Well it seems to have come around quickly, but time for another review of the year on Got A Ukulele.
It's been a great year, in which I have met some new ukulele friends, played many more instruments, and marked the third anniversary of this site. 2012 has seen over 600 posts and nearly 900,000 page views, beating the 2011 review by quite a margin!
So, let's move on to some of my personal highlights!
January
In early 2012 I gave you some new years Uke resolutions which still stand up today. Amanda Palmer played uke at the Occupy Wall St demo, and the world was introduced to a humble recording on the New York subway which then went viral for Jessica Latshaw.
I also launched my Chords eBook, and in a move to the surreal we learned that James Hill can play a ukulele with chopsticks...
Finally, I was delighted that friend and uke player Joey Paul agreed to do a guest post on the blog.
April
Metalheads were delighted to learn that Dave Grohl was partial to a bit of ukulele. Also in April I got my hands on a Fluke Firefly banjo ukulele and brought you my tips and advice on buying a used instrument. I took a look at the Peterson Stroboclip (the worlds craziest priced clip on tuner), and I was also thrilled to learn that a song cover recorded by a ukulele friend had been picked up on by Amanda Palmer.
May
May kicked off with a review of the (excellent) Blue Lady Sings CD by my friend Tricity Vogue - highly recommended.
Joey Paul launched a single with proceeds going to the Fibroduck Foundation for Fibromyalgia sufferers, we took a look at the Brüko No 6 ukulele and I gave you my tips on choosing ukulele strings.
June
In early June I scared myself at the scale of the growing ukulele collection (!!) and we looked at which countries were the biggest ukulele fans. My Big Island solid Koa uke landed and I was delighted to get to interview Phil Doleman and Ian Emmerson of the Re-entrants. (Since the interview, they drew down the curtain on the Re-entrants, and are now performing as Phil Doleman and Ian Emmerson.)
Our band the N'Ukes set their sights further afield joining a busk - all for charity around the streets of Chester.
N'Ukes rocking Chester
August
August started with a review of the Islander MST-4 Tenor - part of the budget line of ukes by Kanile'a, together with me revisiting the Fluke for a long term update.
This month saw the sad loss of Neil Armstrong a lover of the ukulele too.
It was also an extremely busy month for our group, the N'Ukes, welcoming Richard G on his trip to the UK, playing a charity gig for Macmillan Cancer Care and then hosting the N'Ukefest weekender in Cheshire at which we were joined by so many ukulele players, including the fine guys from Chonkinfeckle.
Chonkinfeckle at the N'Ukefest
October
October allowed me to catch up with friend Ken Middleton and interview him for the site - a gentleman and wise sage on all things ukulele.
Happy Birthday to me! November marked the third anniversary of Got A Ukulele and I was thrilled that Ohana Ukuleles helped by celebrate by very kindly offering one of their instruments as a competition prize.
So - quite a year, and one that I have thoroughly enjoyed. There will be much more to come on Got A Ukulele with more reviews, articles and interviews already in the pipeline.
Thank you so much for all your support and kind messages. The site takes a bit of work, and I do hope you like it!
All that remains is for me to wish you a happy, prosperous, healthy and ukulele filled 2013.
Response to the Apple iPad advert - this one played on the Futulele ( I am no fan of the Futulele app, but top marks for them spotting an opportunity). And another take here.
Spotted this in the UkeJam facebook group (thanks guys) and is a vid I had missed.
I was a big fan of the Wonder Stuff many years ago (this may be lost on US readers) but they were a pretty cool band. Oh, and it features a ukulele (if only as, perhaps, a prop...) but there you go. It made me smile! It's a cover of a song by Slade.
Been running a poll on the blog for the last couple of months in which I was asking you what your 'ukulele community' was.
Results are in
The results were, in order
Playing With Friends - 58%
Ukulele Forums - 38%
Play in a club - 35%
Facebook - 29%
Play in a band - 20%
Google+ - 9%
Twitter - 7%
So pleased to see the top result - nothing better than making music with your nearest and dearest. Clubs and forums also do well, but oh dear Twitter....
Would like to run this again in a years time and hope that 'Play In A Band' numbers increase!
A search of the word ukulele on YouTube will flood you with thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of home video recordings. It get's quite tough to weed through them and find some gems, but occasionally I do.
This band, called SineQuaNon recently put this one up. Also one of my favourite Beatles songs. I think this is just great.
Hope you had a great Christmas Day today. The music shops tell me that the ukulele has become one of the biggest selling instruments this year - did you get your first today?
If so, I hope you found this site and it gets you on your way! Up at the top you will find some navigation links to various pages such as the Chord Chart Page (essential!), the beginners tips page for answers to many questions and, (because you want to get playing) a big list of songs with chords, most of which are easy for beginners to play right here.
The uke is a great gift to receive and I sincerely hope you stick with it, join a club, play with others, or just yourself, but most of all, MAKE MUSIC!
I am always here to help!
If you want more information, either email me, or you may like my range of ukulele beginners guides that are available on Amazon. They are not tutor books - there are far better teachers than I, but they are intended to be read alongside them, filling in the blanks that most tutor books miss out. In other words - Got A Ukulele? - Have a read!
Surprised at how little I have played the Beatles on ukulele (considering they are a favourite band) - so here goes with this one - a favourite of mine from the Hard Days Night album. Easy to play too - just need to get it rock and rolling.
Video at the end to which you can play along to.
YOU CAN'T DO THAT - THE BEATLES
[G7]
I got something to say that might cause you pain
If I catch you talking to that boy again
I'm gonna [C7]let you down
And leave you [G7]flat
Because I [D7]told you before, [C7]oh you can't do [G7]that [D7]
Well, it's the [G7]second time I've caught you talking to him
Do I have to tell you one more time, I think it's a sin
I think I'll [C7]let you down (Let you down)
And leave you [G7]flat (Gonna let you down and leave you flat)
Because I've [D7]told you before, [C7]oh
You can't do [G7]that
Everybody's [B]greee [Em]een
Cos [Am]I'm the one who [B]won your [G]love
But if they'd [B]seeee [Em]een
you[Am] talking that way they'd [Bm]laugh in my [D]face
So [G7]please listen to me, if you wanna stay mine
I can't help my feelings, I'll go out of my mind
I'm gonna [C7]let you down (Let you down)
And leave you [G7]flat (Gonna let you down and leave you flat)
Because I've [D7]told you before, [C7]oh
You can't do [G7]that, [D7]
Instrumental (with 'You Can't Do That' backing vocals)
G7 C7 G7 D7 C7 G7
Everybody's [B]greee [Em]een
Cos [Am]I'm the one who [B]won your [G]love
But if they'd [B]seeee [Em]een you[Am] talking that way they'd [Bm]laugh in my [D]face
So [G7]please listen to me, if you wanna stay mine
I can't help my feelings, I'll go out of my mind
I'm gonna [C7]let you down (Let you down)
And leave you [G7]flat (Gonna let you down and leave you flat)
Because I've [D7]told you before, [C7]oh You can't do [G7]that.
