Plastic ukuleles? Really?

As you get in to the world of ukuleles you will probably find yourself looking at some vintage models, and before long you will come across a range of ukuleles that are made of plastic.  Plastic you say? Surely they are just toys? Well, yes and no. There was certainly a blitz of "toy guitars' made from shiny brittle bright plastic from the 50's through to the 70's, but there were some serious contenders too. In fact, there still are.

Image Credit - Ukenique.com

Back in the 1950's the use of the new wonder material plastic was everywhere - no matter what the object, some manufacturers wanted to use it.  In the ukulele world, it was no different, and a whole range of injection moulded plastic ukes hit the music store shelves and mail order catalogs.  Makers had dabbled with the use of plastics before, particularly on moulded fingerboards such as those marketed by the Harmony brand before the 1950's but it  was post-war that things took off.  Perhaps the most famous of those was made by the jazz guitar maker Maccaferri, who introduced the Islander ukulele to huge commercial success with reports that they sold more than half a million instruments in the 1950' selling at about $3 a go. Those same instruments, in good condition, are highly sought after today for the simple reason that they were well made and designed, and actually sounded pretty good!

Another maker, Emenee, introduced the similar looking Flamingo plastic ukulele which also became extremely popular as it was endorsed by one of the music hall ukulele stars of the day Arthur Godfrey.

Image credit - Ukenique.com

Both instruments came with their own version of a beginners tool that clipped over the fretboard and allowed you to press buttons to form chords with one finger. Called the 'Chord Master' by Maccaferri and the 'Uke Player' by Emenee, this ingenious device worked with by a variety of levers being activated by pressing a button which depressed pads or 'fingers' down on to the strings to hold the chord patterns. A clever, if lazy, invention which allowed the uke to be played quickly with little effort. Vintage instruments today that come complete with the device are worth considerably more.

From the 1950's through to the 70's both brands and many others continued to churn out a dizzying array of plastic ukes of varying quality, some still highly collectible like the TV Pal range, and those made to assist in marketing of bands such as the Beatles or Disney Films.  There is a great set of links and photos to such ukuleles on the Chordmaster site. Check your attics - do you own one??

Image credit - Ukenique.com

So what happened next - well the ukulele went into a bit of a lull in popularity and the models dried up due to lack of demand. But as you know, the ukulele never went away, it just went for a snooze and is now back in the big time. At the start of the current uke boom were the new entries by Jim Beloff at the Magic Fluke Company. In 1992 Jim picked up a uke at a junk sale and immediately clicked with it. He went home and started writing ukulele songbooks. By 1999 Jim and his wife Liz launched the Fluke ukulele and a little while later the Flea to huge success. Both instruments featured a wooden top, but a plastic moulded one piece back and, in a hark back to the early days, a moulded fingerboard with the frets in the moulding meaning zero setup issues. Both instruments had great volume and tone and are played today by some very famous folk including Bette Midler, William H Macy and Loudon Wainwright III.

Image - Gotaukulele.com

In a similar way, my favourite bargain ukulele for beginners, the Makala Dolphin, is now manufactured with a plastic back.  Whilst it was, no doubt, done to save money, many players who have played both the original all wood Dolphin and the newer version claim that the plastic backed instrument has bags more volume and tone!

Most recently the Takumi Ukulele Company, the brand behind the extremely highly regarded Kiwaya ukulele line have released three totally plastic ukes that hark back to those 1950's instruments. Each one is themed (Paradise, Peace and Ukulelia) and despite being branded in what they call their novelty section they are reported to sound great and retail for a non toy price of over £100.

Image - Takumi

So where does it go from here? Well new ukes are hitting the shelves all the time as the ukulele boom continues and with plastic a cheap and cheerful way to make ukes, I'd expect to see more appearing in the future. I'd also add, I'd prefer beginners to play a decent plastic uke, than an unplayable bargain basement wooden model.

For now though, I'll end on a video demo from YouTuber 'plastic ukuleles' playing and Islander and showing what a nice sound they create.



Thanks also to Ukenique for their kind permission for use of the Islander and Flamingo photos - they are dealers in vintage ukes and well worth a look!

