Online Ukulele Shopping, Quality Control and Avoiding Problems

Just a little interlude for you between ukulele reviews. Shopping for ukuleles, online shops, quality control and avoidng problems. Enjoy! (video below!)

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Choose Your Ukulele Dealer Carefully!

In a conversation this morning helping out a new ukulele buyer, I once again came across the issue of choosing your ukulele shop with care. It was being answered by the usual suggestion of buying from Amazon...

This Stagg ukulele was rated one of the best ranked ukuleles on Amazon - it was more fit for firewood...

Now this is a subject I have touched on in various other blog posts, but realised that I hadn't written a more consolidated advice guide on where I think you should consider buying your instrument, particularly your first one. Well, that and why I don't recommend the 'Mighty Zon'..

I regularly see comments made online on this subject that say, 'That chap at Got A Ukulele doesn't recommend buying from Amazon'. And it is almost always followed with someone saying 'Well, I bought from Amazon and it was absolutely fine, so he doesn't know what he is talking about'..

Let's be clear - NO, I don't recommend buying from Amazon except in certain cases. Same goes for eBay if you are a beginner, and in fact also goes for a worrying number of big brand music stores too. I will deal with the exceptions further on in this piece, as like anything there is no one size fits all here, but lets first look at where and why I make the general warning against the big A.

The likes of Amazon, big selling channels on eBay and the large brand music stores come with a couple of issues for me. First of all, those sellers tend to concentrate (in the main) on the cheaper end of the ukulele market. We are talking the sub £200 price point with a particular focus on the sub £100 (or even sub £50) price. And the second point is that direct purchases from Amazon (and sadly, many big brand music stores) mean that for online shopping the ukulele will come to you unopened. In other words what the factory sends to Amazon is exactly what you will get. And here lies my problem.

It is a simple fact that the cheaper you go with a ukulele, the greater the chance you will find that the instrument needs (at the least) some setup work (adjustment of the saddle or nut to ensure accurate intonation), or something more serious like a warped neck or misplaced bridge that means that it should have been weeded out from sale altogether. Not every cheap ukulele needs that, and of course such issues can occur even with higher end instruments, but it's about percentage chances. Trust me - the cheaper you go, the more the chance a ukulele will need checking over before being shipped. Enough instruments have come through my hands over the years to see the pattern.

And Amazon just don't do that checking over. Big channels on eBay just don't do that and even big brand music stores who have jumped on the uke bandwagon just don't do that. So why is that such a problem?

Well put simply, the majority of buyers of instruments at this price may well be beginners. It may be their first instrument in fact. Do they really know how to adjust setup on a ukulele, or how to reject an instrument that has a fatal build flaw. In fact will they even know that there is an issue? I see lots of beginners talking about cheap ukuleles saying things like 'this one is good because it holds tuning, the other one I bought sounded out of tune'. I've seen beginners suggesting that wonky tuning is actually a 'feature' of the humble ukulele and is to be expected. Holding tuning is not something that is good or bad and specific to certain brands - it's something that can be fixed on ANY ukulele. That is part of setup! But I think more often than not, if they hear an instrument playing out of tune, they tend to blame the strings and not the setup. And no, wonky tuning is NOT a feature of the ukulele.

And for those people who DO recognise there is an issue with the ukulele, what do they then do to resolve it? Return it? Have a go themselves and get frustrated? Take it to a shop and pay them to fix it? All of a sudden that cheap ukulele isn't so cheap any longer. If you spend £30 on a ukulele, then another £10 on strings because it sounds out of tune because somebody on the internet told you its a string issue, but then that doesn't fix it... You then pay another £20 to get a shop to set it up and all of a sudden your £30 ukulele becomes a £60 ukulele complete with a load of extra hassle and wasted time.

And that price issue is really the reason why people choose Amazon. They are highly competitive, and also offer excellent and cheap delivery options. Similar ukuleles, when you consider shipping, from independent specialists may cost you more money and people vote with their wallets. What I am saying is it's completely false economy if you are going to have to spend more money down the line. And it's for that simple reason that I recommend specialists who will look the instrument over and adjust the setup if needed. It's called peace of mind.

Now, back to that comment of 'I bought one from Amazon, and it's fine' that I always get in defence. I never said that it's impossible to get a good one. In fact you could buy ten ukuleles from Amazon and find that they are all setup just fine. Great. I'm really glad for you! But I'm afraid there are many examples that are not fine and just because you did well doesn't make it a hard and fast rule for all. Case in point is the Kaka ukulele I recently had from Amazon for review. The saddle needs adjustment and so does the nut. Those are fixable if you know how, but the bridge that is in the wrong place is more fatal and a massive job to fix  (if it's even worth it). I see a LOT of instruments from Amazon, and trust me - these things happen more than I would like. And it's a fact that a good ukulele specialist would have weeded this one out from sale. I've seen many like that from Amazon. Oh, and bear in mind that ukulele specialists that do setups do so for a REASON.

