Ukulele for older person - Page 3

JohnnySmash · #31 08-29-2017, 02:49 AM

Earl 49, I downloaded a lot of stuff including charts, a few songs and the instruction booklet from your site. www.boiseukulelegroup.com. If I did not live half way around the world from you I would join the group. Sounds like a lot of fun. Thank you. In fact thanks to all of you for the links and information on this forum. Yes, the link/reference to Ukulele Mike. Great link, great man, I love listening to him play and plan to follow him on u-tube.

Yesterday I went shopping. Only one music store that had a few uke's. No baritones. I tried out a tenor. First uke I have ever held. Sure seems small after playing guitar. I could easily play chords all over on the tenor, however, I think I will be happier with the larger size baritone. Surprised too at how light the uke was. The sales people, they only gave me funny looks when I describe a Grover Nut to them. My Thai wife could not interpret for me since she has no idea what I was talking about either.

So when I got back home I ordered finger picks, a beginners book for lap steel from HL, and the Grover nut. Shipping and customs cost more than the sales price to buy. The supplier for Amazon could not sell me a bar. Stated they were not allowed to ship to Thailand. I found a bar today on Lazada, a Thai mail order place here in Thailand. I should have all on or before 15 September. Also on Sept 15 my wife said she has a three or four day expo type thing in Bangkok. So instead of sitting in the hotel and watching t.v. all day while my wife takes care of business I can roam all over a city of about 12 million people who do not speak English for the most part and get lost, etc. LOL, But I will find a Baritone Ukulele since I saw on line that there is a least one uke shop in Bangkok.

JohnnySmash · #32 08-29-2017, 02:58 AM

I tried to post that smiles thingy right after what I said about it being expensive for shipping and customs. However, I got it in the wrong place - Sorry. I hope I can do better on Uke then I do on computer.

Earl49 · #33 08-29-2017, 08:48 AM

Glad to help, Johnny. Grover nut? I'm not sure what that is....... maybe a local name for the extension nut in the link previously posted.

Also when using the "smilies" you have to give the software second or two to catch up. It often just puts the icon at the very beginning, especially if you choose "more".

frankmcr · #34 08-29-2017, 02:41 PM

Video re the Baan Ukulele Studio in Bangkok (from 2011, could be outdated by now, but maybe still of interest if you haven't seen it yet):

http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/...ngkok-Thailand

And here's a video for the 2016 Thailand Ukulele Festival:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8a_UONxbPA

JohnnySmash · #35 08-30-2017, 02:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankmcr

Video re the Baan Ukulele Studio in Bangkok (from 2011, could be outdated by now, but maybe still of interest if you haven't seen it yet):

http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/...ngkok-Thailand

And here's a video for the 2016 Thailand Ukulele Festival:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8a_UONxbPA

BINGO

Uke store/s in Bangkok. Uke Club in Bangkok. Also, If still open a Uke Coffee Shop in Bangkok. I only took a fast look, however, after I get off of here I will be doing a complete search of the links you provided.

Do you live here, or did you live her, or just visited? I came here in 2003, fell in love with Thailand. Moved here in 2004 and have been here since. Great retirement place. I am originally from New Orleans.

JohnnySmash · #36 08-30-2017, 02:37 AM

I saw on Amazon a ukulele I might be interested in even though it is a tenor.

Oscar Schmidt OU6 Tenor

Does anyone have any knowledge or opinions about this company and this Ukulele?

JohnnySmash · #37 08-30-2017, 04:10 AM

I tried many times to log in/register at www.ukuleleunderground.com. They keep asking for an answer to "Random question" on the form. Regardless of what I put they say I have the wrong answer. Then I am returned to the blank registration page again. Anyone understand this? What am I suppose to put there?

I did register with "ukulelecosmos".

frankmcr · #38 08-30-2017, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnnySmash

BINGO

Uke store/s in Bangkok. Uke Club in Bangkok. Also, If still open a Uke Coffee Shop in Bangkok. I only took a fast look, however, after I get off of here I will be doing a complete search of the links you provided.

