Anyone play ukulele?

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Xdrummer

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I just picked up a Uke - and it is surprisingly enjoyable to play. I play guitar & bass and can learn parts/riffs (and vamp to some degree) on several other stringed instrument (lap steel, pedal steel, mandolin, violin, and banjo - and hopefully I'll be learning some sitar chops soon) - but I never considered a Ukulele - it seemed too lame, cliche' (pick a word) perhaps because the bad mental image of Tiny Tim playing his on the Johnny Carson show.

I saw a guy play uke on a song during a video of the Concert for George Harrison - and suddenly the uke did not seem as out of the question. Then by fate of the music Gods I found a couple of used instructional DVDs on playing the uke - and it seemed it was deemed to be my destiny.

So I started trying out numerous ukes at local stores and this past Friday I purchased a middle of the road uke ($150 usa - not a cheap toy, but not a Martin) - and I'm already hooked. Next time I haul an instrument to the beach or camping - it will likely be a uku instead of a guitar (so much easier to haul around)! Now I have to write a song that calls for a uke intro so I can record this thing!
 
I was bought a toy Uke a few years ago.
It really is a cheap novelty effort but, still, I put decent strings on it and have really enjoyed it.

It ended up getting a lot of use on this E.P. I was working at around that time.

The one I have is a bit on the small side. I'd consider buying a 'proper' one.
 
My wife got me a Luna 'tatoo' mahogany one 2 Christmases ago. I haen't picked up recently, but reocrded 2 songs wiht it (once is on my last CD) and used it one time at an open mic.
Definitely an overused instrument these days by cute girls with cute voices. The song 'I Don't Love You" by Delta Rae is a perfect example of how to use it - intro, then again for a laid-back bridge. The rest of the song, it's not there.
 
I inherited a Martin soprano uke from the 1930's. It's fun to play and sounds good, but I can't consider myself a player. I have pages and pages of chord fingerings in a handwritten songbook written by my eccentric great great uncle Dwight (the original owner) and it's on my to-do list to learn those songs

The pedal steel is my destiny.
 
I've got a Kala Tenor. Fun to play every now and then. I bought it for a bit of fun, not to seriously play it all the time though. I've recorded with it once, turned out alright.
 
I have 2, both Kala. One is a soprano and the other is a tenor. I wasn't playing in bands for a while and these guys became fun to play with around the house. I got a Beatles Ukulele book, but I would try and figure out songs I knew on the guitar and apply them to the ukulele (D'yer M'ker and Lenny Kravitz' It Ain't Over Till It's Over were a few favorites). I went to Hawaii for work a few years ago and in the Hilton there was a Ukulele store. And just like everything else, they had inexpensive (around $50) and I remember one being right under a grand. I got my soprano on sale at GC for under $30 and the tenor was a Christmas present from my wife the following year. Being left handed, switching the strings wasn't a big deal with these guys. If you feel like your in a rut or just want a change, picking one up should put a little bit of fun back into your life.
 
I got asked by a friend to help out when he started a Uke club a while ago, I had never owned or played one but decided to get one and go along to the regular meets. To be fair I actually enjoy the instrument and have recorded it acoustically or plugged in a few times with reasonable results. The track below was just an experiment recorded while I was at a loose end in the studio, but shows it has a use as an available option.

Ukulele.jpg
 
I have a cheap baritone uke, and it is a ton of fun to play. They're a great instrument for casual futzing about.
 
Been playing on and off for the past 30 years. They are a lot of fun.

I did run sound last fall for a ukulele orchestra ... About 20 of them in all I just mic'ed the sections and soloist. The bass uke was kinda cool with a 1/4 out into a small bass amp.
 
The SNHUG had over 200 ukes together last year, don't know details, just heard about it at the songwriter group meeting on Sunday night.

SNHUG - Southern New Hampshire Uke Group.
 
I have an Epiphone Les Paul uke. I was going to buy a traditional uke in the $150 range, but I saw this thing and it cracked me up. $99, plus whatever I paid to upgrade the strings. I haven't played it much recently but did record a song with it - a phoney reggae number with it plugged in using an Andy Summers tone. Oh, and a wah pedal in one section. Also funny.
 
JMac52 said:
I have an Epiphone Les Paul uke. I was going to buy a traditional uke in the $150 range, but I saw this thing and it cracked me up. $99, plus whatever I paid to upgrade the strings. I haven't played it much recently but did record a song with it - a phoney reggae number with it plugged in using an Andy Summers tone. Oh, and a wah pedal in one section. Also funny.
Click to expand...


I've seen the strat ukes as well.
 
Phrasemaker said:
I got asked by a friend to help out when he started a Uke club a while ago, I had never owned or played one but decided to get one and go along to the regular meets. To be fair I actually enjoy the instrument and have recorded it acoustically or plugged in a few times with reasonable results. The track below was just an experiment recorded while I was at a loose end in the studio, but shows it has a use as an available option.

View attachment 84571
Click to expand...

Wasn't Keef was it? and are you in the back room of the Half Moon there????? If that makes no sense ignore me ;)
 
I highly recommend ukuleles to everyone. My favourite is a tenor uke. Make shure you don't buy a toy, but a decent one. Good strings make a HUGE difference! I even got a luthier make me solid maple neck, alder body threetone sunburst soprano for electric guitar strings. With volume up it's a mean machine!
 
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