Ukulele

[ambient]

I have an interview in a week or so for a company that runs music lessons in primary schools.

 

One of the instruments I’ll be teaching is ukulele, which I don’t at the moment play. 
 

Can anyone recommend a reasonable cheap instrument that I can practice on please?

[mr4stringz]

Have you decided what type of uke you’re going for - soprano, concert, tenor etc?

 

I dabble a bit and have a Lanikai LU-21 tenor which sounds pretty good to my ears and they don’t break the bank (up to and around £100). They do, or at least did, those in soprano and concert models too. Very much depends what “cheap” means though. You can get far cheaper, of course, but I’ve no idea if there’s anything decent in that bracket.

 

PS - this may possibly be better being moved to ‘Other Instruments’ in terms of the likelihood of more responses.

 

Edited September 18, 2022 by mr4stringz

[SamIAm]

Regarding size of uke, I would suggest a tenor (I used to have several ukes, sadly all lost in a recent fire, the tenors became my goto before I started playing the bass).  The fret spacings are wider.  It is not uncommon to use a low G string, where the G is an octave lower than 'normal', it gives it a richer sound.

 

Regarding brand, Kala make good ukes and start at not silly money (High end ukes can cost thousands!).

 

S'manth x

[Nail Soup]

1 hour ago, Smanth said:

Regarding size of uke, I would suggest a tenor (I used to have several ukes, sadly all lost in a recent fire, the tenors became my goto before I started playing the bass).  The fret spacings are wider.  It is not uncommon to use a low G string, where the G is an octave lower than 'normal', it gives it a richer sound.

 

Regarding brand, Kala make good ukes and start at not silly money (High end ukes can cost thousands!).

 

S'manth x

Bear in mind that tenors may not be the standard in schools, and soprano is the 'default' size of ukulele.

 

Regarding brand or type, I'd avoid anything in the 'toy' range...typically under £50, as they will hold you back and suffer tuning issues IME.

I agree about Kala and similar major brands.

Personally I'd get one that looks like a trad uke, avoid the one that look like a pineapple or a flying V.

 

And remember that ukuleles are great, and you should have one anyway!

[SamIAm]

7 minutes ago, Nail Soup said:

Bear in mind that tenors may not be the standard in schools, and soprano is the 'default' size of ukulele.

 

True, however tenors and sopranos are same tunings hence same chord shapes.

[The Saint]

A already mentioned, a tenor uke is much easier to play for 'average' sized hands. Not to say you can't play a soprano, just that it's easier.

 

It shouldn't make any difference if your uke is a different size to the ones the kids are using as you won't be using theirs.

 

Hobgoblin do a good range of ukes to suit all pockets, but generally you'd be looking at around £100 for a decent instrument that you'll be using everyday.  Don't forget to budget for a case.

 

Maybe ask the company if they have a deal for their teachers, unless of course you're looking to learn to play the instrument before the interview...!

 

Good luck...

[LeftyJ]

On 18/09/2022 at 20:23, Smanth said:

Regarding size of uke, I would suggest a tenor (I used to have several ukes, sadly all lost in a recent fire, the tenors became my goto before I started playing the bass).  The fret spacings are wider.  It is not uncommon to use a low G string, where the G is an octave lower than 'normal', it gives it a richer sound.

 

Regarding brand, Kala make good ukes and start at not silly money (High end ukes can cost thousands!).

 

S'manth x

 

Wholeheartedly agree. I own a Kala KA-STG which is one of their most affordable tenor models with a solid top (spruce, in this case) and I love it. It is by no means perfect (I had to level one slightly raised fret, and lower the action) but now it plays and sounds great. I love the looks, it's plenty loud and sounds warm and rich. For now it has a regular high G string for traditional re-entrant tuning, but I will be trying a low G at one point. 

[Duarte]

My Redwood Concert ukue is great. I bought it for the same reason as you, and had no experience in playing the uke. I went for the concert as it's just big and loud enough for a class of children to hear it. I'm unsure if the model still exists, as all I can see on their product range is around the £60 mark - but I paid around £250 in PMT. 

 

I trust you won't have any issues teaching the Uke, it's easy to get to grips with the basics. However, don't allow the kids to get better than you, which happened to me in my year 8 class.

[BigRedX]

My mum who plays in an oldies ukulele orchestra (and probably does more gigs a year than me) has a pretty good Kala model, but the <£30 ukulele she had before that was perfectly acceptable from a playability PoV.

 

Whatever size you decide to get, make sure you use the same tuning as your students which is most likely gCEA as anything else will be confusing for them. In my limited experience of playing one the trick is to NOT make everything sound like George Formby!

[asingardenof]

On 18/09/2022 at 20:34, Nail Soup said:

Bear in mind that tenors may not be the standard in schools, and soprano is the 'default' size of ukulele.

 

Regarding brand or type, I'd avoid anything in the 'toy' range...typically under £50, as they will hold you back and suffer tuning issues IME.

I agree about Kala and similar major brands.

Personally I'd get one that looks like a trad uke, avoid the one that look like a pineapple or a flying V.

 

And remember that ukuleles are great, and you should have one anyway!

Seconding the bit about not getting a cheap one. We inherited a Mahalo one from a friend and the damn thing can never stay in tune (my breaking one of the machine heads didn't help matters though!)

[Nail Soup]

10 minutes ago, asingardenof said:

Seconding the bit about not getting a cheap one. We inherited a Mahalo one from a friend and the damn thing can never stay in tune (my breaking one of the machine heads didn't help matters though!)

