Been noodling a lot of Tom Petty on the uke today (big fan) and this one really started to work out. Needs to be played with a bit of a muted chunking strum to get the groove right, and instrumental breaks are just crying out for some electric lead or harmonica.
And of course, anyone who knows Petty and his friendship with George Harrison knows that George regularly tried to get his friend to play uke!
Mary Jane's Last Dance - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.
[Am] [G] [D] [Am]
[Am]She grew up in an [G]Indiana town
Had a [D]good lookin' mama who [Am]never was around
But she grew up tall and she [G]grew up right
With them [D]Indiana boys on an [Am]Indiana night
[Am] [G] [D] [Am]
Well she moved down here at the [G]age of 18
She [D]blew the boys away, it was [Am]more than they'd seen
I was introduced and we [G]both started groovin'
She [D]said, "I dig you baby but I [Am]got to keep movin'"
(keep on movin) [Am] [G] [D] [Am]
Chorus:
[Em7] Last dance with Mary Jane
One more time to kill the pain[A]
[Em7]I feel summer creepin' in and
I'm Tired of this town again [A]..... [G]
Well [Am]I don't know but [G]I've been told
You [D]never slow down, you [Am]never grow old
I'm tired of screwing up, I'm [G]tired of bein' down
I'm [D]tired of myself, I'm [Am]tired of this town
Oh my my, oh hell yes, Honey put on that [G]party dress
[D]Buy me a drink, sing me a song,
[Am]Take me as I come 'cause I can't stay long
Repeat chorus
[Am] [G] [D] [Am]
[Am] [G] [D] [Am]
There's [Am]pigeons down in [G]Market Square
She's [D]standin' in her [Am]underwear
Lookin' down from a [G]hotel room
[D]Nightfall will be [Am]comin' soon
Oh my my, [G]oh hell yes
You've [D]got to put on that [Am]party dress
It was too cold to cry when I [G]woke up alone
I [D] hit the last number, I [Am]walked to the road
Couldn't resist sharing some more pics from our ukulele weekender - this time courtesy of N'Uke Keith and his good lady Polly.
Time also to say a huge thank you to her - she follows us to these hare-brained gigs and shows and is always there happy to help out. I owe her a huge thanks for being a childminder above all else. Cheers Poll, and thanks for the pictures.
And.... I have just learned - we had some donation buckets dotted around the place and earned a couple of hundred pounds to Macmillan Cancer Care. Thanks all!
Malbank Ukers Matthew and Alice - they joined us for our full gig later that night.
Malbank Uker Mark in his solo spot featuring much of his own songwriting.
Stephen and Rekha from Chester in their duet with tin whistle! (plus that uke I covet!)
Brief conversation with the N'Ukes last night about the Richard Berry song 'Have Love Will Travel' that got me thinking about what is perhaps his most famous song - Louie Louie by the Kingsmen.
And it's a dead easy one to get done on the ukulele - pretty much the same chord progression throughout - but like many such songs that just work on a rolling pattern, the key is getting the rhythm bouncing.
[A]Fine little [D]girl she [Em]wait for [D]me
I [A]catch the [D]ship a[Em]cross the [D]sea
I [A]sail the [D]ship [Em]all a[D]lone
I [A]never [D]think I'll [Em]make it [D]home.
Chorus
Verse 2
Every [A]night and [D]day me [Em]sail the [D]sea
Me [A]think of [D]girl [Em]constant[D]ly
[A]On the [D]ship I [Em]dream she's [D]there
I [A]smell the [D]rose [Em]in her [D]hair
Chorus
Verse
Me [A]see Ja[D]maica [Em]moon a[D]bove
It [A]won't be [D]long me [Em]see me [D]love
Me [A]take her [D]in me [Em]arms and [D]then
I [A]tell her [D]I'll never [Em]leave a[D]gain
Chorus
I say [A]me gotta go [D] [Em] [D]
[A]Me gotta go [D] [Em] [D]
Well [A]me gotta go [D] [Em] [A]
Copy of the song in video below - and one of those well known music facts - spot the mistake in the recording about 1 minute 55, that they put out on the record anyway. Suppose if you want to be authentic you can put it in your ukulele version!
Well quite a large gig report this one - we are back, tired, well fed and extremely well watered (!!) after our ukulele weekender in Cheshire. Really pleased with the turnout for what went on to be huge fun.