I have been on the lookout for a good Christmas ukulele video or song to share with you as a means of saying 'Merry Christmas from Got A Ukulele' - then a Facebook friend Jan Utman shared this video with me.
So... Merry Christmas, or, make that Mele Kalikimaka! Hope you all have a great holiday, a great time with family and friends, and have a bit of a ukulele strum at least once or twice!
Recently I found myself in quite a debate on the merits (or otherwise) of using a strap on a ukulele - and it got me thinking. Why is there such an issue with using a ukulele strap?
It became clear to me that there are a few people out there that actively resent the idea of using a ukulele strap (and are MORE THAN willing to tell others NOT to use one). I find that odd myself, but there you go. There are no 'rules' when it comes to straps on ukes despite what some may think.
I have been told that the ukulele is 'not intended to have a strap' - something I very much disagree with - the ukulele is just a musical instrument and it is permissible for it to take on new developments and features. Sure, the earliest ukes were not played with straps, but if we take that logic, developments like electric ukuleles would equally become invalid. And that is just crazy - adding a strap button, or adding a pickup doesn't stop the instrument being a ukulele. Let's look at the guitar world, and the earliest spanish guitars - they did not employ straps and many spanish style players today still do not use them. Does that make the use of a studded leather strap on a Gisbon Les Paul invalid? In fact, the traditional guitar is played sitting down - so what is all this standing up nonsense anyway? You get my point...
The view comes, I suspect, from the traditional history of the ukulele. A quick Google image search for traditional Hawaiian players will show very few using straps - and that is just fine. But equally you will not find any old pictures of traditional Hawaiian players with solid electrics, or ukuleles shaped like Flying V guitars - because they didn't exist. It doesn't make them wrong. (Well, actually, in the case of the latter, the jury may be out on that....)
I was also told that this view was supported by the fact that most ukuleles don't come with strap buttons. Sure, many don't, but equally some do, particularly on the larger sizes or those that have a pickup added. High end builders offer a button as an option and some fit them as standard. In fact I would expect that as time goes on, on larger ukes we may see more ukes ship from the factory with strap buttons added. Why? Because there is clearly a demand for them. People are adding them themselves. At a recent mass busk I attended there were dozens of players and the vast majority had straps.
I was then told that using a strap is a 'crutch', that it will affect your playing style and you will never be able to go back to playing without one. Well, certainly learning to hold a uke without a strap is something that should be worked on by the absolute beginner, but I can honestly say that I have no issue moving from playing with a strap to playing without. As for it affecting playing style - well I think that is a misconception also and if anything I think they make playing, particularly fingerstyle, more comfortable. That made me do a little bit of research as to who out there is using a strap on a ukulele when performing. The list of names is quite interesting. Jake Shimabukuro, Brittni Paiva, James Hill, Lil' Rev, Ken Middleton, Manitoba Hal, The Re-entrants, Victoria Vox, Jim D'Ville, Ralph Shaw - and countless others use straps sometimes. Is the strap affecting their playing style? Is it something they are using as a crutch? Quite honestly - anyone thinking Jake needs a crutch to support his playing needs to have a serious think about that!
So I therefore decided to post this for beginners as I am increasingly seeing questions being asked on forums and social media from beginners along these lines - do I need a strap? (and those shouting that the use of a strap is 'wrong')
My summary thoughts on this:
1. Do you NEED a strap? Well, no, nobody needs a strap, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with using one, it won't affect your playing, and if anything might make things easier. It is good to learn how to stand and hold a uke without one of course, but if you are playing regularly, then a strap is no bad thing to have - if nothing else, it makes you 'hands free' between songs (probably the main reason I use one). If you don't need one, don't use one. That's fine too!
2. I think size comes in to it. I don't use straps on my soprano ukes as I think that is overkill - they are very easy to hold anyway, but on a tenor or baritone in particular, I find a strap makes the whole playing experience that much nicer.
3. Straps and supports come in various flavours - half straps for example only provide support and mean you cannot let go of the instrument, but are a good choice for those without a strap button (and if you don't want to fit a button). You will also find the design that hooks into the soundhole for support, but I would urge caution with those unless they have serious padding and protection. The concept was designed for guitars who's tops and soundholes are much stronger. That said, Jake S is using one on the picture above! Just don't let go of your uke thinking it is being held - it is just a support!
4. The best option in my opinion is a full strap which connects at two points on the uke. First to a strap button on the base of the uke, and the other end either to a tie on the headstock, or to another strap button on the heel of the neck. These straps offer total support - allow you to go hands free between songs to take a drink, fiddle with an amplifier or similar and are just great to use.
5. The chances are you may not have a strap button on your ukulele, but they are extremely cheap to buy and very easy to fit (literally a 5 minute job). To fit one, first take a look inside the uke with a mirror and torch. You need to check if you have a 'tail block' in the instrument which will be an obvious block of wood squarely set inside the ukulele at the base - running between the top and the back. If you don't have one of these I would suggest caution in screwing a button into the instrument as this will create a lot of stress on a very thin piece of wood. If you have one, you are good to go!
Just look at the button screw (that comes with the button) and using a low speed drill or Dremel tool, drill a 'pilot hole' just a little thinner than the diameter of the screw. Don't be scared - it's just like drilling a hole to fix a shelf or anything else - just go slowly and steady. You would do well to put a piece of masking tape over the area you are going to drill to prevent chips or scratches. Drill the pilot hole squarely through the uke base and through the wooden tail block. Then simply screw the button in to the hole, not forgetting the felt washer which will prevent the button doing damage. And that is it! If you want more detail on fitting strap buttons have a look here
6. The choice of style of strap is up to you, but I find that a guitar strap is too thick for me and looks and feels odd with a uke. I use the Uke Leash strap which is nice and subtle (and thin), and banjo or mandolin straps look great too. At the end of the day, a piece of rope will function as a strap if you want it to!
