Why Can't People Accept That A Ukulele Review Is Just An Opinion?

Ahh.. The Internet. The giver of power and bravado to those behind a keyboard to rant about things they would never rant to your face about. And if there is one thing people like to take umbrage at it's reviews of products, usually products they have themselves and dont like people having a different opinion.

To be fair, this isn't a moan, I actually find it quite amusing in a sad way. And of course, if you choose to write an opinion piece about anything (ukuleles, brands of coffee, albums, films, chewing gum, anything) and make it public, it's natural that people will use the button marked 'Comment' to have their say. Funnily enough, the most passionate tend to keep there comments anonymous, but I'm sure that's just coincidence........ erm..

I actually encourage comments and discussions on my reviews. Hey, if I didn't I'd simply turn the comments option off, and switch off the YouTube voting buttons. And that's because I like to hear opinions. I may say I don't like (or do like) the tone or finish of an instrument and you may totally disagree. That's because we all have different tastes, and I want to hear about other tastes. I've lost count of the amount of times I have said that it is perfectly normal to disagree with my reviews. They are just ONE GUYS OPINION...

But the ones that do infuriate are the libellous, crazy or just plain nasty. The most common of which include

And here lies the problem with that approach. Some people cannot take opinions as what they really are. Just the views of one person. They are not written to be gospel. They are not written to say 'you are wrong and I am right'. They are just what I think at the time, nothing more.



So in some sort of attempt at perverse self therapy I thought I would list down some of my most common complaints. Doing so won't change a damn thing, but there you go....



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1. Hey I have this ukulele, and I think it sounds amazing, so therefore you are wrong.

Usually in response to my review of an instrument that I think DOESN'T sound amazing. First of all, as I say, they are just opinions. But let's look deeper. Define 'amazing'? Is it the only instrument you have ever played? Perhaps that does indeed sound amazing to you and I am pleased for you. But I review based on the playing experience of a lot of instruments. I have to have some reference point, and in fact it's very hard for me to avoid my experiences elsewhere when coming to a view. Ultimately though, if you like the sound of yours - then that is really all that matters. Doesn't make either of us wrong though. I'm not a big fan of Ford motor cars, but they certainly sell a lot of them. Just an opinion.

2. Hey I bought one of these and it had no faults, so therefore you are wrong.

You bought one that wasn't badly put together? I am delighted for you! I really am. I wish that bad builds and faults never existed. Unfortunately, they do.  I am also extremely conscious that the instruments I review are only single examples out of large batches. There is absolutely every chance that I could get another on another day and not see the same issues. But I can only review the one I am presented with. But let's assume your opinion and my opinion of these are the only two reviews that exist anywhere. Mine is badly made and yours is not. So thats a 50:50 on chances of getting a good one. I don't like those odds.

Or lets put it another way - would you prefer they were reviewed like this?

"The bridge on this one is in the wrong place, the finish on the body is terrible and cracking in places. The fret edges are sharp and one of the tuners isn't working. But hey, I can forgive it those things. So 10 out of 10!". 

I don't think that would make for a very interesting review myself.  I prefer to just say what I see. It doesn't mean yours has the same flaws.

3. Why are you so down on ordering from Amazon?  I ordered one from Amazon and it was fine.

Probably one of the most common comments this one. For me, it's all about probability. First of all, ordering through ukulele shops who have storefronts on Amazon is not what I am getting at here - ordering from those can be the same as ordering from the store direct. I am talking about the items that are stocked by and shipped by Amazon direct. It is a simple fact that with those instruments, when an order comes in, Amazon take one down from a warehouse shelf somewhere and ship it, unopened. When it first made it's way to the warehouse shelf the last place it had been was the ukulele factory it came from.  It is another fact that all ukuleles, whether cheap or expensive, benefit from a setup / 'once over' by somebody who actually understands the instrument. Amazon do NOT do this when ordering direct. They just don't. They are shipping millions of products and simply don't employ ukulele techs to sit in their warehouses setting up instruments. So whilst there is every chance that one of those unopened boxes straight from the ukulele factory is in good shape, there is equally chance that it needs a setup. This can affect ANY instrument at any price, but it's fair to say that at the cheaper end of the market, the models need a much closer inspection! If you are a beginner can you do that yourself?

More generally - it's not as if other options are not in existence. There are some great real ukulele specialist stores out there who WILL open the box and check them over before shipping. It may cost you a dollar or two more - so why take the chance? Or putting it another way, I just prefer supporting local businesses more than faceless corporations. Shoot me.

4. Ah yes, but that ukulele would be so much better with (insert brand name here)  strings

There is a reason I don't do a lot of string 'reviews' (if any). It's because opinions on strings are just too personal. There are some strings that some of the worlds greatest ukulele players swear by that I just don't like. In fact strings that I know a LOT of people don't like. It's personal.  So when I review an instrument with a questionable sound, I fully appreciate that a string change may indeed improve things. But with which strings? Lets say I re-string it with the brand you are recommending works so well. What if I don't like those strings? I would still dislike the sound. Or should I be restringing each review instrument with a dozen brands and finding the best one? No thanks!

The point is - anyone buying one of the ukuleles I review may well change the strings and get different results - but they may all change them to something different.

But most importantly, remember this. No amount of string changing will change a ukulele that is inherently awful into something magical. And anyway - who wants a ukulele that only works well with one brand of strings?


5. You always give rubbish reviews to cheap ukuleles

No I don't. I really don't. Have a read of the Ukulele Review Database. You'll see why that statement is wrong. What I DO do however is review instruments that are genuinely awful as being awful. My low scoring reviews do tend to get the most aggressive comments though. Funny that.

6. I have the same electro ukulele and mine sounds great when plugged in.

Another common one. For part of this, point 1 above applies - it's just opinion at the end of the day. But there is also a broad range of options of what you plug the ukulele in to that comes in to play here. A cheap noisy pickup when plugged in to a small battery amplifier or headphone amp for private practice may sound just fine. In fact it will sound just like a ukulele but a bit louder. If that is your only experience with them then absolutely it will sound 'great'.  However people don't just buy electric ukuleles to plug them into basic amps like that. Some will take them on stages and plug them into larger amplifiers, or through mixing desks into a house PA system. As well as those rigs making the core sound of the ukulele much louder, the systems also amplify the weak points too. If your pickup is a noisy cheap one (and by noisy, I mean background noise that isn't meant to be there in the form of hum, crackle or hiss) or has a muddy tone (no clarity between the notes when played) then whilst it may sound acceptable in headphones, through a large event PA system, those bad sounds are just going to be even more noticeable. I've been there and done it - played on stage through a large event PA of several hundred watts next to someone with a cheap pickup that is just throwing hiss and hum through the whole sound. It's horrible.

My comments on electros therefore have to cover all bases. Can you be sure you are only ever going to plug in to a headphone amp?


7. But I can't get this ukulele in my country!

Hey - don't shoot the reviewer - I am not a distributor!


8. This ukulele has loads of five star reviews on Amazon, so therefore you are wrong

Ah yes, Amazon again. It's well known that whilst there are indeed some truthful reviews on Amazon that their review system for all sorts of products is considered questionable and flawed. Reviewers are essentially anonymous and there is little opportunity for comeback. In fact in the world of books there have been some quite damning allegations of vote fixing / paid reviews and general underhand tactics to either vote items up or down. It's rather like the TripAdvisor scenario. Take what you read with a pinch of salt. One of the best selling and highest rated ukuleles on Amazon UK is the Stagg US10. Some of the 5 star reviews of those have people talking about them like they are playing a Kamaka...

9. You would say that about (insert brand name here) because they gave you a free ukulele...

No, no they don't. Please feel free to contact any brand or store that I have reviewed and ask them. I don't even WANT free instruments, I am trying to de-clutter my house not make it worse. They all either go back or where the cost of a return is not worth it, given away in competitions or to charity. What's that you say now? I would say that wouldn't I? Oh, there really is no winning here is there?

