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Location: Phoenix AZ | This is the kind of sh*t that gets me in trouble. Somebody please pull the internet plug FAST. Check out the matching tuners.
Black Bear Baritone |
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Location: south east Michigan | Wow....that is nice.
The material has some real character to it.
I can see how this can present a real temptation for you Dave. Good luck. |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | WET NAP, PLEASE! |
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Location: Cicero, NY | Wow. That is a beauty. Just keep in mind, Dave, that the missing crank should be worth a couple of bucks off... |
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Location: SoCal | Go on Dave --
buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it buy
it buy it !!!!!!!!!!!!! |
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Location: Upper Left USA | I think its intervention time.
Dave, quit screwing around! forget the Ukes and mandos. What you really want is a Tacoma Papoose 12 string
Then send it over to Bill Nichols for the Abalone and inlay treatment. You're just waisting your time with this little flea market stuff. |
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Location: closely held secret | I do like the Papoose over the other travel guits.
C'mon, Dave, $1350? For a uke? Are you nuts? Granted, it is pretty. That zebra wood really is striking. Especially with those matching tuner knobs. And it probably sounds unbelievable.
Uhnn. Go ahead. Post us some pics after it arrives. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Originally posted by MWoody:
What you really want is aTacoma Papoose 12 string Originally posted by Waskel:
C'mon, Dave, $1350? For a uke? Are you nuts? The Papoose 12 is interesting, but it's got 8 strings too many. No offense, but I played one at GC and I thought it sounded like an autoharp. If all one cared about was the size then that would be one thing. But there is a whole lot more to uke heaven than a small size. Actually the Bari uke is bigger than the Papoose. Cost too much? No way. That's what a good Kamaka Ohta-san or similar ukulele goes for. These are not the plastic ukes that you buy in the Honolulu airport. 3 Bigs for a custom hand made Ron Saul is standard. I'll sleep on it. Oh Al, about that special request ... |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Nice Uke Dave, and reasonable for what you would be getting......plus might help you save some bucks (temporaily) instead of buying a Saul. |
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Location: Studio City, California, USA | Come on!!! That's not a uke. That's a mini guitar with four classical strings.
One of the particularities that makes a uke a uke is that is back-sound projection, if that makes any sence. Meaning the hole or holes deepending on what you want is in the back of the uke not in the front. If you don;t have that to start with don't even better going into the other detail such as the strings, the volume of the case and the thinkness of the top. Once you have all that you need a "floatinf saddle" so that you can move it up or down on the top of the uke. That way you can go from bariton to soprano top whatever you tone you want.
Also a uke should only be 8 strings not 4 if you want the best. Buying or playing a 8 strings uke is like playing a 50 dollars immitation Strat as opposed to an original 1954 strat.
Man, i should design a uke for ovation to produce, put every other uke company out of business and going back to the real deal. I'll do it for free as long as they call it Ced by Ovation, the adamas of ukuleles. hahahahahahaha!!!!
I don't want to offend anyone here. It is just an instrument very dear to my heart.
THX |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Ced, What's your take on 6 string uke? I've got a Mele 6 Tenor and live the mixed sound of the courses.
Small comment on your "floating saddle" idea. Yes you could turn the instrument into a bari, soprano or anything in between. But wouldn't the intonation be all wrong? The frets are cut for one scale length only.
Dave |
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Location: Studio City, California, USA | I have never tried a six strings uke or even heard one so difficult to say. But again just by going to the construction aspect of it. A uke is very unique. if it looks like banjo, construction wise, then it's a banjo. It doest mater is you make it out of wood or out of metal or plastic.
