A Ukulele Magazine For The UK - and About Time Too!

No disrespect to my readers elsewhere around the globe, but I have found that the ukulele print magazines that are out there are (whilst lovely things) a little USA centric. Can I say that? Well, I just did.  So for a while now I was wondering when somebody would fill the gap in the UK market.

Step forward Matt Warnes, who you may know from Omega Music, with a personal side project of his own - UKE magazine! A mag for the UK at last!

So, in view of the fact I think that's an exciting and welcome development for the UK, and the fact he is one of the 'good guys', I thought it warranted a mention on Got A Ukulele.  I'll be having a closer look when issue 1 is in print, but for now you can pre-order it for the very reasonable cost of £4.90 with free postage.

(And sorry USA,  I still love you, but if only there were more of the glorious ukes you feature in your periodicals available over on these shores!)

You can pre-order your first copy of UKE magazine here - http://omegamusic.co.uk/buy/uke-magazine-issue-1-the-uks-dedicated-ukulele-magazine .

Quite frankly - why WOULDN'T you? I mean, it's got Phil Doleman beaming at you from the front cover!!

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Chonkinfeckle's Chonkin' Tunes Day

Just something ukulele based that I wanted to give something of a plug to. Something that I think we should see more of and may help to get some, dare I say it, out of their ruts - the Chonkin' Tunes Day open mic sessions in Wigan hosted by the mighty Chonkinfeckle.

There are so many clubs around the world now, and most uke players I know get involved with one or more of them, but you really can't beat a good open stage, a microphone and a sound system to really test your mettle. I think there should be more of that - just get up and do a tune people! And that's what Tim and Les from Chonkinfeckle have had set up now in their home town of Wigan, every Tuesday night at the Raven Hotel (on Wallgate).

As my readers may know, I have been off the stage for some time now, not having played in anger since August, and then hit with an illness over Christmas. It was therefore encouraging when Tim and Les are giving you a nudge to 'get back on the horse' as it were, and so it was this last Tuesday I made the trip up the M6 to Wigan for a blast with the boys.

They've got a great setup and all a performer will need (PA, microphones, lines if you want to go electric) and if you want some accompaniment from Tim on drums, or Les on harmonica or uke they will be only too happy to help you out. It drew a great crowd too - not just performers wanting their go, but locals who come in to listen to the entertainment.

And it comes with a proper Wigan welcome - how anyone can not be encouraged to get up and play with these two guys at the helm is beyond me.

So a plug post, yes, but also one of thanks to them both for having me up there. Did a few numbers, felt rather rusty, but most importantly had a load of fun. Some more pictures below.

I'd encourage you (whether local or not) to make the trip - Tuesdays from 7.30pm - great fun!

http://chonkinfeckle.co.uk

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A Look Again at Ukulele Tuner Devices

Things move on in the ukulele world, and as much as people moved on from using tuning forks and pitch pipes to clip on tuners, that world moves on too. I thought it was therefore high time I took another look at ukulele tuning devices and let you know some of the kit I am now using. A combo review if you will.

But before we kick off, I did not intend that to sound like a slur on the use of a tuning fork. I ALWAYS carry one in my gig bag and know how to tune the uke to itself. In fact I would say they are a must have piece of kit for the money. Frankly you never know when batteries will die and a tuning fork will never fail to get you out of a fix. They just work! Buy one, you really should!

But moving on, we do like our gadgets too (well this player does) and the clip on tuner is a marvel that moves us massively further forward from the days of spending £50 plus on bulky guitar tuners with analogue needles on them. They are now much cheaper and, on the whole, very reliable.

I have reviewed a few, from the old favourite of The Snark to the higher end likes of the Peterson Strobe model. I used to regularly just tell people 'get a Snark' for the simple reason that I found their readout clearer and more accurate than any other (plus they were cheap). They are also kind of funky looking and I must admit I liked that too.

But they have fallen out of favour with me now. In fact I don't think I now own one that is still in one piece and I used to have half a dozen of the things. And that is the point - they break very easily, particularly on the hinge that holds the unit to the clip. I could add that they also have a tendency to buzz and rattle before they break which is almost as annoying, but generally, they just don't seem to stand up to regular use. It comes, I think, from them being bulky and sticking out from the headstock so much - an accident waiting to happen? On a stage environment I lost count of the amount of times they were ripped from the headstock by a strap, another player or a microphone stand. As such I wanted something smaller. I'm not just knocking Snarks alone here - most of the clip on tuners out there I find are overly bulky and suffer because of it.

I list below examples of what I am using now. I suspect things may change as time marches on, but for now I can't find a better mix for me.


D'Addario / Planet Waves PW-CT-12-NS Clip On Tuner (approx £12.00)

It was actually a couple of years ago I came across the D'Addario brand micro tuner and they are quite old now, but they have become my staple clip on tuner. (Thanks go to Paul Redfern of uke band The pUKEs who lent me one!)  I find them just as accurate as I need them to be (and as any other clip on), but the real boon is how small they are. They are so inconspicuous it would be next to impossible to hit them on anything and they can just be left on at all times minding their own business.

