Which uke for beginners?

Can any of you fine uke players recommend a good one for beginners? I'm thinking about trying to play, even though I've never played a string instrument so I'm totally starting from scratch.

Most of the ones I've come across feel like toys (and priced that way as well).

I don't want to spend a fortune (in case I'm completely incompetent at it), but I'm willing to spend more for a "real" one.

Mahalo!

Try a Fluke. They are only a couple hundred dollars and are plenty groovy and they fall beyond the "toy" category. http://www.ws123.com/ssl/flea/fluke.asp and check out the Flea, it is even less expensive http://www.ws123.com/ssl/flea/shopping/default.asp?ProductType=Flea

The front of these ukes is wood, and the back is plastic like an Ovation guitar. This composition is useful in a singalong situation because they produce pretty good volume. I also don't have to worry about scratching up the back and it stands by itself. Also, it sounds pretty nifty.

[ Edited by: floratina on 2003-07-07 01:36 ]

I have heard a lot of good things about the flukes too. Although I am a bit of a traditionalist and prefer the look and sound of all all wood. My first uke was a Mahalo that I picked up for under $100.00.
From my research, there is not much diference in quality between $50.00 and a $150.00 ukes. I played and listened to many different ukes before I decided that the cheaper Mahalo actually sounded better than most of $150.00 ukes. Of course the more $$$ you have the more whistles and bells you get, but ultimately it really comes down to how the thing sounds. I am a beginner also and didn't want to sink to much cash into my first uke. I am very happy with my Mahalo, but I am saving up for something a bit nicer. Check out tikikings site for lots of good uke stuff.

http://www.tikiking.com/

I got the privledge of seeing Tikii King's finished "pineapple" Uke a few weeks ago. It has a little tiki carved right into the top or the head near the tuning pegs and it sounded awesome!

Chongolio

What pitch of Ukulele? From what I have seen there are Soprano, Concert and Baritone. Is there a particular one that is more popular? Since I'm a piano player and never played a guitar or Uke or any fretted instrument, what is the difference? My other concern is sheet music. Since I play keys, I have tons of music in the C- Concert keys. Do you finger a chord the same on each type of Uke? or do you need to transpose a tune if it is not written for that particular pitch of Uke? HELP!

http://www.ukefestwest.com/vendors.html

Great links for uke companies here.

As far as the different types, soprano and concert are generally tuned the same.
You know... "my dog has fleas."
Concert has more frets.

Baritone is tuned like a guitar.
4 strings of it anyway.

http://www.melbay.com

...books galore for uke players.
A couple of different tunings for concert.

[ Edited by: pablus on 2004-08-09 18:01 ]

BTW, my first uke was an Oscar Schmidt - not bad, but don't let it get warm.

The glue melted on the bridge and the tight strings shot it across the lounge like a slingshot.

I was at a MoveOn event a few weeks ago, and there was this teenage girl there with her parents. She had a uke with her. I thought it was really cool that teenagers are getting hip to ukes now - beats the hell out of Backstreet Boys or Britney!

She let me scope it out, and I was tickled to find that it was a Akulele - complete with a sticker of a moai on the inside (geddit? Aku-Aku meets Ukulele = Akulele!). It also had a pineapple motif carved into the back.

Hand made by some guy who I've been meaning to look up on-line...

...and I just did:

http://akulele.com/

Uke lovers in Chicago: just confirmed a Uke sing-along with 6 to 8 players from the Old Town School of Folk Music, to be held during the next Tabu Tiki Nights on August 18 at Trader Vic's! Feel free to join in...

I had my new ukulele being made by a great carver in the Marquesas (Ua Huka island), and I love it sooo much. It has doubled chords and the sound is huge and really powerfull compared to hawaiian uke. And only for 120 dollars.
It makes me feel like being Diamond Darrell of Pantera !!

My last trip to Hawai'i, I was determined to buy an uke. I was also looking for a beginner model, but after a lot of searching and asking a lot of questions, I ended up getting something a little more intermediate. All the models I played that were $50-$150 seemed fine... until I played a few that were in the $200-$300 range. HUGE difference in tone & quality of the wood and hardware.

What I ended up with is the Lanikai Tenor (CK-TEQ):

I personally love this model. They go for about $275-$300, but you won't grow out of it anytime soon like you might with a beginner uke. It also has great built-in electronics if you want to plug it into an amp. Of course, I also couldn't resist the cut-away and Curled Koa wood top, sides & back.

[ Edited by: MachTiki on 2004-08-10 12:57 ]

When Amy and I were in Hawaii for our anniversary in 2002 I was obsessed with getting a nice koa ukulele. I had been collecting cheap old ones at flea markets for a while (none of them sound that great except the mango wood Moana). I ended up finding a second hand concert uke made by Jerome Werner who makes them under the name "Valley Made Ukuleles". It has an excellent tone and a good volume. it was really reasonably priced (largely because I bought it from a mom who's kid had lost interest) compaired to all the other quality koa ukes I found.

