 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||
ezFolk Forums > Ukulele > Beginner Questions - Ukulele > Thinking about a uke for xmas (first one)... |
| Moderated by: Tony Provencher, Richard Hefner |
|
||||||||||||||
| Thinking about a uke for xmas (first one)... | Rate Topic |
| Author | Post |
|---|
| Posted: Tue Dec 7th, 2004 09:22 am |
|
1st Post |
|
Graphix Approved
|
Hey everyone, i was born on maui and i am part hawaiian (middle name is Keoni). I have always been interested in hawaiian culture and the language and recently i saw a kid my age playing a uke in the airport and it just sounded very relaxing and fun. I was wondering what a good begginer uke would be, i have to stay preferably under 150$ for uke and case and definatly under 200$. I would really like a classic shape and not a pineapple shape so that seem to leave out the Fluke. So far my only good choice looks like the Samick 70. Any opinions on this, and do you think i should start with a concert or a tenor uke?
|
||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
| Posted: Tue Dec 7th, 2004 09:55 am |
|
2nd Post |
|
UkeForever Approved 
|
You ask a tough question. Here are some possibilities: http://www.jumpingflea.com This guy has the Lanikai S-C (concert, real spruce top) for $87.50. A great deal and a decent starter uke, in my mind. You get a solid top to bat. He also has all-wood ukes--the "Jenny" that he has specially-made. They have not been tested by the uke community, but I am seriously thinking about one after the new year. The concert Jenny rings in just under $200. I haven't seen an all-wood uke that looks like this for a better price anywhere. I would stay away from the cheaper models (Samick, etc.) if you think you will commit yourself to the instrument. It will not be long before you want more. My first uke was the Lanikai nato-wood (plywood) tenor. It wasn't long and I wanted more. Now I'd love to unload my Lanikai LU-21T (tenor). (I'll send it shipped for $90 with a gig bag if you want it!!) I would go for a concert, and here's why. If you get into the traditional sound of the uke, as many have, it may be that you will eschew anything except a soprano. Since the concert is only one size up, it is not too offensive to the purist. I find increasingly that the concert uke is the perfect size for me-small, yet enough room on the fingerboard. The concert is also extremely portable (as is a soprano). I take my concert everywhere with me. As far as performances, I love the soprano--my first Hilo soprano I bought as a joke, thinking I'd never fall in love with the size. I did. Now I have about 7 or so Harmony soprano ukes. I love the big sound, power, and irony of an all-wood soprano uke. I originally began on tenor with fret space exactly in mind. If you have bigger fingers (I have very large hands and fingers) I believe you will find the concert comfortable enough. That's my $.02. It's one of those 'if I had it to do all over again' things.
|
|||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||
| Posted: Tue Dec 7th, 2004 10:31 am |
|
3rd Post |
|
Graphix Approved
|
does anyone have an example of what a soprano sounds like vs a concert or tenor, im curious to hear the differences. thanks, Brendan
|
||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
| Posted: Tue Dec 7th, 2004 04:54 pm |
|
4th Post |
|
ralphiewho Approved
|
try http://www.kanileaukulele.com/index15.html
|
|||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||
| Posted: Tue Dec 7th, 2004 10:59 pm |
|
5th Post |
|
jessie Approved
|
Im new to the uke too. I bought a Oscar Schmidt OU5 that's their koa wood concert uke, figuring if my playing doesn't go anywhere at least it will look cool hanging on the wall. I have heard on this listserve and elsewhere that the Oscar Schmidt's have some problems with poor sound and high action, but I had someone look at my uke and they thought it was well constructed. So maybe the problem with the Oscar Schmidt's is mainly with the lower-end models such as the OU2? I don't know, but I like mine alot and it sure is pretty. -jessie
|
||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
| Posted: Tue Dec 7th, 2004 11:34 pm |
|
6th Post |
|
UkeForever Approved
|
The problem with the Oscar Schmidt is not intonation or looks--it's volume & dynamic response. The laminate is so very thick that there is little residual resonance. Play an all-wood uke (that hasn't been varnished beyond recognition) and you will quickly understand. If you love your axe, and you can make music with it, that's all that matters. One of my colleagues uses the OS Koa as his performance instrument. It works.