We arrived early in the morning of the 22nd at the Shady Oak pub (great venue in the shadow of Beeston Castle, good beer and a campsite!) and pitched tents. Down to the beer garden where the pub had put up a small stage and canopy for us. The numbers started to build and we got down to it. (but, a quick beer first...)
The N'Ukes grab a beer - Credit for all photos - Chuck Belanger
The N'Ukes themselves were booked to play a gig in the pub that evening so wanted the day to be about other players who had come down to see us. Proceedings kicked off with a set from the Malbank Ukulele Club (a bunch of sixth form aged players who come and strum with us in our open nights each Sunday. Brilliant stuff from them, and followed by one of their club, Mark Gallagher who gave us a great set including lots of his own penned songs - impressive.
Malbank Ukulele Club
The day continued and our worries of there not being enough players to keep it going were unfounded. The first set kicked off about 12.30 pm, and people were still on the stage after 5pm. Particularly enjoyed the set from Stephen Fowler and his wife Rekha (who accompanied on tin whistle). Nice bit of Leonard Cohen, and I also covet his new aNueNue ukulele! We also had people join us from other clubs around and that was really appreciated too.
Great also for Ken Middleton and his wife to come along and play us some tunes - lots of bluegrass! And all played on a split ukulele too! Very sadly, Ken had discovered on opening his case that the top of his uke had split rather badly - weather / temperature issues. Not to be outdone his performance sounded great.
Ken Middleton
Ended the daytime slots with a guest appearance from Danielle Greenwood from the pUKEs who gave us a few songs - a mixture of some laid back punk tunes and some Johnny Cash to finish - all accompanied by various players from the day. We thoroughly enjoyed the saturday, the weather was wonderful and the feedback from those who had just come to watch was superb.
Time for some food, a few drinks back at our tents, then the march back to the pub laden with amplifiers and microphones to set up for our evening gig. Lot's of N'Ukes, small place to perform it - squeezed in but, actually, it felt good. Think we delivered a decent set (please do tell me otherwise if that was the case!) - ably supported throughout by a couple of the Malbank Uke Club players (Alice and Matthew) who then ended the night with a couple of songs through the amps - their first ever pub gig and you could see they enjoyed it from the enormous grins on their faces!
Bed? not quite - ended up chewing the fat with the the very lovely landlord and landlady - Chris and Annette until the wee small hours - Chris even singing a few tunes with us. I lost count of how many songs we played that night - dozens and dozens and dozens. My fingers were numb. As was my head when I awoke the next morning!
Breakfast and a look around to see the weather had changed for the worse. Luckily no rain but had turned breezy and quite cold. Back down the beer garden, uke in hand and delighted to see more guests - including Paul McCann who came down from Bradford and Tim Cooke and Les Hilton - otherwise known as Chonkinfeckle down from Wigan. A bit of a strum with Chonkinfeckle outside made us realise it was too cold for playing outside so into the pub for some grub and a pint, and spent the afternoon strumming away. Really good feedback again from the regulars in the pub and some nice tunes from a couple that came to us from Cheadle near Stoke On Trent and gave us a few tunes. Highlight for me was Chonkinfeckle giving us a few of their tunes - Les on uke and harmonica and Tim on his tea chest bass complete with sparkly lights - they were brilliant and two thoroughly nice blokes.
Chonkinfeckle
A great weekend, and one that we plan on repeating in the summer months next year - hopefully bigger and better again. Feedback was great (lost count of the number of people who asked for our webpageHuge thanks to anyone who came along, even if you only popped in for a short while. It was much appreciated!
News time again - (and slightly delayed on account of our ukulele weekend mini festival). Home now, the tent is drying and time for a look at what has been going on around the world related to ukulele.
Nice interview article with Elaine who arranged the Napa Valley Ukulele Festival. Having spoken to a couple of people who were there it sounded like a great event.
This weekend the Nantwich N'Ukes are hosting a dry run, or a bit of a tester, for a ukulele weekender in the north west of UK.
We really like the idea of a (free) get together of ukulele clubs and others who just like to play so made arrangements for a last minute do at the Shady Oak Pub in Tiverton near Chester, Cheshire UK.
We start at about 12.30 in the afternoon on Saturday 22nd, and look forward to an afternoon of playing around the tents / pub with friends and uke fans - want to do a set or a spot - just let us know!. On the evening of the 22nd, the Nantwich N'Ukes are doing a full set in the pub from 9pm. Thereafter, slope of to bed / tent and more strumming the next day.