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Ukulele Ramblings - From guitar to ukulele

Whilst the ukulele is an accessible instrument for those with no musical background whatsoever, it does seem to attract those who have played the big brother instrument, the guitar, before.  I thought therefore I would discuss the links between the instruments, and give you my take on why the uke is a great choice for a guitar player.

I write this as somebody who, before picking up the ukulele a few years ago, had played guitar (both acoustic and electric) for some 20 years previously.  That certainly made my learning of the uke much quicker, and other friends I know who play guitar and have made the transition have said the same. But why?

Before I give you my views, I should make it clear that this is not intended to be a snub to the guitar community. The ukulele is not a replacement for a guitar, it's a complimentary instrument. I still adore playing guitar, and in many ways the guitar can provide options that just aint there with a uke. That said, the uke has many attractions to a guitar player, and if you are a player of six strings reading this, perhaps this may give you the push to try the ukulele.


1. Ease of transition

Standard ukulele tuning shares much with standard six string guitar tuning. In fact the standard GCEA is effectively the same as DGBE strings of a guitar as if you had a capo at the fifth fret.  As such, the relationship between the strings is identical, and the chord shapes will be familiar.  If you fret a D shape on the guitar, that shape works on the ukulele, but because of the higher tuning, plays you a G chord.  If you fret a guitar G chord shape on the uke, you only need one finger as the E and A equivalent guitar strings are not there. As such, you just hold the first string at the third, and you get a C chord.  This ease of transition makes picking up a uke very straightforward for anyone who understands the guitar.

Its not just about music theory though.  A common complaint for many new users are sore fingertips and aching fingers from stretching. If you have played a guitar for long enough you simply won't have to deal with that and you will find the uke very easy on the fingers.  I suppose one gripe for a guitar player is the much smaller fretting area and the need to get those fingers previously accustomed to space cramped together!  Strumming, holding and general technique honed on a guitar will also translate to the ukulele easily.


2. Portability and price

Sure, many guitarists carry their instruments with them wherever they go.  It is a fact though that many guitarists go on the hunt for portable travel guitars that they can easily carry when trekking, camping, going on holiday etc. Why go for a travel guitar when you can go with a ukulele - the ultimate in portability? Ever tried getting a full sized guitar through an airport in hand luggage? No problem with a soprano ukulele - heck, you could probably get away with packing one in a suitcase!

The thing about a uke size is that it REALLY can go anywhere with you. I leave one in my car, take one with me on business trips, can easily sling one over my shoulder on walks to the park.  There is really no excuse to not have a ukulele with you wherever you are, and that in turn leads to it being played more frequently.

Have limited space in your living room? Can't stand a guitar up in it? No problem with a ukulele - I keep one tucked by the side of my sofa - you wouldn't even know it was there, but it's always available for me to pick it up in seconds.

Price is also a factor. Whilst both guitars and ukes have their bargain basement and premium ends to the price scales, it is a fact that you can get a lot of useable ukulele for a lot less than you would spend on a guitar.  The Makala Dolphin for example, whilst not a "pro" instrument by any means has a great sound, is tough as old boots, and retails for a measly £30 in the UK.



3. Quiet times

Ever been in a situation with a guitar where you cannot play it because you are going to disturb someone else? Whilst a ukulele still makes its own noise, its much easier to play at very soft and low volumes than a guitar, whilst still producing worthwhile tone.


4. Fun and social factor

Let's face it, guitars are everywhere - the ukulele holds that "something different" tag.  Speaking as somebody who has played both guitar and ukulele in public jam sessions, I can honestly say that the uke sparks up more interest, generates more questions, and puts more smiles on faces than a guitar ever did!

The smaller sound of a uke also makes it the perfect instrument to play in large groups of people without  getting the police called around for disturbing the peace.  We have played to a crowded pub full of people with half a dozen ukes at full throttle without it taking over the place. That's not something we could sensibly do with six guitars. Volume aside, we couldn't fit them all around the table!