One other worrying trait I have seen with Amazon ukuleles in the last couple of years are the huge numbers of new brands that hit the Amazon sales pages (usually from China) that look utterly generic and in a short space of time start to amass huge numbers of 5 star votes. How can that be? Well, it's well documented in the press that with many product lines the Amazon review system is, frankly, broken. That's because a lot of these reviews are faked one way or another. In fact I have evidence of several brands who are effectively 'paying' people to write good reviews in return for free instruments. I even saw one who was paying hard cash for people to write pre-prepared product questions and answers on their items. And why? Because lots of activity and lots of 5 star reviews makes the product appear higher on searches when you tap in the word 'ukulele'. So what that means for the seaching consumer is they are faced with at least three full pages of brands that never appear in music shops, with impossibly low prices and massive 5 star vote counts. Totally unethical.

So what are those exceptions I talked about? Well there are a couple of situations in which I wouldn't hesitate buying from Amazon.

1. When you already know how to undertake a full ukulele setup. I do, so I know that if a uke arrives with a high saddle, high nut or dodgy tuners, that I can easily put it right. I wouldn't want to tackle a warped neck however, but I can sort the majority of issues that instruments face. If you are not comfortable with this though, I'd recommend using a dealer who will do that for you and remove the worry.

2. That you are dealing with a real specialist who is using Amazon or eBay as a marketplace storefront. When you look at your product listing - have a look whether it says who is fulfilling the order. If it is coming from Amazon it is coming direct - from a shelf in a warehouse and will NOT be set up by anyone. It may however be coming from a marketplace seller who is a reputable ukulele specialist. I know a few great stores who use Amazon this way - those sort of sales are fine because you KNOW that you are getting one from a dealer who has opened the box before shipping it to check it over.

But sadly that's it.

People often ask why my list of ukulele dealers isn't longer. It's short for the simple reason that I only list stores that I know will check instruments over before despatch and may offer a full setup a part of the price. And the sad thing is - there are not all that many of them, even globally. Just because a big brand music store is on every high street and happens to sell ukuleles - doesn't mean they are ukulele specialists. In fact for online sales, most of the big brand stores are despatching, unopened, from warehouses themselves. So I'd still really urge sticking to the stores who know and understand the instrument. Trust me, it will be less of a headache in the long run.

And yes, I know that some of you can only rely on online shopping, but most if not all the specialists I list offer that. And yes, even the specialists can get things wrong too - but again, it's all about the chances. Think of it like Russian Roulette. Mistakes do happen with any store, but at least the specialists are opening the boxes which is more than can be said for the big box shippers..

Go carefully!

© Barry Maz


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THANKS!

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A New Ukulele Store - World Of Ukes Goes Live!

'Why don't you have more stores listed on your Shops page?'...

The reason for that is simple. That page is just a listing of stores that I have either had first class experiences of myself, or I have had reviews of such an experience from people I implicitly trust. That list hasn't really changed much for a while, which is sad, but I was thrilled to see that recently we have a new one - World of Ukes!

Credit - Matt Warnes

You see, despite there being lots of 'shops that sell ukuleles' around the globe, in my experience there are precious few that I would call a genuine 'ukulele specialist'. Sadly many of those 'shops that sell ukuleles' tend to be mass market type places who jumped on the bandwagon becuase they saw the ukulele getting popular. Yet their walls are adorned with lots of rubbish and you would be lucky to find a salesman who knows how to tune one. And that's why my listings are not very long.

And none of that can be said of Matt Warnes, the brains behind the new World of Ukes store in the UK. You see Matt had already taken the ukulele to his heart at the Brampton based Omega Music, had set up the Ukulelevents (the people behind the Big House and Big Boat events), plays in Feckless Fuddle and The Prince, and then also created the UK's first dedicated in print ukulele magazine ( UKE Magazine). It would be fair to say that he is rather passionate about the instrument!

So as if that lot wasn't enough, Matt decided to take things a step further and create a dedicated ukulele only music store (the first one in the UK to my knowledge) in his hometown of Carlisle. Just ukes, ukes ukes. Walls of them.

Credit - Matt Warnes

And not any old ukuleles either - Matt has clearly gone for a more serious selection of instruments for the discerning player. That isn't to say there aren't things for everyone, but, how can I put this... there isn't a section for cheap Mahalos... His current line up includes ukuleles from Kala, Pono, Imua, aNueNue, Risa, Kiwaya, Uluru, Mabuhay, Antonio Carvalho, Ohana and their own line of World of Ukes instruments called the Pioneer.