As I say - this one is a tester - if we get a good reaction and please the pub, we hope to put on a fuller and bigger event next year. As such, your support is needed! If you can turn up - even for a short time - please do so!
Ahead of their much awaited show at the Royal Albert Hall (yes, THAT Royal Albert Hall...) great coverage for the Ukulele Orchestra Of Great Britain on ITV.
Such good news for the ukulele, and with many other uke appearances on TV lately, good to remember that this is the big act that has been doing it for years.
I'm a big fan of Leonard Cohen, but for some reason, it tends to get a frown when you play one of his songs. I suppose he has a reputation for the more morose or downbeat lyric, but I am a huge fan.
Anyway, been playing a few of his songs lately, and this one kind of stuck. To be in our jam session last night with Ken Middleton, started playing this and finding Ken singing along made me decide to put it up on here. It may not be the best known song, but it's a good one. Ken told me he loves Cohen and has played many of his songs on guitar and uke. Good enough reason to share!
It's a song to be played slowly - ideally fingerpicked with a bit of a strum coming in to accentuate the lyric in the chorus - the "you got away didn't you babe" parts. And for those wondering, the fabulous lyrics tell the story of his romance with Janis Joplin and his time in bed with her in the famous Chelsea Hotel in New York.
Chelsea Hotel No.2 - Leonard Cohen
I re- [C]member you [G] well in the [F] Chelsea Hotel [C]
You were talking so [Em7] brave and so [Am] sweet
[C] Giving me [G] head on the [F] unmade [C] bed
While the [F] limousines wait in the [G7]street
[Am] Those were the reasons and [F] that was New York
We were [C] running for the [Em7] money and the [Am] flesh
And [F] that was called love for the [C] workers in song
Probably [F] still is for those of them [G7] left
Ahh but [F] you got away, [C] didn't you babe
You [C] just turned your [Em7] back on the [Am] crowd..
[F] You got away, I never once [C] heard you say,
I [F] need you, I don't [C] need you,
I [F] need you, I don't [C] need you
And [F] all of that jiving a[Am]round [G7]
I re-[C]member you [G] well in the [F] Chelsea Hotel [C]
You were famous, your [Em7] heart was a [Am] legend
You [C] told me [G]again you [F] preferred handsome [C] men
But for [F] me you would make an ex[G7]ception .
And [Am] clenching your fist - for the [F] ones like us
Who are [C]oppressed by the [Em7] figures of [Am] beauty
[F]You fixed yourself, you said, [C] Well never mind
We are [F] ugly but we have the [G7] music.
And then [F] you got away, [C] didn't you babe
You [C] just turned your [Em7] back on the [Am] crowd
[F] You got away, I never once [C] heard you say ,
I [F] need you, I don't [C] need you ,
I [F] need you, I don't [C] need you ,
And [F] all of that jiving a[Am]round [G7]
I don't [C] mean to su[G]ggest that I [F] loved you the [C] best
I can't keep track of [Em7] each fallen [Am] robin
I re[C]member you [G]well in the [F] Chelsea Ho[C]tel
That's [F] all, I don't even think of you that [G7] often..
I kind of get tired of newspapers running the same old story about the ukulele being in a boom over and over again. But when they talk to someone like George about it - I sit up and read!
The classic song from the film The Jungle Book - everyone knows this one and it's a great tune to play to a crowd - perfect opportunity for some singalong on the chorus!
Now [Am]I'm the king of the swingers
Oh, the jungle VI[E7]P
I've reached the top and had to stop
And that's what botherin' [Am]me
I wanna be a man, mancub,
And stroll right into [E7]town
And be just like the other men
I'm tired of monkeyin’ a[Am]round!
[G7]Oh, [C]oo-bee-doo
I wanna be like [A7]you
I wanna [D7] walk like you
[G7]Talk like you [C]too
[G7]You'll see it's [C]true
An ape like [A7]me
Can [D7]learn to be [G7]human [C]too [E7]
[G7] Instrumental chorus C A7 D7 G7 C G7 C A7 D7 G7 C (in the original this is repeated many times over as part of the film!)
Now [Am]don't try to kid me mancub
I made a deal with [E7]you
What I desire is man's red fire
To make my dream come [Am]true
Give me the secret, mancub
Clue me what to [E7]do
Give me the power of man's red flower
So I can be like [Am]you
[G7]Oh, [C]oo-bee-doo
I wanna be like [A7]you
I wanna [D7] walk like you
[G7]Talk like you [C]too
[G7]You'll see it's [C]true
An ape like [A7]me
Can [D7]learn to be [G7]human [C]too ...
