What is an unpopular/controversial opinion you have regarding the ukulele?

[Bad_Astronaut]

Apologies to anyone who does this, and I know there are some (otherwise lovely ) people on here who do, but it drives me NUTS when people refer to their ukuleles as “she”. And as for talking about “her curves” etc… It sounds downright weird, please stop it.

So what’s your opinion on ukes being referred to as “he?” I’ve been toying with the idea of naming my ukuleles and so far, half (two) have female names and half have male names.

 

[Larry U]

So what’s your opinion on ukes being referred to as “he?” I’ve been toying with the idea of naming my ukuleles and so far, half (two) have female names and half have male names.

I don't name inanimate objects. Cars, ukuleles, guitars, etc. just get called by their manufacturer or model name. Car is "Mazda", ukulele is "Tiny Tenor", etc.

 

[Bad_Astronaut]

I don't name inanimate objects. Cars, ukuleles, guitars, etc. just get called by their manufacturer or model name. Car is "Mazda", ukulele is "Tiny Tenor", etc.

That makes sense. I’m usually the same. But something about the ukulele brings out a slightly sillier side of me.

 

[TBB]

So what’s your opinion on ukes being referred to as “he?” I’ve been toying with the idea of naming my ukuleles and so far, half (two) have female names and half have male names.

I think I’m with @Larry U on this one, I just don’t name (or assign genders to) inanimate objects. I do have a very beaten up 1920s Martin style 0 that’s called “Roadkill”, but that’s not so much a name as a description

 

[MichaelW]

My next ukulele will not have a through hole bridge. I apparently cannot tie knots in slippery thin strings especially A strings and have had to wear a glove and use a pick to get it up to pitch after suffering whip lash. Finally got it to hold using a bridge bead.
I think through hole bridges put too much strain on a string although not had a string break here yet. You have to anchor it somewhere but I have been using tie on bridges for years with no problem. Not sure about slotted bridges but oddly do like the Martin style pin bridge that rather defeats this mini rant but at least makes me feel better.
And breath.

 

[ripock]

We are not too far away from a time when it was perfectly common for a man to haul a woman-- a daughter, sister, wife, mother, etc. to an asylum, register the complaint that she was "melancholic... or unruly... too willful... too much of a daydreamer... fantastical in thinking... not prayerful enough... not compliant enough... reads too many novels, and so on..." and commit her there. Consigning her to being drugged, chained, given ice baths, deprived of sleep, put under bizarre dietary restrictions, given over to surgical procedures up to and including lobotomies and sterilization.

It usually happened when a woman became inconvenient, or failed to live up to a man's expectations or desires.

I actually had some experience in this regard. In the 90's a friend of mine went off her meds and thought I was John the Baptist, she herself was the Virgin Mary, and everyone else was a cabal of conspirators aligned to prevent the birth of her divine child. I was forced to have her committed and I was shocked at how easy it was. I just had to talk to some fat guy in a plaid shirt and khaki pants and--bam!!--done deal! It is just quite frightening how easy it is to lock up someone--except Trump--with little or no evidence.

 

[Pyewacket]

We are not too far away from a time when it was perfectly common for a man to haul a woman-- a daughter, sister, wife, mother, etc. to an asylum, register the complaint that she was "melancholic... or unruly... too willful... too much of a daydreamer... fantastical in thinking... not prayerful enough... not compliant enough... reads too many novels, and so on..." and commit her there. Consigning her to being drugged, chained, given ice baths, deprived of sleep, put under bizarre dietary restrictions, given over to surgical procedures up to and including lobotomies and sterilization.

It usually happened when a woman became inconvenient, or failed to live up to a man's expectations or desires.

You just describe exactly what happened to my great grandmother in 1901. She died 6 months after her jerk of a husband had her committed for not being compliant enough. 6 months after that he was remarried and had started a new family. Needless to say his existing children didn't have much use for him after that. It didn't help that she was 1/2 Native American. Just another reason to consider her "unruly" and even "uncivilized".

