The Ukulele (not a word) Game

[rainbow21]

Everytime I click on new posts, there are multiple “word” games at the top. So I thought an an ukulele game (of sorts) could battle for a spot there occasionally.

So here is the “game”: Pretend that cost is zero object for your ultimate ukulele that will end your UAS (guaranteed!). What ukulele would it be?

Here is the kicker: It must be a real ukulele that you can purchase, not a description of your wishes. So you would have to find it for sale at a retail store or reseller market and post the link. If you decide to go to a custom build, you should identify the builder (and website) and list the options and other choices that you would have the luthier build for you.

If you have such ukulele in hand already, link your NUD from this forum (or get to writing it immediately).

DISCLAIMER: This will not enable anyone’s UAS if they do not read this thread. Anyone posting their dream ukulele should realize that there is a miniscule risk that someone else may purchase it (life is not all games…).

 

[Tin Ear]

A KoAloha Black Label Tenor

If one popped up on TUS and I had unlimited funds it would get put in the cart and bought. If I had an order in to KoAloha I would want to talk to them about a Black Label, tell them my preferences and likes and get their input before making choices. I would like some type of nice and unique fret markers that are tasteful .

Here is an example of one that would make it into my unlimited funds shopping cart

KoAloha Black Label Custom Koa Tenor "Honeycomb"

This ukulele has a very Hawaiian curly koa body and unique dyed shell inlay for the logo . It's framed off with top and back ebony wood binding and protected with a glassy gloss finish. Black labels are braced and voiced differently from regular KoAloha's. The sound is warmer and more focused...

theukulelesite.com

 

[don_b]

Moonbird soprano

 

[Blank Williams]

Hmm good question. I recently purchased an old Kamaka concert for a really good price and I like everything about it, black nylon strings and all. Believe it or not I’m pretty satisfied with what I have right now and am focusing more on playing and writing again. But my answer would most likely be something from Kamaka. They are hands down my favorite ukulele maker and I haven’t played anything better yet, including Martins and Kiwayas.

 

[Paul1973UK]

J.E.Dallas 'D' or 'E' Banjolele, Seeing them for sale is a rare occurrence, so can't find a current link of one for sale.
Although in my collection I do have a Dallas 'A', but it looks nothing like a 'D' or 'E'.

 

[tensen]

UkeSA Koa Sceptre https://ukesahawaii.com/product/premium-koa-sceptre/

 

[Oldscruggsfan]

Barron River (Allen McFarlane) concert.
Pear and Sequoia tone woods.
High gloss finish
35mm nut width
Pull thru bridge
Ebony saddle and nut.
2mm diamond shape position dots at 3,5,7,10, doubled at 12
White side dots at same frets
Narrow (2mm) MOP / abalone sound hole rosette
Side sound port
Wood-colored tuning pegs

 

[Patty]

Everytime I click on new posts, there are multiple “word” games at the top. So I thought an an ukulele game (of sorts) could battle for a spot there occasionally.

So here is the “game”: Pretend that cost is zero object for your ultimate ukulele that will end your UAS (guaranteed!). What ukulele would it be?

Here is the kicker: It must be a real ukulele that you can purchase, not a description of your wishes. So you would have to find it for sale at a retail store or reseller market and post the link. If you decide to go to a custom build, you should identify the builder (and website) and list the options and other choices that you would have the luthier build for you.

If you have such ukulele in hand already, link your NUD from this forum (or get to writing it immediately).

DISCLAIMER: This will not enable anyone’s UAS if they do not read this thread. Anyone posting their dream ukulele should realize that there is a miniscule risk that someone else may purchase it (life is not all games…)there are so many that I’d love to own that I wouldn’t know where to start.

If I’m lucky, the one I have coming will be my dream ukulele.

 

[clear]

If money's no object, I'll buy a Kamaka HF-1. It isn't that expensive, but it happens to be everything I want in a uke. Since I already own this Kamaka model; I guess I should write a NUD post for it.

I don't write NUD posts because better pictures/descriptions are already on the web than I can ever come up with anyway. However, of all the ukes that I've bought, I did write 1 NUD post; and that's because at that same day I received mine, another forum member received the exact same model uke! I took that as a sign that I _MUST_ write a NUD post; it was just too funny. https://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/index.php?threads/nud-kamaka-hf-2.146731/

So, here's my second NUD post:

NUD Kamaka HF-1

I got this HF-1 during the height of COVID and third month into my uke journey. In a way, it is kind of good that I'm writing this NUD after a couple of years because I feel that I've really gotten to know this uke. I bought it from Ukulele Pua Pua; and I was surprised that they didn't add in the CA sales tax automatically. Shipping was fast, only took 2 days. Packing was excellent; setup was fine. They also surprised me with a blank Kamaka saddle, Kamaka strings, cleaning cloth, and some other stuff, free.

Before receiving this uke, I've already bought more than 10 ukes. During my first year of uke-ing; my UAS was pretty bad (I bought like 25 ukes; I have had multiple ukes showing up at my door in the same day; my wife thought I was going nuts). Afte this uke, I bought more expensive ukes like a few more K-brand ukes thinking (hey, the thinking goes like this K-brand is pretty good, maybe another will be better). The point is that I only realized that this HF-1 was the uke for me after more ukes. Once that realization was made, I pretty much lost my UAS and haven't bought any since; I don't even care to browse ukes anymore.

