Uke Guy – Page 28 – Ukulele Guy

Ibanez UKC10 Concert Ukulele

I was looking around Musician's Friend for the new arrivals, just seeing if maybe there is some fancy new ukulele that's gonna break my heart. Of course, out of 25 new arrivals, exactly one of them was a ukulele. But, hey, that's better than zero, right? This is the second Ibanez ukulele that I've looked at and I'm intrigued. Does anyone out there have an Ibanez ukulele? The price is pretty good for a starter uke, especially if it's well-made. Here's some info on the Ibanez UKC10 Ukulele Concert with Bag Natural.

Ibanez UKC10 Ukulele Concert with Bag (Natural)

Ibanez UKC10 Ukulele Concert with Bag Features:

* Body Shape: Concert Style Body
* Neck: Mahogany Neck
* Top: Sapele Body
* Tuners: Open Gear Chrome Tuners
* Fretboard: Rosewood Bridge and Fretboard
* Strings: Standard Ukulele Strings
* Finishes: Natural Low Gloss Finish

Ooh! I just found a youtube video of someone playing the Ibanez UKC10 Concert Ukulele. Unfortunately a) It's in French and b) I can't embed it here. But, you can follow the above link to check it out. If anyone has one of these or has played one, please let me know!

Bathroom Ukulele Video (don’t be scared)

Alright, as you may or may not know, I bought a Gorillapod for my Flip Video last week and I've been itching to use this thing. I talked about it in this post, Time to make some videos! (UPDATE). But, this freaking chest cold has been making it impossible to even talk without coughing like a 70 year-old chainsmoker. Well.. I'm tired of waiting. So, while this isn't how I envisioned my first ukulele video going down, I'm still fairly happy with how it turned out. But, I am a little nervous, though, for several reasons:

Now you know what I look like and disappointment is sure to follow. 😉
It took me 5 takes to get one where I didn't cough mid-song. So, this probably isn't the best of the takes, but it's the least interrupted.
I forgot to "dress for success" in this video. I'm effectively one step above pajamas here.

Ah well.. If I start off like this then we have no where to go except for up, right? K. Here ya go.

Oh yeah! My hair isn't always that ridiculous. You are just looking at the remnants of my mohawk from Halloween. My new wave band covered David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust record and our second set was 10 punk rock songs from 1985 or prior (Agent Orange, Fear, Black Flag, etc). I've honestly forgotten that I look so goofy, but I get reminded of it when I see people's faces when I actually do leave the house (which, is rare).

World’s Prettiest Ukulele

I honestly think that I'm not exaggerating. I do believe that this is the prettiest ukulele I have ever seen. The inlays are incredible! I was just wandering through eBay while I was drinking a cup of tea (I'm freaking still getting over this cold) when I see this MAKANI SURF TENOR UKULELE FULL KOA CUSTOM by Kazu Mori.

Reading the auction notes, this ukulele looks to be custom built by Kazu Mori. Apparently Kazu's father is a master builder himself. The wood is Koa and there are beautiful inlays all over this thing. Check out the surfer near the sound hole. Also, there are abalone fret markers and the neck is bound in ebony? Dang! Unless I hit the lottery, I'm going to have to live with just looking at the pictures. But, the pictures are so pretty that I might be able to live with that. Also, if I did own this thing I'd almost be afraid to touch it, let alone play it. It's like skateboarding on the roof of the Sistine Chapel or something.

eBay: Silver Coin Pick (fun!)

So, after my rant earlier about picking, I felt a little bad. If you play guitar/ukulele/bass with a pick, more power to you! It just so happens that I don't. But... now, after finding this rad Silver Pick, I'm starting to wonder if I haven't made a terrible mistake in never learning. Look at these pictures, depending on the price ($9.99 - $14.99) you can get a custom silver pick made from an old silver coin. Fun!

OLD SILVER PICK Dulcimer Ukulele Mandolin + SILVERTONE

Here's some more eBay auctions with different coin picks. Check 'em out!

What kind of Ukulele Player are you?

So, I have some pretty strong opinions on this subject, so please forgive me if I offend. I'm definitely getting grouchier as I age. Anyway, for those who don't know I'm a fairly recent ukulele convert (last 5-6 years or so). I've been playing bass and guitar since I was in the 7th grade, but I'm self-taught. So, my style is weird and I wouldn't say that I'm technically great, by any means.

However, I am a pretty decent bass player and I enjoy playing bass. I also play my bass with my fingers and I have pretty strong opinions on that subject. For example, I don't think slapping is ever okay and if you play with a pick then your tone better be super tough. Well, I guess Flea gets a pass, but that's about it. And, by tough, on the picking style, I mean like Kim Gordon, Brian Ritchie or Kim Deal tough. Not Nu Metal tough.

So, being a bass player first, I actually play guitar like a bass. That is to say, I don't use a pick. I strum with my fingers and I play single notes by plucking with my fingers. It's weird, but I've been doing it for too long to go back. Anyway, I'm just giving you some information so you can put the rest of my crazy rant into context.

BEGIN CRAZY RANTS:

1) I distrust attractive musicians. To me, music is what you get into if you are sort of weird and goofy looking, yet you still want to meet girls (or boys, or whathaveya). Attractive people don't need the extra help. This is our thing! Go back to writing bad poetry and modeling. For example, when I first heard The Apples in Stereo, I envisioned them as a bunch of really pretty boys and I hated them. Then I saw a picture of the band (cause they are pretty goofy looking) and I fell head-over-heels in love.

2) I value honesty and enthusiasm over competency and technique any day. So, while I appreciate someone who is incredibly skilled, like Jake Shimabukuro. I would much rather see an awkward teenage kid play an original song on Youtube. Two examples: The Robot Song by The Scribbles and Kazookeylele Version 2. I'm not saying I want music to be played poorly, I'm just saying I appreciate original thought more. Also, it's probably a sour grapes deal because, while I can write some goofy fun songs, I'll never be able to play like Jake Shimabukuro.

I thought I had another rant here, but I got distracted by a squirrel and lost my train of thought. I guess what I'm saying is that I sort of believe that music should be fun. Both for the listener and the performer. Especially, if you are playing a ukulele. I sort of frown on ukulele "shredding". That's what guitars are for. Again.. sour grapes, I guess. What do y'all think?