10. But (insert brand name here)  told you to say that.

No they didn't. I tell every brand and store I review for that I retain final say on copy. They don't even  see a final draft.

11. But why would they loan you stuff if there was a chance you would say you didn't like it?

Because this is real life. They don't get it right all the time and they may actually take on board honest critisism. Besides, they also know that people would soon smell a rat if every comment I made was gushing praise. If I regularly say a particular brand is getting it right, maybe, you know, they are getting it right? And if a brand is regularly featured, I personally think that it's a brand that deserves your attention. Apart from anything else, they have confidence in their product and are brave to send them for critisism. That's my kind of brand!

12. But you dont have anything from (insert brand name here)  - that must clearly mean you dont like them...

No. As I say above - I mainly review instruments that are sent to me on loan. I have been in contact with every single brand that is commercially available, and many that are luthier made. With the big brands, if they dont appear its because they havent chosen to send me one. I don't have the money to just buy one of every brand just to make sure they appear on the site. I would LOVE to get every brand on Got A Ukulele, but if they won't send one, then it's unlikely to happen. It's hardly my fault and I don't have the budget to just go and buy them all. Now, I could be cynical and suggest that some brands may actually be concerned about point 3 above.. but I will ask you to draw your own conclusions! If you know of a brand you want to see featured and have a contact - tell them you want them to send me one!


13. You deliberately make sure that ukuleles you dont like are out of tune before you video them.

This one really made me laugh, but I have actually had a lot of comments about this. A suggestion that I am deliberately trying to make them sound off when playing them. No, really - every review video has a ukulele tuned accurately at the nut from the off. If you hear them going out of tune when fretted it meants that they are either built badly (misplaced necks, frets, bridge) or more likely they are in desperate need of a setup. Why dont I set them up before playing them? Well because the idea is to show you what a random selection could be like if YOU bought one. Not everyone knows how to do a setup!

14. Your playing is no good / your microphone is no good / your camera is no good.

Fair points on all three counts. I don't claim to be a virtuoso. The videos are only to supplement the written reviews and are a guide only. I prefer writing to videoing (and early reviews had no videos at all).  But I work on the basis that a more likely recreation of a ukulele in a bedroom type setting from an average Joe is worth more to people than putting an expertly setup instrument into the hands of a maestro. I figure that 95% of people buying instruments from those sort of videos will be at home thinking 'mine doesn't sound like that'... They are independent reviews, not marketing pushes.

15. You do too much talking and not enough playing

See point 14. They are only there to accompany the written pieces. There was a time when reviews of instruments were ONLY written up in magazines. There were no videos. Yes folks, this was before the internet!

16. You are only writing this to look for support...

Groan.. No, I can't win..


All in all though - I understand that putting public articles out there on a website like this does naturally come at a price - one is being opened up to criticism and debate. That's fine. But it really is getting quite tiring. The 'I disagree because of X, Y and Z' I can deal with. In fact I welcome it. The 'You are plain wrong and stupid'... less so..  A negative review is really not a personal attack on you or me questioning your parentage. It's just one mans opinion.

If you like the ukulele you have and I don't - seriously.. don't stress about what I think...





© Barry Maz

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Aiersi SU-044T Concert Ukulele - REVIEW

Review time, and a ukulele brand that is completely new to me in Aiersi. This musical instrument came winging its way to me on loan all the way from China and I have been enjoying it for a month or two. The SU-044T model.

Despite the 'T' in the name, this is actually a concert scale ukulele, made in China and with some rather nice features. It's actually what I would call a 'budget' ukulele on account of the price point (about $150 or so), but there are some nice surprises with this one as you will see.

The ukulele is traditionally double bout shaped and benefits from a solid spruce top that is really quite a nice piece of wood. The grain is uniform and looking at the edge of the sound hole, the wood is not too thick. It's finished in a satin coat and decorated with inlaid abalone edge binding and sound hole
rosette. I'm not a huge fan of spruce tops on ukuleles myself as I think they can look a bit anaemic, but that is just me.

Elsewhere on the top we have a very standard looking tie bar bridge with plastic saddle, not much to say about that. I will say though, there are no flaws on the top that I can see.

The back and sides contrast the pale top very nicely and are made of laminate zebra wood. This too is finished in satin, but the pores of the zebra wood show through the coat giving it a more organic feel to some of the other overly glossy or overly coated instruments that are around at this price. The back is slightly arched and also has cream edge binding where it meets the sides. I think the contrast is great and am a fan of this wood finish on ukuleles.

A look inside the instrument shows a tidy build with notched kerfing and braces that are not over done. There is no mess and the brand logo inside is engraved on a piece of wood. No complaints here really.

The neck is fairly standard in width and profile and is made from an unspecified hardwood. It's made of three pieces with a joint at the heel and one at the headstock. It too is satin coated, but it feels natural and isn't sticky in the hands.

Topping the neck is a rosewood fingerboard with a  very nice even colour and one that appears to be in good condition. The edges are unbound and stained meaning you can see the fret edges. We have 18 nickel silver frets in total with 14 to the body. They are all dressed well, with no sharp edges and they are quite low profile which I like. Position markers are facing outward in mother of pearly, but sadly there are no side markers. A fairly unremarkable neck, but one that I really don't have many complaints about either.

Past the plastic nut we have a fairly generic headstock shape, spruced up by a veneer of the stripy zebra wood on the face. The Aiersi logo is engraved in the wood which I rather like.

Tuners are unbranded silver geared tuners, but they are functional and not overly large. They work well enough.

Completing the deal is a rather gaudy bright gig bag which aside from the looks, is pretty decent quality with good zips and straps. Strings are Aquila SuperNylguts.

All in all then, a rather nice looking and nicely made instrument for a superb price. I really like what is starting to come over from China. Years back the majority of instruments from over there left a lot to be desired with thick woods, thick finishes and generally bad builds. Of course some of those still exist, but there are more and more who seem to be getting it right. I think this one fits that category.

I must admit though, when I saw the price I WAS expecting a couple of things - either a bad build or that it would be over built and heavy (killing the tone).

First of all, it's not over built. It's not heavy to hold and you can see that the woods are not over done. It's nicely balanced and the finish is thin such that it feels nice in the hands without being over bearing. Construction too seems to be decent, with intonation close to spot on and nothing out of place or splitting and failing.

The sound surprised me actually. It's not a high end instrument tone, but it doesn't pretend to be, but the usual problems with instruments of this sort of price are really not there. First of all, it is not lacking volume. Sure, it's not the loudest I have played, but it's certainly no slouch. It projects well to my ears.

It's also got a  chime to the tone, probably helped by the spruce top, but reminiscent to me of what I felt about the Moselele Bambookulele instruments the first time I played them (similarly priced too). If anything I find it a little too bright and think it would benefit from a touch more bottom end, but it's not offensive in any way and very 'ukulele' sounding. It's not going to win awards for delicate clarity of tone and dynamic range, but it does what it does competently enough and I  quite liked it.

The constructions doesn't seem to be affecting the tone or accuracy in any way and I think it stands out as a good choice for an absolute beginner wanting something that beats the usual cheap badly made stuff on the market. I'd certainly take this over an overly finished brightly coloured acrylic coated monstrosity or a ukulele billed as 'solid' but made from thick woods - ANY day.

So, sound wise and construction wise, for the price I am finding this to be quite a safe bet.