As an  added bonus they remove that rather awful look of warts hanging on the end of the uke on stage. Come on, I can't be the only one who thinks that a uke on stage with a hideous looking tuner hanging off it looks - well, bad? You will hardly notice the D'Addario model I can assure you and most of my main ukes now have them as a matter of course.

Like most clip on tuners, they can be adjusted to re-tune them (not something I recommend and have come across players unsure why their tuner is off because they changed the base tuning) but I suppose that is useful to get a uke in tune with something hard to tune, like an old piano. Otherwise the screen is nice and clear to read and it has a cool feature that flips it upside down if you want to go totally stealth and mount it on the underside of the headstock. It's chromatic too so none of this 'tuned for ukulele nonsense' as it will read any note. (Tuners that bill themselves that way make no sense to me - just get one that reads all notes-  you never know when you may try another tuning or even another instrument.)

As a final point, the words 'clip on' don't really apply here as the D'Addario doesnt employ a normal clip - rather it has an adjustable jaw held by  a notched clip that slides on to the headstock and tightens with a squeeze of finger and thumb. The important thing here is that it doesn't come off, even with shaking. In my experience, even the hardiest of the larger clip on tuners won't stand up to that.

The little D'Addario is a joy and does all I want from a clip on in a tough little box and I highly recommend it.

Tiny!

But that said, I only really use them for around the house and when performing as a backup. Because I tend to play amplified if on stage I am automatically using guitar leads ahead of an amp system and that leads me to what is, without doubt, my favourite electronic tuner method.


Boss TU-3 Pedal Tuner (approx £55)

I use a Boss TU-3 Chromatic tuner in a Foot pedal, and plug this first in the chain between my uke and whatever I am using it to amplify it. The TU-3 is their latest incarnation of a tuner pedal that just works impeccably. It has all the features you can shake a stick at, but in use with a uke on stage has the following important features for me:

1. It is bright and clear even when on the floor
2. It cuts the sound of the uke when tuning - meaning it removes that, frankly, unprofessional thing that some uke performers do in tuning up on stage during a show (come on - who wants to hear it? Yes, I know Joni Mitchell did it, but, well, you are not Joni Mitchell. It sounds and looks BAD!)
3. It is well made and adds no noise to the signal - Sure, there are cheaper Boss copies about , but in the world of Boss pedals my motto remains to 'buy the best' if you want to avoid superfluous noise in your signal. This is built like a tank.
4. Its Chromatic - meaning, as per the D'addario, it can register any tuning you like, any note - and will work with a variety of instruments (pretty much anything that you can give it a line signal from).
5. It picks up even the lightest signal with precision. Has never let me down on that front..

In short, if you perform on stage I just think its one of those pedals that you shouldnt be without - thousands of professional guitar performers cannot be wrong! Sure its not small and it is not the lightest tuner in the world, but it is no different from any other pedal. If you are carrying stage gear therefore this really doesn't add too much to your burden

But outside those, perhaps we don't actually need a physical device at all? Surely there's an app for that?

iPhone Apps (From, FREE!)

Well yes there are, lots of them, some free, some expensive and some like this one I've just been playing with developed by Uke4U. It's only 79 pence (or one dollar) and works just fine on the iPhone or iPad. I like particularly that it has a range of preset tunings for most scales of ukulele in both high and low G, but also other uke tunings like ADF#B (to keep the banjolele nuts happy one assumes!).

There are plenty of others and they kind of fit into the category of 'why wouldn't you' if you run a Smartphone capable of downloading apps. I have a few I've tried and I must admit when I sit with uke in hand and can't find the tuner I left clipped upstairs I do reach for my phone now.  That doesn't make them a stage ready substitute, but equally they have their place. As most people tend to always have their phones or tablets to hand, then, 'why not' indeed?

So the same view I always had applies I guess. I still love clip on tuners, but I have become more picky about what I use. Either way, if you play uke I could do nothing but encourage you to invest in one. If you are on stage I don't think you can beat a pedal tuner if you are plugging in regularly though and they will last a lifetime.  With any of them, you get what you pay for in terms of how long they will last, but they all tend to work the same way. Oh, and get a tuning fork! As one very well known uke professional said to me (Mr Phil Doleman!) - it's the only tuner capable of working as a fork for an after show Chinese meal too!

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Mike Hind to hit the UK!

Really pleased to see how this has come off - Mike (aka Uncle Elvis) is a great performer, resident in Bermuda but is making the trek to a no doubt cold UK for a mini tour this year!

Dates as above and I will certainly be in attendance at at least a couple of them. Being brought to you by the team behind GNUF. If you want to know more about Mike (as well you should) then visit his website on the link below!

See you at one of them!

http://uncleelvis.tumblr.com

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Fishman Pro EQ II Pre Amp box - REVIEW

Ah, electrifying a ukulele. A massive subject in itself and something I still see a great many discussions on. My readers will know that my preference is for a passive system, amplifying the signal 'off' the ukulele rather than the glut of onboard systems that are out there cut into the sides of poor instruments. So as well as this being a review of a pre amp box I have used for a good year or two now, I intend to also expand on my thoughts on the subject generally. Here we have my trusty Fishman Pro EQ II box.

