Ukulele Diary: Buying a Ukulele

You've done your research and have all this information about which kind of ukulele you want to buy when BAM so many choices in your face when you get to the store. Then there's this little voice in your head going:

What to do?! 
What to buy?!
OH MY GOSH THAT'S SO PRETTY!

The Store

Hold up. I get it you can get all googly-eyed but no, no, no don't be fooled by the number of choices. The #1 thing to keep in mind when going to buy a ukulele for the first time is to go to a store that specialises in ukuleles or has good knowledge on it. Depending on where you are, do a little research on which stores are good ukulele stores around your area. I live in Singapore so I can recommend two stores in Singapore:

• Davis Guitar Music Centre 
  Address: 3 Coleman Street #B1-40/41
  Peninsula Shopping Complex
  
  This is a great store for those who are just starting the ukulele. They've a good range of budget ukuleles, sopranos starting from SGD29. The staff was very helpful, friendly and had good knowledge on the ukulele. Peninsula Shopping Complex itself is packed with stores that sell great ukuleles, so do some looking around in the area as well. Some stores even offer free gigbags (the soft case which you store your uke in) and chord books.
• Ukulele Movement
  Address:
  Address: 66 Kampong Bugis, Level 5, Kallang Rivergreen Building
  
  Personally, I've never been there but, it's where it all started in Singapore. It's THE ukulele place. I've looked around their website and they offer workshops for all ages. THE store to start off the whole journey. I didn't go there since: a) It was too far from my house and b) they don't sell the cheap ukuleles I was looking for

Looking Around

When you look around keep these in mind:

1. Ask for help but don't pretend you don't know shit. 
2. Try out different size ukuleles to see which one feels right in your hands. Maybe you were going for a soprano but right now a concert feels better in your hands, then go for it. A concert really is not as different it just has a higher range of notes and (as the store staff told me) a lower, fuller tone. 
3. Keep an open mind. You might've a particular brand that you're ready to buy but remember to see what the store already has. They might even have something better than your original plan. 
4. Look around at other stores ,if possible. This store might have the one you've been searching for but if something in your gut says to look around ,go with it. 
5. Make sure your budget includes a ukulele and essential accessories. These accessories include a gig bag and tuner.

Deciding The One

So you've taken a look around now when it comes to the right one I just have one important tip, go with your gut. Go. With. Your. Gut. Nothing more. A sales staff can stuff so many options down your throat that you drown in them but once you see the one that feels right you'll it in your gut. Of course other tips include:

• Stick to your budget. No matter how much you want that ridiculously expensive ukulele it's only worth it when you get better. Plus, if you find that the ukulele is not the instrument is for you at least you didn't dig your piggy bank a grave. I can't stress this enough. 
• Avoid ukuleles with fancy shapes and detailing. A little bit of colour and design is good but is too much is just a distraction from playing. The flying-v shaped ukuleles should be avoided for beginners since they poke you and is just plain uncomfortable.
• You can play it. Yes, seriously. If the edges are rough and the strings sound pathetic but it looks good then it's not worth it (unless you're buying just for that).
• The fretboard doesn't have the metal things stick out. 
• The strings sound good.
• The tuners are geared. You can buy friction tuners but they tend to get out of tune quickly (as the store staff said) and unless they're quality friction tuners get geared ones. Friction tuners (like on violins) rely purely on the friction between string and pathetic peg of wood for it to be in tune. Gears (like on guitars) rely on the tiny gears plus the metal pegs. 

A Mini You

Not exactly a mini you but a representation of you. There are so many ukuleles out there that you bound to find one that represents you. The cuteness and the look really encourages you to play it more often. It's like the wands in Harry Potter, the uke choose you. *dramatic music* No two are the same! Ok... that's taking it too far, but you get the idea. This is one of the greatest thing about ukes is that unlike other instruments you can actually customise and find one that suits you.