To me at least what you say about the floating saddle (the picture i posted in another post about ukulele you can see it on it) is part of why the ukulele is an andegered speices if you will. Because right away you ask a question about it as we are talking about a guitar. The ukulele is tribal instrument invented by the polynesians (Hawaians and tahitians). It is as a guitar as a harpe would be, or some other obscure string instrument. Some spefication i' have said in the post up there. The floathing saddle is an entire part of this instrument. Looking to set in specific tonality...ect is making another instrument. That's what make this instrument so specifique and so unique. All you got to do, to answer your question about the intonation and fret cut, is re-tune is. That is part of knowing the tricks and not just the chords to play and make it stand out sound wise. 1st you find the tone that you want depending on "where" you want your sound in the pack of sounds that make the song or the band...ect Higher or lower. Once you have the right tone by moving the saddle up or down, you tune your uke and your good to go. The pressure of the string on the saddle plus a few tricks of construction and the saddle doesn't move until you intentionaly move it.
Other things too make a uke special. For exemple a uke must always be tuned G C E A - with a high E. That's it nothing else. It kills my hears everytime i hear somebody in some weird tuning for a uke. Why because the polinesians at the begining to tune it they went by a phrase or more the name of the style of struming When the said it out loud every sillable coresponded at the note of the tuning. The word being Patapata - the first Pa=G ta=C pa=E ta=A. As for the strings to use, only one kind and they should all be the same diameter so the same strings.
If you ever come to southern california, let me know and if you want to stop by to strum my uke you're more than welcome. That way you'll see what i've been trying to say. It is sounds like nothing and the 1st note you go: "oh yeah, that's what it should sound like."
I hope you found that interresting i tried to write it that way any way. I a foreigner so it's kindda hard to explain exactly what i want to say in english.
Thank you |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Ladies and Gentlemen,
Say goodbye to Dave, he just bought tickets to Fiji.... |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | and i must say, i found that uke dissertation quite interesting, as well... Room for two under that coconut palm, Dave? |
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Location: Upper Left USA | Dave,
"Fly if you can, run if you must."
Ced,
It is wonderful to hear you describe the history, folkore and heart you put into this instrument! Its good to read/hear your broken english coming from your heart about something you truly know about and feel for. Thanks for the education. Its good medicine!
As an American it is way too easy to think that history, instruments and people are only "Right" if its something I'm familiar with.
Glad you came along! |
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Location: SoCal | time to bring this back...
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Location: Phoenix AZ | This is one of the best darn threads we have ever had! Way to go Ced. And YES I will come to SoCal someday, it's only 5 hours drive. My guitar friends want me to come and play their fancy Adamas stuff. Forget it, I'll come to play ukuleles.
I love what you say and the history and passion. But as an engineer I'm hung up on the intonation issue. How can you play if each fret is no longer a 1/2 musical step. Retune is fine, but when I press 1st fret on a string I want to hear a 1/2 step higher note, not a 5/8 step higher note. I'll just have to try your uke and see for myself. Maybe I am trying to impose too much guitar brain.
The tenor 6-string is interesting. The low string is a low wound G, then a dual C with a low wound C and an octave plain C, then a single plain E and finally a dual plan A both tuned in unison. Sounds amazing.
For tunings I use regular G and also low G ukuleles. I have a pair of identcial tenors with only the G string diferently. Depending on the song, I use a certain one. This will probably disappoint you, but I have been playing some tunes in open G tuning as well (low G-C-D-G). Zeppelin and some Pink Floyd stuff is especially fun although certainly not traditional Polynesian.
Take care,
Dave |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Real ukulele players don't use straps. At least not on their ukuleles. Dave |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Originally posted by Standingovation:
I'm hung up on the intonation issue. How can you play if each fret is no longer a 1/2 musical step. Retune is fine, but when I press 1st fret on a string I want to hear a 1/2 step higher note, not a 5/8 step higher note. Dave I am struggling with the same issue. I do know that many eastern cultures have a different relative musical scale...even traditional native American music is based on a different scale..
This reminds me of the J.L. Borges parable of the war between the Desert King and Labyrinth King...