Rugged plastic case

So what are the options for ukulele players wanting to amplify an acoustic instrument. Well, you have two main options. Either buy an instrument off the shelf with a system built in (including pickup and amplifying EQ box / volume control all cut into the body of the uke) - called an 'active' system or fit a pickup strip / transducer / microphone to an acoustic instrument and deal with the EQ and amplification off the ukulele (a 'passive' system). I far prefer the latter, pretty much every time.

There are a variety of reasons, including:

- I prefer less fiddly controls in a box off the uke
- I have seen many less than favourable wiring connections on the onboard units (noise and buzz!)
- The onboard systems add unnecessary weight to the instrument and cut a hole in your instrument!

But mainly it is about quality of tone. With the exception of much higher end instruments (the Godin system for example is VERY good), the onboard systems I have seen on even the highest end Kala instruments (for example) have felt lacking, thin sounding and one dimensional to me. Quite some time ago I stopped buying ukes for either performance or recording with these systems in favour of fitting passive pickup strips to acoustic ukes. The total cost may amount to a little more, but it is well worth the effort to my ears as the results are night and day better in terms of sound quality and control. Going the passive route also allows you to 'electrify' pretty much any acoustic instrument and not find yourself trapped by only buying those that come with an onboard system. Add to that the ability to upgrade either the pickup strips or the pre amps individually and for me the passive route is all good. It's the way most professionals go and some uke makers even refuse to install the onboard systems.

So, if you have (like me) fitted passive under saddle or soundboard transducer pickups to a range of acoustic instruments (as you may have noted I did on my Kanile'a tenor) why is that not the end of the story? Well, with the lack of any preampfification, a passive pickup can sound thin and rather quiet going in to a desk for performance. Add to that of course that you have no control over the sound yourself, and people will  recommend you go for a pre amp unit between you and the sound system. These can be as big as you want them to be, but many are belt or pedal sized allowing ease of carrying and use. Just like the Fishman.

Some acoustic amplifiers may work ok if they have dedicated acoustic input stages, but more often than not I am plugging in to a mixing desk or a PA and prefer to output a better signal that I have control over. A pre amp does a few key things, it boosts the signal, provides a better quality signal and allows control of the system. As such I found myself with this Fishman model and used it on a variety of shows as it aims to tick all those boxes.

(A word of warning for this review, as I have heard Fishman may be discontinuing this model, but I am still seeing them available and in due course you may find some good deals on them (hence this write up). New this cost me about £90.)

The Fishman is a battery powered box, running off a 9v square battery (though does have the option of a power supply) that is very simple to use, with just a single in and out socket for regular guitar lead jacks. I tended towards it as Fishman do carry a good name in acoustic amplification and price wise, whilst £90 may sound expensive, in the world of pre amps it falls kind of in the middle of the prices out there.

The box is fashioned from plastic which was my first concern, but it is a damn tough casing and having dropped this on multiple tiled and concrete floors it has failed to crack or even scratch. Full marks. It also isn't that heavy compared to some I have used. In addition it is nice to see the jack sockets made from metal and not plastic, so they won't fail as quickly as the cheaper models either.

EQ is provided by a range of sliders which move with enough friction to not be loose or wobbly. They are also recessed a little so unlikely to get knocked off as may be the case with round protruding knobs. They are notched at the halfway point so you know where you are in lower lighting which is another nice touch.

Metal input and output jack sockets

We have the usual volume control, plus bass, middle and treble on the EQ plus a 'brilliancy' setting for extra sparkle (or cutting finger noise on lower settings). It's all very straightforward and they work well and have a good range. I used this in the main for cutting mids down to remove the 'bite' often heard with piezo under saddle pickups and it worked well for that. It's not what we call 'parametric EQ' so the settings are limited to just those three (meaning you can't cut out errant frequencies by sweeping through and cutting them) but for most purposes a 3 band is just fine and certainly as good as you will find on any onboard system.

We also have a phase switch. Ah yes, the phase option. Something that will get a confusing answer from even the most experienced of sound guys. Basically - it changes the polarity or direction of the output sound to help avoid feedback amongst other things at the PA end. The instrument projects both its own sound waves and amplified waves which sound better 'in phase' with each other and flicking the switch allows you to swap this. In other words - play with both settings and listen to what sounds best!!

On the reverse of the unit is a metal belt clip (if you want to look like those people who carry mobile phones on belt holsters I guess) and the battery compartment. We also have two gain pots, one for general gain and one for bass which can (and need to) be adjusted before use depending on the pickup. I found that with some pickups I needed to dial this back as I was getting an over driven sound into the amplifier, but that is exactly what this is for. As much as it is a pain to adjust (as you need a screwdriver to do it) I prefer to see that than an easy to knock and alter gain knob as on some other EQ pedals I have seen.

Trim contols

In use I can't really complain and it does the job it was intended to do well. Sound wise I think I would have preferred a more acoustic tone. Having tested this side by side against something like an LR Baggs GigPro the latter provides that in spades straight out of the box with very little tweaking (in fact it has less EQ altering settings than the Fishman for only a little more money). There is nothing 'wrong' with the tone, but it still felt a little electric sounding for me on a variety of EQ settings.  That was fine for me when running through effects, but on pure acoustic tone you might want something sweeter. On the plus side it is quiet in operation and with a good saddle pickup introduces no hum or buzz which is more than I can say for some onboard systems I have used (the perils of cheap onboard gear!). This gives a VERY clean sound which  will put a smile on any sound engineers face.