7. Turning to banjoleles - whilst a strap can easily be fitted (using a banjo strap that clips to the tension rods, and traditionally slung over just one shoulder), the traditional George Formby style of playing may find a strap hampers the complex fingerstyles that go with that type of music. Formby himself didn't use one.
So, if you don't want to use a strap, then that is cool. If, however, you are playing a lot standing up and finding your ukulele slipping or just uncomfortable, then there is absolutely nothing wrong with fitting a strap. If it is good enough for any of the top end players I have mentioned above, then it should be good enough for you!
There is nothing much right and wrong in the world of making music. If it works for you, then go with it - what matters is that you make music.
If you believe the doomsday talk, this could be the last Ukulele News on Got A Ukulele.... nah - how can the world end when there are so many playing the uke?
Tired of Christmas ukulele songs yet? Of course you ain't! Here is another - the classic Beach Boys hit - Little Saint Nick
Suspect the only chord that might be unusual to beginners is the D6 - which is played as a complete barre at the second fret - in other words including the A string that you normally wouldn't in a normal D
[D] Oooooooo [Em] Merry Christ[A]mas Santa
[D] Christmas comes this time each year [Em] Oooooooo [A] ooooooo
[Em] Well, way [A] up North [Em] where the [A] air gets cold
[D] There's a tale [D6] about [D] Christmas that [D6] you've all been told
[Em] And a real [A] famous [Em] cat all [A] dressed up in red
[D] And he [D6] spends the [D] whole year [D6] workin' out on his sled
[G] It's the little Saint Nick, little Saint Nick
It's the [Em] little Saint Nick...[A] little Saint Nick
Just a [Em] little [A] bobsled, [Em] we call it ol' Saint Nick
But [D] she'll walk [D6] a toboggan [D] with a [D6] four speed stick
She's [Em] can[A]dy apple [Em] red with a [A] ski for a wheel
And [D] when Santa [D6] hits the gas, [D] man, [D6] just watch her peel.
[G] It's the little Saint Nick, little Saint Nick
It‟s the [Em] little Saint Nick...[A] little Saint Nick
[G] Run run reindeer
[C] Run run reindeer ahhhhhhhh
[G] Run run reindeer
[E] Run run reindeer [break] we don't miss no one
He's [Em] hauling [A] through the [Em] snow at a [A] frightenin' speed
With [D] half a [D6] dozen [D] deer with [D6] a-Rudy to lead
[Em] He's gotta wear [A] his goggles [Em] 'cause the [A] snow really flies
And [D] he's cruisin' [D6] every [D] pad with [D6] a little surprise
[G] It's the little Saint Nick, little Saint Nick
It's the [D] little Saint Nick...[B7] little Saint Nick
Ahh[Em] [A] [Em] [A] [Oooooooo] Merry Christmas [D]Santa
[D] Christmas comes this time each year X2
A Christmas ukulele song from the islands! A great one for this musical instrument!
Mele Kalikimaka
F D7 Gm C7 F C7
[F] Mele Kalikimaka is the thing to say
On a bright Hawaiian Christmas [C7] Day.
That's the island greeting that we send to you
from the land where palm trees [F] sway
[F7] Here we know that Christmas will be [Bb] green and bright
The [D7] sun to shine by day and all the [G7] stars at [C7] night
[F] Mele Kalikimaka is Hawaii's [D7] way to [Gm] say
Merry [C7] Christmas to [F] you
[F] Mele Kalikimaka is the thing to say
On a bright Hawaiian Christmas [C7] Day.
That's the island greeting that we send to you
from the land where palm trees [F] sway
[F7] Here we know that Christmas will be [Bb] green and bright
The [D7] sun to shine by day and all the [G7] stars at [C7] night
[F] Mele Kalikimaka is Hawaii's [D7] way to [Gm] say
Merry [C7] Christmas to [F] you
Instrumental: Chords for first four lines of verse [F] [C7] [F]
A [Gm] very merry [C7] Christmas
A [Gm] very very merry merry [C7] Christmas to [F] you
I can honestly say that Brittni Paiva's style of playing (the feeling she puts in to her picking) is quickly making her one of my favourite ukulele players to listen to.
This is just lovely. AND - thanks to those who set me straight on this - Brittni made the tab for this available for a free download HERE
Finally got ourselves back to PC's and Mac's and been able to go over some sound recordings we took at our last ukulele gig at the Leopard. Our recording tech needs a little more polish but think you will see that we had a whale of a time!
Have a click of the sound samples below!
N'Ukes! (credit Chris Clarke)
And, our set list for the night
Bad Moon Rising
Folsom Prison Blues
Orange Blossom Special
It Must Be Love
Mustang Sally
Valerie
Your Cheatin' Heart
I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
Jumpin' Jack Flash
No Woman No Cry
Minnie The Moocher
Hey Good Lookin'
King Of The Road
Honky Tonk Women
Teenage Kicks
You Can Call Me Al
I Got Stripes
LA Woman
I'm A Believer
That's Entertainment
I Wanna Be Like You
Pencil Full Of Lead
Handle With Care
Lean On Me
I do like this one, though I suppose it is a bit repetitive! Easy on ukulele though - check the video at the end and play along with José!
Feliz Navidad - ukulele chords
[D]Feliz Navi [G]dad
[A]Feliz Navi [D] dad
Feliz Navi[G]dad
Prospero [A]Año y Felici[D]dad.
[D]Feliz Navi [G]dad
[A]Feliz Navi [D] dad
Feliz Navi[G]dad
Prospero [A]Año y Felici[D]dad.
[D]I wanna wish you a [G]Merry Christmas
[A]I wanna wish you a [D]Merry Christmas [Bm]
I wanna wish you a[G] Merry Christmas
From the [A]bottom of my [D]heart
[D]I wanna wish you a [G]Merry Christmas
[A]I wanna wish you a [D]Merry Christmas [Bm]
I wanna wish you a[G] Merry Christmas
From the [A]bottom of my [D]heart
[D]Feliz Navi [G]dad
[A]Feliz Navi [D] dad
Feliz Navi[G]dad
Prospero [A]Año y Felici[D]dad.