I also found that cheapos have bad intonation…. even if the open strings are in tune a chord even in first position would sound just wrong.

[bass_dinger]

Most serious ukulele players will have multiple instruments. 

 

If you have ukulele friends, ask to borrow one.

 

 

Otherwise, visit Hobgoblin, or  https://www.southernukulelestore.co.uk/ or if you are in East London Duke of Uke.

 

Kala is a good brand.

 

Or place an advert in the Wanted section of basschat.co.uk  - apparently, people who buy too many basses also have too many other instruments. Who knew!!

 

In the meantime, grab a guitar, if you have one, remove the E and A strings, capo at the fifth,  and play all the shapes that you already know.

 

Visit the YouTube channel Ukulele Underground Playalong, in which songs are ordered by difficulty. 

 

Avoid getting a colourful Ukulele.  They are generally not very good.

 

Watch the Ukulele orchestra of Great Britain for inspiration.  Learn some simple songs. Have an idea how you would structure a short course for children 

 

[MrCrane]

10 hours ago, bass_dinger said:

Otherwise, visit Hobgoblin, or  https://www.southernukulelestore.co.uk/ or if you are in East London Duke of Uke.

Sadly, Duke of Uke have currently closed shop.

 

https://dukeofuke.co.uk

[MrCrane]

I'll second bass_dinger's rec for the Southern Ukulele Store. Very helpful.

Edited September 21, 2022 by MrCrane

[SamIAm]

17 hours ago, bass_dinger said:

Otherwise, visit Hobgoblin, or  https://www.southernukulelestore.co.uk/

Totally agree!

Hobgoblin are more likely to have ... ahem ... afordable instruments, but in my local Branch (Brighton) they really know their stuff!

 

Southern carry higher end ... I spent far (far) too much there a few years ago ... but the ukuleles I came away with did not dissapoint!

 

S'manth x

[bass_dinger]

So long as OP arrives at the interview with a wooden ukulele, that he can play, he should be fine.

 

Extra points for having a case; having a case with a spare set of strings in it; having strings that you have used (just unravel a tennis racket, or fishing wire - it's all the same stuff....); having a weeny capo; being able to play both left and right handed,  to teach children regardless of their own handedness; being aware of uke superstars.

 

If you really want to show off, ask whether they use the English tuning ( A, D, F# and B) or  the more common G, C, E, and A.

 

[SamIAm]

3 hours ago, bass_dinger said:

arrives at the interview with a wooden ukulele

You mention showing off ... perhaps turning up with a carbon fibre uke would qualify! 😉

 

S'manth x

[ambient]

Thanks to everyone who’s replied and given me some very useful information.

 

I had my interview today; just over the phone and standard teaching stuff about safeguarding etc. 

 

I have another interview with them next week when I’ll have to play something for them. I’m going to visit Hobgoblin in Birmingham tomorrow. There’s also a rather nice looking Tanglewood I’ve seen, that comes with a gig bag.

[LeftyJ]

18 hours ago, bass_dinger said:

Extra points for having a case

 

Real happy with this TGI case: https://www.southernukulelestore.co.uk/tgi-abs-tenor-ukulele-case-very-tough-best-value/

It was affordable, it's tough, it looks great and fits my Kala KA-STG perfectly. 

[bass_dinger]

On 21/09/2022 at 20:03, ambient said:

 I’m going to visit Hobgoblin in Birmingham tomorrow. There’s also a rather nice looking Tanglewood I’ve seen, that comes with a gig bag.

 

Do we have an update? Do you have a ukulele? Did you get a case? Are you playing tunes yet?

 

Your public need to know.

[ambient]

1 hour ago, bass_dinger said:

 

Do we have an update? Do you have a ukulele? Did you get a case? Are you playing tunes yet?

 

Your public need to know.

Pictures later 😆

[bass_dinger]

20 minutes ago, ambient said:

Pictures later 😆

And a full narrative of the day's events. The ukuleles you saw, the ones you tried,  the other instruments that distracted you...

 

Actually, I just searched for Gypsy Jazz guitars, and spotted that your Birmingham branch of Hobgoblin has a pre-loved Cigano in stock - distracting me from playing the instruments that I already have!

[ambient]

So, here it is.

 

I bought it from a seller on eBay, who lives near Bournemouth. As luck would have it, I have a cousin who also lives in Bournemouth and was coming up to Birmingham for the weekend.

 

It’s a Tanglewood with a built-in tuner and pickup. It's currently strung with a low G.

 

I have a friend who plays, he and his wife have quite a collection of them; I think he said they have eight between them. I've just been to see him, he says it's a nice instrument.

Edited September 24, 2022 by ambient

[bass_dinger]

4 hours ago, ambient said:

 

I have a friend who plays, he and his wife have quite a collection of them; I think he said they have eight between them. I've just been to see him, he says it's a nice instrument.

 

Don't leave it on the floorboards, please. The "Wood Camouflage" finish will make it impossible to find!

 

Very good. I like the back, especially. 

 

 

Here, a hundred-plus songs to learn, from a great YouTube channel. 

 

So good, that you won't be embarrassed to say "My name is Ambient, and I'm a ukulele player."

 

[SamIAm]

1 hour ago, bass_dinger said:

So good, that you won't be embarrassed to say "My name is Ambient, and I'm a ukulele player."

Or perhaps …

I am Ambient, a musician. Among the instruments I play are the bass and the ukulele … works for me 😊