The Labyrinth King caputures the Desert King and places him in the middle of Labyrinth Prision to wander until death, but the D.King, always keeping his right hand to the wall, eventually finds his way out and back to his desert kingdom.
The Desert King retaliates and captures the Labyrinth King and places him in the middle of his most featureless desert where the Labyrinth King dies walking aimlessly.... |
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Location: Le Havre (France) | Thank's Ced for this wonderful and very interested explanation !
Ced and Dave, don't you think that the traditional Hawaian Uke is more a rythmic Uke and that the "modern" Uke (with precised lenght scale) is more a picking Uke ? That could explain why precised scale is not so important in Hawaian Uke.
Sorry if I hurt one of you, it is not my intention, just to add my very small stone to this fascinating thread ! |
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Location: closely held secret | Jeff. Back away from the mushrooms. |
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Location: Le Havre (France) | - Advertising break -
Ced and Dave, here's the ultimate Uke !
- End of advertising -
;) |
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Location: Studio City, California, USA | Wow! I didn't espect to see all the compliments and all. Thank you very much.
As for the rest, i don't really know. But i think i maybe able to explain some differences in how think make sence. uke player don't know the first thing about music. They play every thing by hear even the tuning. That's why it Patapata, and not G C E A. See what i'm trying to say. So when you look at it that way, the perfection of mathematical music is really somehting they have no idea about with them it's all about sound. That's how i learned music, and then i learned it the traditinal way and realized that i knew everything the teacher was trying to teach me just didn't know it in that language. At the time you've asked me how to tune a uke i would sing you pa-ta-pa-ta, with each note.
I remember this old guy that was selling fish on the side walk by the airport in tahiti. He was playing the uke and cars would stop, by a fish and move one. I was picking up a friend at the airport and i heard the uke from far far far away. I was amazed cause i figure that guy must have copied me and made himself a elctro/acoustic. I went over. The uke was just a regular uke. It was so loud i thaught it was plugged. I looked at it and it was made out of one peice of wood and the wood was very grey, almost white. So i figured that was the difference the wood. I asked what kind of wood he had made his uke out of. He told me he didn't know, it was some drift wood he found on beach. I looked at it againg and it looked like that wood crossed the entire oceans of the planette to wash on tahitian shore. I've trying to find a peice of wood like that eversince. Came close a few times but just not big enough to carve an entire uke in it. So yeah it's about sound if you can tell by hear then their's no problem with the steps, if that makes any sence. It does to me.
Thank you
PS: Yeah no straps on ukes. That's why you have that half circle cut where the back strapknob goes. So that it stands kinda upright on yor leg. Since this instrument is a back projection instrument, sound wise, you can't have the back of the body pressed againt your body. Otherwise it plugs the back hole/holes and the sound. So by putting on you leg, as the design entended it to be, it is not against your body. Now you can see that every little thing is calculated and as a purpose. Making uke as if the were guitars is just making something else than a ukulele. Maybe they should find a new name for them, like Modern Ukes or somehting, cause otherwise, the real ukes are ging to desapear and it's already happening. I'm going to teach my kids if i have some one day how to build one, but now with the aplause, and those "tourist" uke from hawaii it's about to desapear. The funny thing is that i remember about 25 years ago in the islands. Those ukes that looks like guitars where looked upon as decorative uke for tourist. Nobody would even think of playing them. Then people braught them back to europe and the USA and somebody strated playing it in a band and the idea that a ukulele looked like that was born and started to take over. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | VERY COOL. What makes you think I don't already have one of these?
Fixed link http://www.earnestinstruments.com/ceegar.html |
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Location: Parrish, FL | But pass a few this way while they're still in reach :D
Blues |
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Location: Studio City, California, USA | Hey! i didn't see the link the first time. That's awesome. I need a case of those. Hahahahahahahaha!!!!!
THX |
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Location: Le Havre (France) | Sorry Dave, I didn't know you were a ceegar's fan too !
So many qualities for one man !!