So those are my thoughts.  As I say, the uke doesn't replace the guitar, and the guitar has its own benefits that the uke cannot compete with (range of tones and voices being the obvious) but this guitar / ukulele player thinks that anyone who has fun with six strings should certainly try their hand with four!

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Ukulele Ramblings - the uke upswing

It's now absolutely clear to anyone but those with their heads inn the sand that the ukulele is now right in the thick of a huge upswing in popularity around the globe. It's quite difficult to actually go through a day watching or listening to popular culture without hearing a ukulele at some point. An increasing number of pop artists, tv advertisements and trailers are choosing the uke. How long will it last and will the bubble burst?

The very short answer is, yes, probably, like everything, it will wane at some point, but there is no need to worry, it won't go away!

All sorts of music tastes and interests come and go in popularity, but they never die, and sure enough they will come back again at some point in the future. To understand where we are today with the ukulele, we need to go back in time to the last big upswing.

Rolling back the clock to the 1930's and 40's and the ukulele was BIG!.. HUGE!.. These were the days before tv networks and pop charts, but the ukulele was THE staple instrument for many many music hall entertainers. Cliff Edwards, Roy Smeck, George Formby are names you may have heard of, but there were countless others who, at some point in their act they would grab a Uke to sing and play. Music stores on both sides of the Atlantic were full of ukes, not guitars. A child's first instrument most likely was a cheap uke, perhaps made of Bakelite or later, plastic. Then, like today, the public were exposed to an awful lot of ukulele music on the radio, in the movies and on stage. Also like today, when a member of the public picked up an instrument they realised that it was a fairly simple instrument to get to grips with, benefited from being cheap and portable and was fun to play. Those attributes haven't changed a bit, only the style and the fashion.

You may look back on those early artists and cringe. Whilst many people still enjoy that music, the younger players today may find it old fashioned compared to the artists today who are bringing the uke into their work, like Beirut, Noah And The Whale and Eddie Vedder. You may find, when playing a uke around the older generation, that you get ribbed by them asking to 'play us some George Formby' or similar. I have a healthy respect for George, sure, but I have to admit that I don't sit listening to his music on a daily basis.






But the thing is, those guys were no different to the artists today. Those guys WERE the hit artists. Formby and Edwards were, literally, megastars and as such what they sang and played was a huge influence on the general public. It may sound old fashioned now, but then it was absolutely bang on the moment. Were you alive in those years with an interest in music, if you play the uke today I'd wager you'd have played it then and talked about it the way you do now. In fact, so big were those artists, that the uke upswing of that period was much much bigger than the one we have now.

So, what happened? Several things. TV, Rock & Roll and a significant widening in media outlets and music tastes. The old time artists became marginalised and the new younger record buying public wanted rock and roll (note, Elvis played a uke, but for the kids of the 50's, a skiffle guitar was where it was at!). We then went though a period of pop, rock, metal, dance and a million other music styles and the uke got lost in the noise. In the background though there remained a faithful contingent who continued to play.

Fast toward to recent years and the ukulele started to pop up on certain tracks. This certainly wasn't a case, like the last upswing, of the uke dominating the charts and the music shops, but it was quietly growing, being picked up by artists of high standing. Elvis Costello, Bruce Springsteen, Amanda Palmer, Stephin Merritt and others started appearing in gigs with a uke, or including the instrument on record. Music generally also seems to have taken a turn, in recent years, to a folkier style which the ukulele naturally fits. Whilst many of the nu folk artists may not (yet!) have included ukes in their work, artists like Fleet Foxes, Laura Marling and Mumford & Sons have achieved huge success with a folky, acoustic sound. The musical landscape has shifted a little. People started talking about ukes, looking for ukes and searching out anything they can on the Internet to learn more. Forums, clubs and blogs started appearing at an incredible rate, and judging by the membership numbers on the main uke forums, a massive number of people out there were wanting to play. The upswing was in full 'swing'.





In a single hour long programme on TV recently I watched selected highlights of the Cambridge Folk Festival. I saw about 6 or 7 acts and counted 5 ukuleles. Amanda Palmer of the Dresden Dolls, a nu punk outfit with which you would never associate the ukulele, released an EP of uke songs and now regularly gigs with one. Eddie Vedder, lead singer with the rock band Pearl Jam released a whole album of uke tracks. These two releases are not examples of what started the upswing but are examples of artists taking advantage of it. Would Eddie Vedder have had success releasing a ukulele album in 1995? I think not.