Still I certainly don't mean to run it down - it is well built, priced and performs admirably. I even used it on ukes with those dreaded on board systems, set neutral and it improved their tone no end too. Oh and the battery lasted for a year of gigs - trouble free indeed!

Would I buy it again? Well I suppose so, but that is something of a loaded question as I have now replaced it with a higher end system that I will be reviewing soon on Got A Ukulele and intend to gig with. Generally though, yes I would. The Fishman is a reliable answer to the need to amplify passive systems in a small tough package. So if you take my advice and head into the passive pickup area, you will need a good EQ box if you want better sound out of it. I would choose one of these over an onboard system every time. If you have the money - the world is your oyster though with other options.

And if the price is a concern, remember this. The concept of going out to buy a ukulele with a budget of £150 then picking a ready made acoustic electro for £150 - well - you are naturally getting far less for your money in the basic instrument AND in the pickup. If you want to electrify then you should budget on spending MORE on the full package and not the same amount - you get no free lunches.  For me, if you intend to amplify, then that amplified tone has to be reasonable and not something to skimp on.  All of that said, if you only ever intend to plug into small amps at clubs or in a bedroom then perhaps a full system IS overkill, but then you wouldn't be reading this would you? For me though, if you ever intend to plug in to a full stage PA, better tone is worth having - with cheaper models that is where your tone will be found lacking ( and the hum and noise from cheap units will drive you mad!). Remember, not every venue has the worlds best sound engineer on hand and £50k mixing desks to make your cheap system sound good...

(Final point - these are NOT just for ukuleles of course and I have used this quite happily with both guitars and mandolins with pickups fitted!)

Watch this space for another Pre amp box review coming soon - something higher end!

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TGI Tenor Ukulele Hard Case - REVIEW

Ukulele cases. Often something that players will skimp on, but something I always recommend. Sure, if your uke cost you $30 you may feel happy with a cloth gig bag, but I look at it this way. If the uke is something that would hurt you in the pocket if you damaged it, then GET A CASE! Thinking of cases reminded me of one I had bought, intended to review, but never got around to it. The TGI Brand ABS case.

I've got a whole range of cases and many ukuleles exist quite happily in the zippered pod cases that have become so popular. They are fine, but I don't find the zips last. Still, they still work as storage protection at home as despite what anyone tells you, the safest place to keep your instrument is in a hard (ish) case. The TGI though cost a bit more and came with recommendations as being a 'good one'. I was on the lookout for such a case for my higher end instruments and pulled the trigger on the tenor version (they come in other sizes too) for a shade over £50. Thats not super high end for a ukulele case but more than I suspect many people spend.

Firstly the TGI is made of ABS which I much prefer to plywood as many hard cases are. An ABS plastic case should first deform before it splits so in other words, where a plywood case will split and become useless, theoretically this should be more robust.

The whole case is finished in a kind of carbon fibre look (its not carbon fibre) but a look over it shows it is extremely well put together. In use this fits a variety of my tenors snugly but securely and they slide in to the deep plush lining with confidence.

In terms of protection, I would not stand on this - but then this is not what I expected - you really should only be doing that with very high end cases from the likes of Calton (and spending many times this price) but it is supremly durable. I can say that as I have been using this case on gigs and the like for well over a year now and all is in order despite being dropped and thrown in and out of car trunks on more occasions than I can remember. There is some 'give' in the outer shell which did concern me a little but it doesnt seem to translate through to the uke inside. In short - this is a case for knocks and drops, but not one for crushing or being run over. Remember that!

The other plus with this case above others I have used, tested or seen fall apart are the number of an quality of the catches. In my experience, these are one of the first things to go with cheaper models, but these are seriously constructed and still hold tightly and firmly.

The handle has also stood up well which surprises me because the rivets holding them on look far from solid compared to the catches. Still, they havent failed in a year of use so maybe I am being over worried. Also riveted to the outside are a couple of eyelets for attaching a strap which is a nice touch though I have not used them.

Inside as I say is a plush affair that holds the instrument far snugger than any pod case I have used. The neck support is superb, and that is also added to with an extra padded strip down the inside of the lid which presses onto the neck and instrument strings. It really does cosset the uke!

With hard cases like this you do of course sacrifice the outer pockets for songbooks and the like, but this does have a small inner hatch which happily takes batteries and a strap as mine does. The upside of course is hard cases take stickers far better, and I love stickers!

Finally, it is, of course lockable. Probably not the most secure lock in the world and I suspect I could pick it, but its better than many I've seen on plywood models.

In short I would recommend this highly as a good intermediate case for higher end instruments. I suspect if my tenor uke cost $3000 or more I may well be investing in something more substantial to protect my investment, but for the more normal 'high end' instruments, this is quite a step up from the pod and plywood cases and worth your time. This one has been well road tested and has not failed in any way yet.