Despite him holding what looked to be a great opening night of the physical store a couple of weeks ago now (with performances from Dead Mans Uke, The Mersey Belles and Liam Capper-Starr), I've been holding off on writing this post until his online store was fully ready. It now is!

You see, as much as people like visiting a store, and by the look of the photos, it looks to be a great place - space, walls for different brands, comfy chairs, quiet space to play, coffee, free gin (I lied about the free gin, sorry), there are many people out there who rely on internet orders as they may not be able to travel. And if you are going to offer an online presence, I think you need to get certain things right. Thankfully it seems Matt is offering just that, as every uke will be set up before shipping, and if you want one he will add a strap button for free (nice touch). Even better, shipping is totally free for any country in the EU.

Credit - Matt Warnes

Plus, with all good online launches, there is an money off opportunity I can tell you about. Enter the code LAUNCH10 before the end of October for a 10% discount!

And how can I be so positive about a new venture like this? Well, I already know Matt, and lots of us do in ukulele circles. I have experienced his great service from Omega music and know he has the instrument in his blood. That's good enough for me!

And I for one am pleased that despite things being fairly static for a while in the list of shops I recommend, that we now have a new one. Now for that trip up the M6!

http://worldofukes.co.uk

Fancy taking a trip there? Programme your sat-nav!

World of Ukes
48 Cecil Street
Carlisle
CA1 1NT

Credit- Matt Warnes

© Barry Maz

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Online Ukulele Shopping and the Setup Myth

On of the most common pieces of advice you will see being given to any ukulele beginner is to always try the instrument out before you buy it. But that really isn't always possible for some people and they revert to buying online. Are there any pitfalls here? What can you expect?

Credit - Matt Warnes

The opening piece of that advice is completely sound. Despite what uke you have your heart set on, playing a few ukuleles in a shop may well change your mind, and it will also allow you to inspect the build, consider how it plays to YOUR fingers and ears. It certainly vastly reduces the chances of  issues later on. But for many people living in remote places, a visit to a dealer may be several hours drive away. Even for me, the nearest dealers I TRUST (and more on that trust a little later) are either several hours drive north or south and very few in-between. As such, the vast majority of my ukes have been bought online (and some internationally). Also bear in mind those for whom travel is not an option for financial or disability reasons.

So how do I deal with risks online? Well mainly, I have taught myself the ins and outs of setting a uke up. I know that if a uke needs work on the nut or saddle action, I can do it. I know that if I don't like the strings I will change them immediately. I can deal with setting the friction correctly on peg tuners. As such, I can deal with most things that are meant to be adjusted, but of course cannot deal with the potential that I simply won't like the uke. That is the risk I knowingly take.  For beginners though, who may find even tuning the instrument a challenge to start with, how should they buy if online shopping is their only option?

Well my advice is to be extremely careful where you buy. I actually only really buy from two or three stores, and they are shops where I have built a relationship with the people who run them. They have always been consistent and care about what they send out and how they send them. Please do beware with the many new online only stores that are cropping up all the time - you will spot them, no real bricks and mortar shop, product ranges at the lower end only..... bandwagon jumping really.  I am not saying all these sellers are bad, but let us just say I have heard some horror stories of ukes unfit for play being sent out, or instruments arriving in next to no packaging... broken.

I actually set up a list of trusted uke stores on this very site ( SEE HERE ).  You will note that there are not many, but that is because I either haven't had experience with others, or haven't had enough sound testimonials from others.  For now though, these are the stores I recommend.

( A side note here - I get many emails from stores around the world asking to feature, some with less than impressive product ranges or websites. This page is not intended to be a Yellow Pages of stores, so please don't ask. If I experience great service then I will add you. If I hear about great service enough from people I really trust, I may add the store. If I simply added every shop then the page would become pointless.)

But back to the point.  Even with a great shop you may get iffy instruments sneaking through. It is natural, and at the end of the day, a busy store doesn't have the time to spend over an hour on each uke that goes out. Perhaps some do, but what I am saying is that I think it is unreasonable to expect that. You would think that all ukes should come from the factory ready to go, but sadly that just isn't the case. Even at the high end, problems can materialise. At the lower end, these instruments are made in vast quantities on a factory production line, put in boxes and shipped around the world with fairly minimal QC checks at the factory in many cases. Problems do arise (and the cheaper you go, the problems get more likely). But a GOOD store will at least give the uke a once over and will also deal with any issues with the customer promptly and politely. I have experienced that with the stores I choose to shop with.