[G7]
Instrumental chorus
C A7 D7 G7 C G7 C A7 D7 G7 C
[G7]Oh, [C]oo-bee-doo
I wanna be like [A7]you
I wanna [D7] walk like you
[G7]Talk like you [C]too
[G7]You'll see it's [C]true
An ape like [A7]me
Can [D7]learn to be [G7]human [C]too
Can [D7]learn to be [G7]human [C]too.... [G7] [C]
Really delighted to be taking part in the street entertainment programme for this years Nantwich Food Festival.
The food festival is growing more popular year by year, and this years, and this years looks to be great with a range of foodie events all round the town from 14-16 September.
The N'Ukes will be hitting the streets and popping up here and there with a ukulele set during the day on the 15th September - more details below.
The N'Ukes seem to have grown something of a reputation of having great guests playing and tonight was a really special one. I reckon there are very few ukulele players out there who have not got a printout of a songsheet in their book from a certain website that appeals to many players. That website is called Richard G's Ukulele Songbook and the N'Ukes were extremely proud tonight to welcome Richard plus entrourage to play with N'Ukes at our jam session.
Wendy, Meg, Richard G and Phil jam with the N'Ukes
And what a nice group they were. A good turnout from the N'Ukes encouraged some good playing, including some inspired song choices from Richard, sweet bluesy vocals from Meg and excellent harmonica and uke from Phil. What a great bunch of people, all the way over to the UK from Australia - we were so proud to welcome them.
Of course, it goes without saying that a N'Ukes session is less of a rigid affair and more of a laid back jam (that is the way we like it) and that seemed to go down well with our visitors. Can honestly say (and am sure the N'Ukes will agree) that tonight was a really fun jam. Thanks so much, and as I say above - if you are ukulele player looking for songs and have not yet come across Richards site - then a) have you been living under a rock and b) Get over there right now!
And below is some footage including Meg, Richard, Phil and N'Uke Keith giving it some "It Must Be Love"
It's Sunday, so it must mean it's time for another round up the last weeks ukulele news from around the globe.
Thrilled with this one - Alan Love and the BCUPS are interviewed by James Naughtie on the BBC Radio 4 Today Programme about their performance today at the UK Bandstand Marathon as part of the closing of the Olympic games. Well done guys!
I don't review enough ukulele apps, but was intrigued by this one that I was sent to test - Learning The Ukulele In 7 Days on the iTunes store.
Learning Ukulele In 7 Days is a simple, yet stylish app created by Peter Ristow and available on the Apple store (sorry Android users). The concept is simple - a seven day course for ukulele beginners, that aims to have you complete each one of the seven simple lessons one day at a time - hence you learn in a week.
I do stress 'simple' here - even if I don't mean that to be a complaint - this is not a full ukulele course. Day one starts with how to tune the uke (including a nice headstock image that you can click and hear sample tones for the notes). That said, perhaps it would have been nice to include an actual tuner that makes use of the microphone here. We move on to a nicely drawn chalkboard lesson on how to hold the uke and how to strum and then on to learning the first chord. I really do like the design and the style here - and the chord learning is pretty cleverly done - with a representation of a ukulele neck that allows you to switch between the usual 'dots on the fretboard' symbols to a representation of an actual hand - a nice idea very well pulled off. We end day one with the first song to learn - an extremely simple rhythm exercise aimed at getting your strumming going. Backed by a (rather cheesy sounding) backing track, we have bouncing ball keeping time and a flashing arrow on the ukulele neck image showing when to strum - all nicely animated, simple and keeping good time. In the first lesson this is about one chord only.
The following days proceed in a similar fashion, starting with a refresher on day two on tuning and holding, then introducing the next chord, an introduction to another strumming pattern (this time bringing in an up down strum), and another song. Days 3-7 follow the same pattern, introducing more songs and more chords along the way.
And on the face of it that is it. It is extremely simple, but then for an absolute total beginner I can see how this app would be very helpful if you don't have access to other forms of tuition. Not only is it teaching you the basic chords, but it is also giving you images of how the hand best holds them, and animated images to follow in your strumming. As basic lessons go, this is pretty much spot on, all for a couple of bucks.