Why I like this HF-1 so much? I think it is because its tone is what I've already thought a uke should sound like. Maybe I was just at the right skill level to produce such a tone from this or any uke at that particular time, but the tone matched my mental sound image of the ukulele. https://forum.ukuleleunderground.co...d-a-kamaka-soprano.155036/page-2#post-2343899

I'd record a sound sample, but my house is rather noisy ATM; maybe if I get some time later, I'll make a recording or video.

I play this uke almost everyday; it hangs next to my (home) office desk so access is very convenient. Here's a picture; although I think any other HF-1's picture should work just as well. It's upside down because I've discovered that hanging ukes upside down makes for much faster retrieval and re-hanging with less issues of scratching or rubbing the ukes against the wall.

 

[ailevin]

There are some assumptions here:

• That there is an ukulele that will cure UAS
• I don't know yet what my preferred size or style of play is yet, so I pick tenor
• Even is someone else was paying for it, I could not choose an ultimate instruments without auditioning it

But ... from what I have seen on video and the general reaction of people playing the instruments, I would go for Petros koa tenor with cedar top in a simple classic design.

 

[Jerryc41]

Everytime I click on new posts, there are multiple “word” games at the top. So I thought an an ukulele game (of sorts) could battle for a spot there occasionally.

So here is the “game”: Pretend that cost is zero object for your ultimate ukulele that will end your UAS (guaranteed!). What ukulele would it be?

Here is the kicker: It must be a real ukulele that you can purchase, not a description of your wishes. So you would have to find it for sale at a retail store or reseller market and post the link. If you decide to go to a custom build, you should identify the builder (and website) and list the options and other choices that you would have the luthier build for you.

If you have such ukulele in hand already, link your NUD from this forum (or get to writing it immediately).

DISCLAIMER: This will not enable anyone’s UAS if they do not read this thread. Anyone posting their dream ukulele should realize that there is a miniscule risk that someone else may purchase it (life is not all games…).

If I knew that, I would have only one uke.

 

[Tin Ear]

If I knew that, I would have only one uke.

yeah the guarantee the UAS will end is pretty tough. I think it could be dialed back though. you can go into remission - but a cure ? I dunno

I would say the choice I posted would put me into remission. I'll go that far.

And one is not enough. They are like potato chips. Could I be locked in with a small number say 2,3,or 4. Maybe

 

[SurferJay]

Where I live there isn’t access to any decent Ukes. It’s pretty much low end Kala, Cordoba & Fender.

I think UAS for me “could” be cured just by walking into a shop and spending some time playing different Ukes. Until then I will always wonder ‘What If?”

 

[kkimura]

I think my last ukulele purchase this August cured my UAS. Since then I really haven't been interested in even looking at new ukuleles. Yes, I still drop by the marketplace but instead of studying all the offerings, I briskly skim then move on.

It's an older uke but not special in any way. Good sounding but not "World Class" by any means.

https://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/index.php?threads/nud.155057/

 

[TBB]

If money was no object I’d probably ask Liam Kirby to build me a Ditson style mahogany soprano, but tbh it would just be a rather expensive way to satisfy my curiosity.

 

[badhabits]

Kamaka HP1 or HF2... fully intended on getting an HF2 on last trip to Oahu, but after trying many ukes in multiple shops over several days I came home with a Koaloha. Maybe next time? Not really UASing anymore though, after all, I came home with something else... but a Blackbird Clara could tempt me if priced right.

 

[Paul1973UK]

J.E.Dallas 'D' or 'E' Banjolele, Seeing them for sale is a rare occurrence, so can't find a current link of one for sale.
Although in my collection I do have a Dallas 'A', but it looks nothing like a 'D' or 'E'.

I've spotted a Dallas 'B' for auction... slightly smaller (1/2" smaller drum diameter) and no cut-outs on the decorative ring... currently at a reasonable price with 2 days to go... I'm tempted to add it my collection... but I know I'd be unsatisfied because it's not a 'D'

 

[emba]

Where I live there isn’t access to any decent Ukes. It’s pretty much low end Kala, Cordoba & Fender.

I think UAS for me “could” be cured just by walking into a shop and spending some time playing different Ukes. Until then I will always wonder ‘What If?”

That’s how it is where I am. Much of my UAS is wondering what certain tone woods sound like I’m real life. If I could sit down and play a variety (and hear the volume certain builds have, as well) USS might not be such an issue for me.

 

[SurferJay]

That’s how it is where I am. Much of my UAS is wondering what certain tone woods sound like I’m real life. If I could sit down and play a variety (and hear the volume certain builds have, as well) USS might not be such an issue for me.

I hope to make a trip to Southern Ukulele Store next year. If I win the lottery I’ll fly to Hawaii also

 

[ploverwing]

That’s how it is where I am. Much of my UAS is wondering what certain tone woods sound like I’m real life. If I could sit down and play a variety (and hear the volume certain builds have, as well) USS might not be such an issue for me.

Yup same. I would love to try a cocobolo tenor, a mango soprano, a real koa soprano, a Sacco soprano, cedar top tenors with different sides & backs, I'm so curious about the yew wood ukuleles... but I don't have an end all and be all uke (yet!) that I know of.