 

[Pyewacket]

I think I’m with @Larry U on this one, I just don’t name (or assign genders to) inanimate objects. I do have a very beaten up 1920s Martin style 0 that’s called “Roadkill”, but that’s not so much a name as a description

I did once name my first car (that actually ran). It was a 69 VW Fastback. It was named "Lola" - because "whatever Lola wants, Lola gets". It was still an it.

Other cars have had names. I had a station wagon, some kind of Ford, that was named "Rustbucket". And a Ford Van that I called "The Testosterone Mobile" - no power steering, no power brakes, three on the tree - every time I drove it I felt I was risking a spontaneous sex change.

I can't recall ever naming any other inanimate object, but my son did once name his hamsters "Scratch" and "Sniff".

 

[Dave Holiday]

You just describe exactly what happened to my great grandmother in 1901. She died 6 months after her jerk of a husband had her committed for not being compliant enough. 6 months after that he was remarried and had started a new family. Needless to say his existing children didn't have much use for him after that. It didn't help that she was 1/2 Native American. Just another reason to consider her "unruly" and even "uncivilized".

It's terrible. Heartbreaking as it is sickening. It's a testament to the grace, empathy and patience of women that they haven't set 95% of men on fire.

Also: I love your "familiar" user name!

 

[Nickie]

Not about the ukulele itself, but I believe all the good players and influencers more or less come from the guitar world.

Um, not James Hill.

 

[Nickie]

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.

Plastic bottles and bags are the worst!

 

[colindubg]

My (probably) unpopular opinion is that any "ukulele" bigger than Soprano or maybe Concert really needs to be called something else.
Not Soprano guitar or Tenor Guitar though, as they aren't guitars.

 

[rainbow21]

My (probably) unpopular opinion is that any "ukulele" bigger than Soprano or maybe Concert really needs to be called something else.
Not Soprano guitar or Tenor Guitar though, as they aren't guitars.

How about ‘Mo Bigga Soprano’ ?

 

[UkeOkay]

I couldn't agree more! The connotations are very distasteful, in my personal opinion.

I also play double bass and I can't even count the number of times audience members have made the analogy between the bass and a woman - it doesn't help that it's more or less person-sized. I always tell them that to me it's just a valued tool, not something that I anthropomorphise.

Right. Who would ever think to personify a bass

 

[colindubg]

How about ‘Mo Bigga Soprano’ ?

Lol I'm trying real hard to think of something that doesn't come down to either "Big Ukulele" or "little guitar".

 

[UkeOkay]

I think I’m with @Larry U on this one, I just don’t name (or assign genders to) inanimate objects. I do have a very beaten up 1920s Martin style 0 that’s called “Roadkill”, but that’s not so much a name as a description

This discussion reminds of a few lines from My Dinner with Andre:

And I mean, for instance, the icebox,​

the stove, the car... they all have names.​

​

And since you wouldn't treat Helen,​

the icebox...​

​

with any less respect​

than you would Margaret, your wife...​

​

you know, you make sure that Helen is as clean​

as Margaret, or treated with equal respect.​

 

[Pyewacket]

Lol I'm trying real hard to think of something that doesn't come down to either "Big Ukulele" or "little guitar".

I was thinking "Two-koo-lele" - because my controversial opinion is that tenors and baritones are worth any two sopranos!!!

BWAH HA HA HA HA!!!

 

[Bad_Astronaut]

My (probably) unpopular opinion is that any "ukulele" bigger than Soprano or maybe Concert really needs to be called something else.
Not Soprano guitar or Tenor Guitar though, as they aren't guitars.

This isn’t an uncommon opinion, but it seems unique to ukulele players. For example, I don’t think I’ve ever heard guitar players suggest that a parlor guitar and a dreadnaught should be considered different instruments.

 

[UkeOkay]

Only concert ukuleles should be tuned gCEA. Sopranos should be tuned up, and tenors down.

 

[Ukecaster]

How about ‘Mo Bigga Soprano’ ?

No. Concerts are Mo-pranos...tenors are No-pranos. Baritones are....guitars.