And I suppose that is a gripe I have though - this is so nicely presented - nice clear bold diagrams and lovely animation, that it is crying out for more songs and more lessons. There are just seven very basic songs in here, and nothing really that popular (think Aloha 'Oe, I Shall Not Be Moved, La Bamba) with extremely basic strumming, but then, yet again, I am perhaps missing the point - this is aimed at absolute beginners and as such differs little in that respect from the many music books out there that insist on teaching beginners how to play Happy Birthday or The Runaway Train. The song choice is not the point, it is how the teaching is delivered, and as I say I love the style. It would just lend itself to more songs!
All is not lost however and this is not necessarily a throwaway app once you have done the seven lessons. In the menu is a very handy chord finder feature that the app really doesn't shout about nearly enough. Using the same clear graphics of a ukulele neck looking like a neck does from your eyes when you actually play, you get two selector wheels where you can change the root note and the variant. Sure, there isn't every chord in here, but when you have a hidden feature that lets you move up to F#9 and E Aug, then I think you really have most chords an absolute beginner would need. The app also provides ready access back to the practice songs, the strumming patterns and the basic history and how to's learned earlier in the lessons.
So all in all - I love the style and look of it, and it seems to have been very well thought through, if a little short. The hand images on the chord diagrams is a really clever idea and I love the chord finder feature. Add a real tuner and a selection of further lessons and songs to download and this could be a killer app. As it stands though, at only $1.99, it's surely worth any beginners cash to give it a go - absolute beginners, of course.
Yet another from the N'Ukes set - King Of The Road - Roger Miller. Great tune!
[C] Trailers for [F]sale or rent
[G7]Rooms to let [C]fifty cents
No phone, no [F]pool, no pets
[G7] Ain't got no cigarettes, ah but
[C] Two hours of [F]pushing broom buys an
[G7] Eight by twelve [C]four bit room, I'm a
Man of [F]means by no means
[G7] King of the [C]road
[ C] Third boxcar [F]midnight train
[G7] Destination [C]Bangor, Maine
Old worn out [F]suit and shoes
[G7]I don't pay no union dues, I smoke
[C] Old stogies [F]I have found
[G7] Short, but not [C]too big around, I'm a
Man of [F]means by no means
[G7] King of the [C]road
I know [C]every engineer on [F]every train
[G7]All of their children [C]all of their names
And every handout in [F]every town
[G7]Every lock that ain't locked when no one's around, I sing
[C] Trailers for [F]sale or rent
[G7] Rooms to let [C]fifty cents
No phone, no [F]pool, no pets
[G7] Ain't got no cigarettes, ah but
[C] Two hours of [F]pushing broom buys an
[G7] Eight by twelve [C]four bit room, I'm a
Man of [F]means by no means
[G7] King of the [C]road
[G7] King of the [C]road
[G7] King of the [C]road
Thanks so much to the massive number of entries to my competition to win a Uke Leash straps plus some ukulele books - quite a staggering number of entries!
In the competition I asked you to tell me how many colours the Polypro version of the guitar style strap came in. I really didn't mean it to be a trick question, and I thought it was straightforward, but I really did get a wild range of answers! The correct answer is four colours, and you can find those on the options on this page. Well done to those who got it right (which was the majority by the way!)
The correct answers have been put into a hat shaped receptacle and two winners have been drawn by the honest hands of my two year old daughter!
Congratulations go to....... (drumroll)
FIRST PRIZE - Wins the Uke Leash, Circle Of Fifths tag (worth $22.98), and two of my ebooks of their choice.
Well done to Saskia Press of Rüsselsheim, Germany - I will get the strap despatched ASAP and email you re the books!
SECOND PRIZE - winner of two Barry Maz ebooks of their choice goes to.....
Well done to Ken Orner from New Jersey USA - check your email inbox!
Thanks again to all who took part, and huge thanks of course go to Lori for making the strap available as a prize. Check out her site HERE. If you were unlucky I would very much recommend checking her straps out, they are great quality!
Sorry, I am a day late in this weeks News roundup - on account of a very busy day yesterday gigging with The N'Ukes. (more on that soon on Got A Ukulele)
As I start to write this something tells me this review may serve to create some debate or divide opinions. You see I bought myself a Martin T1K tenor ukulele recently - that is to say a NEW Martin uke, and not a uke made in Pennsylvania USA, but in Mexico - ie - one of their entry level models.