;)
Ced, could you please (if it is not too complicated for you) post a pic of your Uke but on the backside (the beauty you have already shown in a previous thread) ?
Thank's ! |
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Location: Studio City, California, USA | Hey dude, Comment va?
I gonna put the pictures here right away. I home alone right now so i there nobody to take picture of me holding it so you understand better what i was trying to say about the way to hold the instrument.
As for the question of the struming vs solo. Dude was right on. Ukulele is made for struming principaly and if you're very good at it, well, i've seen wonders like soloing on a uke with the struming rythm, if you can try to imagine that.
As a general rule uke palyers can't play the guitar adn guitar player can't play the uke. It a little bit like comparing a tennis player and a squash palyer. The guitar player is so use to a "slow" struming patern. So it's super hard for them to get the patapata mainly becuase of speed. And the reverse is alos true. Uke player don't usualy like to play guitar because they are used to the speed of the patapata and feel like guitar is way to slow for them and it's not comfortable. It really is two different instruments.
Pictures coming
Thank you |
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Location: Studio City, California, USA | Here it is. I hope it's gonna work. So i took a picture of the back. This one is a standard one bakc hole. It's the basic model, in other words.
I also took a picture of the carving i did on the head stock, and a picture of my now world famous trade mark Shark Fin. I was thinking of polishing some oister shell and do some kind of an inlay in th shark fin. When ever i have a minute. There still some work that need to be done on this one. Like a pickguard and some mor carving all over.
Hope you enjoy the pictures.
Thank you very much |
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Location: Studio City, California, USA | What the hell!!!!!! I've just noticed the price tag on that ebay link. Is that for real. You have got to be kidding me. If that thing goes over 1500, i get incorporated tomorrow and i strat making some traditionnal electro accoustic ukes tahitian oister and black pearl inlay. I mean come on!!! Am i the only one who thinks this just about 4 times what it's worth?
Thank you |
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Location: NJ | ". . Am i the only one who thinks this just about 4 times what it's worth? . ."
- y'mean like Taylors?? |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | "Worth" is something we can't even debate. What's priceless to me may be junk to you. Just like guitars. I wouldn't pay a nickle for some of the things I see people play. Other scratch their heads at what I buy and think I'm nuts. So it goes. My only point is that to the general "guitar" public which is most of us on this board the view of ukulele is very limited. Small instruments, small fan base, small price and small "worth". But I can tell you, there are a whole lot of wonderful ukes in the $1000. + price range. This one on ebay is a hand made one of a kind by one of the most respected luthiers out there. The price is very reasonable (to the right person). Dave |
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Location: south east Michigan | I have been a "uker" for 9 months now.
I paid $159 and have had gotten at least $300 worth of fun out of it so far.
Given available or even semi-available funds, I could see spending over 1k on a superior uke. |
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Location: Studio City, California, USA | I don't know. Even when it comes to guitar, accoustic ones, it hard to find a brand new one for that price. I'm talking just accoustic. But hey like you say, what is gold to you is junk to other. I collect old skateboards. Junk to a lot of people until they see me drop 2000 on a 1992 Jason Lee skateboard.
I'm gonna try to make one of those uke/mini guitar see how it comes out. Maybe i'll be able to sell it for 2000. Maybe not. But at this point, since people are making those in every guitar shape possible, form round back eliite style, to classical spanish, and again this one looks like it could be a taylor or something. The next step would be making a solid body uke and a resonator uke, while they are at it.
Yep the uke is desapearing, and i'm blaming Ovation and Martin for it. Hahahahahahahahaha!!!!!! Myabe i'm over reacting.
Dave, could you tell me what is the best Ovation model in their uke series. I'm gonna get one, put some millage on it, see how it holds and all.
Thank you very much |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Originally posted by Ced:
Dave, could you tell me what is the best Ovation model in their uke series. Ovation ukuleles are made for rugged travel and plugged in sound. They are "fun" and "cute". For acoustic sound in a "guitar type" ukulele you need to get a Kamaka, Martin or Bushman. In my opinion the Martin S-0 for $300. is wonderful.
