K", but if you gave me five guesses, none of them would be Kala (and I play Kalas and actually like them, for their price).Fair question. I will attempt to keep it brief. Because I could write a diatribe.
I have a thing where I spend a little time each week rescuing, rehabbing, and rehoming castoff and homeless ukes to people who want/need to play music but otherwise couldn’t afford them. An inordinate number of these ukuleles are manufactured by the usual suspects. In my experience the quality is not worth what Kala charges.
Kala is absolutely not alone in this. What sets them apart is that they position the company as “the world’s most popular and most trusted ukulele brand” and they repeat it so often that people start to believe it. Paid posts show up constantly in both my Facebook and my Reverb feeds so I know it’s common. How many people are quitting because they got a uke that isn’t fun to play?
That’s the dislike. If I have resentment, I think it may come from the company doing very little (other than price) to distinguish the, ahem, genuine-layered-wood assembly-line instruments from the ones that range from actually decent to first-rate, finely crafted instruments. Sure, we know the difference here on this board. But the new players have no point of reference, they are convinced that it’s a great brand, and it smells intentional to me.
I get that I am probably alone on this and that’s okay. I came by my opinion honestly through handling more Kalas than most ever will. I keep my mind open to rebuttals and opposing views.
Fair question. I will attempt to keep it brief. Because I could write a diatribe.
I have a thing where I spend a little time each week rescuing, rehabbing, and rehoming castoff and homeless ukes to people who want/need to play music but otherwise couldn’t afford them. An inordinate number of these ukuleles are manufactured by the usual suspects. In my experience the quality is not worth what Kala charges.
Kala is absolutely not alone in this. What sets them apart is that they position the company as “the world’s most popular and most trusted ukulele brand” and they repeat it so often that people start to believe it. Paid posts show up constantly in both my Facebook and my Reverb feeds so I know it’s common. How many people are quitting because they got a uke that isn’t fun to play?
That’s the dislike. If I have resentment, I think it may come from the company doing very little (other than price) to distinguish the, ahem, genuine-layered-wood assembly-line instruments from the ones that range from actually decent to first-rate, finely crafted instruments. Sure, we know the difference here on this board. But the new players have no point of reference, they are convinced that it’s a great brand, and it smells intentional to me.
I get that I am probably alone on this and that’s okay. I came by my opinion honestly through handling more Kalas than most ever will. I keep my mind open to rebuttals and opposing views.
Oh, I get it. I do. My “unpopular/controversial opinion” is only that.Kala sell a lot of Ukes …
I resent some of my Kalas to friends and family members interested in starting the uke.I very much dislike (resent?) Kala. There. I said it.
Similar to "anything larger than a soprano is cheating"Anything larger than a soprano should be used for kindling.
(well, you asked for controversial! )
Nailed it. The one I think would get that title isn’t even my favorite K - but mad respect to them for 108 years now.The "world's most trusted brand" probably starts with a "K", but if you gave me five guesses, none of them would be Kala…
Lololol... I don't think that's cool. Someone should start a separate thread on that!"The #1 Ukulele Site"
Yeah, right.
I feel your pain. Last time I checked, my “new” songs were around ten years old. (I’m 74)Most ukulele players are "seniors" and us youngsters feel a little out of place in ukulele clubs where they are all in their 50's or 60's that do plain boring strumming so we don't go
We play songs older than you punksMost ukulele players are "seniors" and us youngsters feel a little out of place in ukulele clubs where they are all in their 50's or 60's that do plain boring strumming so we don't go
Sometimes when I see a picture of someone playing a fretted instrument, my first thought is, "That is hilarious! This must be some sort of parody or something." But then I realize, "oh wait--that's just a normal sized guitar."Anything larger than a soprano should be used for kindling.
(well, you asked for controversial! )