Help Me Pick Out a Ukulele?

[SeamusORiley]

I have been served well by this forum for many years, so it is no surprise that I seek advice here.

Struggling with arthritis in my left thumb, I have had to reduce my guitar playing time which allows me to keep playing. I went from 1 hour a day practice (more on weekends) to having to skip entire days (sometimes even a week) to keep it in the comfortable range.

I enjoy playing my daughter's ukulele enough to want to purchase one, along with Fred Sokolow's Blues for the Ukulele DVD, and get down and learn.

I need to stay under $500 and do not want to buy twice, so I am looking for the best quality I can find.

Thus far, these two come to mind:

Polo MT AND Polo AT with hard shell case come in under the max, while
Martin T1 presses right to it, unless I can find an open box.

I want an all-wood model. I think the Fluke is really nice looking and people love its sound, so in spite of my desire for all wood, I remain open to them. I have read it best to spend the extra money and get the wood fretboard.

I have settled on Tenor size. I started with Baritone, but reading opinions here, as well as what Fred S teaches to in his series, I am settled on Tenor.

I had hoped to find an all wood, made in the USA, but the price is prohibitive.

With this budget, and some of my thoughts, could you help me decide?

Due to geographic limitation, it is an online purchase only. It is not likely that I will travel a lot with it would you get the inexpensive light case, or still go hardshell?

Thank you, all!

[Scootch]

You know... You should post this at http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/

They breathe Ukulele there.

[SeamusORiley]

Thanks, Dave

I am scouring the posts there gleaning info.

[ukejon]

Call John Kitakis at Pono. He will set you up with a great uke.

[mstuartev]

Mainland Ukes are darn good for less than your target price. My tenor is very good.

[lodi_55]

I was second the suggestion to visit the ukelele forum.

I'm a veteran guitar player and novice uke player. But I was at the Koaloha factory today on Oahu on business. I picked up a nice all Koa uke that was more than 500 but there were some models in the 500 dollar vicinity. I was given a quick tour of the factory. The love what they do and are very good people. You can do a quick web search and find out more about them. Good luck!

[darylcrisp]

if you can find one of these used-Breedlove American Tenor-grab it. Solid wood, works great in low G or high G. extremely nice neck, superb build quality. i've played/had tenor Ukes that cost 3x this Uke and do not compare with build quality. fretwork is excellent, plays great up the neck.

sometimes you can find them in the $700 range-they are worth the extra $200 you listed as tops on your budget.

[palolowarrior]

I have this Pono MBD, Mahogany Baritone Deluxe that is as new as any having played it 3-4 times.

Price crazy cheap at $375.
Plus shipping you'll still save a bunch on a great ukulele.
My Craigslist ad
http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/msg/5124924499.html

[SeamusORiley]

Originally Posted by palolowarrior

I have this Pono MBD, Mahogany Baritone Deluxe that is as new as any having played it 3-4 times.

Price crazy cheap at $375.
Plus shipping you'll still save a bunch on a great ukulele.
My Craigslist ad
http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/msg/5124924499.html

I landed a tenor but am thinking of a baritone, too.

Is this tuned to guitar tuning, and, if so, could you comment on how you worked out with that?

I am new to ukulele, and while I intend on learning the new fingering for chords, I think it might be both fun and relaxing to have one tuned to a guitar.

It looks really nice, too.

Do you have a picture of the case with it? Shipping would be to Maine.

[palolowarrior]

Originally Posted by SeamusORiley

I landed a tenor but am thinking of a baritone, too.

Is this tuned to guitar tuning, and, if so, could you comment on how you worked out with that?

I am new to ukulele, and while I intend on learning the new fingering for chords, I think it might be both fun and relaxing to have one tuned to a guitar.

It looks really nice, too.

Do you have a picture of the case with it? Shipping would be to Maine.

Hey there,
The tuning is D, G, B, E as you would in a guitar. Chording is basically the same as a guitar without the A and E. Much easier transition from guitar to ukulele.

I love this size and tone is deeper than a typical ukulele. In fact, so much so that I bought a higher end baritone. Thus, making this one available. The case is that "hard case" foam type that has been around. Yet, it does the job. You could pick up a new hard shell case for about $60-75.

$375 is firm. Will accept check or PayPal gift or plus plus 2.9%. You pay for shipping FedEx ground or 2day. Shipping is moderately priced.

I can box up and pass on the shipping prices.

Thanks,
Alan

[SeamusORiley]

Originally Posted by palolowarrior

Hey there,
The tuning is D, G, B, E as you would in a guitar. Chording is basically the same as a guitar without the A and E. Much easier transition from guitar to ukulele.

I love this size and tone is deeper than a typical ukulele. In fact, so much so that I bought a higher end baritone. Thus, making this one available. The case is that "hard case" foam type that has been around. Yet, it does the job. You could pick up a new hard shell case for about $60-75.

$375 is firm. Will accept check or PayPal gift or plus plus 2.9%. You pay for shipping FedEx ground or 2day. Shipping is moderately priced.

I can box up and pass on the shipping prices.

Thanks,
Alan

Great.

PM sent.

[cyclistbrian]

Originally Posted by SeamusORiley

I landed a tenor but am thinking of a baritone, too.

Is this tuned to guitar tuning, and, if so, could you comment on how you worked out with that?

I am new to ukulele, and while I intend on learning the new fingering for chords, I think it might be both fun and relaxing to have one tuned to a guitar.

It looks really nice, too.

Do you have a picture of the case with it? Shipping would be to Maine.

You must have the tenor by now and likely a baritone. I'd like to point out that while the baritone is tuned to the top four strings of the guitar, the cord shapes on your tenor do not change because the intervals are the same.

The D open "cowboy" chord becomes a G chord, the C chord becomes an F chord and so on. Of course with the tenor you have the bottom string tuned to a high G which puts a high note in the root. A lot of people use low G eliminating re-entrant tuning. For me re-entrant tuning is part of the instruments "uke-ness" and I tend to think of it as like the 5th banjo string since I also play banjo.

I point this out in case you are looking at that tenor and thinking "now what?"

I have recently gotten more into uke and find I tend to play much different music than I do on the guitar and banjo. I find that I can take the tunes I am working out on the uke and bring them back to the guitar with the added benefit of the 5th and 6th strings to fill things out.

Unfortunately for my wallet it also has me thinking of the next uke which will probably be a Kala or Mainland tenor as well as a decent nylon string guitar.

Have fun with your ukes!

[Twilo123]

I got all 4 in my pic for around $500 total and they are all great IMO. The Córdoba was the most since it has electronics and turns out is the size I like the sound the most.
This is the Córdoba model
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007SQ...qFL&ref=plSrch

That being said I just bought a Pono guitar a couple days ago (GAS & NGD Pono Dreadnought http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=400641) and they had a lot of nice ukes at their shop. Check them out for sure also.




Guitar Player

[Br1ck]

Pono tenor is the way to go. A Baritone uke looses the uke sound for me. Nice to have but not as an only ukulele. My MT is fantastic.

I bought a concert Fluke first to keep in my trailer for camping, but the Pono just smokes it in every way but toughness.

[flaggerphil]

I have a Kala all mahogany (actually I think it's all sapele...) solid wood tenor uke and I love it. A really decent price, too.