I have been wanting to learn to play the ukulele for a long time now, but never having played the guitar or anything, I'm starting from scratch. I figured if I made the investment and got a "real" instrument I'd force myself to take the time to learn and practice. Well... we have been so busy with stuff since I got it (Tiki Quest, Exotica, work, life, having a baby...) that I still can't play a single song. I got the Jim Beloff book so I periodically torture Amy with some plinking, but I really want to be able to play the thing one day.

The label on my Valley Made says they do handcrafted koa and custom, their number is 696-5786 (I think the area code is 808). You might want to see what they would charge for one of their nice ukes.

-Duke

I am glad to see this thread going, because of TC I have spent a fair amount of time looking on the net for mp3's of Uke music, and it also reminded me I need to send money to King Ku for one of his, I wish I was brave enough to purchase one and try my hand at it, maybe some day. I am glad JT that you will have Uke players at the next TV event. Duke I found this nice background article on the people that made your Uke and we may see a website sometime soon for them. And Machtiki I would love to hear you do some songs with your Uke.

http://www.hclf.org/valleymade.html

King Kukulele's CD is one of my favorites.
It's fun - it's good - and it's got a song about Otto and room 135 in it, which to us East Coasters is "like unto a legend of the days of yore."

The Friki Tiki's are terrific.

BTW-Friday night is Hurricane Night!
We're supposed to get a visit from "Charley" so....

...we'll be drinking Hurricanes at the Lagoon Lounge and then driving into the city to see Jake Shimabukuro. Nice for Friday the 13th, ehhh?

Hey Pablus, have you heard the ukulele club de paris ??
They're the best uke band around here (well, the only), and great tiki fans...
7 uke players, and one nice album.
http://ukuleleclubdeparis.artistes.universalmusic.fr/

Wow!

Awesome website.
I gotta get their music.

Thanks.

and if you come to Paris, you could actually meet the uke club and we can play alltogether...

On my honeymoon in Hawaii a few years back I dropped some big coin on a beautiful pineapple Kamaka.

I was looking for something a little less precious to drag around in the car (I play on the way to work) and after doing a bunch of research, picked up a Flea model uke made by the Magic Fluke Company. These are available from http://www.fleamarketmusic.com, but I bought mine from [url=http://www.elderly.com/search/elderly?terms=fluke&x=15&y=7Elderly Instruments[/url] since they had them for about $24 cheaper, with bag.

The Flea sounded surprisingly good considering its small size and plastic fretboard. The tuners can be tightened, so when you get the instrument in tune you tighten up the tuners -- lo and behold your uke doesn't go out of tune while you're playing it. It wasn't quite as loud or resonant as my Kamaka, but for a $400 difference in price, who cares? As a starter instrument, you can't go wrong with it.

For a little bit more, you can go with the larger Fluke model. I eBay-ed the Flea recently and upgraded to a special concert-sized Fluke with a 16-fret, rosewood fingerboard and a Fishman pickup so I can inflict aural damage on bigger crowds in the future -- the larger size projects more volume and the instrument is especially resonant: strings played near the top often sound as if they are being 'doubled' or run through a chorus pedal.

anyone knows beside flea market where can I get the King Kukulele's album ??
I've never seen it here, and it's not on Amazon.

Oh Virani you're making me feel bad. I think I should have done a better job of making it available...all you need to do is follow these instructions: Send $15 US and 1 round trip ticket to Paris to me and I will hand deliver the CD and perform it live in your living room...I'll even perform it in your salle de bain. Petetre dans mon deuxieme CD j'ecrite une chanson en Francais pour vous? J'aime beaucoups Paris!! (pardon, ma Francais est pauvre mais c'est la vie)
I will be happy to mail you our CD if you send me 10euro or $15 US or 75 French francs to:
King Kukulele
c/o Denny Moynahan
1415 1/2 Lemoyne St.
Los Angeles, CA. 90026
USA

I hope someday soon I can hear you strumming your new Tahitian ukulele.
ALOHA!

aren't there a way to send it through paypal, well, if not, I can still find some francs in my grandmother mattress and send it to you, even if I don't know what you would do with it...

Your french is really good, and I'd love to hear you live. Come to Paris, even if I can't pay you the plane, I can find you a bed, and I can let you play my uke :wink:
Hey, and I saw you in a surf magasine about hawaii yesterday !!

Hey Virani,
I am sorry but I don't have the paypal set up yet, I don't want you to ruin your Grandmas mattress (you might put a lump in it) but if you sent me some of her francs it would remind me of one of my favorite places on Earth. Paris and France are wonderful, save me place to sleep and I will be there soon. We are taking good care of our French friends Vincent and Katell and they are getting a nice suntan before returning to Nevers. Sorry about the paypal.
King

Allright, no problem... take good care of Vincent & Katell and remind them to bring me some tikis.

I'll send the euros for you if you don't mind, and you could use those on your next visit.
Thanks a lot, king.

This CD is a blast, and I've only listened to it while sober. Wait 'til the rum starts flowing...

I drove one of my teenage daughters nuts this morning playing it on the way to school. The other daughter joined me in singing the "Luau" chorus.

Here's the direct link to buy the CD with regular credit cards: http://www.flea-mkt-music.com/store/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=163

Tiki Farm just had a great splash page on KK, but it just got replaced with the Ape splash. Haven't seen the KK page moved to the Tiki Theatre section yet.

All Hail the King!