I saw Mary Z. Cox posted a photo on facebook with a new UKE.
Coincidentally, I recently bought an old Regal Tenor Uke on ebaY (see photos attached) and borrowed a concert size banjo Uke from Tommy George.
I know these have been growing in popularity. But until recently I didn't get it. I'm having a blast with My old Wendell Hall UKE. Anyone else recently discover the charms of the Ukulele?
Had it, but tenor banjo since became my axe and obviated the uke
For a kick - string a nice tenor with nylon or nylgut strings and tune it like a uke...
I keep an old short scale "Own Make - Style B" set up like that - tuned it re-entrant, 3 steps lower than a soprano uke and capo it as needed. It's a blast to play
Ukes ARE lots of fun. I traded my Kamaka tenor for a 5 string banjo. The muse leads me here and there, and I haven't gone back to the uke YET mainly because of time. Been involved since last fall playing guitar in a big-band. Still play OT 5 string with friends. Had to give up the western swing band but still love playing the tunes. Also love swing stuff on uke but only so much time in the day. If I got another uke it'd probably be an older concert, probably mahogany.
Hey John--its fun isn't it? I bought my first uke about a month ago because I thought it would be fun to play chords along with my vocal lessons. What I've found so far is that the uke is fun to play in chord families that don't usually occur to me on banjo. John, check out all the tunes that work up nicely in the key of F on your uke :) So far, that is my favorite key in which to sing and play uke.
If you have an ipad--download the ipad/kindle version of Ukulele for Dummies--it is pretty awesome with embedded audio and video, color pix.
My other uke is also a Lanakai tenor--but curly koa with cutaway body and pick up. It has a slightly warmer tone than the new one. But the limited edition one from Elderly came with a hardshell case and free uke stand (that also works great as an ipad stand)
It hasn't interfered with my banjo or guitar playing at all--in fact, playing with the uke has opened up new ideas and approaches on other instruments and vocals. :)
I must have an attention deficite or something. I love little distractions like this. Same goes for my tenor banjos, mandolin, dobro, etc. None will ever take the place of my 5-strings or the guitar. But it is fun and refreshing to try something new every now and again. I think my banjo playing actually benefits from diversions like this.
My old uke is not a great one. It does have a lot of 60-year-old MOJO. I really like the 1950s graphics. It has pretty good tone...but not to much volume. I can strum on it around the house without causing too much of a racket.
In our little town the local Methodist church has got the youth all playing Uks, there are about 15 of them all ages. Nice to see some youth getting involved in playing music.
I have several, mostly cheap junk. One is a L&H "Camp Uke" with a round wooden body...it has the best sound. I bought a tenor last year (I forget the brand) and it is great for quiet messing around. I seem to get the urge to uke around Xmas for some reason.
I prefer a banjo though. I have a new (new to me) Stewart banjeaurine that is almost ready to restring. I suspect it will take over the 'messing around' part, albeit not nearly as quietly.
I got myself a uke about 4 years ago. The instrument just has a happy sound. I recently experimented with wood burning my ukulele. I've painted it as well, I just don't have pictures.
Just this year I got 20 ukes for the classroom. My students had so much fun learning to play. In fact, on of my favorite moments from this year was my chorus singing "John Henry" and strumming the ukes!
I got myself a uke about 4 years ago. The instrument just has a happy sound. I recently experimented with wood burning my ukulele. I've painted it as well, I just don't have pictures.
Just this year I got 20 ukes for the classroom. My students had so much fun learning to play. In fact, on of my favorite moments from this year was my chorus singing "John Henry" and strumming the ukes!
I bought a cheap Makala "Pineapple" soprano on a whim. I absolutely love it. Playing it is very relaxing. I have an RK Madison banjo uke on order. I also recently built a 8" banjo uke rim and am on the lookout for a suitable neck.
5 yrs ago we got a 1920 uke banjo, I play around on it some, need to get some new tuners on it. It is fun. I know the music store has been selling them like crazy.
Last summer I attended a ukulele festival in Northern Virginia. I had my Lanikai baritone with me. Playing a ukulele is a lot like riding a mo-ped:-- it's a lot of fun, but you don't want anyone you know to see you on it. Being among several hundred other ukulele nerds, though, has the same effect as being on a nudist beach; one quickly relaxes and loses one's inhibitions. At the end of the day, I was playing 'Sloop John B' on stage in front of the whole crowd.
I LOVE the way that my baritone uke produces such a rich, warm sound. I've advertised in the BHO classifieds for a baritone banjo uke that I can afford, but so far the only response has been from a scammer in the U.K.
I have one but find it more fun to flat pick it. My inspiration was...and still is,... the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain.... check out "Devils Gallop"
John--don't know if anyone else has put up this one of Jake playing "My guitar gently weeps"--but it has always been my favorite. If any banjo player could play this on the uke besides Jake--it would be you. In fact--if you learn it--I'll go to central park with you and video you playing it on the rocks :)
John--don't know if anyone else has put up this one of Jake playing "My guitar gently weeps"--but it has always been my favorite. If any banjo player could play this on the uke besides Jake--it would be you. In fact--if you learn it--I'll go to central park with you and video you playing it on the rocks :)
Mary:
I wonder whether you've had a chance to either hear or try Yamaha's new (in the US at least) 'guitalele' hybrid (AKA 'guitarlele'). It's a shortened (but full width) classical guitar neck and head joined to a tenor ukulele body, using standard nylon classical guitar strings (no truss rod) tuned a fourth higher than a guitar, from A to A instead of from E to E. It has a wonderful, delicate tone that's at the same time more deeply resonant than any uke I've tried.