My main gripe though - I don't think they are easy to find and certainly are not yet in the main dealers I recommend. Yes they can be found on eBay or Amazon sellers shops, but that leaves me with a dilemma because I don't like to recommend those places for buying. Saying all that, the price is an absolute steal, so might be worth a shot?

http://www.aiersiguitar.com

Be sure to read all my other ukulele reviews here

UKULELE PROS

Price
General build quality
Nice gig bag

UKULELE CONS

No side fret markers
Not sure where to buy them reliably

UKULELE SCORES

Looks - 8.5 out of 10
Fit and Finish - 8.5 out of 10
Sound - 8 out of 10
Value for money - 9 out of 10

OVERALL UKULELE SCORE - 8.5 out of 10

UKULELE VIDEO REVIEW






© Barry Maz

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What To Take To The Ukulele Gig

I was looking back over some of my oldest posts on Got A Ukulele and found one, very briefly and clumsily written about what to take in your uke gig bag. Thought it was about time to write a more expanded version.

With many readers considering appearing on stages now as solo artists, in clubs or with bands, I am sure one thing crosses all of their minds - what gear do I need to take with me to a show? I know, the ukulele is small, and the concept of taking a lot of gear probably seems a bit odd to many people who play it, but there will be some 'must carry' items, and some which are a bit more luxurious. I suppose what you take also depends on what sort of show you are playing. There is a world of difference between going out busking acoustically to playing your own solo show where you may be expected to take the amplification as well as the instrument. Likewise playing a dedicated stage at a festival or theatre can be a different experience altogether. What you take needs to be tailored to what you are going to be doing. Most of all though - the gear is your responsibility and not that of the venue.

Warning though - you thought Ukulele Acquisition Syndrome was bad? Beware GAS - 'Gear Acquisition Syndrome'... (I know some people as obsessed with FX pedals, microphones or even instrument cables as they are with ukes..)


THE ESSENTIALS

- The ukulele - Naturally - make sure it is in good order. If it needs batteries, make sure they are fresh. Make sure you are happy with the strings. If they are showing signs of wear, consider changing them. Murphy's Law dictates that if a string is due to break, it will break during a show.

- Spare strings - Think about it - do you really want to be one song in to your set and lose one of your strings? It can and DOES happen. Just keep a spare pack in your gig bag... Simple. And if you use one of them, make sure you top up the pack before the next gig! Of course, another alternative can be found in the Luxury section below.

- Instrument Cable - If you are plugging in, there is every chance that the venue engineer may provide you with necessary cables. But to ASSUME that they will do that is a sure fire way to being caught out. If you amplify this way, carry a cable. Oh, and make sure it's not only 4 feet long.. (There is a bit more detail about cables in the footnote). If you are relying on someone else for cables, you are assuming they have enough, and you are assuming they are in good condition. Sadly, cables for loan at venues are usually pretty dreadful.

- Song sheets / crib notes - If you need them, carry them. You won't want to be without them if you rely on them. Just remember it looks far far better to an audience to have them placed somewhere that doesnt encourage you to stare down into them rather than looking and engaging with the punters!

- Set list - Take a few set lists printed out. What? You don't use a set list? That's very brave. Seriously - it's just a list - you are allowed to depart from it - but a bit of pre-planning for any show makes perfect sense, especially if you play with other people.

- Your tuner - If you use one - pack it (and a spare battery!). Seriously though - when you are plugged in on stage,  if you need to tune, please mute the instrument. Nobody wants to hear you tuning up! And your tuner can be a tuning fork - as Phil Doleman once said to me - it's the only tuner that you can use to eat a Chinese takeaway with after the gig.

- Other essentials that you always use.  - Depends what you use - if you use a strap, take it. If you use a capo - take it. If you use picks, take them.

- Copy of your PLI insurance certificate - This is a whole other subject in itself. Seriously though - more and more venues are asking for insurance these days. You can moan all you like about the concept, but in my experience, with some places you either have it or you don't play. It's as simple as that. Bad advisors are out there telling beginners that the responsibility is for the venue, but that is just plain wrong.  Bad advisors are also saying that performers should tell the venue to get stuffed... Sure, you could do that, but remember, you performing is COMPLETELY up to the venue.. Turning up and saying 'yes we have it, but the certificate is at home' is the same as not having it at all.  It's like telling a policeman your car insurance is 'in the post'... Keep a photocopy in your gig bag. There is more on insurance for musicians in this post.

THE VERY HELPFUL

These will very much depend on how you gig and the sort of venues you are playing, so tailor them to fit.

- FX Pedals - Not for everyone I suppose, but if you do use pedals - make sure you have all you need, have batteries or power leads for ALL of them and all interconnect cables. Once again, don't assume an engineer will have all this for you. Your responsibility - make sure it's all ready to go! Ideally - have them set out on a pedal board you can pack into a small suitcase with the interconnect cables already in place. Then it's just a case of plugging in the power, plugging the uke in one side and the other to the amp and you are ready to go. Nobody wants to watch you build your pedal rig every time you start a gig.

- Your own microphone - Sure, a lot of venues will provide microphones, but some don't. Even if they do, you may prefer not to use one that has been drooled into by a hundred other stage performers. Nothing wrong with swapping your own in place - just tell the engineer before meddling so they know. Oh, and perhaps carry a spare mic clip - always useful.

- Microphone stand - If you are using your own mic - well.. naturally - a stand makes sense..

- Extra cables - that is - extra cables for EVERYTHING - If you plug your uke in - take a spare instrument lead. If you use your own microphone, take a spare cable for that. If you use power cables, take spares. Cables DO eventually just give up the ghost and you can spend forever trying to track down a bad connection. You don't want to be doing that with five minutes to show time.  Often just easier to say, 'fine, I'll work on that bad cable tomorrow - for now though I'll just swap this spare in place and get on with the show'...

- Spare batteries - See above - spares for your spares...

- Clothes Pegs / string or twine - Just because they are useful for holding a multitude of things, but not as useful as...

- Duck Tape - Is it Duck or Duct? Is it Gaffer tape? Whatever - there is no item on the planet that cannot be jerry fixed into working at short notice with this stuff. Good for taping down cables to the floor so you don't kill your audience by tripping them. I even saw somebody once attach a strap to a broken pin by taping their guitar to the strap. Where would we be without this stuff?

- Peg winder - If you do need to change strings - these things cost pennies and will make the whole thing less painful for the audience (and you).

- Spare picks / spare strap / more spare strings - If you use them, then why not? They are small - fit them in the front pocket of your bag and in any spare spaces in your gear. Picks also have an uncanny knack of not being where you left them. Carry a load in your pockets if you use them. As for more strings - well, if you have stack of string packs at home, leaving them in your gig bag is probably the best place for them.

- Screwdriver -  Again - they are small. You never have a screwdriver when you need one..  Seriously, I have changed fuses on 13 Amp plugs on stage before now, but at the very least they can be used for tightening friction pegs.

- Music stand - Hey - if you use one! Have you thought about a clip on light for it - you can't guarantee a lot of light on stage to allow you to read.. Oh, and that's where clothes pegs also come in handy for outdoor gigs.

- Sharpie - Nothing worse than making alterations to a set list or song sheet with a biro that is running out so you then can't read it. Make it clear. But hey - Sharpies are just handy for all sorts of things..

- Toolkit - I've covered some tools above, but you might want to consider a fuller toolkit to take with you. Speaking as someone who has taken a lighting rig apart pre-gig and rewired several microphone cables, trust me - they do get used.

- Pocket torch - A small Maglite can be invaluable for finding things on a dark stage.

- Power reel - Sure, most performance venues will provide you with some power sockets on stage, but it is your responsibility to have the extension reels to get power to where you want it. It may be helpful to carry a range - a longer reel and some shorter extension bars. Again, remember Murphy's Law. If your gear requires X number of plug sockets, you can guarantee that the venue has one less than you need.



THE LUXURIES

So, where do we stop with these? I suppose some are more luxurious than others, but worth thinking about.

- DI Box - Basically a box that turns your unbalanced ukulele signal (with a jack socket) into a balanced signal suitable for entering a mixing desk on the other side of the room with no issues, degradation of sound (or vice versa). Engineers will love you and may even high five you if you have your own. They are relatively cheap and if you are playing plugged in just one of those things that many people carry. In fact, some wouldn't suggest these should be in the Luxury box at all.