The TGI Abs cases are available from a range of uke stores including Southern Ukulele Store (where this came from).

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Nosy Mangabe - Defying Darwin

Ok ok, a little novelty I guess, but nice uke arrangements, loving the bass, loving the vocals. What you think?

( DIRECT LINK )

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Tinguitar Custom Solid Electro Tenor - REVIEW

Back with another ukulele review, and one that many readers have been keen to have a look at since I first announced it was being built. A custom musical instrument this time by Tinguitar.com in the shape of a solid body tenor uke.

My readers may have seen my earlier posts introducing Robert Collins, the luthier from Hebden Bridge behind the Tinguitar brand, and know that the roots of this went back to a visit to his workshop in late summer 2014 to talk details. You see, that is part of the Tinguitar process - having a look at wood selections, talking through options and agreeing a final specification with Rob on the build that I then waited patiently for.

My choice was for a solid body electric, principally for stage use, as something reliable, tough and that would be resistant to feedback regardless of whether I was playing something soft or throwing it through effects and performing on the more rock end of what I like to play. Solid body electrics remain to be popular and I do get a lot of questions on my recommendations. Sadly, unless at the high end, I find many of them lacking and often question the quality of the likes of Staggs and Eleukes. They may have attractive prices, but when they don't cost much more than a good quality pickup, something tends to give in the end result (usually the electrified sound, which is, after all, their key point).

So knowing the sort of quality that Rob builds having played many of his acoustics, I couldn't resist placing the order and around Christmas time it was ready.

I will just say from the off that this will not be a 'review' in the normal sense and I felt the need to stop short on the scoring system. My reviews all work the same way and impartiality is key, so it felt strange to score this for a couple of reasons. Firstly, Rob is a friend, and I didn't want calls of sycophancy, but more importantly, I specified the build in detailwith him. If, therefore, there is anything missing or not up to scratch (there isn't incidentally) it would be as much my fault as anyones for not asking for it. It's an odd one, but in placing the order you kind of expect with Rob to get what you asked for. I would say this though, he has exceeded expectations and has delivered to me one of the best instruments I have played and I say that with no word of a lie. If there was a score here it would be a straight ten out of ten, but I trust you understand how that may be inappropriate to put in writing. Trust me, he makes very fine instruments!

So, we settled on a tenor scale (my preferred stage choice) and understood this would be made to his standard tenor shape mould though with a cutaway (more on that later). Looking through his wood choices I knew I wanted something more understated and simple (no bling) and settled on a main body and neck made from sustainably sourced (re-used) Brazilian Mahogany with an Indian Rosewood top. There were of course many other details we talked about which will come through in this write up, but everything was covered with Rob, even down to the nut width and profile of the neck. Told you it was a detailed spec!

The body construction may look like a solid block of wood but both the body and top are made of two book matched pieces, and the mahogany body is actually first drilled to create a honeycomb of chambers in it before the rosewood top is applied. Not only does this reduce weight, but adds some sustain without creating huge swimming pool holes that will lead to amplified feedback problems. Very clever.

The body is otherwise unadorned and I chose no binding or inlays, letting the rather pretty woods do the talking. And nice woods they are as I absolutely adore the grains,  particularly on the Rosewood top. When they are complimented by the hand applied French Polish finish that Rob gave the instrument they really sing. It's a nice choice of finish (and actually essential to Rosewood in any case) but Rob does not use a spray bay (so no plastic spray finishes on these instruments). It just exudes hand made quality and presents itself as much as a high end piece of furniture as it does a musical instrument!

The bridge is made from Ebony and is as tie bar style with a nut cut from Corian. It looks superb and neat as I expected it would. Under this sits a simple Artec brand passive pickup strip on the advice of Rob himself.

Otherwise on the body the only additions are the off centre jack socket on the base and a couple of jumbo strap buttons (no straps coming loose!) on the butt and top shoulder. I think the overall look is superb, but back to that cutaway. I think this really sets the uke of perfectly and balances the look. It's a lovely curve and looks and feels very tactile and natural. I love the way it naturally kind of joins the neck.

Up to the neck this is in effect a single piece neck, but was sawed down the middle and a strip of maple wood added running through the whole piece in a skunk stripe. I think it looks the business and runs from the heel right to the headstock. The neck is jointed into the body with a dovetail so no unsightly neck screws and is all finished off very neatly. Its a fairly chunky heel on account of the otherwise thin body, but it never feels like it gets in the way and works on the eye in relation to the rest of the instrument.

As I say above, I specified quite some detail on the neck with Rob, taking measurements from a couple of ukes  I really like the feel of as guides (Kanile'a K1 tenor and the Godin Multiuke). As such it has a wider nut than Rob normally builds but a slightly deeper 'flattened D' shaped profile too for my big hands. Even better the fingerboard, in Ebony, is also cut with a radius for ease of playing. That is to say the fingerboard has a very slight curve to it over the width, as do the frets (12 inch radius for those interested) and on top of that he has curved / rolled the edges of the fingerboard to remove any straight edges. It is otherwise unbound but those build features have provided one hell of a comfortable neck on the fingers. It just aches to be played!