Ni

Ukulele Diary: Figuring Everything Out

One of the biggest problems during the summer is that you lose a few (or more depending how lazy you are) IQ points along the way. Since this summer I won't be going anywhere until the end of July, I've had some serious thinking to do on how to not loose  lose my precious IQ points. Then lo and behold! A mini epiphany! Come on say it with me, EPIPHANY! I love that word and I believe in epiphanies, where the world changes around you as you think of something so small yet monumental. I'll learn the ukulele. It seems like an easy, fun instrument to play. It also sounds beautiful, bright and bouncy. I've heard it on Paramore's three Interludes on their new album Paramore. I can't wait to play I'm Not Angry More on the ukulele. 

Now at this point I was just screaming, "I"M GONNA PLAY THE UKULELE!" but then a problem occurred. I don't have one. I don't know where to get one. I don't even know how it works... So many questions and it was even more confusing with no one to guide you. Now, if you were in my place at this point after your glorious epiphany, let me guide you through the first part of your journey with me.

1. Read up on the ukulele and take note of it. Keep a ukulele journal 

Below are a bunch of articles that you need to read before buying a ukulele. These sites are great and they've helped me a lot on deciding whether I wanted to play it or nor. They also gave me a great crash course on the ukulele. 

• Seriously Sarah - A Singapore based blog that tells you the basics on buying a ukulele. Read the comments below her posts as well as they were helpful.

  Buying a Ukulele

  Where to buy a Ukulele in Singapore

  How to test a Ukulele

•  Ukulele Hunt - This site has pretty much everything from chords to tutorials. Below are the articles for beginners.

  Uke Buying Tips

  10 Things I Wish I’d Known About Ukuleles (Before I Bought One) - This is definitely a must read 

  

2. Answer these questions and save it in your ukulele journal:

• What's your purpose for playing the ukulele?

• How interested and committed will you be playing the ukulele?

• What's your budget?

 A good, budget ukulele can be bought at around SGD50. If you're more serious about it you can get ones that are SGD100 and above. 

• How do you want your ukulele to look like?  

Seriously, once you get to the store you'll be OVERWHELMED by the number of choices you have. The cuteness of the ukulele matters. If it doesn't look like it would suit you, you would be put down about playing it. Maybe you want a coloured one. Maybe a simple design is for you. They're are many options. 

3. Decide which size you want to buy

There are four sizes, from smallest to biggest:

Soprano, Concert, Tenor, Baritone

Most beginners go for the soprano, like me. Others go for the concert, which is like the soprano except its bigger (duh) and better for those who have bigger fingers. The best way to know which size is for you is to go to the store and try it out. Feel which one you're most comfortable with. Tenors and baritone ukuleles are also more expensive, this isn't good if you're on a low budget and just starting out. 

4. Have an idea on which ukuleles to buy 

They're many good beginner ukuleles out there but buying the right one depends on your budget, purpose and size. For sopranos, here's what I found were good ones with some brief information that are around SGD50:

• Lanikai LU-11Soprano 

- Found in Davis Guitar Centre (Singapore)

- More unique

- Good and reliable

- Stays in tune pretty well

- Sounds good but not as rich as the expensive version the LU-21

- Tuning might be an issue 

• Eddy Finn Minnow 

- Found in SV Guitars (Singapore)

- More unique 

- Mostly positive review

- Great sound

- Rough around the edges 

• TGM UK-10 Soprano

- Found in Davis Guitar (Singapore)

- Sells quickly 

• Makana UK-2100 Soprano 

-Tends to go out of tune quickly

Image used (clockwise from top left corner): http://www.southshoremusic.com/lanikai-lu-11-soprano-ukulele/ , http://dalymusic.com/store/eddy-finn-minnow-soprano-ukulele-6-pack/ , http://www.stclassifieds.sg/sell/musical-instruments/hobbies-and-interests/tgm-uk-10s-soprano-ukulele-for-sale-brand-new/ad-650036 

That's it for the first entry of in my Ukulele Diary. In my next post in my Ukulele Diary I'll talk about buying a ukulele and my ukulele, Sunny Phillipa. I hope this post was helpful and unmuddle your head about the ukulele so you've a better idea of what's going on. 

Ni