So behind the world of celebrity it started to grow. For the general public the same attributes that got people hooked in the 1930's held true. Cheap to buy, easy to get started with, portable and fun. What wasn't to like?

This current upswing is different though, as we live in different times. I can't see the ukulele ever reaching the heady heights it achieved in the 30's and 40's, there is too much competition, too many music styles out there. It's likely to be an instrument you just continue to see regularly, that new bands try out and include once in a while. But that's fine by me, and it may actually serve to keeping the interest going longer or even indefinitely.

As a humble non-celeb though, does any of it matter to me? Perhaps not. At the end of the day I play because I enjoy it. If the world turned off the uke tomorrow, this player wouldn't. Once you are a player, it's not about the fashion of the day. Some established players choose to poo-poo the new "fad" they see with younger players, but that doesn't bother me either. Whatever it takes in getting people playing music (on any instrument) is ok in my book and not to be sniffed at. We should remember that those young players who start today may turn out to be the grandparent who passes on a uke to a grandchild some 50 years hence and, in turn, starts another generation on the road with the Uke!


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Ukulele Ramblings - On starting your own ukulele club

You will have seen in many posts on Got A Ukulele that I do sing the praises of ukulele clubs and societies as being great places for the beginner to learn and build confidence. I keep a growing List of clubson this very site and you may have seen my earlier post about jamming and performing which recommended the same. But what if there is no club near you? Could you start one up? Why not!

Starting a uke club isn't actually as tough as you may think it would be. When you break it down it comes to venue, promotion and organisation. Read on for some tips.

1. The venue and times

Now unless you are expecting an enormous growth in membership, you are not going to need the Royal Albert Hall, but bear in mind, as a club grows you may also regret choosing the six foot square back room with four chairs.

The most obvious venues are pubs, clubs and village halls. Whichever you choose, think of somewhere easily accessible and you must of course get permission. You may find some venues want to charge, but conversely you may find that many, pubs in particular may welcome the trade and offer you a room or a corner for nothing on the basis it brings more punters in. Explain that you are not intending to make huge amounts of noise (ukes are acoustic!). In terms of what the room needs to provide, unless you are going to provide lots of sheet music stands at your own expense, you need a room with enough seats, but more importantly large tables for people to lay out song sheets, tuners etc, without anyone feeling out on a limb. This may require some table re-arranging before the club meets, but it will be far better for everyone to see mostly everyone else. Beginner ukulele players benefit massively from being able to watch the finger positions of other players.

Also think about the appropriate day to suggest to the venue owner (and time). Inn the case of a pub you would be silly to expect to get the front room reserved at 8pm on a Friday. For this reason, most clubs seem to meet midweek in the evening. Frequency is one to discuss with future members. Some clubs are weekly, but more frequently people seem to meet every other week or once a month allowing members time to practice between sessions.


2. Promoting your club

I write this section on the basis that you are not looking to pay for advertising. If you've just landed a fortune from the will of your great great uncle Eric, then be my guest, but most will want to promote for no money. (nb some clubs do charge membership subs but that is something you need to work out with members to ensure monies are transparent and nobody brings your treasury into question!)

The most obvious place to advertise is the venue itself. Ask if you can put up some flyers with details of the event in the pub or club, particularly in the windows. You could go further and put some flyers up on lampposts in your town (but remember, Bill Stickers will be prosecuted....) or hand them out around town. Keep them fresh and replace any tatty ones and get your friends to spread the word too.

Scout the local papers, particularly free ones as some do offer free listings in their entertainment sections on occasion. If you can get a free listing, use it!