- Spare ukulele - Why worry about the on stage string change when you can just plug in another instrument. Seriously - many people do this - and why not - ukuleles are not that big. Bear in mind, it might not be a string snap that foxes you. I have seen pickup connections fail on stage on more than one occasion. It's happened to me once where I suddenly had zero sound out of the jack socket - swapped to another uke and carried on.

- PA system - The ultimate I suppose is the system that you can pack into your car or van that allows you to perform anywhere there is power - speakers for the audience, perhaps foldback monitors for your vocals - this really is though a whole other discussion point!

- Mixer - If your act involves a number of people and you are currently amplifying individually through small battery amps you may be considering a PA. If you are considering a PA, then a mixer should also be looked at - basically a device to allow you to 'mix' numerous vocals and instruments into one output for the amplification.

- Lighting rig - if you are setting up a show in an otherwise dull room such as a village hall - you would be surprised how much more professional things will look with some lighting. With the advent of LED lighting rigs these days, portable stands offering colour washes can be obtained for very little money compared to the old rigs.

- Spare PA system - A spare just in case... this is getting silly.. (or perhaps not - most professional touring bands carry backup amplifiers)

So generally speaking it's all common sense. Everything will depend on where you are playing - not all of this will apply to busking gigs for instance. Just run through and work out what may apply to you. Hopefully some food for thought though.

Remember this - if YOU are booked, then it is YOUR responsibility to deliver what you said you would. Whilst many venues will assist if they can (and other bands can often assist here), if you turn up and fail to play because you say to the venue 'sorry, I broke a string', 'Sorry, I forgot my words' or 'sorry my instrument cable is broken'- then that is a sure fire ticket to never being asked to play there again. Glitches do happen, but in the wise words of the Cub Scouts - BE PREPARED..

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A final word on cables. If you are an absolute beginner this may confuse you, but this article is referring to two main types of cable.

Standard instrument cables (for plugging a ukulele into an amplifier) are usually ¼ inch jack cables with a male plug at either end. One goes in to the uke, the other into the amp or mixer. I'm often asked if ukuleles need special cables or will one marked 'guitar' work. The short answer is - a cable for guitar will work perfectly.

Standard instrument ¼ jack plug

Standard microphone cables tend to be balanced XLR cables - these are three pin sockets that connect the microphone to the mixer (or amplifier). The male end goes into the desk or amp, and the female and into the base of the microphone. Confusion arises where you don't have an amplifier that takes and XLR input - for this reason XLR to ¼ inch jack cables are available.

Female end of XLR cable

Finally, an instrument like a ukulele can be plugged into a mixing desk XLR input through the use of a Direct or DI box. With these, you run the ukulele into the box with a standard instrument lead, then run an XLR lead from the box to the amplifier or mixing desk. Generally speaking, in all applications XLR is the better quality option, but in reality, when on stage, plugging in a ukulele will usually use a standard jack lead.







© Barry Maz

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Can We Have More Ukulele Content PLEASE!

I suppose it's a natural oddity of social media and the wider internet - the focus on the quick 'share' the quick 'tweet' or the quick 'like'.  But is it just me that is desperate for more new  CONTENT? New ideas, new opinions rather than just quick fixes? When it comes to the ukulele community I certainly am.

Don't get me wrong - the beauty of social media these days is built on the ease of 'sharing' stuff. It's become the backbone of a big part of it. The ease of anyone to see something for a fleeting moment, giggle, and then click 'like' or 'share' so they immediately feel part of a club or group... like they now 'belong'.  I do it myself, and it makes me smile quite often. But something I have noticed in the interest group that this website belongs to (the ukulele) is a drive toward that kind of content being the 'norm' with actual real content becoming lost in the noise. I don't mean individuals using social media for the way it was intended - I mean the websites and bands who seem to be using it as a replacement for actual content.

In the last few years I have noticed a significant increase in this. Whether they are Facebook ukulele pages with 'like counts' that are growing exponentially, posts on voting sites that get more 'up votes' than anything else or Tweets that are being 'retweeted' more than anything else - the ones that fit that description share one thing more often than not. They are not actually sharing anything at all. It's content in the most basic sense (a 'funny' picture or quote) but it's all been shared before. Bands are starting to fill their Facebook pages, not with footage of the band itself, but with the same memes knowing that they will generate 'likes'. Surely we don't need any more memes that rehash the same old same old 'you need more ukuleles' or 'they ukulele is magical' theme?

What I mean is.. there is actually very little real fresh content that helps the reader beyond that short and transient quick 'meme'. An awful lot of pages now that seem to thrive on sharing pictures of animals / sad looking children / hipsters with beards on beaches or surfboards / inspiring landscapes / old time pictures of music hall artistes who never expected to appear in a meme / random photographs of instruments / pictures of teddies with ukuleles thrust into their mitts / and so on... all complete with a hollow  'inspirational' quote about how the ukulele is 'happy/ funny / all you need' and the like typed in a 'kooky' font. Those are the 'memes'. You've all seen them. You've probably shared them.

And if it isn't the memes, it's the growing habit of sharing Amazon review scores to create some sort of faux review page for instruments. In other words, pages that say 'my advice on what ukulele to buy is based on a bunch of reviews from strangers on Amazon'. We can read Amazon for that...

Of course people are absolutely right to share and post whatever they like, and they readers are free to like / retweet / up vote whatever they like too.  That's fine.  The majority wins of course. But when pages and bands are using that tactic as the main source of content  to garner likes, what is going on here?

It's well known that many groups, such as financial scammers are using sites like Facebook to 'farm' 'likes' in order to sell such pages on for profit (a gathering of contact details from hundreds of saps who click on those ' share this when you spot the letter C' or 'what is the first word you saw', or the 'What Disney Princess are you?' posts.) They are all devices to generate 'likes' that can then be traded on. But I actually don't think that is what is happening in ukulele circles at all.

I see ukulele pages, clubs and bands that do this who appear to have genuine aspirations for building their names in the community and from whom I get no sense that selling a page on for a profit has ever occurred to them or is part of their plan. They are merely on the drive for 'likes'. And actually, I suppose there is nothing wrong with that either I guess, assuming you are not using likes for some evil plan we don't know about...  Likes on pages mean that posts on pages are more likely to appear on other peoples timelines. Run a page with no likes, you may as well be shouting your content into an empty field - nobody is listening. But to choose to gain that popularity by using lowest common denominator stuff seems to be missing an opportunity to create something that really makes people think or is really helpful. Surely? And with bands -  what do you want to see on a band page? Content of the band (music, videos etc) or generic memes about rainbows and ukuleles? Why not try and build the fanbase with actual content?

But this is all avoiding my real point. If you are like me, you enjoy NEW content on the internet that relates to your interest. I WANT to read more stuff, opinions, reviews, interviews, ideas, tips, lessons, you name it connected to the ukulele. I WANT to see new bands and in particular I want to see and hear their performances. I want to be challenged with new ideas. I want to see differing ideas about things I have written about - different perspectives.  Yet, the sad fact is, that with only a small number of exceptions, those getting the BIG likes are sharing nothing more than generic, meaningless (and most importantly) unhelpful stuff. What's worse is that I see that sites where people are actually going to the trouble of actually trying to write and create interesting new content, when I can see they have spent hours on writing an article,  are not getting the same responses as the lazier site who merely shared a picture of a unicorn with a ukulele on it's back replete with an inspirational quote. The limited content out there is not getting through. Is that just a case of 'tough cheese'? Perhaps, and sad if it is.