So why the debate? Well I read a lot online about the new Martin range and what I read certainly shows a division of opinion. The biggest point of debate seems to be the "are they as good as original vintage Martin" arguments. Well, at the top of this review, I thought it worth me getting my position straight. I have only ever played one vintage Martin, and that was very briefly and it was a soprano. It was lovely and all, but I write this blog mainly for beginners and like to review instruments that can be bought today. Of course, you can buy vintage Martins, but you are buying them used and a host of issues can creep in to that process. I wanted a Martin just to try one out (as despite the debates online, the consensus did seem to be positive), but don't really have any desire to buy a vintage. As such, this review will draw no comparison to older Martins, because I can't make that comparison. What it is however is a review of an instrument that anyone can buy, brand new (mine was imported from a German store - price €498). So that makes it a fairly seriously priced instrument, though way below the prices of the Hawaiian K Brands in tenor size.
As a comparison for this uke, I am writing this conscious of my review of my other Tenor - the Kanile'a K1 which costs several hundred pounds more.
The Martin T1K (note, strap button added by me!)
The T1K is a couple of steps up from the entry level models in the Martin Ukulele range (the OXK models) and is part of their 'One' Series. To put the price above in perspective, the series runs to series five, which retail for over $5,000 dollars, so in Martin stakes, that makes this pretty cheap... It also makes their five series a daft price in my opinion, but there you go. It's made more cheaply because it is not made in the USA, but takes advantage of cheaper labour in Mexico. That isn't to say however that this makes it an equivalent of a far eastern line instrument - the Mexican factory (much as Fender and Taylor guitars do the same) is just over the border and run by Martin directly. The K in the model name sets this uke apart from the standard T1, as this is made of all solid Koa wood.
Starting with the body and overall looks, it's a standard shaped Tenor with a wider lower bout. The wood does look very nice, and the example I bought has quite a light coloured Koa. For this money don't expect any curl or flame in the wood, but I do have a nice example here I think. The top is book matched as is the back, and the grain is nicely straight on the sides. The finish is a handrubbed satin (possibly an oil finish) which means the Koa doesn't exactly shimmer but it does show some colour change when looked at from different angles, much like the Kanile'a. The construction is flawless (not a mark on it) and it feels very smooth and tactile, particularly around the edges where the top and back meet the sides. The shape feels good and it is extremely light. Looking at the back it is slightly curved to help sound projection, but nowhere near as much as my Kanile'a.
T1k bridge
The bridge is a nice and simple tie bridge with a very low profile, finished with a compensated saddle made of Tusq (bone substitute). The bridge is specced as being either Morado or Rosewood - I think this is the latter and it is very nicely applied and finished.
Nice stripe on the sides
The soundhole is finished with black/white/black simple circle which sets the otherwise bling free ukulele off nicely.
Looking inside the uke more closely and I note something very clearly. I am not normally a soundhole sniffer, but boy oh boy - this ukulele smells good. Full on woodshop smell! In fact, it is so strong I can smell the ukulele when I play it! The kerfling inside is nicely applied and notched, with no glue spots, and the bracing looks fairly standard and also nicely finished. The inside is finished with a Martin label and serial number, (also making it clear it is made in Mexico!)
soundhole and Martin label
Moving on to the neck, we have a single piece of wood (nice to see), specced as being of a 'select hardwood' (search me!), and is also satin finished. The 20 nickel frets (14 to the body) are set in to a morado fingerboard which has a delightful stripe in it which I think looks great. The edges of the fingerboard are not bound so you see the fret ends, but each one is set and finished perfectly without a single rough fret edge. Fret markers are provided on the fifth, seventh, tenth, twelfth and fifteenth as well as on the side of the neck. But please please - why are they so small? I personally don't mind if ukes have the fretboard markers at all (though I do insist on side markers), but these fretboard markers are so tiny I think they look a bit silly. Martin say they are made of white ABS, but to be honest I wouldn't have a clue what they were as they are so small.
Lovely stripe, silly fret markers
Another interesting note about the neck - Martin do not employ a standard joint between neck and body rather a dovetail arrangement. Basically, the body is finished then a dovetail channel cut out of the top into which the corresponding joint piece cut on to the heel of the neck is slotted. It certainly makes for a clean joint with no gaps whatsoever.
Up to the Tusq nut and we have a 1 and 11/32 inch width nut (significantly narrower than the Kanile'a, but then, the Kanile'a is noted to be wide at the nut). The slots are cut well and are not too deep which is good to see.
