Thursday, December 9, 2010

Uke Buyer's Remorse?

I'm not sure about my new Ukulele. I ordered it back in November 2008, and was really excited when I finally got it in late January 2009. I'm hoping to get others opinions. (I don't normally name my ukes...but I call this one Barry)


It all started back in 2007. I was really sick of the uke I had, It sucked right from the start. And for seven years I had put up with it's lack of intonation, crappy construction, and piss-poor sound. (I originally named that one "George", but more often referred to it as "Dumb-ass" or "Tard-wad") I hated it. I hated everything about it. I had originally ordered one from Tennessee, but received "George" instead. Even though it was built in Texas I gave it a chance....I had a feeling it would suck-ass, and I was right. George was probably the worst presi...uh...ukulele ever built.

Finally in 2008 It was time to get a new one. The choice came down to one that had good pedigree; it was a name-brand uke, wide-bodied, strong and just a little "feminine". It was forceful, and experienced, and I liked it a lot. But just when I was going to pick that one, a new one was revealed, and I got really excited about it. Built in Hawaii, finished in Chicago it was tall and slender. It had darker wood than any uke I've had before it, some would say "black in color". It had a smooth sweet sound, that impressed everyone. If it had one construction flaw it was that it's tuners stuck out a little bit, but so what. It gave me hope. And I thought "yes I can" play the ukulele. I chose the new, darker one over the feminine one. (As a final option I was offered and old decrepit, crotchety, bitter veteran uke from Arizona, but it reminded me a lot of "Tard-wad" so yeah....fuck that) Anyway, the choice was easy. I went with Barry.

I was proud of my new black uke..and I had no complaints...at first. Now it seems that it doesn't really have the "punch" that I had hoped. It's a little wimpy. No balls. Some times you need it to have a bad-ass uke, not just a smooth sounding one. I'm not really sure what to do about it. I guess I'll hang with it for now...hoping it gets better. But I am starting to wish I chose the feminine one.

What do you guys think?

9 comments:

DeG said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeG said...

Have you seen this beautiful new uke out of Alaska? Holy crap, it is gorgeous, nice curves, AAAAA materials used in it's construction, I'm mean really a UILF.
However, I would not buy it. The intonation is really wacked. In fact, it could be the vilest, piece of crap I've ever heard.
Still it might be good if you mute it and just chunk the crap out of it.

(had to repost, got a little excited thinking about that uke, and made abunch of typos,! LOL )

Grumpy Coyote said...

I'm considering ukes from Canada.

Boozelele said...

DeG, I've seen ukes like that before. They look great from a distance, but when you take them out of their case, you realize they are all worn out, and used up. And when that happens, any solid wood you had, disappears. Muted or not, you end up playing with your own instrument. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

UKISOCIETY said...

I think the trouble about that brand of uke is that nobody ever tried it out before buying it. I warned you. But did you listen? :P

RussBuss said...

"once you go black..."

wait what are we talking about again?

Adelle the Great said...

...I see what you did there.

Boozelele said...

Uki, I'm sure that's a common Kentuckian sentiment.

Baron said...

Booze: I knew you were a closet republican - you cock teaser!

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