operative451 Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 Just had one arrive off ebay... Weird, the low string is high! Odd. Might stick a fatter nylon string on and tune it down. Or just get used to it. Feels a bit odd after the bass though! But i think its going to be fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len_derby Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 Congratulations! Not a player myself, I'm a banjo man (or Banjoid) for a bit of fun. But we all need a bit of fun in our music. If you've never heard of them, check out The Reentrants for what you can do with a uke' They're friends of mine and their gigs are a real blast. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9qttFMGbfE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamtheelvy Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 The different tunings is a bit of a mind bend, but good exercise if nothing else! I play around on a mandolin at home, which is tuned EADG... but that's high to low! :-s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyquipment Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 I have a uke. It's fun but a bit annoying lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
operative451 Posted August 1, 2013 Author Share Posted August 1, 2013 The real problem is, it arrived at work so its sitting on my desk looking at me and its just too tempting! This is why i had to take the nerf gun home! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlloyd Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 What did you get? I have three ukes, A soprano cheapy, a Fluke tenor and a fairly expensive Kala baritone that is awesome, solid acacia. The photo is still on the Southern Ukulele store website: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
operative451 Posted August 4, 2013 Author Share Posted August 4, 2013 A 'mahalo' off eBay... 20 quid including postage... it's fun actually! worked out some chords and have been playing judas priest on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer of the Bass Posted August 4, 2013 Share Posted August 4, 2013 I used to have a beautiful 1920s Kumalae Uke, which I'd found at a furniture auction. Unfortunately, I ended up selling it to a fanatical uke collector on eBay a couple of years ago (for something like £300!) when I needed to pay some bills. It was flamed Koa, and sounded really sweet. Fortunately, I've just found a funky little banjo uke in a charity shop that just needs a bridge and some strings, so I'll have a uke again shortly... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlapbassSteve Posted August 4, 2013 Share Posted August 4, 2013 [quote name='operative451' timestamp='1375358756' post='2160191'] Just had one arrive off ebay... Weird, the low string is high! Odd. Might stick a fatter nylon string on and tune it down. Or just get used to it. Feels a bit odd after the bass though! But i think its going to be fun. [/quote] I actually started on ukulele because the 15 year old me thought 'only four strings, so it's basically a small bass then? Smart, moved on since luckily! They're great instruments and you get used to the high G pretty quickly- it's done like that to make strumming sound more even. However it's worth noting some string manufacturers do a 'low G' set- Aquila are great for this, it makes playing lead lines a bit easier ...I feel I should bung in a cheeky plug for my band here, Ukebox ...not many videos up at the moment but it's really going places, four ukuleles and meself on bass [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uugtJrbufk"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uugtJrbufk[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4-string-thing Posted August 4, 2013 Share Posted August 4, 2013 I have a Brunswick baritone uke, its tuned the same as the top four strings of a guitar, so chords are quite easy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
operative451 Posted August 5, 2013 Author Share Posted August 5, 2013 Here it is with it's big sis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ras52 Posted August 5, 2013 Share Posted August 5, 2013 For strumming chords I just pretend that the bottom string is an octave lower than it is, then it all makes sense. The penny dropped when I realised that the intervals are the same as those of the top four strings of a guitar, so all the guitar-chord shapes "work" - all that remains then is to treat is as transposing instrument that's a 4th/5th out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apprenti L'Artisan Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 You can get low G-string sets. I'm not sure if they're available on sopranos though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiltyG565 Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 [quote name='operative451' timestamp='1375358756' post='2160191'] Just had one arrive off ebay... Weird, the low string is high! Odd. Might stick a fatter nylon string on and tune it down. Or just get used to it. Feels a bit odd after the bass though! But i think its going to be fun. [/quote] It is odd, ain't it? I wouldn't think sticking a thicker string on would be a good idea. I reckon the reason the G strings isn't an octave lower is because the scale length isn't long enough and you would need a fairly hefty string for it, but that's just my guess. If you can play guitar, imagine putting a capo on the 5th fret, and ignoring the 2 bass strings (E and A). That's a ukulele. I've currently got a £130 Lag concert ukulele in to glue the neck back on. Lovely little uke. You should check them out if you are ever playing a bit more seriously. Any of you uke players should check them out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