Beyond that, the Internet is your friend. There are a multitude of ways you can spread the word, but the three I'd recommend are Facebook, Twitter and a blog. On Facebook as well as announcing the club on your page, announce it in the various ukulele groups that exist. Check out groups that are for your town and do the same. At the same time set up both a Facebook page for your club, and a group to add members too and promote both in the same way (but don't spam!). Then more links you have flying around, the better. On twitter, make your announcement using the hashtag #ukulele and also a hashtag for your town such as #Warwick or #Idaho. People search those tags and you may get a bite. A blog is more hard work, but it would be good for your club to at least have a homepage with club contact details, address etc. If your club grows successful you can then use your blog to add song sheets and news to.

Promotion is hard work, and having like minded friends to help will be a real boost. In fact having a friend who plays uke joining you will ensure you are not sat on your own on the first night!


3. Organisation

How you run your club, it's structure, its style is entirely up to you and the members. What I would suggest though is on your first night you don't dictate or get hung up on structure to early. Speak to your members, find out what they want, what they like to play, how frequently they want to meet and so on. Get those issues ironed out early and you will have happy members, but remember toehold regular review and feedback sessions with them!

Members are going to need music to play and as the organiser you need to make the first efforts in getting some chords and lyrics to simple songs with a broad appeal printed off. Please don't just steal someone elses hard work, try to create your own, with a bit of work on Word you will soon have something that looks presentable. The easiest way to get these out to your gang is to email them well in advance or you could be kind and print off a set of song sheets for everyone. I highly recommend an A4 four ring binder containing plastic clear wallets to hold sheets. These allow songs to be moved about easily and the plastic stops them getting dog eared.

Most importantly with organisation though, you started the club, so you need to commit to it. You need to be the inspiration to ensure people come back. Don't look bored (or worse not turn up) on the second meeting. As a club grows in size, others will offer to help and your admin burden will drop!



But those are just my thoughts. A successful club needs to be democratic and flexible. What suits one player doesn't necessarily suit another so listen to each other. Most of all, just get out there and play with others - it's hugely rewarding!


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Ukulele Ramblings - Portability

Without wishing to state the blindingly obvious, but ukuleles are small. Compared to many musical instruments in fact they are TINY. Not only does their size deliver their trademark sound, but it brings another benefit and thats convenience and portability.

That benefit wasn't the key reason why I chose to play the uke, but it was certainly part of the decision making process. Having an instrument so small makes it extremely easy to just grab wherever you are going. If I am away on business that requires me staying away a night, I can sling a uke in the back of my car. In fact I've been known to be sat in a parking lot waiting for an appointment strumming my uke in the drivers seat - try that with a guitar! They are easier to just grab when going to parties, to the pub, to the park. In fact they are so small there is really no reason not to take one with you everywhere. Think about it - what could be more fun on your holiday than strumming on a warm beach or round a campfire with friends? What could be more comforting when travelling alone than to have a uke with you? I have many pals who take their ukes to work every day in order to have a strum on their lunch break. I often cycle with mine tucked in a rear pannier. Yes, the uke is the perfect travel companion.

So what do you want to consider if you want to travel more seriously with a uke. Well I suppose it depends on destination and means of travel. A standard soprano ukulele can easily be taken on an aircraft as hand luggage (though respectfully ask the chap you are sat next to before you start strumming mid flight!). A small soprano can also easily be strapped to, or inside, a rucksack if you are backpacking or camping.

If you are considering a more serious travel expedition, in particular, going somewhere more inhospitable (for that read hot / wet / muddy / sandy) you may want to consider leaving your solid Koa uke at home and taking along something tougher. An obvious choice for me would be the plastic backed Makala Dolphin which is not only tough as old boots, but inexpensive enough that you won't mourn it too much if broken or stolen. A more serious uke alternative would be the Flea Ukulele from the Magic Fluke Company. These ukes really are bombproof, yet give a professional tone. Please dont try to test my theory, but I did once see mine tumble down a flight of stairs to sustain no damage apart from a slight ding on the headstock. More impressively, it was still in tune when I rescued it!

If you are doing any serious travelling, then ukes are bound to pick up knocks and scratches and the tougher ukes will cope with these much better.