I take it with me to play in the car, and it fits in airplane overhead storage bins. And if it gets damaged (not yet), it costs less than a hundred bucks.
John--don't know if anyone else has put up this one of Jake playing "My guitar gently weeps"--but it has always been my favorite. If any banjo player could play this on the uke besides Jake--it would be you. In fact--if you learn it--I'll go to central park with you and video you playing it on the rocks :)
Sounds fun-- but already have 2 tenor ukes and "Lttle Star" a Ken Miller parlor guitar that are totally filling my non banjo time--and vocal lessons :) got the ukes to experiment with keys and chord families not usually featured on banjo and guitar. Finding that it's fun to play tunes that are more uke oriented on the uke. For some reason, have not been that attracted to many hybrid instruments ( with the exception of my cello banjo & banjolin :) have 16 banjos & 12 mountain dulcimers and many are played and tuned differently-- so it is like playing many different instruments--different string gauges, different tunings, different right and left hand movements. :) also, have to change all their strings, keep them set up-- not complaining--love it--but happy to let someone else play the assorted hybrid instruments. :)
Right now, Little Star, is having a yearly tune up so have my other guitar tuned in Dadf#ad and am trying to work out a guitar frailed version of "Cherry River Line". Bob has become interested in this version and is messing with a flat picked version in dropped D-- in fact-- he is already taken over all the bass string runs on the low D string-- because they are the most fun :) Have adapted the traditional version considerably-- it is highly influenced by pre WW2 photos we studied in the mining museum for Copper Hill & Duck Town :)
Mary:
I wonder whether you've had a chance to either hear or try Yamaha's new (in the US at least) 'guitalele' hybrid (AKA 'guitarlele'). It's a shortened (but full width) classical guitar neck and head joined to a tenor ukulele body, using standard nylon classical guitar strings (no truss rod) tuned a fourth higher than a guitar, from A to A instead of from E to E. It has a wonderful, delicate tone that's at the same time more deeply resonant than any uke I've tried.
I take it with me to play in the car, and it fits in airplane overhead storage bins. And if it gets damaged (not yet), it costs less than a hundred bucks.
John--don't know if anyone else has put up this one of Jake playing "My guitar gently weeps"--but it has always been my favorite. If any banjo player could play this on the uke besides Jake--it would be you. In fact--if you learn it--I'll go to central park with you and video you playing it on the rocks :)
There is a group of ukulele players who get together every Wednesday night in the Corktown room of the Dominion Hotel on Queen Street in Toronto. They range in ability from beginner to professional. Imagine their surprise when Jake walked in one night and said,"I didn't sign up for the open mic, but if there's a space I'd like to play."
Sure enough, they made him a space. My first question was,"Who went on after Jake?" I asked my friend David Newland, who was the co-host. He said no one, the rest of the night was spent in a Q & A with Jake and he autographed a bunch of ukes. A really nice, down to Earth guy.
I like mine a lot. I play it pretty regularly, mostly traditional Hawaiian music. There is an ukulele group here: banjohangout.org/group/itsukuleletyme
We know a girl we call 99 cent Angie the thrift shop Queen. If you're looking for anything just let her know & she'll probably find one.
I told her small stringed instruments that look in good shape with everything intact. She's not a player but has made some nice finds. I've bought 4 ukes all playable for mostly 5 bucks each!. She just brought me a dark mahogany Hilo for 5 bucks last time!. I cleaned it up & if anything it looks nice on the wall!.
Jim Y. Have you heard of or seen a Northern jcd-2 before?. I got a nice one in the red vinyl bag for 8 bucks!!.
In the early 80s, I taught school in Roseneath. In those days, the arts were considered important in schools and we had an itinerant music teacher , Don Pollack, who came to the school once a week. He introduced the kids to ukuleles and used a program designed by J. Chalmers Doane of Nova Scotia. Don's personal ukulele was a triangular ukulele designed by J. Chalmers Doane. I'm pretty sure this is the one you're talking about Bubbalouie. I think you got a pretty good deal for $8.
Succumbed to ukulele fever about two years ago and got an inexpensive tenor (Oscar Schmidt). Haven't spent enough time with it due to other instruments (banjo, guitar, mtn dulcimer, harmonica -- advanced beginner at best) and other necessities (like work and home repairs)
Ukes are pleasantly (and deceptively) simple and quite challenging at the same time.
This is silly-- please don't be critical-- I've only had this uke a week -- but you can at least hear and see my new spalted maple Lanakai tenor uke :) and-- hey-- I'm taking singing lessons now & bound to improve as time goes on :)
Mizz Mary -- silly perhaps, but I like your singing. Lanakai makes some beautiful ukes with remarkable woods -- spalted maple, spalted mango, etc. Quite stunning and sweet-sounding.
This was recorded about 3 years ago when my Kala concert uke was brand new. I was applying my guitar/banjo technique to the ukulele at the time. My niece, Steph, had just learned the song (She's actually reading the words) and I loved her take on it. I decided to record it before she learned the proper tune. This was meant for only family members, so it's very amateurish. It's pretty underexposed and the computer flipped the image so it looks like I'm emulating Tiny Tim and playing left handed. We play it in a different key than you do Mary.
By the way, Mary, Steph is a banjo player and we're both fans of your playing. Steph bought a Kala concert uke a couple of days after this was recorded.