Do you live here, or did you live her, or just visited? I came here in 2003, fell in love with Thailand. Moved here in 2004 and have been here since. Great retirement place. I am originally from New Orleans.

No, just curiosity. I know that ukes really are getting to be thing in many places & had a hunch that might be the case in Thailand. Never been there, but it's on my list. Been to N.O. though & liked it very much.

In answer to a post below [EDIT: or, in this case, above]: Oscar Schmidt ukuleles were not very highly regarded last time I was doing research. Kalas are generally well thought of:

https://www.amazon.com/Kala-MAIN-174...A1QM4JJEWE6PU4

CASD57 · #39 08-30-2017, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankmcr

No, just curiosity. I know that ukes really are getting to be thing in many places & had a hunch that might be the case in Thailand. Never been there, but it's on my list. Been to N.O. though & liked it very much.

In answer to a post below: Oscar Schmidt ukuleles were not very highly regarded last time I was doing research. Kalas are generally well-regarded:

https://www.amazon.com/Kala-MAIN-174...A1QM4JJEWE6PU4

That's the one I bought, setup was perfect, I really like it

JohnnySmash · #40 08-31-2017, 02:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CASD57

That's the one I bought, setup was perfect, I really like it

Your's is a tenor, is that correct?

I just searched again on Amazon and picked out a Baritone Ukulele, made by Oscar Schmidt, model OU58. Spalted Maple with satin finish. $199.99.

I did find two ukulele shops in Bangkok. They have one or two baritones, if any, they cater mostly to music students and teaching. Most of their uke's run from 900 baht to 25,000 for a Koaloha. $27 to $758.I plan to spend no more than 10000 baht ($303) on a uke to learn on. From what I have read and listened to on U-tube and the internet. Ha, I should some day own and play both a Tenor and a Baritone KoAloha. A beautiful sounding instrument.

frankmcr · #41 08-31-2017, 04:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankmcr

https://www.amazon.com/Kala-MAIN-174...A1QM4JJEWE6PU4

Quote:

Originally Posted by CASD57

That's the one I bought, setup was perfect, I really like it

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnnySmash

Your's is a tenor, is that correct?

The one in the link is a baritone.

CASD57 · #42 08-31-2017, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankmcr

The one in the link is a baritone.

No mine is a baritone

Earl49 · #43 08-31-2017, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankmcr

....Oscar Schmidt ukuleles were not very highly regarded last time I was doing research....

Oscar Schmidt ukulele are IME perhaps more variable than other economy brands. I've encountered some pretty nice ones, and some that barely qualified to be called a ukulele, and were barely playable.

Bunnyf · #44 08-31-2017, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnnySmash

I tried many times to log in/register at www.ukuleleunderground.com. They keep asking for an answer to "Random question" on the form. Regardless of what I put they say I have the wrong answer. Then I am returned to the blank registration page again. Anyone understand this? What am I suppose to put there?

I did register with "ukulelecosmos".

Johnny, try again. It's been brought to the moderators attention and supposedly it's fixed. I've been permanently logged on for years, so my aged memory would not allow me to bring up the particulars of registering, but I think the answer to the question "what's the forum about?" is "ukulele". Post if this works. Moderator would like to know if they've fixed the problem. Great forum btw, so don't give up, it's the AGF, or Mandolin Cafe of ukulele info.

Mezcalero63 · #45 08-31-2017, 09:15 PM

I would suggest looking at a baritone ukulele with a 19" scale length, and go with a lighter gauge set of strings such as Aquila Reds or Aquila Carbon Blacks. You can find great deals on used instruments on Ukulele Underground Forum and Flea Market Marketplace. Here are some examples that are for sale now ~

http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/...a-24B-Baritone

http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/...W-Mi-Si-Pickup

If you are comfortable doing basic setup work, you can lower your saddle if need be.

I am practically at the point where I play ukulele exclusively. Of course, I have some set up as tenor GCEA, I have some set up as baritone DGBE, and I have one set up as mandola (5ths) CGDA.

best of luck in your search!