A quick word about the ukes at are marketed as 'travel ukes'. These are made by some of the key uke makers and generally mean ukes with thinner bodies. I've never really understood these ukes. Don't get me wrong, I've played the Bruko and Kala models and they sound great, but being a half inch thinner seems to me like solving a problem that didn't exist. I don't find my existing ukes too bulky for travel, and the only benefit I can see to a thin uke is being able to slip it in a suitcase. No thank you, that to me seems a first class way of ensuring the uke is crushed. And there is my gripe, whilst these ukes are thin, they are not tougher than any other wooden instrument. As such, for real travel, I'd prefer the tougher instruments I mentioned earlier.

So, if you are travelling what should you be careful of? Well, several things. If your uke gets wet make sure you wipe it down thoroughly and let it air dry. Don't put it in a case wet, and never try to force it to dry by putting it somewhere hot. Talking of hot places, hot plus ukulele = bad news! Never leave your uke in a hot car or a hot tent or it will, frankly, break or fall apart! In some hot environments you may also find the humidity is extremely low. If that is the case and you have an instrument with any solid wood, you might want to think about Humidity too. You will find that travelling far to different climates and pressures will affect your tuning too - perfectly normal, but don't forget to pack the tuner!

Last but by no means least, you need to think about protection in the form of a Ukulele case? These come in a variety of forms and you need to consider the appropriate trade off between weight / bulk and the level of protection you need. For some, a padded gig bag is enough, but if you are throwing a uke in and out of cars or holds on buses, you might want a hard case. A quick note again on flying - if you want to put your ukulele in the aircraft hold, a hard case is a minimum requirement, but be careful here too. Many hard cases are just plywood and whilst they withstand knocks well, will not stand up being under a pile of suitcases, dropped from any height or thrown about by baggage handlers. If you are going this route I would strongly recommend getting a high quality, ABS moulded case from a top brand like Hiscox or Calton. They are expensive but they work.

So what excuse is there NOT to travel with your uke companion? Give it a try and take that uke with you everywhere - it's portability wins the day!

Ps - don't forget - always carry a spare set of strings. How heartbreaking it would be to take a uke halfway round the world to a remote location, only to ping a string on day one!


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Ukulele Ramblings - break through your barriers

Learning anything, whether it is a musical instrument or not requires dedication, effort and resolve. In learning you will always hit 'barriers' where you feel like you want to give up, that it's never going to work and that you have made a mistake. The ukulele is no different.

I repeatedly point out to beginners that the ukulele is an easy instrument to learn and I stand by that. In my opinion it has one of the shallowest learning curves of any instrument meaning most beginners can get something meaningful out of it in weeks, days, or even hours and minutes. But it takes a considerable period to become proficient and unless you are a total natural, you will hit walls that you think are impossible to break through. The trick is to stay dedicated and work through them!

The first barrier many people hit, particularly if they have never played strings before are the sore fingertips. This is extremely common and something that only eases with more playing as you need to build up harder skin in the form of callouses to overcome the pain. But it should be short lived and WILL improve. If you are struggling though, check out the advice Here.

Another cause of pain you may encounter will be aches and cramps. Again, perfectly normal. You are asking your fingers to move and stretch into unnatural positions and your muscles and tendons need to learn. In these cases, if you are in pain, don't play on regardless or you may cause some more serious damage. Take a break! Sure, only continued practice will stop the pain occurring, but you need to listen to your body's signals and know when to ease up. You may want to accompany your practice with finger stretching exercises you can find Here.

Moving on to the other hand, the next most common barrier is getting comfortable with strumming. For many, it is a real struggle to get your playing flowing naturally. The biggest mistake many make is to try to learn something far to complex before mastering more basic songs and patterns. Keep it simple when you are starting out - if you enjoy your uke you will be playing it for years. You have all the time in the world to learn that favourite song with 15 chords and a tempo of 100 miles per hour! The first strum you need to master is just some basic up and down in a steady rhythm. Consider investing in a metronome if you struggle to keep time. It may sound boring but if you don't master a basic rhythm, you will always struggle.

And putting all this together, you will continue to hit barriers, even when you become an accomplished player. I still hit them when trying a particularly complex strum, or chord change. The answer, as with even the most basic barriers is to keep at it. If it's not working for you, take a break and play something else, come back to it another day.