Fingerboard fret markers are applied in mother of pearl, with a double dot at the 12th at my request, and these are repeated on the side (naturally!) at the 5th, 7th, 12th and 15th. They are really nicely applied and help with the understated look of the whole piece. Frets are in nickel silver with 14 to the body and 19 in total. All are superbly finished with no sharp edges.

Past the Corian nut (set and finished perfectly) the headstock is a plain affair though accentuated by the stripe on the rear and Indian Rosewood facing to match the body with some nice stripe to it. It's otherwise square, not only in line with some of Robs other tenors, but I hate the repeated use of the Martin crown on ukulele headstocks so it suits me too. You will note there is no logo, which Rob doesn't apply through choice. That is fine but seeing as the instrument has no sound hole where a label could go, I was keen to have something that told me (and others) this was a Tinguitar. Rob happily obliged with as small version of his brand logo on the side of the headstock with a pyrographic pen. I love that!

Tuning doesnt disappoint and we have silver open geared Grovers, pretty much exactly what are on my Kanile'a tenor (though with black buttons) and they just don't get much better on the geared front.

And there we have it. Aside from Robs own custom fluorocarbon strings in low G as I requested, he has delivered a hell of an instrument in my view. I think it looks the absolute business and was one of those few ukes where you open the case for the very first time and say 'wow'.  I think he was waiting for me to play it but I actually spent the first time with it just drooling over the build. (Then again, I was in hospital at the time, but that is a whole other story).

The first thing that struck me was the weight - helped by that honeycomb inside no doubt, but it is lighter than you expect it to be, whilst still feeling solid in the hand. Nicely balanced too. And that finish is one that you just want to hold and stroke (ok, getting a bit weird now..?). But it is flawlessly applied and just a nice thing to have in the hands.

The neck in particular has exceeded my expectations and feels so nice in the hands and under the fingertips. Working with Rob at the outset does pay dividends as he clearly listens!.

But it is all about how it plays and sounds of course, and that presents me with another challenge in a review like this. You see, being a solid electric it makes little noise when unplugged of course and its all about the amplified tone. Some people have asked me in advance what the 'acoustic tone is like' and it's a question that confused me. It's not an acoustic uke and that is NOT what I wanted or specified. Its a solid! If you want an acoustic, Rob also makes fine ones, but we can't get in to comparing this to one of those - that would be like comparing a Stratocaster to a Martin Dreadnought guitar...

But it also presents a challenge as a big part of the tone comes from what you plug it in to. Plug any solid electric (this, or the Godin) into a crappy amplifier and you may be let down, and of course lots of people have different amps.

First test of this was through a Roland mobile cube - the handbag type and it was highly enjoyable, but plugging it into my Roland AC33 and my Marshall AS50R (both with very nice acoustic stages) it really shows it off. The sound is bell like clear and very nicely balanced across the strings (the plague of cheap electric mass market electrics)

There is one word that doesn't get mentioned with ukes that much and that is sustain. Whilst this is no Les Paul (its a ukulele...) the sustain REALLY impresses me - it sings out and makes playing it, particularly fingerpicked incredibly addictive. I find myself not wanting to put it down. It really feels responsive to the lightest touch (helped by that pickup which is giving a hotter output than any electro acoustic I have played), meaning the slightest bit of light fingering is registering well and clear as a bell.

Sure, it sounds like a piezo because that is what it is, but anyone used to setting an EQ on a piezo strip can easily manage the harsher tones that can sound a little overly electric. In fact just dropping the mids a touch was all it took to give me a delightful tone that I immediately liked. Clearly the build and the wood types help here with the overall 'flavour.

I may sound overly gushing but I can only tell you what I am finding with it. It is a joy to play and I think satisfaction with the build can only be part of that. Had I been given this as a completed uke having had no part in the build I can confidently say I would feel the same way. It just does what it says on the tin and exactly how I wanted it to if not better. I can't praise it enough.

He is a clever bloke that Mr Collins. As I have said before, I hope 2015 may be the year that many uke players start to reject the cheap rubbish flooding the market, but if you are serious about your instrument why not make it a custom?

Now, I haven't talked about price, but that is for good reason. This was my specification and in that sense the price was in my control. I could have easily made it much more expensive had I chosen to bling it up, but I didn't and in the end it cost me a very reasonable price, less than some of my other higher end instruments but the exact figure anybody else reaches will vary with their own choices. You may be surprised though.  Put it this way his ukes start at just over £300 for tenors to give you an idea..

HIGHLY recommended.  http://www.tinguitar.com

Have a look at the video review - but do remember - the amp is everything and this is a laptop microphone recording both my voice and the amp!

Also - be sure to check out my other ukulele reviews here!

VIDEO REVIEW

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Phil Doleman - Old Is The New New CD REVIEW

It was late on in 2014 when I was hearing the news the one of the UK's highest respected ukulele acts was putting together some recordings for release. I owe both him and my readers something of an apology for being a little behind the curve on this, as I've actually had Phil's new EP in my possession for some time now. Sadly a hospital visit put paid to a review back then, so here we are now!

cover image credit - JJ Beardsley

I like to think I was excited about it for good reason. I'm lucky enough to have seen Phil perform live on numerous occasions, and plenty of times in 2014 performing his blend of old time jazz / rag and blues on ukulele all over the country. Looking at the CD, I saw he was including a few numbers I had seen him perform live and that had to be a good thing (seeing as I enjoyed the shows so much).

