Ukulele

  • Thread starter Thread starter JCH
  • Start date Start date
If you think a new 5K is expensive, you should price a vintage unit:

http://www.gruhn.com/features/martin5k/UK0927.html

And the prices have come down some. They used to go for $15K or so.

The tiple is a Martin T-15 which was the all mahogany version. It is stock except for a little bit of inlay on the fret board that some previous owner had done. i love it, but it is a bitch to tune - and you don't even want to think of changing strings.

From left to right:

Gibson TU-1 tenor
Martin T-15 tiple
Martin Style 3M soprano
Martin Style 2M soprano
Martin Style 1M soprano
2 Martin Style 0 sopranos

I have a Gretsch mahogany soprano uke as well, but it's intonation really sucks. Clearly not made as well as the Gibson and Martin ukes (looks pretty though).

No, I don't belong to Ukulele Cosmos - I'll have to check it out.
 
I went to GC today they had The Mitchell in stock. I wasn't impressed. I'm going to do as others suggested and check the flea market, and pawn shops this weekend. You never know what you'll find. While I was at GC I bought some Martin strings for mine. They're much nicer sounding than what I had on it, and the intonation seems better too. I've been playing this thing a bunch. The guitars are getting jealous.

Anyone have any tips on micing a uke?
 
JCH said:
I went to GC today they had The Mitchell in stock. I wasn't impressed. I'm going to do as others suggested and check the flea market, and pawn shops this weekend. You never know what you'll find. While I was at GC I bought some Martin strings for mine. They're much nicer sounding than what I had on it, and the intonation seems better too. I've been playing this thing a bunch. The guitars are getting jealous.

Anyone have any tips on micing a uke?
Click to expand...

SD condenser of your choice pointed to where the neck joins the body. If you have a soprano, a ribbon, like a Beyer M160, can also be nice as it's a little "smoother" and not as crisp as a SD for such a treble oriented instrument. Move the mic off a bit - don't mic it as close as you would a guitar.

If you have a tenor uke, you might want to try the Brahdah IZ' (Kamakawiwo`ole) method for stringing and tuning and it will be easier to play. This is for GCEA tuning with a string set that includes a metal wrapped C string:

1) put the C string where the G string goes,

2) put the G string where the E string goes,

3) put the E string where the C string goes,

4) leave the A where it is.

So you now have the top string as a metal wound string (the C string) and the others nylon. This in effect 'slacks' the strings (except the A) and makes the instrument easier to strum. Also gives you a much better and fuller low end.
 
Horsedoc said:
Niiiiice!

Who made the tiple? I've got an old T-28 that I love. It's a bitch to keep tuned, though, as I'm sure you know.

IMG_2255.jpg


(sorry for the highjack, you may return to your regular programming)
Click to expand...

That's nice! Looks like it is real good shape with the original case. I still can't understand why Martin decided to produce tiples - but I'm glad they did:D
 
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