What's in your Uke Collection?

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  • June 22, 2017 at 11:07 am #16178
    Ryan
    Member

    We know ukulele players tend to be collectors as well. What’s in your current collection? Whats your favorite of the bunch?

    June 22, 2017 at 2:48 pm #16184
    prattismprattism
    Member

    Yes, in the last year or so I’ve come down with the dreaded UAS – Ukulele Acquisition Syndrome.
    * Editing my list, since the UAS doesn’t seem to be fading *

    Tenors
    * Kanile’a ISL-T-P Koa
    * Mya Moe Chocolate Heart Myrtle
    * Ko’olau T100 Koa
    90% of my playing time lately is on these three
    Burce Wei HI Islands Soundhole
    Bruce Wei Mahogany Turtle Inlay Cutaway Given away as gift
    Bruce Wei Acacia Cowboy-inlay (Southcoast strings e’ a c#’ f#’)
    Cordoba 35TS-CE Acacia body/Spruce top
    Lanikai SMP-T Solid Monkey Pod
    Fluke Walnut Top Rosewood Fretboard

    Concerts
    * Pono MGCD Mango Deluxe
    Grape Bird’s Eye Maple
    Bruce Wei Solid Acacia Dove-Inlay Given away as gift
    Mitchel MU70 Given away as gift

    Sopranos
    * Black Bear Koa Custom
    LOVE this instrument’s sound, favorite strummer
    Kamaka Gold Label early ’50s – well used
    Grandpa gave to Dad in the early 50’s. My fave for that reason
    Vintage Maccaferri Islander
    Kala KA-S Mahogany Given away as gift

    • This reply was modified 5 years, 3 months ago by prattismprattism.
    July 3, 2017 at 6:17 pm #16356
    coolhandboo
    Member

    I currently have a Romero Creations Grand tenor. It is of spalted mango and feels great to play.

    I’ve also got a Mya-Moe on order that should come in by the end of the year.

    July 5, 2017 at 4:20 pm #16383
    kaileybryn
    Member

    I’m quite new to playing ukulele so my collection isn’t exactly extensive…

    I have a Rogue concert size ukulele that I got as a gift from my fiancé when I mentioned I was interested in learning. It’s not the most amazing instrument, but I love it to bits for the sentimental value.
    I bought myself an Epiphone Les Paul uke a little while after that. I would’ve normally said I didn’t have a favourite between the two, but I just bought a mini ’57 twin-amp this week… A Les Paul uke and a Fender tweed amp…. it’s just too cool and I’m loving it!

    My goal is to get better at my playing so I can spend a bit more money on my collection ?

    July 6, 2017 at 12:09 pm #16400
    aldrinealdrine
    Moderator

    @kaileybryn – It’s a vicious circle once you go down that rabbit hole “I WANT ALL THE UKES!”

    July 6, 2017 at 1:16 pm #16405
    kaileybryn
    Member

    I think I’ve already fallen down that rabbit hole! The only thing stopping me from buying all the ukes is that I can’t justify the money I spend on them with the amount that I practice… although I fell in love with a guitar-ukulele at a shop the other day so I think it’s time I step up my game!!

    July 7, 2017 at 12:21 pm #16424
    ChristineChristine
    Member

    Oh my…….confession time….
    My first uku that my hubby bought me as a surprise 8 years ago is a Pono Koa Concert. It is still my favorite to play. Love the sound.
    I also have a Martin IZ Tenor which I also love……It has such a rich sound. Last year I got a 100 anniversary Kamaka 8 string tenor. That uku has turned out to be very challenging. I had no idea how hard it would be to make those 8 strings sound good. I need a lot of practice with that one. Maybe it will be my favorite someday, I hope. I have a Martin Soprano also, and a fun Kala soprano that’s painted yellow with happy faces and peace signs all over it.
    I really want another K brand uku. Maybe one like the one Aldrine has…….

    July 8, 2017 at 11:09 am #16432
    John L HollandJohn L Holland
    Member

    I love Kanile’a ukes – Big Time. I bought my first one used on Craigs List only because Aldrine had one when I first discovered UU back in the day. But I have a soft spot for Pono because they sound great, have a nice name, and the ones I own were a bit cheaper in price. The collection began:

    Kanile’a Tenor K-1 Koa
    Kanile’a Concert K-1 Koa
    Kanile’a Super Tenor Koa

    Pono Tenor Spruce Top Rosewood side & back/some abalone trim
    Pono Tenor Acacia with some abalone trim as well.

    Yes, when you get one, you tend to want all. But full disclosure: all of my purchases took place when I had two jobs and some money to spare. Now I work one job with a modest income and I see no further purchases in my Uke life.

    I sometimes think about selling a couple, but which one/s? how could I possibly let go of any?

    So the Kanile’a Concert sounds so lovely and is the prettiest to behold, yet harder to play because it is so small for my hands. It still has the original strings (Aquila) because I just don’t play it enough. The Kanile’a K-1 most impresses anyone who hears it. I’ve been told that it sounds smooth as butter. That was the second-hand Uke I started with (after letting go of my first under $200 starter concert). I’m partial to the sound of the spruce top, probably owing to the guitar-like sound.