[D]Feliz Navi [G]dad
Feliz Navi [D] dad
Feliz Navi[G]dad
Prospero [A]Año y Felici[D]dad.
[D]I wanna wish you a [G]Merry Christmas
[A]I wanna wish you a [D]Merry Christmas [Bm]
I wanna wish you a[G] Merry Christmas
From the [A]bottom of my [D]heart
[D]I wanna wish you a [G]Merry Christmas
[A]I wanna wish you a [D]Merry Christmas [Bm]
I wanna wish you a[G] Merry Christmas
From the [A]bottom of my [D]heart
[D]Feliz Navi [G]dad
[A]Feliz Navi [D] dad
Feliz Navi[G]dad
Prospero [A]Año y Felici[D]dad.
Now here is a uke that put a smile on my face! I have been lucky enough to grab a Kiwaya KS-5 soprano ukulele and have been putting it through its paces.
Kiwaya are a Japanese brand of ukulele with a relatively small range, with a focus on attention to detail and very high quality. Their range is split between solid wood ukes, and laminates - and the KS5 is an all laminate ukulele. It also costs just over £200. It was sourced for me by the fine folks at The Southern Ukulele Store in the UK.
Woahh!!!!! Hang on there Baz..... how much for a laminate? And I thought laminates meant 'cheap'....
Well, yes, it's a serious price, but then as you read on you will see it is a serious instrument. And as for it being laminate - well, there is laminate and there is 'laminate'! The use of laminated woods in quality musical instruments is not actually that unusual, it is just that we have become used to laminate meaning 'cheap' because the market has been flooded with so many bargain ukuleles like Mahalos. Laminate on those entry level cheapies is nothing more than plywood, and very thick plywood at that. Those sort of laminates sap tone and volume and make the instrument heavy. In the guitar world however, many top end makers and private luthiers have been working with professional quality laminates for some years (including Taylor and Martin). Not only is it cheaper, but it is stronger and capable of being made thinner and bent into shape easier than solid wood. And let's dispel another myth, that laminate sounds 'worse' than solid wood. Not necessarily, and a high end laminate can easily beat a cheap solid wood uke every time... Sure, it won't age and change in tone like solid wood can, but a pro laminate can make a fine instrument. So it's funny really. Some people get really sniffy about laminates and think only a solid would uke actually counts as an instrument. Sure, with entry level cheap laminates, many can be pretty horrid but that doesn't mean all laminate is bad.
And that is what Kiwaya chose to do with the KS5, part of their 'Eco Series' (as a tree wasn't felled to make it....). It is made from a high grade professional quality laminate. In this model the finish is a Koa veneer and in Japan it is known as the FS-5. I note they also do a cheaper mahogany veneer laminate too. And that high quality laminate is abundantly obvious when you pick the ukulele up for the first time. This instrument is incredibly light and when you look at the edge of the sound hole, the laminate is also extremely thin - something much more easily achieved with laminate than solid wood. It really is as light as a feather, and that thin wood is designed to help with volume, tone and sustain. In fact I suspect a solid would uke built this thinly would be far too easy to break or split. As such, Kiwaya have worked cleverly with the material. Knowing that laminate is strong, they have used that to create a lightweight instrument. In general terms a lighter thinner body will help resonance.
So looking at the body - the Koa veneer is really rather pretty, if a little on the light end of the scale for my liking (I do prefer darker wood) - but it really is a good looker! The KS5 is styled in the typical Martin fashion (as are many Kiwayas which some people consider to be as close to the vintage Martins as you can get.). So we have a traditional shape double bout ukulele. The grain of the wood is straight and the top and back are a single piece. At this price point there is little curl or wave in the Koa finish, but there is enough stripe and shimmer in the colouring to make this look pleasing. Nice also to see a bit of arch to the back which aids with sound projection (a feature I am seeing more and more with ukuleles).
The bridge follows the traditional Martin design in that it is made of hardwood and is a slot type making string changes a breeze - just tie a knot and slot it in! The saddle appears to be plastic and is one of the most extreme looking compensated saddles I have ever seen - it looks like a wave! The jury is still out with me as to whether a compensated saddle means anything on a uke, but from what I have been told about Kiwayas, their attention to detail is millimetre accurate and this compensated saddle actually works in pinning that tuning down perfectly. Fair enough.
There is little other bling on the uke, and the soundhole has a transfer type rosette in a simple design. Thankfully being under gloss it shouldn't wear off. The sides are a single piece and the back is very slightly arched to help with projection. The body is finished in gloss which is not normally my thing, but seems to suit the instrument. A word about the finish though - I have seen better gloss on ukuleles - this seems to be a little heavily applied as shown around the end of the fretboard and around the bridge. It's also not polished to a high mirror like shine and looks a little bumpy or what they call 'orange peel' in the finish. I suppose it looks vintage in the finish (probably what was intended, in keeping with the Martin styling) but I have seen better. That isn't to say the gloss is too thick, it's just not perfect. Perhaps a minor gripe.
Inside the uke looks very tidy, with the back and top connected to the sides with simple un-notched kerfling. There are no glue drops or seepage signs, and the Kiwaya label complete with hand written serial number is small and dainty.
On to the neck. Its a hardwood neck in three pieces. There is no joint at the headstock, but the heel of the neck is stacked in three pieces - something that is expected at the price point I suppose. I always mention neck construction in my reviews and it is perhaps worth pointing out that I am not convinced there are any benefits attached to a single piece neck over a jointed one. Some claim extra sustain, but I am not sure I buy that. With many jointed necks though, you can see the joins, so for me it is just a case of aesthetics.
The fingerboard is rosewood and is superbly finished. It is unbound (meaning fret edges are visible) but the edges of the fingerboard are 'rolled' meaning no sharp feeling and supreme comfort in the hand. A nice touch.There are 15 nickel frets (12 to the body) and they are perfectly finished with no rough edges at all. Fret markers are in mother of pearl at the 5th, 7th and 10th and it is pleasing to see side markers too. Nut width seems a little wider than standard, or perhaps that is just me (it measures 37mm or 1.5 inches across - but either way it feels very comfortable and spacious). The neck really is one of the high points of this uke.