Dave |
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Location: south east Michigan | I agree with Dave. The Ovation (Applause) ukes do not live up to the Ovation reputation we are used to.
I got one because they are fun and cute.
Kinda like me. :D |
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Location: Studio City, California, USA | All right then. I love this forum. All of you make me rethink a lot of things about guitars and now ukes. So i'll give a try. So I'm gonna start to plan on getting a Martin and an Ovation, see how i feel playing them. And if i don't like them, i should be able to sale them back to Dave. hahahahahaha!!!!!
Thank you |
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Location: Le Havre (France) | Ca va bien merci et toi Ced ?
Thank's for the pics, now I understand better what you were talking about the playing position. |
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Location: Studio City, California, USA | Impecable, merci.
The good thing about that half moon cut of the body so it rest on your leg is that it leaves room for imagination when it comes to design. The one i have right now, is the basic one, the one that i sell for more than 200 dollars back home. But then, there is more complex ones that are way better looking and basicaly won't stay more that one day in a store. Specialy the ones that are entirely carved with polinesian authentic tribal designs. Then there is the one i call The Nautilus. This one is just out of this world. The chamber design of The Nautilus is based on Da Vinci's theories of perfection. I won't say more about that cause it surely will work with guitars also and didn't have time to put everything down on paper and register it, for guitars that is.
Thank you |
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Location: SoCal | First of all, I am not an expert on ukes (or guitars, mandos, or kazoos)...only other uke I have is a 1940-1942 Ka-Lae.
I agree that, especially for someone who likes Ovation & Adamas guitars, Applause ukes are "cute".
However, I disagree as to their value. For their price and availability, the Applause is an excellent value, even more when amplified. Destroying ukes - not IMHO. Ukes in the $500 ++ range are not something most people will buy for their 1st uke. Reasonable price, appearance, and good playability create uke players that may eventually move up to the more traditional and costly instruments. |
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Location: south east Michigan | Don't get me wrong. I thing the Applause uke is a great value.
Ovation guitars are great value for a great instrument. The ukes are a great value for a passable uke. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | I'm in. I didn't bid very high so chances of winning are slim. But I couldn't stand to let this opportunity pass without at least being in the game. Dave |
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Location: south east Michigan | Good luck Dave. |
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Location: Le Havre (France) | This 4-strings beauty was build for you Dave !
You're in the place and I wish you to stay in it ! |
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Location: Studio City, California, USA | Fingers crossed for you Dave hope you get. The more i look at it and the more i think it is beautiful. Good luck. |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | You should get it Dave....not enough crazies out there to bid that high on a uke :D |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Well, son of a gun ... |
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Location: SoCal | good job... |
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Location: Le Havre (France) | Nice Dave ! Congratulation ! |
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Location: NJ | f@ckin'Witko! :D
GoodGet, Pal . . . |
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Location: south east Michigan | Nice.... I hope you bring it to the next tour. |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | ...
http://www.oysterentertainment.com/entertainers/index.php?ent_id=41... |
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Location: closely held secret | That'll be the next thing on Dave's list... |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | WOW OH WOW. Just got this baritone delivered to me today. It is freaking amazing. The photos are down from the ebay auction, but you can bet I'll have some up on my own site very soon. Assuming I can put this down long enough to photograph. A lot (most?, all?) of you will think it's stupid to spend this kind of dough on a ukulele, but please reserve judgement until you get to see and play this one for yourself. It's just incredible. The baritone size isn't much smaller than a Treker. The ultimate travel guitar? Who knows. The only thing better than having this beautiful Bari would be to have a matching Concert size sitting right next to it. Shit, did I just say that ???
Dave |
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Location: south east Michigan | Dave...I know what your so excited about. I may be the only one...but I know. |
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Beaut-Uke on eBay