Are readers lazy? Do readers not have enough time? Are readers not interested in anything other than the meaningless and quick? Are the true content writers actually not of any interest? I actually don't think any of those things are really true, but it can appear that way. I've certainly considered hanging up my keyboard on this site on many occasions. But I keep going because I think readers are always desperate for new and interesting information on the internet, but most are getting no further than the 'quick fix' of the tepid and meaningless in the fast world we now live in. And it concerns me where that will end.

Hang on Barry - this is clearly a push for your own site? Well in part, yes, I suppose so, but only insofar as I genuinely think that I don't share stuff on here willy nilly that doesn't have a lot work behind it. But I am not the only one. The point of the post (if you have read this far..) is to actually champion the sites that ARE actually writing stuff that I think is helpful and relevant. In other words, it's not just me trying to do this.

Most readers of Got A Ukulele will know the daddy of ukulele websites in the form of Ukulele Hunt. Al Wood continues to drive that site forward - always original, always useful and never pointless or trite. But what of newer sites? Another fairly recent newcomer is the work of Dave at 'Ukulele Go' - one of the few sites that has prompted me to actually bookmark them in recent years. It's great to see another take on artists and instruments and he has created some great beginner posts as he shares his development with the ukulele and his desire to help others. Simon Taylors 'Cool Cat Ukes' also springs to mind (some great reviews and interviews, just wish he would do more) and Tim Szerlongs Ukeeku (a site that persuaded me to get into doing instrument reviews) also fits the bill as a page with genuine content.

Of course there are probably others, and if they are absent in my mentions  here I am afraid that is probably more likely to do with them being lost behind the noise of the meaningless that pervades social media channels. Please, don't be offended.

If, on the other hand,  you enjoy sharing pictures of kittens with ukuleles please continue to do so. It can be fun I guess, and it makes the world go around. If you are not a website writer or band, absolutely you should have fun with these things and this post isn't suggesting that you stop that. Providers of content though? Ask yourselves this... What if that was all there was? What if all those giving up their time writing about artists, instruments, teaching and the instrument in general just stopped tomorrow? What if the only thing that was left were memes of sunsets, kittens and people on boats in lakes with ukuleles coupled with a quote that doesn't really mean anything? What if nobody was actually sharing an opinion about anything save for copied and pasted Amazon instrument reviews and a general assumption that everything in ukulele land is wonderful? No thanks.

Surely the majority of us want more than that?

Support real content. This stuff takes time. And at times it can be sorely tempting to give this all up and leave the ukulele channels to the meaningless.

IF you enjoyed this article - be sure to read the rest of my Ukulele Rants here!



© Barry Maz

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Phil Doleman and Ian Emmerson - Can't Get Enough Of That Stuff - REVIEW

I think many in the ukulele world were rather delighted to see Ian Emmerson appear on stage again with his old partner in crime Phil Doleman. Well, they've taken it a step further and I've been lucky enough to have an early copy of their forthcoming EP to have a listen to. "Can't Get Enough Of That Stuff".

I believe this is the first commercial release of the two as a duo since their 2013 album 'Turn'. But it's a release with a slight difference. This one isn't a pure ukulele album. Phil is not just using a ukulele but also returning to an instrument he has been playing even longer and Ian is not playing ukulele at all...  People who understand my dislike of the 'it's ukulele or nothing' brigade will understand my excitement. What matters to me is the quality of the music rather than what it is played on it. Of course, being two people forever associated with the uke, and with Phil playing uke on some tracks (his Argapa resonator I believe), it's absolutely right to feature on Got A Ukulele.

So after a long period of jamming together in this new guise, putting out the occasional video and performing the occasional show as a pair, they have delivered a brand new EP of six songs. Performed with Phil on either ukulele or tenor banjo and Ian on acoustic guitar it also represents a change of sound and dynamic from what they have produced before. Recorded in a truly traditional fashion, they recorded all of these tracks as a pair into a single condenser microphone with no overdubs or meddling. I like that.

We open with 'Wild Man Blues', a song credited to both Louis Armstrong and Jelly Roll Morton and you get an idea of the feel of the EP.  Jazzy blues banjo picking by Phil together with his old timey vocal and rhythm backing from Ian on guitar.

'Police Dog Blues' is up next and a favourite of mine from this selection. A song penned by 'Blind Man' Phelps and covered by all sorts of people (including Hugh Laurie) it shows off Phil's impeccable finger picking style.

Another song from Jelly Roll Morton in 'Winin' Boy'. It's as laid back and smooth as you like. For me it's the only one of these that I've heard performed by others on ukulele before now so immediately caught my attention as I know the song quite well.

'Fine Artiste Blues' is a cracker and sees Phil back to banjo and Ian joining on backing vocals. It's one of those songs that sounds older than it is - it's actually from the 1970's and was originally released by and outfit called R. Crumb and his Cheap Suit Serenaders. (The R. Crumb being Robert Crumb, the US cartoonist). It's funny, whimsical and a track that you cannot help tapping the foot to. The are fine artistes indeed. I will leave it to others to decide if they deserve to be kissed... (only joking - the song is a dig at the expectations of grandeur from certain 'artistes' - not something that I think could be levelled at either of these two).

Title track 'Can't Get Enough Of That Stuff' is one I've heard them play before as it is one of the first videos they put out in the ukulele / guitar guise a few months back. Little did we know then that there was an EP coming. Originally by Tom Dorsey and The Famous Hokum Boys, it fits the mood of the EP perfectly, bounces along well and has a lovely melodic repeating riff from Phil on the ukulele throughout.

Closing track, the Big Bill Broonzy penned 'Trouble In Mind'  is my favourite without a doubt. Phil on banjo, Ian on guitar, sublime harmonies in the vocals. It's got a feel of old Hank Williams songs, or the earliest Beatles / Quarrymen track 'In Spite Of All The Danger'. It's laid back yet pretty and comes complete with a nice guitar solo from Ian in the middle. I think it's the harmonies that just wrap the EP up perfectly. A couple of great musicians and great friends doing what they love to do. Close and in tune with each other on both the instruments and on the vocals.

So those are the tracks. But what do I really think? Well I genuinely think it's a superb set of performances that I've loved to leave playing. Listening to it through genuinely had me smiling.  Few people will know that I have a long standing love for this kind of music that takes me back to my childhood. Sure, it's old time jazzy and bluesy, but I get a kind of old time folky country feel from it (hence my mention of Hank Williams above). Not sure if that is what they were going for, (I doubt it) but there you go. Either way, it reminds me of weekend afternoons at an Uncles house who had the largest collection of old US records I have ever seen. This would have fitted in to that soundtrack perfectly. It's a collection that feels warmly familiar despite me not having heard them perform all of these before. Surely that's the mark of something that is hitting the spot?

As for the recording sound - that single mic has worked brilliantly. It sounds like Phil and Ian are sitting in your living room with their instruments and playing for you personally. And aside from the fact that Ian would probably complain you were not making him enough cups of tea, I can assure you - that is something that you would want to happen.

Readers will know I have been a fan of Phil's solo work and their works a pair before that for some time, so this may come as no surprise. But there is a new twist here. The addition of Ian on guitar really fattens and broadens the sound in a good way. That's not a criticism of Phil's earlier solo releases, but you know - one man, one ukulele - it's always going to sound thinner. But then, remember that this ISN'T a ukulele album - it just features a uke on some of it. And for me, who likes to encourage a breadth of musical instrument playing rather than rigidly devoting yourself to just one, this is a very good thing.

Highly recommended.

Can't Get Enough Of That Stuff will be available to purchase from the Phil Doleman website at the beginning of March (possibly earlier!). Head over to his site to have a listen to some excerpts from the EP now. You can also see them performing as a duo again at this years Grand Northern Ukulele Festival amongst other venues.

http://phildoleman.co.uk



© Barry Maz

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Trying To Put The Myth That The Ukulele Is Easy To Bed Once And For All

Oh here he goes again... Barry is back with his usual rant about how he finds the suggestion that the 'ukulele is easy' to be unhelpful.. Again..... So what's new here?

