My new love... (a completed post)...

I bought a Ukulele in Florida. It was $14. Sort of a prop ukulele, but I was sure I would at least be able to tune it. Most you can. No luck...

So, I looked into getting at least a tunable ukulele for the shop. Did a little reseach. Came across a lot of awesome You Tube videos and Ukulele Underground. I realized the ukulele is quite diverse and a lot of fun to play. So, I went ahead and gave myself a Christmas present and ordered myself a personal ukulele (it is my customers-are-not-allowed to touch ukulele). I love love love it! So much fun to play! Small... portable... wonderful sound... addicting... love this thing!


I have always played guitar, but I am plagued by short fingers that make doing bar chords next to impossible. On the uke, however, there is not a chord I can't play! It just "fits" more. I will still play my guitar... but the uke is my everyday instrument now. I can take it to work and back and the case is about the size of a violin case.


I bought 3 cheap ukes from Sam Ash that customers can play. I made a hanger for them and everything and it looks great on my wall. I swear I have some people seriously considering picking up playing the uke. You can buy a Uke for $35-$40 that plays just fine. And it is easy to feel sucessful playing it!

Then I got involved on the ukuleleunderground.com forums and learned a lot about playing and quickly got what they call UAS (ukulele aquisition syndrom). And I really need to stay away form the forum where people are selling ukuleles. So I have already added to my collection a mahogony Eleuke. He is a good lookin' little thing and he is almost silent when you play him, but you can pop on a pair of headphones and listen to your hearts content. I have amps at home too... so it is fun to be able to add distortion to your uke.

So... yeah... I like to play the ukulele now! So fun! I am hosting a Uke jam at work today! I hope some people show up. I had some people coming from Atlanta, but they are having car trouble so they may not come. My brother-in-law Chad stopped by the shop today and I played for him a little bit of Soul Sister by Train, Lucky by Jason Mraz... he insulted both songs so I did a little Lady Gaga Paparazzi and Halo by Beyonce. I guess that is more of his style because he did not say anything snarky about those. Haha! I don't think he expected those songs from the uke. I am still learning though... so quality of the songs varies.

So, here are a few pictures of my new additions!:

A lot of people name their ukes, and of course I did as well... so here is...

York

For those who care, he is a Spalted Maple Solid Sitka Struce Kala Concert. He is even prettier in person.

And this is

Domo

(a Mr. Roboto reference)... my Mahogony Eleuke Soprano.

He is so thin and small and not as fragile as the acoustic that he is more of my traveling companion.

Here is my Uke hanger I made at work.

I did it by myself in between customers on a Saturday.

I gots skills!