Headstock
The headboard employs a traditional Martin shape (though a little exaggerated to my eyes perhaps) and is faced in Koa wood. The tuners are the same excellent open geared Grover models as found on the Kanile'a K1, but finished with cream plastic buttons not metal. These are excellent tuners. And then there is the logo... really not sure what Martin were thinking of here, but the logo is a raised gold sticker stuck on to the headstock. It reminds me of those gold stickers that kids use to make their own greetings cards that say 'Happy Birthday' or 'Seasons Greetings'. To me it looks cheap, nasty and totally out of place. I appreciate that costs are cut on this model, but surely a screen print would have been just as cheap. I mean, I am not expecting detailed abalone inlay, but this is just kitschy. Yuk.
Grover tuners - quality
The whole package is finished off with some Martin flouro tenor strings and a Martin branded gig bag. A few words about the bag. As gig bags go, this is about the best quality I have yet seen - it's made by TKL. The material is thick, the logo is stitched, the zips are sturdy and everything about it screams quality. Inside the finish is plush and it even has a neck strap to keep the uke steady. All good stuff, however.... surely if you are spending this much money on a ukulele, made of beautiful solid koa wood, you really are going to then invest (like I did) in a solid case, or at least a pod case? As such I find the gig bag a little confusing. Sure it's very nice, but for me, if they are on a cost cutting drive I would have been in no way offended not to receive a bag, and for them to spend the money on a better headstock logo, on binding the edge of the fretboard or better fret markers, though perhaps that is just me.
The gig bag - not convinced.
So on to the proper test and playing the thing. As I say it is comfortable and light and also nicely balanced. Initial play of the uke tells me that the setup is pretty darn reasonable, though the action at the saddle a touch high. I remedied that very by removing the saddle (no easy feat - dang Martin, it's almost as if you glue these in) and it's now perfect for me. Action at the nut is spot on and needed no tinkering. Tuning is helped by the wonderful Grovers, and intonation all over the neck is pretty much perfect. In fact the harmonic chimes I can get on this at the 12th fret beat any other uke I own, though perhaps that is down to loudness - more on that below.
Slightly arched back
So my first strum in anger and.... blimey.. this is a LOUD ukulele - extremely bright and powerfully loud. I always thought Koalohas were the seriously loud ukes out there, but with the Martin strings this matches them. In fact I took this to our local group practice session, and some players said they could hear nothing else! That loudness is good news in my book up to a point, but was not totally happy with the brightness of the tone. Some claim Koa is naturally bright, but I would ask those to play a Kanile'a K1 which is earthy and woody in tone - this Martin could not be more different to the K1, with a tone bordering on a soprano tone at times. I wasn't too concerned as with all my instruments I then experiment with strings to find the right match. Sorry Martin, but whilst I like your flouro strings, I don't like them on this, and four brand changes later I have settled on Fremont Blackline flouros which have toned the brightness down, kept the best of the volume and just rounded the sound of all over. I love it now.
That volume does not come at the expense of a muddy sound however and the strings are crystal clear and evenly matched. It doesn't quite have the richness of the Kanile'a but then not only is that instrument much more expensive, but it naturally has a very different voice so it is hard to compare. I have heard better sounding ukes, but not many - and this really does have a great tone. The Martin has good sustain, but more bite and attack to the sound. If I am pushed I would say this uke suits picking more than strumming, but honestly, strumming is an absolute hoot on it on account of that volume.
In terms of living with it, that satin finish is extremely thin, and much like the Kanile'a shows finger scratches and dings with ease. After a first proper jam with friends I have already marked it and the slightest of knocks on the table dinged the butt. I personally don't mind these things, as they show the uke has been loved and played, but if you have an aversion to ukes that show marks, you may be frustrated. (I don't mean that as a criticism - as I say, I don't mind knocks - I just know that some do). I suppose it is also a rather plain looking ukulele, but regular readers of Got A Ukulele will know that I don't go in for that much bling myself, so it suits me fine.
In summary I am really rather pleased with it. It has a wonderful sound, and provides me with a nice alternative to the woody Kanile'a when I want more bight or volume. There are some niggles with the finish and detailing, but I suppose it's a price you pay for a cheaper end factory uke (though in my book, the higher end Martin prices are just plain crazy). Perhaps a vintage would be even better - who knows - but that is not what this review is about!
SCORES
Looks - 8.5
Fit and Finish - 9.5
Sound - 9
Value for money - 8.5
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