Well not a lot I suppose, the media are still trotting it out.  But since I did my rant on the subject I did then get a lot of blog comments, social media comments and emails telling me I was just wrong.  You know - the usual... People saying, 'I think it is easy, so there' kind of stuff, and there was a LOT of it. Yet, something didn't sit quite right for me. You see, alongside those dismissing my post were several people who emailed me with quite heartfelt messages to say, yes, they agreed with the rant - and passionately.   That they were glad someone spoke up for them. They didn't find the ukulele easy when starting and more importantly for me, they found the endless statements that it IS easy to be off putting, counter productive and made them feel useless. I think that is a horrible way for someone to feel, but were they isolated cases? I hatched a plan.

Eagle eyed readers will note that on the left hand panel of this site for the last couple of months has been a poll asking a very simple question with a 'yes or no' answer. Nothing loaded, nothing pushy and I haven't promoted it anywhere. I just put the poll up and left it there to see what would happen (not expecting much to be honest).

The question was:

'Being honest, when starting out with the ukulele, did you find it 'easy'?'

As simple as that. Then people started clicking their answers..... in their droves.

And the results were actually quite startling. Not only did over 15,000 of you spot the poll and register your vote, but the results were frankly a landslide for the NO camp - that is to say, 98% of respondents did NOT find the ukulele easy when starting out. I was wrong to have worried about the validity of the rant it would seem. (and no, I don't know why Blogger only tally up those percentages to 99% either...!)

Yes, yes, I know polls can be flawed, and can't be relied on totally. And of course this is just a poll of my readers, so not the world at large. But it was a big response (equivalent to the attendance of a couple of the worlds largest ukulele festivals put together), and that is a pretty massive mandate for the NO camp.

Why does any of this matter? Well I think the media, brands and other players (driven by the brands perhaps, or the brands feeding off the media?) are sending the wrong message to new players. I know when questioned on the subject they come back with qualifications like 'ah.. but what we mean is, it's easy compared to many other instruments' or the equally lame, 'yes, but I found it easy, so there...'. The other common defence is, 'but it IS easy to get started with'. You know what though, talking to some beginners I am not sure that is the case either.  And the messages that are forever trotted out don't go into that detail. The message that goes out is simply that it IS 'easy' and doesn't come with any qualification. We are simply told that 'it just IS'. And of course that comes with an inference that if you don't find it that way, then there is something wrong with you. You've failed.

So the effect that creates is that it makes people who do struggle (and based on the poll statistics, that's an awfully big percentage of you) feel like they are doing something wrong, feeling useless and (my worst fear) actually giving up because they don't think they can do it. Think about it - everything you read about the ukulele tells you it is EASY, the dealer tells you it is easy, poor quality YouTube tutors tell you it is easy, the TV and newspapers tell you it's easy... and you try it and find that it actually, no it isn't after all.  Perhaps your hands ache, your fingertips hurt, you can't stretch to reach some chords, you can't get a steady rhythm, you tangle up in the strings, and many many more things challenge you... I think it's reasonable to expect that some people might probably ditch the instrument because they assume they cannot master it.  I mean.. everyone said it was easy, right? And I think that is a crying shame.

Is there a merit to saying it is easy? I've thought long about that argument but can't come up with a rational justification. Perhaps it encourages people to try to play the ukulele? Perhaps. But at the expense of making some people feel useless? No thanks. For me it's used far too much, and usually hand in hand with the myth that 'ukuleles are cheap'. It devalues the instrument, makes out that it isn't serious and ultimately only helps one sector, the sellers, to sell more. Aside from some trusted specialists out there who do care, the ukulele bandwagon has been well and truly jumped on by generic music stores in every country. Do you think that Guitar Center give a damn how YOU get on with your purchase? Don't kid yourselves.

The point I keep trying to make is connected to an assumption that I really don't understand. The assumption that the ukulele owes you some sort of 'right' to be easy. That the 'easy thing' is guaranteed and part of the deal. That's a crazy assumption.  It really doesn't. And I do find the assumption that it has to be easy is one of the things that drives people to avoid difficult chords, or to cheat or not develop their playing - almost like they don't want to play anything challenging because it would disprove their view that it is easy! See my point?

So please, please, please media, brands, dealers, players - stop telling people the ukulele is easy with your lazy journalism that simply reaches for the last ukulele article you saw (the one with a picture of Tiny Tim and / or George Formby) and just trots out the same garbage EVERY time. Try actually speaking to a ukulele player, in particular, a beginner - ask them what they thought! It's what I did.  In fact, try remembering how it was for you. You know what? Saying that you became accomplished on the ukulele with no trouble at all is NOT a badge of honour that impresses me.

And if you are a beginner reading this and struggling with your ukulele in the early days and weeks. Remember - you are not alone - most other people felt the same way.  Stick with it. It can be a challenge for many reasons, but that's nothing unusual, you are NOT failing and it's totally worth persevering.

Have fun!

Be sure to read all my other ukulele rants here - a refuge of sanity in the ukulele madness!



© Barry Maz

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Got A Ukulele Interview - Danielle Ate The Sandwich

Time for another interview on Got A Ukulele and a performer I am delighted agreed to talk to the website.  Danielle Anderson, who performs under her stage name of ‘Danielle Ate The Sandwich’ will be well known to ukulele fans around the world, perhaps from her rather excellent YouTube videos (some of which I have shared on this site) but also on account of her extremely well received live performances and enviable songwriting skills.

Credit - Kaela Speicher

Born and raised in Nebraska, Danielle has more recently called Fort Collins, Colorado her home and has been touring the US since 2009 with a string of albums to her name. Later this year she is visiting and performing in the UK at the Grand Northern Ukulele Festival which will be a real treat.  I caught up with her recently.

Hi Danielle! Let’s start off with finding out a little more about how you started in music – what were your first experiences? 

'I was in choir in school and church and took piano lessons as a kiddo. I studied violin from 4th grade until I graduated high school. I had always loved writing stories and poems! I have a notebook with songs I wrote from about 5th or 6th grade and some old cassette tapes with me singing some of my early songs. I taught myself to play guitar in high school, but kept my songs a secret until my early 20s! That also when I found the ukulele! I’m a late bloomer, so when I finally came out of my shell it was a bit of an explosion!' 

So have you been mainly playing ukulele since or do you have other instruments at home? 

'I play mostly ukulele, but this winter I got an electric guitar (with amp and effects) and a banjo. I think that different instruments can help unlock new songs or paths of creativity. Just like if you get a new haircut, you might walk a little bit differently down the street. Ukulele is a true love of mine, but I am willing to have flings with other instruments!' 

That’s what I regularly tell my readers – it’s healthy to enjoy all sorts of instruments. Flings are allowed! Aside from the instruments themselves, what styles of music are your real loves? 

'What I listen to on a daily basis and what inspires my music are a bit different! I love to find inspiration from folk, jazz and soul music. The lyrical styles found in all of them inspire my own, but I always love pop/jazz vocal melodies and as I develop my singing voice more, I love to let loose with some soul singing! In the car, I listen to pop radio and house/electronic music. The last album I got was Justin Bieber’s Purpose and I love it. It usually surprises people that I like mass consumed radio and cable TV.' 

I’ve picked up a soul vibe on the vocals in many of your videos – is there a style you haven’t yet attempted as Danielle Ate The Sandwich but would like to? Do you think everything can work with the ukulele? 

'There are songs I love, but can’t seem to make work well with just voice and ukulele. I don’t think that is a limit of the ukulele, so much as it is a limit of my own musical know-how.  There are ukulele players who make it obvious to me the ukulele can do anything! James Hill is one of these players-he does Michael Jackson and Jimi Hendrix and his own amazing originals. I am proud to have been able to cover a lot of genres-soul, jazz, pop, rock, country. I would love to do some James Brown and have been working on a Doris Day cover for a long time now!' 