The CD /download comes in EP format, so just five tracks recorded by Phil and also includes some live stuff. Now, is it just me who likes the fact that the concept kind of harks back to my beloved jazz vinyl records which would often include live takes? A sample of the show experience if you will.

We open with a studio number that I've seen Phil play live many times,  and one that I think he always looks happy to be playing. Dr. Jazz by Melrose and Oliver.  It's recorded brilliantly and a perfect taste of things to come. He puts a real bounce into this one!

I was then pleased as punch to see inclusion of a live version of a track I always really enjoyed seeing Phil play live -  Got Everything ( Don't Want Anything But You) recorded live at the Hebden Bridge Trades Club by Jake Smithies. Often referred to that 'dog and cat song' (perhaps just by me?!) but it gives you a real flavour of 'live Phil' in your pocket.

Track 3 is a really interesting one - particularly since before release I saw photos of Phil recording into some old looking contraptions! For 'Big Bad Bill' Phil took himself off to Sheffield to work with Duncan Miller at the Vulcan Cylinder Recording Company to record a track to a vintage wax cylinder. Would it work? Well the clear answer is yes! This could not sound any more vintage - complete with compressed vocals and wax crackles. It's a really clever idea and gives a great old time feel to the EP.

We have a another live track in 'We Are Both Feeling Good Right Now' recorded in his beloved home town of Belper at Number 28 and the EP closes with the ukulele players favourite of 'Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate.'  Uke players take note  - most club renditions of this tune seem to be flabby and slow to me (my own included) but if you want to take tips on delivering this with some verve and swing you need to listen to this version! Nice bass in the background there too, and is that a guitar I hear?

Throughout you are hearing some serious uke talent, but more than that  - a man who clearly enjoys making music and nodding his hat to the jazz heritage.

So in my absence I had luckily put MP3's of these on the iPod not knowing I would come to rely on that device whilst trapped in hospital. They worked wonderfully, and I found myself sat staring at the walls with a smile on my face. I think my comment above on the second track sums this one up the best I can - an EP of Doleman performance for your pocket! If you have enjoyed him live, this really is a no brainer to take him on the road with you! 

My only gripe? It's just an EP - more please Phil!!

You can grab a copy of the EP through Phils website, and I would urge you do!  See link

http://phildoleman.co.uk/2014/11/new-cd/

Tracks

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So, The Myths Persist - Some Ukulele Predictions and Wishes for 2015

It's the downside with reading mainstream press articles that choose to deal with the 'rise of the humble ukulele' that they just tend to annoy me now. I see so many of them. Lazy journalism from the hacks with space to fill who overheard at last weeks party that this ukulele thing is quite the fashion... it's cool, that they are quick to fill their pages with articles that say pretty much nothing to the established player and provide bad advice to the uke curious. Are we going to see more of this in 2015? Is the 'uke boom' going to wane? Or can we be a little more positive?

It's 7 January 2015 and I have already read two mainstream articles THIS YEAR that jump on the bandwagon of flying the flag for the uke. Please don't assume this piece is one of those 'yeah but I liked the ukulele before it was cool' rants, it really isn't. I'm sat here writing what is a totally mainstream blog aimed at beginners and nothing pleases me more than promotion of the instrument. I don't want it to be cool only for the cool kids. But these articles to me, fell in to the typical lazy method of picking up general clippings from the world of media and just putting them together again in a different order. Saying nothing new. Continuing to breed the myths.

Jake Smimabukuro mentioned? Check! Reference to a small guitar? Check! And then there is the price thing....  One article loved the fact that 'ukuleles are cheap', even claiming it to be a 'good thing' that they could be cheaper than 'a Disney Frozen Playset'. Ugghh.. What is that about?? Sorry parents but if you want to introduce your little Jimmy to playing the ukulele then price should not be your top priority, and certainly not getting it lower than a lump of chinese manufacutured plastic aimed at filling the coffers of Disney... What happened to people realising that a musical instrument is a technical 'thing' that requires a certain amount of care to be made correctly? When do you see people wanting, no, 'expecting' a violin / flute/ guitar / saxophone for school practice at the price of a couple of McDonalds? You don't. In fact why are people not writing about that in anything other than the specialist media?

Cheap junk, NOT actually a musical instrument in any sense!

If the uke is selling as well as we are told it is (some stores saying they are outstripping guitar sales), then where are the articles that focus on the serious side of the good instruments?

Yet even by the close of 2014 the general market seemed to be stuck with the assumption that because the ukulele is small then it MUST be cheap to buy. (I'd just slip in at this point that a harmonica is even smaller and for a decent one you will pay more than you will for one of the glut of cheap bright Chinese ukes on the market..). Read forums and uke groups and you will see much the same from the new players. The questioning post of 'hi, I am looking to buy my first ukulele, and my budget is $25)....