The headstock is in traditional Martin style with a three pointed crown finish. The face of the headstock is finished in Koa veneer and the Kiwaya logo is a transfer under the gloss in a nice subtle gold finish. I really like the logo as it looks vintage and classy, and is in keeping with the rest of the instrument.
Tuning is provided by Gotoh friction pegs, with white buttons and gold posts. They look superb and are totally in keeping with the look of the ukulele ( I do like to see friction pegs on a soprano uke). They work just fine and have held tuning perfectly since it arrived. And remember - don't be afraid of friction tuners!
Other than that, the uke comes with a beginners chord booklet, and from the look of the pink colour of the strings it arrived with, they looked like D'Addario Titaniums (there seems to be some variation in strings these arrive with, and some apparently come with Hilo strings). No matter - I always experiment with strings on each new ukulele, as I have done with this one and it is now strung with Living Water strings which suit it nicely I think.
So overall it really is a rather nice looking instrument. Despite the gloss finish, the uke is built very, very well and is light as a feather. It's a joy to look at and looks like something that has been unearthed, unplayed, in an attic from 60 years ago. Very classy.
How does it play? Well, in a nutshell - beautifully! The weight of the uke makes it very nicely balanced to hold with no strap, and the neck is ever so comfortable to fret. The first thing that strikes you is the volume of the instrument - wow - this packs a punch - helped by that ultra thin laminate and arched back. It really does bark if you want it to, all with very nice clarity. The tone is typically soprano, with a richness to it that you would really only expect on handmade all solid ukes costing many times this price. The sustain and power are so noticeable you can really feel the ukulele resonating against your chest when you play it which is pretty impressive for a laminate model.
The tone chimes and sings, and there is very nice separation between the strings, and harmonics too. Quite honestly, this is one of the nicer sounding soprano ukes I have had the pleasure to play. In fact, (and it pains me to say this) the sound of this is far far closer to the sound of a Koaloha Soprano than I would really like to admit (considering the price difference and the fact I own a Koaloha!). I have played the solid version of the Kiwaya and sure, there is more depth to the sound but honestly, this uke has a great voice. If I had to criticise I suppose it is a little bit more one dimensional than some high end ukes and thinner sounding than the Koaloha, but really, I am looking for issues with it to say that, and really it sounds superb. Put it this way - play one of these in a ukulele group and your tone will stand out, no question.
Setup was also completely trouble free with perfect action at the nut and saddle for my liking, meaning spot on accuracy all over the neck. No issues! Japanese attention to detail I suppose.
So I am extremely happy with this. The uke shows absolute first class attention to detail in the build and tone, and as a laminate..... well - it is better sounding than many, many solid wood ukes I have played so who cares?
First class and highly recommended.
STOP PRESS - as at early 2015, the price of these has gone up significantly and they are now closer to £300 to buy. Interestingly I still would stand by everything in this review - great ukes.
PROS
Sublime looks and build quality
Light as a feather
Wonderful feel on the fingerboard
Tone and volume to die for
CONS
Gloss finish could have been better finished
SCORES
Looks - 9.5
Fit and Finish - 8.5
Sound - 9
Value For Money - 9.5
OVERALL - 9.1
To understand my review scoring and see this result in context - visit my review page at
How about a soppy one for Christmas - get this strummed on your ukulele! Last Christmas by George Michael / Wham
Last Christmas - George Michael
CHORUS
[C] Last Christmas I gave you my heart,
But the [Am] very next day you gave it away,
[Dm] This year to save me from tears,
I'll [G] give it to someone special.
REPEAT CHORUS AGAIN
[C] Once bitten and twice shy,
[Am] I keep my distance, but you still catch my eye,
[F] Tell me baby, do you recognize me?
[G] Well, it's been a year, it doesn't surprise me.
[C] (Happy Christmas) I wrapped it up and sent it,
[Am] With a note saying, "I love you" , I meant it,
[Dm] Now I know what a fool I've been,
But if you [G] kissed me now, I know you'd fool me again.
CHORUS
[C] A crowded room, friends with tired eyes,
[Am] I‟m hiding from you, and your soul of ice,
[F] My god, I thought you were someone to rely on,
[G] Me? I guess I was a shoulder to cry on.
[C] A face on a lover with a fire in his heart,
[Am] A man under cover but you tore me apart,
[Dm] Oh, oh
Now I've [G] found a real love you'll never fool me again.
[C] Last Christmas I gave you my heart,
But the [Am] very next day you gave it away,
[Dm] This year to save me from tears,
I'll [G] give it to someone special.
[C] Last Christmas I gave you my heart,
But the [Am] very next day you gave it away,
[Dm] This year to save me from tears,
I [G] gave it to someone special.
It was with sadness I learned today about the passing of Dave Brubeck. RIP indeed.
It reminded me of the video below. In it you can see Alice and Matt from the Malbank Ukulele Club - a group of school goers who play ukulele and jam with the N'Ukes every Sunday and on some gigs too.
Their playing leaves us to shame, and we have seen them perform this on our Sunday jam sessions several times. For a ukulele group it seemed a fitting tribute to the legend.
Dead easy this one and another Christmas song that I like - hard to go wrong with this on the ukulele!
Video at the end to play along with - the chords are simple enough, but it's about getting the right marching rhythm for the song.
Stop The Cavalry - Jona Lewie
[A] Hey Mister Churchill [E7] comes over here
[A] To say we're doing [E7] splendidly,
[A] But it's very cold [E7] out here in the snow
[A] Marching to and from the [E7] enemy.
[A] Oh I say it's tough, [E7] I have had enough
[A] Can you stop the [E7] cavalry?
[A] Dadadadada,[E7] dadadadada,
[A] dadadadada,[E7] dadadaaa
[A] Dadadadada,[E7] dadadadada
[A] Da da da da [E7] daa da [A] daaa
[A] I have had to fight [E7] almost every night
[A] Down throughout the [E7] centuries,
[A] That is when I say [E7] oh yes, yet again,
[A] Can you stop the [E7] cavalry? [A]
[E7] Mary proudly [A] waits at home
[E7] In the nuclear [A] fallout zone
[E7] Wish I could be [A] dancing now,
[E7] In the arms of the [A] girl I love.
[E7] Du bu du bu dum dum, du bu du bu dum
Dubu[A] dumdumdubudumdubudubudum
[E7] Du bu du bu dum dum, du bu du bu dum
Dubu[A] dumdumdubudumdubudubudum
[G] Wish I was at home for [D] Christmas...