Credit - Corey Hardwick

Like many artists on the ukulele circuit, you generated a lot of early success with your YouTube videos – how important do you think that channel is for new performers to get noticed? 

'YouTube was a very important part of how I got my start and success! I think it’s a great help, but I don’t think it’s essential to success. I know a lot of people ask me how they should get started on YouTube and how they can get big there, but I think it’s a very hard thing to cultivate and it certainly not for everyone. It worked well for me because I got on right when it got big and I’m a goofy performer who loves to be in front of the camera. I don’t think anything I am doing is necessarily right for another musician and vice versa. I should do exactly what they’re doing and expect the same results. I believe that just like finding your musical style and artistic vision, you need to carve your own business path!'

And how did the ‘Ate The Sandwich’ name come about? 

'It was in 2006, when i was making a myspace page for my music. I had to pick a URL for the page, so I was making a list of things to call myself and it came to mind. I think food (as an essential building block of life, as well as a visual thing) is fun and lovely. I like the word Sandwich-it’s got nice heavy consonants and sandwiches come in many different shapes and sizes! I didn’t want to change my last name or use a fake stage name, so I just thought what do you do with Sandwiches, you eat them. I’m Danielle, what do I do to Sandwiches? I eat them.' 

As a musician, what do you get the biggest buzz from? Songwriting, live performance or a mix of all those things? 

'Definitely a mix! I am a songwriter. I am living every day of my life, observing and experiencing every moment as a songwriter. It’s the difference between the question, “What do you do for a job?” and “Who are you?”' 


That’s a good point. So tell me how the performance element gives you a buzz? 

'Performance is something that I discovered I love in the last 10 years. It makes me feel alive in a different way! When I’m on stage, I’m brazen and liberated. I say what I think and I feel good about myself. The connection between the audience and a performer is really important to me. It’s wild to be two different people, one very timid and observing very quietly and another on fire and up in front of everyone!' 

Does that feeling of being on fire come naturally to you? What are your tips for dealing with stage fright and nerves?

'I wasn’t always good on stage! It took me a very long time to face my fears and perform for the first time. When I finally found the courage to get up there, I had to perform several times before I enjoyed it. I was critical of how I did and usually got off the stage feeling terrible about myself. I was always saying, “That was terrible Danielle, but you can do better, you’ve got to try again and do better next time.” There was some fire under my butt that kept me getting back up there. I was always self deprecating and a little odd on stage, so my schtick is natural in the way that it happened the very first time I got up to perform and I’m still doing that today. The experience I was personally having got better and better as I got more experience on stage. I think of stage performance a lot like learning to play a song. You have to practice. You have to do it over and over, know what you’re doing if you mess up, know what you’re doing if you’re doing well, you have to know how to do it when people are talking or when people are REALLY listening. Performance is a skill and an artform! I really like it!

Audiences in the UK and Europe will be thrilled to see you are on the bill for this years Grand Northern Ukulele Festival. Is this your first time over to the UK? 

'I travelled to Scotland in 2013 with friends, but didn’t play any shows! This will be my first time in England and my first time performing in the UK! It feels like a very important step for me professional as well as a person! I’m looking forward to the adventure!' 

Credit - Mercedes

Well I think you are at one of the great ukulele festivals and am sure you will go down well. Of course you have played many other great places already! What would you say is a performance highlight in your career so far? 

'I’ve done a few fancy things that people always like to hear about. I got to play the NPR Radio show, ETown with Mumford and Sons. I’ve also opened for Suzanne Vega and I’ve opened on tour for Pomplamoose. I’ve had a few experiences that were very rewarding and personal to me. Sometimes playing a show can be just like another day at work and other days you’re overcome with gratitude and emotions, getting to play your songs and getting to be where you are, sharing it with people.'  

Wow! some great names there! What about venues?Do you have any dream stages or events you would like to play? 

'My biggest (silly) dream is to be on Saturday Night Live as the musical guest and host! I’d also love to play larger, historic theaters and venues-the same kind of places where Damien Rice and Glen Hansard play! It’s great to be in a venue that helps bring alive your voice and songs, but can still be an intimate setting for you and your fans!' 

Naturally, my readers are always keen to know what instruments artists use – tell us a little about your performance instruments. 

'My first choice is always the ukulele! I play tenor the most often, but recently got into the baritone. My latest album, ‘The Drawing Back of Curtains’ was almost all baritone ukulele! And I find it’s been a great tool for writing!  I play Mya-Moe brand ukuleles. I also play guitar occasionally and just got a banjo! I love to write on any instrument I can get my hands on, but the ukulele is really my strongest writing partner!' 

I saw that you play Mya-Moe ukuleles – and obviously there is a connection there with Aaron Keim who you have also appeared in videos with. Are you pleased to be sharing the bill with Aaron and Nicole at GNUF?  (nb readers - as well as being a performer,  Aaron is a builder with Gordon and Char Mayer at Mya-Moe in the USA)

'I’m thrilled to be sharing the bill with  The Quiet American! They are very fun people! I love their knowledge of folk music and Americana and the information they can share about playing the ukulele in their workshops is amazing! I always try to sneak into the class they’re teaching! They have also been great sources of wisdom for me through my music career and life.'  

Finally – the question that I end all interviews with… Let us know your best piece of advice for ukulele beginners? 

'Keep it in tune and give yourself time to learn chords and learn how to switch easily from one to another! That’s the hardest part in the beginning! Also, don’t be afraid to challenge yourself to learn the next thing that may seem hard and impossible! I have that problem myself-pushing through the difficulty and practicing enough to master a new skill! Most importantly, have fun with it!'

Thanks Danielle – looking forward to seeing you play at GNUF this year!

Danielle Ate The Sandwich is one of the headline performers at this years Grand Northern Ukulele Festival in Huddersfield UK from 27-29 May.

Take a listen to one of Danielle's more recent songs below!



http://danielleatethesandwich.com
http://northernuke.com
https://www.youtube.com/user/daniellesmagic



© Barry Maz

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Turns Out There IS A Ukulele Rule Book After All...

Regular Got A Ukulele readers will know that I like to rally against those who set rules for other players - you know the sort of thing... 'Don't use straps, don't use picks, you must play it this way or that way...' and so on..

I tend to then ask whether there is a magical ukulele rule book in existence that supports these things. I mean - people repeat them SO vehemently you would think that they must be enshrined in ancient texts.... I have searched everywhere, but drawn a blank..

Then, lo and behold, a kind reader appears to have a found a copy for me... It actually exists!!

(Provider of link is not being named for fear of certain ukulele players likely to attack him with pitchforks and fire.) And, naturally, I am merely sharing the news of this find... the views contained in the rule book do not necessarily reflect the views of Got A Ukulele... ;-)





© Barry Maz

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Travelling South - George Elmes

Another one! I pointed out in my last post that I don't share a lot of YouTube videos - that's because I get sent SO many that it's hard to screen them without offending... so I don't...  On occasion though I do come across videos myself that just make me go a bit 'wow' and find myself WANTING to share them. That is the case with this one from Dublin based ukulele player George Elmes.

Not quite sure how to sum up what made me share it because it's a combination of so many things. Wonderful technical skills, wonderful timing , wonderful style - and a tune that doesn't sound like many old fashioned renditions often used to show of skills.  Don't know why, but reminded me of dramatic music in good Spanish cinema I have watched. Nice ukulele too!! (Kiwaya!)




( DIRECT LINK - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vk5ny7Kx0Kw&feature=share )

© Barry Maz

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Zoë Bestel - Peter

Regular readers of Got A Ukulele will know that I don't share videos that often. This is not a site that endlessly shares ukulele stuff regardless of what it is. What I do share though is stuff that makes me sit back when impressed or lost for words. Say hello to this latest from Zoë Bestel.

