Post #272712 by pablus on Fri, Dec 15, 2006 6:05 AM

A few good things learned this year.

First, I prefer Ko'olau Gold strings over every other string. I truly have tried them all. I change strings about every 2 months.
Sweet tone and they hold it for a while so if you want to play something other than "chunk clunk chunk" you can do it with a nice ring.

Second, Jabberin' Josh of Haole Kats! had the coolest pickup I've ever seen that he let me use at Hukilau. I don't even know the name of it but it simply pushes onto the front of the uke with some sort of gum. Then it runs into a pre-amp and out to your amp. Incredibly transparent sound. I have an expensive Baggs pickup in my tenor Fluke (by TIki King) and it's horrible compared to this little gem. Jake Shimabukuro needs one of these too, the sound of his pickup in the baritone he plays is as thumpy as the Baggs is in my tenor.

Lanikai ukes aren't too bad and they don't cost much. One of the guys who works with me on occasion bought one while we were in Hawai'i last year and it held up pretty well to my pawing it.

If you want to get better, have a uke around your work area. I probably did most of my practicing this year during 10 minute stints on break this year. Going over Haole Kats charts, writing complete new songs, goofing around, making up Sandler-esque songs about whatever I was looking at... all this for short moments of relaxation and laughs.

I actually practiced scales this year a little although I have no idea why. I don't think there will ever come a time when I will solo a musical lead on a uke. I spend more time on chord voicings than any other aspect of uke theory. It's amazing how lifting it can be to switch to a higher chord voicing at the climax of a song.

It impossible to express how great it is to hang out with serious prefessional musicians such as Haole Kats! I learn something uketacular everytime I'm around them. Just make sure you have plenty of drinks and pupus available... the miserable sots.

Where the heck is Uke Jackson?
I miss him around here.

Steven Strauss is still my all time favorite uke player and he registered here not long ago.
One a these days - my friend - one of these days... I will return!