[A][D][A][D][A][D][A]
[E7] Wish I could be [A] dancing now,
[E7] In the arms of the [A] girl I love.
[E7] Mary proudly [A] waits at home
[E7] She‟s been waiting [A] two years long
[E7] Du bu du bu dum dum, du bu du bu dum
Dubu[A] dumdumdubudumdubudubudum
[E7] Du bu du bu dum dum, du bu du bu dum
Dubu[A] dumdumdubudumdubudubudum
[G] Wish I was at home for [D] Christmas...
[A][D][A][D] [E7] [A]
Ok folks - time to draw the winner in the Ohana Competition I have been running! Who has won the ukulele??
I had a staggering amount of entries (nearly 900) for the competition. Not everybody got the answers right though, so of the several hundred that did, I put the correct names in the hat and a name was pulled by my three year old daughter!
MANY Congratulations to Lynda McAfee of Madison, WI, USA - you are the very lucky winner and I will now ask Ohana to get this great instrument winging it's way to you! Let me know how you get on with it as I am sure Ohana would like the feedback!
For everyone else who entered, here are the correct answers.
Q1 wasWho said the following of Ohana Ukuleles: "If you'll get to deal with Ohana you'll see you will always find people with no shadows and a high grade of humanity. That's why Ohana is my favorite ukulele brand." Sadly, it wasn't me who said it (although I share the sentiment) but it was Lorenzo Vignando - also known as Ukulollo - (I accepted both answers) and the answer is on THIS PAGE Q2 I asked what wood was the top of the Ohana TK-50WG made from. This one generated all sorts of answers, but the correct one is Solid Cedar - which can be seen on THIS PAGE
Many Many thanks to all of you who entered and keep an eye on Got A Ukulele as I hope to be running some more competitions very soon!
And lastly - many thanks to Ohana Ukuleles for donating the prize and helping me celebrate the birthday of Got A Ukulele.
Another one for the growing list of Christmas songs for ukulele! And you can find the rest of my ukulele songs, including the Christmas selection HERE
I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day - Roy Wood
I have put a video at the end, but bear in mind the original is in D, not C. In D though there are too many dreaded E chords, plus I find C easier to sing so have transposed it below.
Oh when the [C] snowman brings the snow
Oh well he [F] just might like to know
He's put a [C] great big smile up- [Am] -on somebody's [Dm]face. [G]
If you [C] jump into your bed,
Quickly [F] cover up your [Dm] head,
Don't you [C] lock your doors, you know that
[G] Sweet Santa Claus is on his [Bb] way. [C]
[CHORUS]
Oh [Bb] well I [D] wish it could be Christmas every [G] day.
When the [A7] kids start singing and the band begins to [D] play. [A7]
[D] Oh I wish it could be Christmas every [G] day
So let the [Em] bells ring [A7] out for [G] Christmas! [D]
When we're [C] skating in the park,
If the [F] storm cloud paints it dark
Then your [C] rosy cheeks gonna [Am] light my merry [Dm] way. [G]
Now the [C] frosticals appeared
And they've [F] frozen up my [Dm] beard,
So we'll [C] lie by the fire till the
[G] Sleep simply melts them all [Bb] away. [C]
REPEAT CHORUS
When the [C] snowman brings the snow
Oh well he [F] just might like to know
He's put a [C] great big smile up- [Am] -on somebody's . [Dm] face [G]
So if [C] santa brings the sleigh
All [F] along that Milky [Dm] Way,
I'll sign my [C] name on the rooftop in the
[G] Snow then he may decide to [Bb] stay. [C]
REPEAT CHORUS then end with
Why don't you [G] give your [A] love for [G] Christmas? [D]
Time for a holiday price cut right across the board on my ukulele beginners books. On Kindle and via Smashwords you can now get my titles for at least 25% off, and in the case of the Complete guide - for over a third off normal price.
And they will stay that way until after Christmas!
AND - the prices of my paperbacks - available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble as well as other good retailers have also been trimmed for the holiday season!
All good stuff - if you know a friend getting a ukulele - tell them to check the books out - or if you are getting your first yourself, well, you know what to to do!
This is the walnut model, with the walnut wooden fingerboard (nice upgrade) - with Grover tuners. Comes with original Fluke Denim bag - and is pretty much unplayed (a banjo doesn't fit in with our ukulele group!).
Can be picked up in the UK, or I can ship within UK for agreed postage. These are £230 on SUS brand new, and this being in mint condition - was looking for £175.
Good luck - just message me at bazmazwave@gmail.com if you want to discuss - will be going on the great eBay in the sky before long!
Another Christmas tune for ukulele - and one to make us all think a little about those less fortunate. For my US readers - this was the UK single to support Band Aid and Live Aid in the 1980's. If you can give a little for Christmas it will be appreciated by others less fortunate.
The N'Ukes will be singing this as part of our own Christmas Charity event on 19 December.
Do They know It‟s Christmas? - Band Aid
[C] It's Christmas [F] time, there's no need to be [C] afraid.
At Christmas [F] time, we let in light and we [C] banish shade.
And in our [Dm] world of [G] plenty we can [C] spread a smile of [F] joy,
Throw your [Dm] arms around the [G] world at Christmas [C] time.
But say a [F] prayer; [G] pray for the [C] other ones,
At Christmas [F] time, it's [G] hard, but when you're [C] having fun
There's a [F] world outside your [G] window,
And it's a [C] world of dread and [F] fear,
Where the [Dm] only water [G] flowing
Is the [C] bitter sting of [F] tears.
And the [Dm] Christmas bells that [G] ring there
Are the [C] clanging chimes of [F] doom.
Well, [Dm] tonight thank God it's [G] them, instead of [C] you.
And there [F] won't be snow in [G] Africa this [C] Christmas time.
The [F] greatest gift they'll [G] get this year is [C] life. [C7]
Where [F] nothing ever [G] grows, no [C] rain nor rivers [F] flow,
[Dm] Do they know it's [G] Christmas time at [C] all?
[Am] Here's to you; [G] Raise a glass for everyone.
[Am] Here's to them; [G] Underneath that burning sun
[Dm] Do they know it's [G] Christmas time at [C] all?