|
|||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||
| Posted: Tue Dec 7th, 2004 11:50 pm |
|
7th Post |
|
Graphix Approved
|
Alright, so after listening to the clips and taking a ruller and figuring out sizes, i think a tenor uke may be what i want to start with, however, if i cannot find a tenor that will fit the price range, that lanakai SC looks like a pretty good deal. Doy ou have any pictures of your tenor uke forever? and any other ideas for a tenor uke? How bout the solid spruce top tenor on that jumpingflea site, that also looks to be a good deal? thanks Brendan
|
||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
| Posted: Wed Dec 8th, 2004 06:36 am |
|
8th Post |
|
UkeForever Approved
|
The S-T is a great deal. I'd go for it. The price is definitely right. If you want it cutaway with the electronics, the added $70 is truly worth it. Eventually you might want to plug in somewhere. Warning: You're not going to get the sound of a Kanilea unless you buy a Kanilea. In fact, this brand of uke has gotten rave reviews for volume, tone, playability. Also, a recorded uke sounds a lot different than the live, in-person version. The recordings give you the rough difference between their instruments alone. When you want to hear what each uke size sounds like, the differences could vary wildly. I have a few Harmony soprano solids dating anywhere from 50 to 80 years ago. The sound between those varies incredibly; one stands out far above the rest (the oldest one, not surprisingly). Bracing, thinness of wood, varnish, strings, playing style, bridge placement, all affect tonality. How much a uke has been played also affects tonality, believe it or not. As wood decomposes over time, it would seem the tone improves. I have a cedar uke that sounds like a harp at times, one mahogany uke that sounds like a toy, and another that sounds like a Martin. Even my laminates sound different-- the Lanikai CK-TEQ is rich, balanced and full. The nato version (LU-21T) sounds thin next to the CK, but on its own doesn't sound too bad at all. The point is, part of the joy of uke is trying a couple out, finding one or two you like, and playing music that sounds good to your ears. Tenor size is awesome. Very easy to play. Sounds like you're on your way to making a good choice.
|
|||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||
| Posted: Wed Dec 8th, 2004 07:56 am |
|
9th Post |
|
1four5 Approved 
|
The S-T is a great deal. I'd go for it. The price is definitely right. If you want it cutaway with the electronics, the added $70 is truly worth it. Eventually you might want to plug in somewhere. When you say S-T, is that the Hohner/Lanikai S-Teq? I researched and found it at Harp Depot for $194. The picture has me mezmerized...I couldn't help but notice the Tenor has 18 frets, just like a Bari. This leads me to show how much I don't know...how is a Tenor tuned and what is the difference between a Tenor and a bari scale length? Could a Tenor be strung and tuned like a bari?  Last edited on Wed Dec 8th, 2004 08:02 am by 1four5 ____________________ These are the good times! |
||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
| Posted: Wed Dec 8th, 2004 08:51 am |
|
10th Post |
|
Pauline Leland Approved 
|
Hi 1four5, You can tune a tenor any way you please, of course, just change strings. I currently have mine in GCEA, with a high G, but a low G sometimes. Lyle Ritz says the only proper tuning for a tenor is DGBE, high D most of the time. Who you gonna believe, a fellow poster or a famous jazz master?  I think MCA can get you Nylguts for all 4 tunings, probably other string brands as well. Scale lengths, stolen from Kawika's site: Soprano 13 1/2" Concert 14 3/4" Tenor 17" Baritone 20 1/8" Pauline
|
|||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||
| Posted: Wed Dec 8th, 2004 04:34 pm |
|
11th Post |
|
1four5 Approved
|
Lyle Ritz says the only proper tuning for a tenor is DGBE Thanks Pauline!!! Looks like I may have to make another "reasearch" trip to the local music store to see how my fingers accept a slightly smaller scale  ...the S-Teq is in my price range and has me thinking. I've been eyeballing my junker Hilo Bari with ideas of sawing it out into a cutaway. If it had good intonation...I would have done it already.My question now would be, has anyone here actually strung and tuned a tenor to DGBE, and how does it compare to a true bari? The idea of different tunings (one cannot predict the future) has also gone through my mind.
____________________ These are the good times! |
||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
| Posted: Sun Dec 12th, 2004 10:10 pm |
|
12th Post |
|
Fran Guidry Approved
|
The problem with tuning a tenor down to bari tuning is finding strings. I have a set of high tension Worth strings I bought at Alternate Tunings (http://www.alternatetunings.com/) and they provide just enough tension to use G (dGBE) tuning (hight D) on my Martin T1. The sound is very sweet and mellow, but the volume is down a bit and the tension is low enough that it is easy to push the strings out of tune if I'm not careful with my chords. Fran
|
|||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||
| Posted: Mon Dec 13th, 2004 03:07 am |
|
13th Post |
|
Pauline Leland Approved
|
The Flea Market store offers a set of Aquillas in that tuning, low or high D I forget. Oops, is there a store here on ezFolk?
|
||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
| Posted: Mon Dec 13th, 2004 05:47 am |
|
14th Post |
|
1four5 Approved
|
Thanks for the replys! I did make it back to the music store and spent some more time playing the smaller ukes, and although the S-Teq has the cutaway to die for, I'm going to stick with the baritone scale length...my 5 thumbs desperately need the room, especialy when I'm doing leads. I did spend a lot of time playing this weekend, and I was using a B7 at the 16th fret in my Christmas song...and I'm finding that my fingers are getting better at reaching over the body to get up there (I also noticed that I'm wearing the paint off the edges of the fretboard and body in that area).
____________________ These are the good times! |
|||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||
| Current time is 06:46 pm | |
| ezFolk Forums > Ukulele > Beginner Questions - Ukulele > Thinking about a uke for xmas (first one)... | Top |