operative451 Posted August 7, 2013 Author Share Posted August 7, 2013 I've been fiddly diddling away with it and am getting used to it now... My band-mate keeps tuning my guitar to drop D so i'm getting used to ignoring the string closest to me anyway! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leon Transaxle Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 [quote name='4-string-thing' timestamp='1375642990' post='2163840'] I have a Brunswick baritone uke, its tuned the same as the top four strings of a guitar, so chords are quite easy! [/quote] I got a baritone for this reason, then decided to tune it to DGAD instead! [quote name='iamtheelvy' timestamp='1375362012' post='2160264'] The different tunings is a bit of a mind bend, but good exercise if nothing else! I play around on a mandolin at home, which is tuned EADG... but that's high to low! :-s [/quote] I have also got a Mandola which is marginally bigger than a Mondolin (so better for fat fingers) and tuned ADGC high to low, which means most chord shapes for songs in C are really easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 (edited) [font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][size=4][pedant] Ukulele. [/pedant][/size][/font] [font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][size=4]Factoid: In Hawaii, the name roughly translates as 'jumping flea'.[/size][/font] [font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][size=4]Another factoid, contradicting the first one: According to Queen Liliʻuokalani - the last Hawaiian monarch - the name means 'the gift that came here', from the Hawaiian words [i]uku[/i] (gift or reward) and [i]lele[/i] (to come).[/size][/font] Edited September 17, 2013 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ras52 Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1379377953' post='2212038'] [font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][size=4][pedant] Ukulele. [/pedant][/size][/font] [font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][size=4]Factoid: In Hawaii, the name roughly translates as 'jumping flea'.[/size][/font] [font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][size=4]Another factoid, contradicting the first one: According to Queen Liliʻuokalani - the last Hawaiian monarch - the name means 'the gift that came here', from the Hawaiian words [i]uku[/i] (gift or reward) and [i]lele[/i] (to come).[/size][/font] [/quote] Ouch, contradicting factoids.... can I get cream for that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 [quote name='ras52' timestamp='1379400097' post='2212085'] Ouch, contradicting factoids.... can I get cream for that? [/quote] Just butch it out and use aftershave. Stings a bit, but makes 'em comply really quick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted September 23, 2013 Share Posted September 23, 2013 (edited) Get stuck in!! Bo Rap on a uku.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PB3RbO7updc and the Shaft theme! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlMT-oEIQuo Edited March 24, 2014 by icastle Link fixed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBassBob Posted September 24, 2013 Share Posted September 24, 2013 I love me some uke! Currently have some toy ukulele after my cheap soprano died at a house party. I've also got a nice Kala baritone with mango laminate. Doesn't get played as much as it should though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gilmour Posted September 24, 2013 Share Posted September 24, 2013 I run 22 piece ukulele band and TBH I play it a lot more than my bass these days. So much fun. Feels weird going to a gig with just the uke though, as opposed to bass, pedal board, amp, cab, leads box... I like it And of course the band plug, www.facebook.com/thesmallstrings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
operative451 Posted September 24, 2013 Author Share Posted September 24, 2013 In its intended use, it will play a 'fiddly diddly' line which then goes onto fuzz bass. I may need a double neck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted October 14, 2013 Share Posted October 14, 2013 [quote name='operative451' timestamp='1375615217' post='2163412'] A 'mahalo' off eBay... 20 quid including postage... it's fun actually! worked out some chords and have been playing judas priest on it. [/quote] My daughter has one of them! Great fun. Have you seen the Uke version of Shaft? [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlMT-oEIQuo"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlMT-oEIQuo[/url] Awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mornats Posted November 2, 2013 Share Posted November 2, 2013 (edited) [quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1379958461' post='2218772'] Bo Rap on a uku.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PB3RbO7updc [/quote] That is fifty shades of awesome. Edited March 24, 2014 by icastle Link fixed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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