    Then there is the matter of strings. Two are hi G, three are low G because my local teacher insists on Low G for all of his students. As an aside, I really enjoyed the discussion of the hi-G Lo-G difference in the July 6, 2017 Live Lesson. Made a lot of sense.

    Anyway, I put Aldrine’s AG X AQ on the Acacia. I really like how they livened up the sound on that Uke. I bought extra sets so I think when my smooth as butter Kanile’a is ready for a string change, I’ll convert that to AG X AQ, which only come in Hi-G.

    OK, there’s my story. If you were me, and you just had to try to sell one, which would it be? I just can’t decide? Do I even need to decide?

    July 27, 2017 at 1:11 pm #16662
    prattismprattism
    Member

    @CoolHandBoo I just got my Mya-Moe – Chocolate Heart Tenor in the mail and can’t keep my hands off of it. My Kanilea was my favorite (along with my Pono Concert and Black Bear Soprano). Still love the Kanilea but the Mya-Moe is just easier to play. Radius neck, easy action, my fingers take less of a beating and I love the sound.

    I think you’re going to love the Mya-Moe. Yeah, it’s a long wait, but I feel like it was definitely worth it. Plus following the progress is a lot of fun.

    • This reply was modified 5 years, 6 months ago by prattismprattism.
    August 10, 2017 at 2:54 pm #16837
    deavise
    Member

    I’m a very sick ukulele collector as I have been down that rabbit hole. I have 24 fairly cheap ones including a guita-lele and a banjo-lele and even this Turkish instrument that I had restrung as a uke.

    I have a Bruce Wei Mermaid Girl that I just adore. I also love my Les Paul Epiphone uke since I put Titanium strings on it.

    I also have Strum Stick #1 that my husband bought for me at NAMM before they were mass produced. It’s the only one I have with metal strings.

    I could have spent a bunch of money on one, but this way was more fun.

    I have almost entirely sopranos and concerts, but I have one Kala tenor tuned as a concert.

    August 11, 2017 at 11:06 am #16852
    prattismprattism
    Member

    @deavise I’m a Bruce Wei fan too. I’ve bought five of them so far, and given away two to family members. I think the Mermaid Girl inlay is gorgeous. I do have some issues with them, however. I have a Bruce Wei concert with heart shaped soundhole and dove inlay. It is beautiful, but the body is small and sounds more like a soprano. It feels like a super-soprano with the concert length neck. It also sounded kind of muddy until I put very bright Southcoast strings on it. I have the Bruce Wei Hawaiian Islands tenor with Palm Inlay which sounds great. In my experience, The sound of the Bruce Wei instruments is very hit and miss. Many of the Acacia instruments are over built with thick wood and very thick necks. The Mahogany Bruce Wei & the Koa are much better sounding. One person’s opinion.

    September 2, 2017 at 9:42 am #17192
    areohteeaichareohteeaich
    Member

    I have Quite a few ukuleles in my collection:
    Koaloha Soprano: it is from 2012, and has a koa fret board with the crown at the bottom. The fret markers are zebra wood.
    Kanile’a K-1 Tenor
    Kanile’a K-3 Concert
    Kanile’a K-2 Super Soprano that was just ordered, and is on its way.
    Martin Tenor
    Mainland Mahogany Baritone
    Koalana Tenor
    Kala Concert
    Flea Soprano- first ukulele. It was green, but now it is just beat up and discolored.
    Mainland Red Cedar Concert
    I used to say that I was done with getting new instruments every time I would buy one. I know that is not true. To curb my buying habits, I just started buying more expensive ukuleles. It is working.

    January 4, 2018 at 7:36 pm #18636
    cbottjer1
    Member

    I have a mahogany Kala soprano uke – I love the little thing. It sounds great.
    I also have a Kala mahogany baritone and a Kala acacia Tenor that I am selling on eBay because I just purchased a koa wood Kamaka h3 tenor. I am so excited, I can hardly wait to get it.
    I have an acute case of UAS!

    February 6, 2018 at 1:50 pm #18915
    nuttynutty
    Member

    Only being new to ukes. (7 weeks) my collection is nothing compared to most on here, but we all have to start somewhere.

    My first was a Christmas gift to myself….a Tiki series 9 tenor. Solid koa top, koa back and sides
    Yesterday I bought a new Kala Solid Spruce/Rosewood Tenor Scallop Cutaway (KA-SRT-SC)

    I expect this list will be added to as my budget allows and as I hopefully improve.

    February 13, 2018 at 3:49 am #18985
    kerneltime
    Member

    I currently have between my son and me
    1. Concert Flea with pegheads
    2. Concert Fluke with UPT
    3. Martin c1k
    4. Dolphin makala

    I have been learning for about an year on my own and finally signed up with UU + after consuming a ton of content from them,.

    Part of my learning is also educating myself about ukulele’s and I am tempted to buy another uke. I am considering
    1. Mya Moe (which every gets listed 2nd hand)
    2. Black Bear Uke
    3. Blackbird clara or farallon (mostly likely farallon since I don’t on a tenor)
    4. Tyde

    What do you’ll recommend?

    Update:
    I now own Mya Moe Tenors Myrtle and Cedar.. love them.. in search for a mya moe soprano

    • This reply was modified 4 years, 11 months ago by kerneltime.
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