It's a cover of a song by north London band 'Daughter' - and frankly I am going to stop typing. Just... just watch... and listen (obviously)



(Uke fans - I believe Zoë is playing one of these )

( DIRECT LINK )

© Barry Maz

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Deering Goodtime Banjo Ukulele - REVIEW

Another review on Got A Ukulele that I have been really looking forward to publishing. Some readers think I have a something against the banjo ukulele - I don't. I don't have anything against banjos either. In fact I used to own one made by the company behind this model - the Deering Goodtime Banjo Ukulele.

For banjo aficionados, you will know what the Deering name means. For those who don't, Deering are a USA based manufacturer of a dizzying array of banjos. In fact a maker of some seriously well regarded banjos that can run into thousands of dollars in price. As part of their many ranges, they have an entry level line called 'Goodtime' and this new Ukulele Banjo forms part of that. Now, don't be mistaken to think that the term 'entry level' means cheap and nasty - it doesn't. They are still made in the US, they just don't cost thousands! This one has been on loan with me for a little while courtesy of Deering and Eagle Music in the UK.

The first thing you may notice about the Goodtime that sets it apart from most ukulele banjos is the diameter of the head. A lot of ukulele banjos can look to me like 'toy banjos' and have heads around the 8 or 9 inch size. The Deering uses a full size banjo head of 11 inches and puts a ukulele neck on to it. It kind of looks a little out of proportion but actually it's not much different to a banjo ukulele with a resonator on the back - just that pretty much all of the diameter of this one is the drum head and not the outer resonator plate.

The other thing you will notice is the pale colour. All of the instruments in the Goodtime series share this look, and it's down to the fact that they are predominantly made from maple. I think it looks really nice and certainly different in the banjo ukulele stakes. The rim of the pot is made from 3 ply maple and is finished in a satin which is really nice to touch.

We have a steel rim arrangement holding the 11 inch head in place. The head is branded by Deering, but I think they may be made for them by Remo.  Holding it in place are 16 chrome hooks which are all adjustable.

The bridge is a standard ukulele banjo affair (⅝") with three feet, but it sits on a removable wooden bridge plate that is patented by Deering. It is said to help transfer vibrations down cleanly to the head, but it also serves to protect the head in the longer term from the feet that can often dig in to the top of the drum.

The tail piece is chrome and stamped with the Deering name and running through the back of the pot is the adjustable tension rod that also holds the neck in place.

Moving on to the neck, this is also made from rock maple and has a lovely feel to it in the hand. It is made from three pieces with a joint at the heel and one towards the headstock. What I really like about it is that the frets are set directly into the maple of the neck, and the fingerboard extends down over the top of the banjo head. It kinds of floats over it giving higher fret options than it just stopping at the edge of the head. The edge of the fingerboard has a nice wave to it too.  Whilst the edges of the fingerboard are unbound, with the pale wood it doesn't look like it needs binding (in fact it would spoil the simple look of the thing). A minor thing that pleases me but I love the wavy grain in the maple showing through the finish both on the headstock and down the fingerboard itself. It's subtle but it reminds me of the maple necks on the Bruko Model 6 soprano.

Frets are nickel silver, and we have 17 in total with 12 to the top of the pot. They are all finished well and have no sharp edges. Scale wise, this is a concert model, though I always tend to find scale descriptors kind of go out of the window with banjo ukes.

Fret markers are not provided on the side but the outward facing markers are inlaid in darker wood and in a bow tie shape. They look superb and are placed at the third, fifth, seventh, tenth and twelfth spaces.

The nut seems to be synthetic and is black, and then we move on to the sublimely shaped headstock which is typical of all Goodtime series instruments. The Goodtime logo and the statement that it is 'proudly made in the USA' is engraved into the wood. And this is solid engraving too - not a mere scratch.

Tuning is provided by unbranded sealed chrome geared tuners. They kind of don't sit with the vintage / country vibe of the instrument for me, but they do work well I guess. From memory, the full scale Goodtime banjos use these tuners, so I suppose it is consistent. Still, I just think that friction pegs would look killer on this instrument. I don't like the way manufacturers tend toward geared tuners because they figure that they will get less complaints from buyers. For me, the sort of person likely to buy one of these will know the difference between good and bad friction pegs. As such Deering - fit friction pegs, but choose good ones!

Completing the deal are Aquila Super Nylgut strings and they can be picked up for an RRP of about £330 (although they are available for under £300 in many places). I think that is pretty good value for a banjolele, particularly a banjo ukulele that is made in the US and not in China. In fact I actually had to double check the price...

It doesn't come with a case which is a bit disappointing, particularly because of the size and shape of it means that it may not fit in many banjo uke cases. Deering offer one specifically for it but it will cost another £50 for a soft bag - a price I think is a bit steep for something that isn't a hard case. I understand it is also available with a rear resonator and there are rumours of Deering making a tenor scale version later this year.

So on to playing the thing. Firstly, I have no great skills in banjo ukulele style playing, triple strums and the like so bear with me. I do know, however what sounds and plays good and I know good workmanship when I see it.

First off - it feels great and solid in the hand. It's really well put together with no issues I could spot at all. Weight wise, it's certainly heavier than most wooden ukuleles, but as banjo ukes go it's pretty reasonable really. If found it comfortable to stand and hold without a strap and it didn't feel cumbersome at all. You could of course easily add a strap by attaching to the hooks around the pot but you may offend banjo ukulele traditionalists. I believe Deering also make an arm rest that can be added if you find the hooks start digging in to your forearm.

Setup was spot on at the nut for me and of course with a banjo ukulele you can easily adjust the action or position of the bridge for fine tuning intonation if you need to. I didn't fiddle with it (which probably shows in the video) but it is only with me on test.

The neck is particularly comfortable with that satin finished maple - really nice on both the fingertips and the back of the hand.

And what of the 11 inch head? Well of course with a banjo, that is where the sound is generated, and in the case of this instrument it really doesn't disappoint. It's got a bark that is frighteningly loud and snappy if you really hammer the strings. A real punch that surprised me. It sounds sweet too though and is just as clear across notes when played softly or fingerpicked. Unlike many cheaper ukulele banjos I have played this didn't have echoey ghost notes coming from the pot no matter how hard or soft I played it - notes are crystal clear. No complaints really!

Sure - it sounds like a banjo - it IS A banjo, but for me it had more nuances to the sound than many other banjo ukuleles I had played that seemed to be only about bite and not so much about character of tone. This has a nice mix, and sure - a ton of volume if you need it too. I suppose where I have suggested I am not a fan of the banjo ukulele it's been down to one dimensional overly loud tones that many of them can (to my ears) create - this one just seems more rounded and has more warmth to it. Perhaps it's down to the increased head size. Experts will be sure to enlighten me.

I think if you like your old time music, this would be a great addition to your collection. In fact, if you just like banjo ukuleles or even just banjos, this would suit you as well also. For a wooden ukulele player considering a first step into the world of banjo ukuleles this would be recommended by me due to the quality and tone.  I know some ukulele clubs that don't allow banjo ukuleles as they are too loud (yes, seriously, those sort of clubs actually exist). If I lived near one, I'd be tempted to buy one of these just to take to those clubs and wake the dead...

Highly recommended, great quality, great punch. A great buy!

http://www.deeringbanjos.com
http://www.eaglemusicshop.com

Be sure to read all my other ukulele reviews here

UKULELE PROS

Build quality
Great looks and detailing
The large head!
Extended fingerboard
Great punchy tone but equally nice played soft
Good price for a US made banjo

UKULELE CONS

Would have preferred friction pegs
No side fret markers
No gig bag as standard

UKULELE SCORES

Looks - 9 out of 10
Fit and finish - 8.5 out of 10
Sound - 9 out of 10
Value for money - 9 out 10

OVERALL UKULELE SCORE - 8.9 out of 10

UKULELE VIDEO REVIEW

© Barry Maz

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