Show Us Your Favorite Non-Uke Instruments
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Ive still got my fathers mechanical unit.
Kei
Aloha
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Favorite non-uke instrument? Sure, it would have to be this one right here:
"But Keith," you say, "that is CLEARLY a Pono uke - this is NON-ukes!" And you're not necessarily wrong - it's just that I disagree. TUS agrees with you - they call this the Pono UL4-4 Baritone with steel strings. And they know ukes WAY better than I do. So who am I to argue? Nobody. I just disagree with them, too. Because this is a guitar. A really sweet, small guitar - but a guitar nonetheless. In my opinion.
Like many of you, I have occasionally pondered where exactly the dividing line between ukulele and guitar sits. Not to the point of obsession or anything because mostly I don't care much. Just an interesting thing to think about. And I move back and forth on it while never really finding a place to settle. But if you put something in my hands and let me play it, I will tell you in less than a minute if I think it is one or the other.
I have seen some here say that anything larger than a soprano is a guitar. And I get it. I also don't necessarily disagree (or necessarily agree). Pops says he didn't build baritones on purpose when he started KoAloha because he never aspired to be a guitar maker and he thinks baritone ukuleles are too close to guitar territory. The late-breaking news of a baritone KoAloha in development notwithstanding, I don't disagree with him either. Or necessarily agree.
This thing though, it rings like a guiltar. It sustains like a guitar. On the other hand it plays easy like an ukulele and those steel strings aren't digging into my fingers like my guitars always did (I just recently sold my early Collings Dread from which was my previous favorite non-uke instrument). I love this thing. I am having trouble concentrating on anything else - like writing blathering forum messages - because I want to pick it back up and play it. But you'll never convince me this is not a guitar.
Or maybe you will!
"But Keith," you say, "that is CLEARLY a Pono uke - this is NON-ukes!" And you're not necessarily wrong - it's just that I disagree. TUS agrees with you - they call this the Pono UL4-4 Baritone with steel strings. And they know ukes WAY better than I do. So who am I to argue? Nobody. I just disagree with them, too. Because this is a guitar. A really sweet, small guitar - but a guitar nonetheless. In my opinion.
Like many of you, I have occasionally pondered where exactly the dividing line between ukulele and guitar sits. Not to the point of obsession or anything because mostly I don't care much. Just an interesting thing to think about. And I move back and forth on it while never really finding a place to settle. But if you put something in my hands and let me play it, I will tell you in less than a minute if I think it is one or the other.
I have seen some here say that anything larger than a soprano is a guitar. And I get it. I also don't necessarily disagree (or necessarily agree). Pops says he didn't build baritones on purpose when he started KoAloha because he never aspired to be a guitar maker and he thinks baritone ukuleles are too close to guitar territory. The late-breaking news of a baritone KoAloha in development notwithstanding, I don't disagree with him either. Or necessarily agree.
This thing though, it rings like a guiltar. It sustains like a guitar. On the other hand it plays easy like an ukulele and those steel strings aren't digging into my fingers like my guitars always did (I just recently sold my early Collings Dread from which was my previous favorite non-uke instrument). I love this thing. I am having trouble concentrating on anything else - like writing blathering forum messages - because I want to pick it back up and play it. But you'll never convince me this is not a guitar.
Or maybe you will!
Attachments
Here are two of my many instruments other than ukulele.
The black Les Paul is my main instrument, 'ol number 1.
It was going to take me straight to the stage at MSG in New York.
It has a ferocious voice and one of the loudest guitars I've ever owned.
The burst is my 2d in line.
It possesses a dang fine "Jimmy Page" kinda voice.
Both guitars are over 30+ years old and purchased new.
I'll post more of the herd as we go along.
The black Les Paul is my main instrument, 'ol number 1.
It was going to take me straight to the stage at MSG in New York.
It has a ferocious voice and one of the loudest guitars I've ever owned.
The burst is my 2d in line.
It possesses a dang fine "Jimmy Page" kinda voice.
Both guitars are over 30+ years old and purchased new.
I'll post more of the herd as we go along.
Ok, this is kind of an artsy shot i did of my other two Les Pauls.
There's also a teeny 1 watt (yes, 1 watt) marshall for practice over there.
I LOVE Goldtops with P90s and the junior was gifted to me by a friend as he knew I get into Leslie West moods. LOL!
There's also a teeny 1 watt (yes, 1 watt) marshall for practice over there.
I LOVE Goldtops with P90s and the junior was gifted to me by a friend as he knew I get into Leslie West moods. LOL!
DeyanF
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Cool you should check the African Bata Drum
DeyanF
Member
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Nice collection
I've seen several Batá drum performances but I'm sticking with fretted stringed instruments for now. Batá drumming is mostly associated with Cuba now and the Santería religion. I'm not sure that my pale, Northern European face would be particularly welcome in the middle of a Santería ceremony!Cool you should check the African Bata Drum
DeyanF
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I've seen several Batá drum performances but I'm sticking with fretted stringed instruments for now. Batá drumming is mostly associated with Cuba now and the Santería religion. I'm not sure that my pale, Northern European face would be particularly welcome in the middle of a Santería ceremony!
that response cracked me up! But fair enough!
When I first started playing djembe (and other West African percussion instruments), I was concerned that I was engaged in "cultural appropriation", but I found that the African teachers and performers were quite welcoming to anyone interested in their music and culture and encouraged us to participate and learn. Things in Africa have changed quite a bit over the last several decades. Originally, the drum was an instrument for men only, but it's now not unusual for women to play, and be quite good at it!
DeyanF
Member
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Yes, correct.. with all you stated. I recently watched this performance a couple days go.. reminded me of this performance when I read your post - thus I mentioned the Bata..