I hope this inspires and supports new players who are reading. You are not alone, and we all go through what you are going through, just keep pressing on and before you know it, you'll be playing freely and advising other new players how to break their own barriers!

Good luck as always, and enjoy it!




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Ukulele Ramblings - It's not about the money money money

More ukulele ramblings, this time on a subject close to many people's hearts - money.

As with most musical instruments, prices of ukuleles vary considerably. You can start with a £20 instrument, or you could spend thousands on a hand built luthier made model. But is it wrong to go either way?

If there is one thing I cannot bear, it is musical instrument snobbery, usually an assumption that a cheaper instrument is an indication that the player of said uke is either not serious, or worse still, cannot play. What utter nonsense. We all have our limits and live to our means, and that means nothing about ones love for or ability with a ukulele.

I have already blogged about uke prices, with advice on the pitfalls to avoid (and, sadly, at the cheaper end of the scale, there ARE pitfalls). You can read that Here.

So what does one get for the money? Well, certainly in most cases under £100 you are getting a laminate wood instrument put together on a production line in the Far East. Quality control in some cases can be good, and in some others appalling to the point of unplayability. £100-£250 and you will start to see solid wood models, but in most cases put together in the same Far Eastern factories. Over £300 and you start to move into hand made and luthier models where woods are selected and matched for the particular instrument, and flaws rejected. Those hand made models will range between about £300 and £1000 for standard specification (ie, no bling). Beyond that the sky is the limit with prices, but bear in mind you are then, in the main, simply paying for extra binding, top grade woods and the like. The ukulele SOUND will not, in my opinion, be twice as good on a £1500 instrument as it would on a £750 instrument. Of course, if you have the means, then why not? There sure are some pretty ukes out there.

But these upper levels are clearly beyond the reach of most people, and many new ukers will settle for something under the £100 mark as a first instrument. To illustrate my dislike to instrument snobbery, despite owning some high end ukes, I regularly give my support for the Makala Dolphin uke. It's an absolute marvel of an instrument when properly set up, for about £29. Not only do I recommend them, but I still play one. Why is that?

There are several reasons. Certainly I would think twice about taking an expensive uke camping or to a rowdy party, but in my budget, the Makala is replaceable. But that is slipping towards the snobbery a little, as it seems that I am keeping my jewels at home and suggesting that I only have the Makala to throw around. That is not the case. When you move into the high end bracket of ukes, what becomes immediately noticeable (aside from the usually impeccable construction and finish) are two things. Tone and sustain. By crafting an expertly built uke from the best tone woods, you create an instrument that can deliver a full rich sound that lasts. An additional benefit is volume, but that isn't to say it is the preserve of high end ukes - try playing a Flea! But that rich sound is what you are paying for. For many though, their uke playing is focussed on strumming well known songs, often with other people in jams, bands or clubs. It is on these occasions when the other element that the ukulele is noted for comes through - rhythm. If you are strumming a chugging pop song with four or five others, particularly if you are singing along, that richness of tone would soon get lost amongst the collective sound. What you need is a uke that can join with the rhythm, and in those cases a cheaper uke works perfectly. It is on those occasions (which are the most common occasions for me to play uke) that I either play my Makala, my Flea or my Fluke. Their tone is not rich, but they are loud, and sound like ukuleles!

So why then do I bother to own an expensive uke? Well it's my hobby and my passion, and for moments when I am alone, playing to myself, I want something that sounds sweet to my ears and that's the only reason for this uker. Sure, there are reasons others will have - if you are looking to perform solo, particularly finger style, you may want to consider a sweeter uke. But in the majority of cases the other end of the scale is perfect. I would wager that Jake Shimabukuro would have a great time strumming with friends on a Makala or something similar.

So don't get too hung up on it. Do, of course be careful and ensure you buy from a reputable dealer who can check the setup, but don't fall into the trap of snobbery. Oh, and if you come across a uke player who turns their nose up and sneers because they have a more expensive uke than you, remember - they are not the sort of player I want to associate with, and i'd humbly suggest, neither should you. Thankfully though, in the uke community (unlike with guitars where it is rife!) such people are few and far between.