[F][C]
[C][F][C][F][C][Dm][G] x2
[C] Feed the [F] world! [C] [F][C]Dm][G]
[C] Feed the [F] world! [C] [F][C]Dm][G]
[C] Feed the [F] world! [C]
[F] Let them [C] know it's [Dm] Christmas time [G] again!
[C] Feed the [F] world! [C]
[F] Let them [C] know it's [Dm] Christmas time [G] again!
[C] Feed the [F] world! [C]
[F] Let them [C] know it's [Dm] Christmas time [G] again! [C]
All solid electric ukuleles are a subject that I see constantly discussed on ukulele forums - and this seems to be despite the fact that there are not actually that many choices out there. I am a big fan of the Risa Uke Solid though, which certainly has its lovers and its haters. Since I wrote that review, I had an endless stream of people pointing out that I should try the Eleuke Peanut, that it was a fraction of the price, and why on earth should anyone buy the Risa?
OK, OK - I succumbed. Let's take a look.
The Eleuke Peanut
I had actually owned an eleuke before - an SC100PHP - and, despite it looking the part - I sold it for one very simple reason - the one thing it was built to do above anything else - i.e. play electric - just didn't cut it for me. The pickup employed was ultra cheap, noisy and just plain bad. If it couldn't do that right, I thought, then what exactly is the point of it? So it was with some trepidation I took a look at the Peanut - one of Eleukes latest offerings in the electric ukulele range. It's key selling point? At £79 it's about half the price of the Risa Uke Solid.
The first thing that strikes you about the Peanut compared to other Eleukes is the size - this thing is tiny, with a rather cute shape that gives the instrument it's name. I think it looks great!
On first inspection, like other eleukes I have played, it is all put together rather nicely in terms of the main build. I am not sure whether this is a nod to the Risa, but the body on this employs the same stained and smooth satin finish wood as the Uke Solid - it shows off the grain nicely and is extremely tactile and comfortable to hold. A nice job.
The body is, as I say, tiny, but of a decent thickness. Like the Risa, the whole instrument is made from a single piece of wood - no joints, neck included - just one slab of wood from tail to headstock that is finished rather nicely. I think this is billed as soprano scale.
Eleuke Peanut body (shaped like a .... geddit?)
On the top of the body we have a rosewood tie bar bridge with some nice binding trim on the tie bar which looks quite pretty. The saddle is synthetic and underneath it lies the piezo pickup that gives this uke it's electric output. Also on the top are the tone and volume controls for the pickup (this being an active pickup instrument). They are small and unlike other electric ukes I have seen, don't stand out too much - they are in keeping with the diminutive size of the uke. They move smoothly, and the tone is notched at the halfway point so you know where you are with it. It's also worth noting that these controls are one of the plus points people shout about over the Risa which has none at all.
Flipping the Peanut over, we see the battery compartment which takes a standard 9v battery, and the cover for the electric gubbins inside. The cover seem to be made of a laminate with wood veneer and looks kind of cheap to my eyes. Still, nobody will be seeing this.
Eleuke Peanut back - battery cover in black.
On the top edge of the uke are two mini jack sockets - unmarked, but both are used for the other tricks that Eleuke like to shout about. One socket is a headphone 'out' so you can plug 'phones in to it directly and listen to your playing. The other is an MP3 (or line) input - meaning you can stream your own music into the uke, then play along listening in to the headphone out. Quite a nice idea that again, is not employed on the Risa. The main instrument out is a standard guitar jack affair on the tail of the instrument which doubles as a strap button.
Eleuke Peanut MP3 and Headphone sockets
Up to the neck, and past the second strap button - the profile is chunky like the Risa but not so square. Very comfortable and smooth though, and I think that being such a small instrument, it needs to be that chunky or you would lose control of it when playing it.
The fingerboard is nicely finished rosewood, applied neatly to the neck. It is unbound, but the fret edges are fairly well hidden by the satin coat. There are 13 nickel frets, quite chunky in feel, but all are finished nicely on the ends with no sharp edges. Fret position dots in an abalone material are on the 5th, 7th and 10th frets and pleasingly, there are side markers too for the player in white. A nice touch.
Eleuke Peanut - rosewood neck - nice to see side fret markers
Up to the nut (black synthetic) and then on to the headstock which is part of the same single piece of wood. Its a simple rounded square shape that looks quite nice, with the Eleuke logo screenprinted rather badly on to the face. It's in pale gold so doesn't stand out very well and is also applied off centre. The headstock size, to my eyes looks a little small. I appreciate this is a tiny instrument, but if the headstock was a touch bigger I think it would give the uke more balance to look at.
Tuning is provided by unbranded geared tuners which stick out a little too much for my liking (again, bigger headstock may help here), but generally look ok. They are finished in chrome.
Eleuke peanut headstock
So in terms of describing the instrument, that really is about it - a simple affair. It also comes with a thin padded and zippered gig bag and a strap - much like the Risa, and the uke arrives strung with (what else) Aquila strings. Very simple - as it is intended to be. But... what you really want to know is how it plays.
Well, firstly let's look at the general setup before we start looking at the electronics. Action for me at the saddle was a touch high, but not too bad, but at the nut things were much worse with most strings throwing out of tune at the lower frets. I filed them down a little and got things sorted quite quickly. If you are buying I would ask your dealer to give this a thorough setup!
To play, the uke is quite comfortable - helped by the chunky neck and feels balanced. Sitting without a strap can find you losing the instrument a little, and whether sitting or standing I found the strap was a real bonus. It's not that light, but not overly heavy to hold, and in fact feels secure in the hands. I am also no fan of Aquila strings (I dont like the strumming feel to them and find they grip to fingers too much) so swapped them out for Worth Clears and it feels great now. With the nut adjustment and the saddle down a touch, intonation all over the neck is perfectly respectable. So things are looking positive before I plugged it in.
A quick word on the tuners before we move on to the electric sound - they really are pretty nasty. Two of them are overly loose with some real slop and play in them - meaning that when you turn them you have a couple of millimetres of turn before anything actually happens at the post. The E string tuner on the other hand is extremely stiff, to the point that once every full revolution of the post it needs a vice like grip to turn it. I used a string winder to put the new strings on and actually thought the tuner was broken beyond repair. It does turn though, but with lots of effort. In short - for £79, perhaps not surprising, but bad tuners really should still be weeded out of quality control checking (and plastered all over the back of the neck are a multitude of quality control stickers....). On the plus side, once in tune, they hold just fine, but really, they are horrible.
