Suggestions for a Uke

[JimiSaveUs]

I am in the markey for my first ukelele, I am looking to spend no more than $250, and I was wondering...

a) What tone? Soprano? Baritone? Tenor? What is the difference?

b) What Brand? I have heard Lanikai is good...

c) What type of strings should I put on it once I get it?

d) Do you know where I can get the best deal? Guitar Center? Online..?

and...

e) Would I be better off just getting a mandolin?

Thank you in advance, this website has been very good to me, keep dmbtabs strong, it is an oasis among guitar websites.

[brian_ok]

a) What tone? Soprano? Baritone? Tenor? What is the difference?
b) What Brand? I have heard Lanikai is good...
c) What type of strings should I put on it once I get it?
d) Do you know where I can get the best deal? Guitar Center? Online..?
and...
e) Would I be better off just getting a mandolin?

a.)I would say tenor. It obviously depends on what tone you want. I would try out at least tenor and baritone, and decide based on what you hear.
b.)Martin makes a good model I know, I *think* Micheal Kelly has at least one uke model...
c.)Martin makes uke strings, I would recommend those. They're 75 cents or something like that.
d.)Guitar center or musicians friend...I would recommend GC so that you could try it out.
e.)the mandolin is a completely different instrument. I believe that they're tuned differently...(uke-AECG, mandolin-EADG...correct me if I'm wrong?) , They sound completely different, and they're used in different styles of music. I would rather spend my money on a mandolin than a uke, because I feel that I would play it more often. That is completely personal preference though. I would try both instruments.

Good luck...let us know what you decide on!

and,

DMBtabs...welcome to it

[fatjack]

a) What tone? Soprano? Baritone? Tenor? What is the difference?
b) What Brand? I have heard Lanikai is good...
c) What type of strings should I put on it once I get it?
d) Do you know where I can get the best deal? Guitar Center? Online..?
and...
e) Would I be better off just getting a mandolin?

a.)I would say tenor. It obviously depends on what tone you want. I would try out at least tenor and baritone, and decide based on what you hear.
b.)Martin makes a good model I know, I *think* Micheal Kelly has at least one uke model...
c.)Martin makes uke strings, I would recommend those. They're 75 cents or something like that.
d.)Guitar center or musicians friend...I would recommend GC so that you could try it out.
e.)the mandolin is a completely different instrument. I believe that they're tuned differently...(uke-AECG, mandolin-EADG...correct me if I'm wrong?) , They sound completely different, and they're used in different styles of music. I would rather spend my money on a mandolin than a uke, because I feel that I would play it more often. That is completely personal preference though. I would try both instruments.

Good luck...let us know what you decide on!

and,

DMBtabs...welcome to it

that really has nothing to do with tone. those names apply to an instrument's range (soprano being the highest, then alto, tenor, baritone, and bass the lowest)

a mandolin is a LOT different than a uke. mandolin's are tuned the same way as a violin (GDAE), and have pairs of strings, whereas the uke has single strings. mandolin's also have necks that are pretty much the same size as violin's and much smaller frets than a uke. they are also much more difficult to play than ukes. if you are familiar with guitar, playing the uke should be no problem since their fret scale isn't much smaller than a full sized guitar, but playing a mandolin wouldn't be as easy to pick up because of its small size; it takes some getting used to.

really it should be about what you kind of music you want to play. a uke seems a lot more versatile than a mandolin because mandolin's are so strongly associated with bluegrass music. if you just want something you can noodle around on, i'd definitely go with a ukelele

[brian_ok]

that really has nothing to do with tone. those names apply to an instrument's range (soprano being the highest, then alto, tenor, baritone, and bass the lowest)

well if it isn't the semantics police again.

As you might see, the OP used the word 'tone.' What he and I mean by 'tone' is pretty obvious.

[fatjack]

that really has nothing to do with tone. those names apply to an instrument's range (soprano being the highest, then alto, tenor, baritone, and bass the lowest)

well if it isn't the semantics police again.

As you might see, the OP used the word 'tone.' What he and I mean by 'tone' is pretty obvious.

fine then, next time i'll just let you believe that your misinformation is true, prick

[MattJ]

if you just want something you can noodle around on, i'd definitely go with a ukelele

Well said. I've got a soprano uke and a mandolin and personally I play the mandolin a lot more. But it is a very different beast than a guitar, so if you're not looking to pretty much learn a completely new instrument, go with the uke.

If you do get the uke, check out the ebooks from django books:
https://shoppingcart.djangobooks.com/cg ... ks&catstr=

The Bickford Uke method is pretty good for 5 dollars. Lots of chords, exercises, standard notation etc. It's a little dated (I think it was written early in the 20th) but pretty useful.


The mandolin is a great instrument, but will be more work to pick up. I got my uke for about $30 from Guitar Center (soprano's seem to be the cheapest) and you can get a crappy mandolin for not much more than that if you just want to experiment before getting choosing good one.

[brian_ok]

fine then, next time i'll just let you believe that your misinformation is true, prick

It wasn't misinformation. And you really need to start taking your own advice.

[fatjack]

fine then, next time i'll just let you believe that your misinformation is true, prick

It wasn't misinformation. And you really need to start taking your own advice.

yes it was, you were wrong, as usual

[a1075dd63aa12]

[thejoe]

fine then, next time i'll just let you believe that your misinformation is true, prick

It wasn't misinformation. And you really need to start taking your own advice.

you were WRONG
its time to shut up and stop being such a little bitch

[a1075dd63aa12]

fine then, next time i'll just let you believe that your misinformation is true, prick

It wasn't misinformation. And you really need to start taking your own advice.

you were WRONG
its time to shut up and stop being such a little bitch

who cares the point of this thread was to help this guy, most of the thread consists of people bitching at each other

[brian_ok]

you were WRONG

how was I wrong? I used a word that the OP himself used, and communication was obviously made. What would you rather I have done? I don't use a dictionary when I post here, so sorry.

its time to shut up and stop being such a little bitch

I believe that you stole fatjack's line.

and OP---so this post isn't a total waste, here is an outstanding site that might influence your decision...lots of information about the mandolin.




http://www.mandolincafe.com

[fatjack]

you were WRONG

how was I wrong? I used a word that the OP himself used, and communication was obviously made. What would you rather I have done? I don't use a dictionary when I post here, so sorry.

its time to shut up and stop being such a little bitch

I believe that you stole fatjack's line.

and OP---so this post isn't a total waste, here is an outstanding site that might influence your decision...lots of information about the mandolin.

nah, i probably took it from God, he was probably think the same thing



http://www.mandolincafe.com

[onid41]

you two always bitch at each other like little girls, cut it out!

[a1075dd63aa12]

you two always bitch at each other like little girls, cut it out!

they should have a slapfight and get it over with