At this point no doubt the internet haters typing fingers will be getting twitchy. How dare you tell us what to spend (i'm not), how dare you claim that you must spend top dollar on a ukulele (i'm not), My cheap Mahalo is superb (I'm pleased for you but many are not)....  All I wanted to 'spout' at the start of another year was that, isn't it about time that the market started to help the new market in education on what these things are about?

As a prediction, I personally think things are going to get a whole lot worse for brand new players on this front.  The Chinese factories will up their production and we are going to see even more £20 ukulele brands hitting the shelves and ending up in new players laps. Some good ones may get through of course (see footnote!), but generally speaking I would expect two main things will happen:

1. The majority will be put off by the horrible, thin sound, the tuning issues and the rough builds (at best) and never play them again - they'll put it down to experience and then the cycle just continues..
2. Those who want to commit to the instrument will buy a better one soon after. No bad thing you may say, but to me it just says 'a waste of £20 in the first place'.

But in the ukulele circles I move in (for what they are worth..) I do sense there could be a change coming. A great many people I know have been through this process and are now looking to upgrade quite significantly. Better put, they have worked out that a good intermediate instrument or above DOES actually bring more to the table than the £20 fans say they do. They DO sound better (sweeter, better tone, sustain, volume, build quality), but they also just play better. And not necessarily for top dollar either. There are some great starter ukes of high quality out there for about £100 upwards if you take the right advice. (And advice is surely something anyone buying a musical instrument should take right?)

So should we as players start exclaiming this fact - shouting from the rooftops what we learned from our development with the ukulele? Why the hell not? The uke community helps itself out in all sorts of ways and I have lost count of the times I have heard that it is the 'friendliest around'.

So if a friend is considering a uke, advise them carefully. When they raise an eyebrow when you suggest that there are better models out there if they spend a little more, explain why. When they say 'yes but I am just testing the water' explain that the £20 models may actually put them off without them ever really having experienced what a uke has to offer. Tell them that its a myth that they MUST be cheap. Hell, just tell them that they can't expect miracles for something costing a round of drinks in the pub... And music shops should also take note. My readers will know that I believe there are some superb music stores around who take the instrument seriously, but for every one of those, yet another music store jumps on the bandwagon and fills their wall with nothing but cheap nasty instruments. I was in a very well known music store with multiple city outlets only the other day and their uke selection was woeful. Some instruments I had never even heard of, and when inspected, pretty dreadful. In fact, a wall of ukes chosen to suit the price myth rather than playability and I think that is a disgrace. See one of these shops? Tell the sales assistant that you demand more.

As for wishes going forward, I hope to see more development from new players who choose to move into the realms of more professionally made instruments. Perhaps, even,  we should call for 2015 to be the year of the Uke Luthier - they are not necessarily as expensive as most people believe they are and should certainly be investigated in my book.  In fact they should be celebrated. For those with tight budgets, perhaps explore the extremely healthy world of the used ukulele where some bargains can be found without resorting to the cheap and nasty. To go back to my example above on violins and flutes, parents buying those for schoolchildren don't have the option of £19.99 violins, and rely heavily on the second hand market to get on the ladder (violins brand new are not cheap). Why not the same for the ukulele?

Or is it actually (and I worry this may be true) forever damned by shonky journalism, the 'toy' tag and the fact it's just a 'small guitar'. I certainly hope not, and here's to 2015 as being a year the uke really starts to get taken seriously as an instrument. It will need YOUR help to make that happen though..

(Footnote - really sadly I need to tail this with a health warning - this is just a blog - a place for personal thoughts, and there is really no need to get all 'enraged of Tunbridge Wells'. I am not telling anyone that they MUST do this or that, just musings thats all. If you want to fill your music room with cheap Chinese tat, then be my guest. It's your choice not mine..)

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Omega Ukulele Competition Results and my Apology

Hi folks! Far later than I expected to be writing this, but I know many many people have been awaiting results from the competition for the 5th birthday to win all the ukulele goodies.

For those not aware, the simple fact is that I was rushed into hospital before Christmas with Heart Failure and only recently now been discharged. I am much better health wise, but a long road and programme ahead. Unfortunately that has led to Got A Ukulele being unavoidably left well alone for the last couple of weeks.

Looking forward, things will get back to normal  -just bear with me!  Can I also take this opportunity to say a HUGE thank your for best wishes messages from readers and friends which have really humbled me!

Moving on - the draw was made shortly before I was taken ill and there were MANY entries - the correct answer was found by most people and the name of the new Omega uke in development is the Klasiko uke. You should have found the correct uke on their website on the link below...

http://omegamusic.co.uk/buy/omega-klasiko-ii-solid-cedar-top-rosewood-concert-ukulele

Below are listed the lucky winners - and thanks to all others who entered.

FIRST PRIZE (Zedro Uke) - Jody Bray - Lancing, UK
SECOND PRIZE  (Clip on tuner) - Caroline Pocklington, UK
THIRD PRIZE (Toe Tapper) - Michael Smith - Glasgow
FOURTH PRIZE (Capo) - Stephen Butler - Pembrokeshire
FIFTH PRIZE  (Belt Support)- Lucy Farrar - Conwy

Thanks all for your patience at this difficult time!

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