Eleuke peanut - wonky tuners
So - the sound.... Let's first look at those onboard headphone and MP3 sockets. Well, the MP3 first - yes, it works just fine. Plug in your headphones and an MP3 player and you can hear back the tune you are streaming it to it. It's a nice feature that many beginners will welcome I am sure. But the playback really ends there, because when you then actually start strumming the thing, the sound of the uke through the headphones is really rather dreadful. The volume and tone seem to do little more than switch the sound between awful and distorted to less awful. It's a thin, odd sound, that really doesn't sound like a ukulele at all, full of noise, hiss and hum and to my ears is nothing more than pure novelty. Sure, yes, I suppose it 'works' but if you like your tone and clarity of playing you will cringe at the headphone sound. I tried various 'phones with little improvement, and also found that the uke was not capable of driving much more than tiny in ear bud earphones. I suppose that at a push it works fine for, say, late night practice without disturbing the neighbours, but really, the sound would very quickly start to grate on me. Interestingly this was exactly the same complaint I had about the first Eleuke I tried some years ago. Things haven't improved then.... For me, I don't miss not having these sockets on my Risa - for £30 you can buy a decent headphone amp for any electric ukulele with a sound quality that far, far exceeds the output from the Eleuke sockets.
In listening through the phones, something else was abundantly clear to me - some strings (namely the C and the E ) were significantly higher in volume than the others which, naturally, renders playback pretty useless. This is a sign of either a cheap pickup or a bad setup of the piezo strip under the bridge saddle. I took off the saddle (as part of my plan to lower it as I mentioned above) and found that the issue was both a cheap pickup and a bad setup. The pickup piezo strip was a fat, wonky piece of braided copper around the piezo - far too chunky and difficult to lay flat. Perhaps I shouldn't have been surprised at £79, as good piezo strip pickups can cost more than that alone, and that is before you add tone and volume control and other gizmos employed on this instrument. The strip was also not covering the whole of the base of the saddle slot which would explain why the G string in particular was so quiet. In addition though, the base of the saddle was not sanded flat - and this is essential to getting balanced tone from a piezo pickup. I re adjusted the piezo strip, sanded the saddle base flatter and also added in a thin wood shim to ensure the strip was nicely seated and put the thing back together. Thankfully the volume balance was corrected, but it was a setup hassle that I could do without. Again - I question the quality control checks....
So the onboard playback is a huge let down, but how about plugging it in direct? Well not much better I am afraid. Plugged in to an amplifier the sound is muddy and extremely noisy (lots of hiss, background noise and other unwanted nonsense). It's extremely bass heavy, and the tone control has no real range to it - more a case of it being either extremely muddy on most of the dial, or with the tone set to full, 'slightly less muddy'. There is no zing or brightness to the tone, no clarity between the strings, and it really doesn't sound like a ukulele. Only a lot of mixer twiddling is giving anything close to a nice tone, but still there is no separations between the string notes. The volume control when set above two or three really adds to the loss of clarity, meaning amplification at the amp side, and that only increases hiss and noise. It also seems to lack any sustain at all, meaning quite a staccato sound to picking.
I plugged both this and the Risa Uke Solid in to the two separate channels on a Marshall AS50R acoustic amp (a lovely amplifier). The difference was night and day. The Risa really sings, it is sharp and crystal clear with little noise, and despite it having no onboard controls, changing tone settings on the amp gives a real range of sounds you can play with. (see the Soundcloud clip at the end of the review - not perfect example but recorded from ipad microphone directly off a monitor speaker) The Peanut on the other hand still suffered from the bad to the 'only slightly less bad' in the tone stakes. In fact I tried to get them matched in sound, and only got close by cranking the Risa treble down and bass up, and the Peanut treble up and bass down. Even then, the Risa still far exceeded the Peanuts tone.
I also tried it through a couple of micro amps, and the issue is the same - muddled noisy tone with no clarity.
Eleuke Peanut - standard guitar jack / strap button
All in all - rather disappointing when plugged in and requiring a massive amount of tweaking of tone for only slight rewards in sound quality.
Therefore to conclude - for me it seems a real shame that the one thing this ukulele is designed to do, is not done well at all. It is not as if it is an electro acoustic where you could say 'sure, the pickup is a bit rubbish, but it sounds ok unplugged' - you can't - this uke is pretty silent unplugged. It's purely an electric uke and it doesn't deliver that single thing very well.
Perhaps I got a bad one - but then this is the second Eleuke I have played and thought exactly the same issue, and a quick browse of ukulele forums will find others with the same complaint. Actually though, the first Eleuke I played was more respectable plugged in direct than this, so perhaps things have gotten worse at the Eleuke production line..
On the plus side, it looks great, feels good to play and the price is hard to ignore for beginners - but that is the problem for me. When even an entry level under saddle pickup will cost you around £40-£50 (and many cost much more) then it comes as no surprise that at £80 for a whole instrument, with bag, strap and strings, that the sound isn't up to much. For me it should really only be considered as an emergency practice or travel uke, or as a novelty. There is no way you would want to plug in and perform with this on stage. In fact, if you wanted to I suspect you would be spending good money on DI boxes, pedals or other amp modelling shenanigans (together with a noise gate pedal) to get the sound even slightly respectable for a gig performance - and with that much money being spent - just buy a Risa...
Perhaps I am being harsh - as a beginners uke, I suppose it will suffice, but it's just a shame that it will never be much more than that. My answer? Eleuke should crank the price to just over £100 (still a bargain in ukulele terms) and fit a better quality pickup. Simple as that.
PROS
Good body build, looks, neck profile
Price (if you know the limitations)
CONS
Tone and sound - woeful through both headphones and muddy and fussy through amplifier
Poor setup
Poor pickup setup
Poor pickup!
Sticky tuners
SCORES
Looks - 8
Fit and finish - 5.5
Sound - 3.5
Value for money - 6
OVERALL - 5.8
To understand my review scoring and see this result in context - visit my review page at
If you enjoy this blog, donations are welcomed to allow me to invest more time in bringing you ukulele articles. Aside from the Google ads, I don't get paid to write this blog and for reasons of impartiality a not sponsored by brands or stores. Your donations all go back into the site to allow me to keep bringing you reviews, and in the end the ukuleles acquired are given to local schools and charities.