Have fun, whatever you play!


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Ukulele Ramblings - the All Inclusive Ukulele

I thought I would start a series of ukulele ramblings. Not tips or tricks, but just general thoughts about the ukulele as an instrument and what it means to play one. First up - say hello to the All Inclusive Ukulele!

It never ceases to amaze me how diverse a crowd the ukulele community is. We have people who play traditional music hall style and people who play rock. We have folkies we have jazzers. We have those who like to sensitively finger pick and those who enjoy nothing more than strumming out the latest pop songs in simple three chord style. We have those who like to play alone, those who like to play in pairs or trios, all the way up to playing with dozens if not hundreds. But the important thing is this - very few players I know are pigeon holed in just one area. In fact many players, including myself like to do ALL of the above - the uke really is that versatile. Add to that the fact you will often find players who prefer a certain style being totally welcoming of listening to or playing along with something outside their comfort zone. I'm not the worlds biggest pop fan, but what the heck, playing Jessie J's 'Price Tag' on a ukulele is FUN!

And what about skill level? I have never made any bones about the fact that I am a mere average player. Sure, I talk a lot about the uke and made it my mission to help out players, beginners in particular, but my playing is just average. Rhythm is my thing and I think my skill lies in getting a good chunky pattern going with a uke, but my fingerpicking leaves much to be desired. But again, a lot of uke players I know fall in to that category but still get such an enormous amount of pleasure from it. Sure there are the true modern ukulele greats out there who make sounds with their ukes that leave me speechless - just check out anything by Jake Shimabukuro or James Hill if you want to see examples, but few reach those heights (not that one shouldn't try). In my experience though, I have jammed ukulele with friends many times, often in front of an audience. Some players are more accomplished than I am, and some players are just starting out, capable of only two or three simple chords and still struggling with sore fingers and how to strum naturally. Yet, when I'm playing and look around, not only do I see happy listeners, but I see happy players too. From the accomplished to the struggling, everyone has a smile on their face. Take a look for yourself, join a jam or a club and you will see the very same thing.

And of course we can't ignore price. Yes, there are some shocking cheap instruments on the market from makers jumping on the rise of the uke in recent times, but buy from a reputable dealer and one can start with ukulele for about £25 a £30. I know because I own one. I have had as many happy times playing a cheap Makala Dolphin with friends as I have playing an mid priced Mainland or expensive Kanile'a. I'm not going to insult your intelligence, of course the higher end instruments DO sound better and so they should, but that doesn't mean a player with a cheap uke is unable to have fun jamming with friends playing instruments that cost hundreds of pounds more. I still pick up my Makala regularly and would have no qualms taking it to a local uke jam. Name me another instrument that suits so many budgets?

So there you have it three good reasons that show the inclusive nature of the ukulele. When you start to play one you join a community that is only happy to help regardless of your ability, your music tastes or your choice of instrument.

But I'll end with a more subtle example that demonstrates the uke as being an inclusive instrument. When I was going through my first stages of school we were forced to play the recorder as a class instrument. I despised it. I've since read a variety of theories as to why the Government chose to push it, such as price and it supposedly helping kids get along with piano notation. Sadly, not that many kids in modern times have families with the funds to support buying a piano, but my gripe with the recorder was that it was stuck in your mouth. Nobody can sing while playing it, and for children, singing is fun that everyone can join in with. So if you are the child, like I was, with a dislike for the recorder you are stuck with it no matter how hard or boring you are finding it. Now take the uke, which is being introduced to junior children in some schools now, as it has been in Canada already. It's cheap like the recorder, but bear in mind that there is no way all kids will enjoy it or will progress equally, just like the recorder also. Some will struggle, BUT it's not stuck in their mouths! Introduce singing together with uke and the whole class can come together with mixed abilities, but all still take part. I recently discussed this very subject with a music teacher and that is exactly what they found in class. Some kids struggled, but made up for it by singing, some liked strumming but sang less and of course there was a whole spectrum in-between. A class came together as one.

That's the all inclusive ukulele for you.


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