So on to that issue of 'setup'. I think that term is incorrectly used in many cases (and I guess I am guilty of it too). To say 'choose this store, because they will give the uke a full setup' is misleading. Perhaps it would be better to say that a good store will 'give the uke a pre-sale check' . There are a couple of reasons for this. For one, a full setup takes a good deal of time to run through. But also remember that there are elements of a setup that are completely personal to the uke player and no dealer knows exactly how you like your action for example.


What I WOULD expect from a good store

1. A check that the action at nut and saddle are within acceptable tolerances. Importantly this does not mean that they will be perfect for you, but just that they are playable in tune.
2. A check that fittings like tuners and buttons are tight
3. A check that strings do not have any nicks in them
4. Most importantly, an all over visual check of the build to ensure that the body is not twisted or cracked, the neck is not twisted or mis set, that the bridge is not lifting or the top sinking etc. If they find one of those I would expect them to have already returned it to their supplier and not have sent it to you!

Some dealers may do more, some may do less, but I consider these the basics.

When we use the term 'setup' though this can include changing strings, adjusting the saddle height to a position that the player  wants, filing fret edges, oiling dry fingerboards, inspecting bracing and the like. Whilst you may be able to pay a store to do that, personally I think this should be for the player to learn. For example, the height of the saddle, adjusting the action of the uke as it does, is not a universal thing. There is no one right height for every player, only a range within which the uke will accurately intonate. Some people prefer a slightly higher action, some very close to the fretboard. Personally I like an action set at about 3mm (or just under ⅛ inch) above the top of the 12th fret, but that doesn't mean it is right for you.

And I say this because I have read people commenting on stores saying the action was 'all wrong' and I often genuinely wonder what the hell they mean. Personally I have never been in a receipt of a uke from a trusted dealer where the action was 'all wrong' (and I assume that to mean either the strings were touching the frets or they were an inch above!). In my reviews I will not mark a uke down if the action is tolerable, but not quite to my liking as I will adjust that myself. Send me a uke though with an action ridiculously high and I WILL mark it down!   In fact, most factories and stores will tend to send ukes out with action a little on the high side for the simple reason that it is safer in terms of returns and complaints.

You really wouldn't want this through your letterbox...

I HAVE however bought cheaper ukes from random dealers on places like ebay or Amazon and found exactly that. I once bought a Mahalo (direct from Amazon) to find the neck was mis set, the bridge was mis set and the action was way, way too high. And that really highlights my point. A good dealer would have had trouble getting that through the pre-sale checks, and I would never have received it. Still it made for a good review to highlight the flaws that can plague ukuleles at the lower end. Do I blame the dealer? Partly I suppose for letting it through, but ultimately the manufacturer needs to answer for allowing it out of China too!

I've even received ukes with a slight bit of buzz, but don't consider that to be a capital crime necessarily. These things can often be fixed with a string change, a thin shim under the saddle, or even just letting the uke settle down from transit. I would never take to the internet to slam a store if that happened to me. In fact buzzes can develop on perfectly decent ukuleles over time. It happens.

So to sum up, knowing that buying a first uke can be a daunting experience, take note of these bullet points.

• If you can buy a uke in person, DO SO. If you are in a random store and the dealer refuses to check it over or simply has a wall of £19.99 ukes,  choose another shop!
• Problems can be found in ALL ukes whether cheap or highly expensive. The chances of problems as you go cheaper rises considerably though!
• A trusted dealer should not let flawed instruments go out of the door, but bear in mind mistakes DO happen. A trusted dealer is also one who will deal with your problems professionally after purchase.
• Do not assume that a dealer is going to spend hours on your ukulele setting it up to a standard fit for Jake Shimabukuro. Expect to need to do some tweaking yourself and learn how to do so.
• If you are buying online, choose a bricks and mortar shop, and try to place your order over the phone. Actually ask the dealer to give it a once over.
• There is only so much a dealer can inspect in the process of a sale. I would challenge anyone to spot that a brace is about to pop loose, or there is a hairline crack starting on the underside of the soundboard that may, in time, manifest itself as a full on split. If they happen, you have your manufacturers warranty
• If you don't like the strings the uke arrives with, that isn't the dealers fault. A good dealer though will stock good string brands and for a charge will fit them before they ship to you
• Generally speaking, avoid eBay, Amazon, Walmart etc. They will simply ship you the uke straight as it arrived from the factory without opening the box. (There are some exceptions, as some trusted dealers run eBay and Amazon marketplace stores). 
• Remember, going to a random shop or supermarket to save $2 in the instrument price is crazy logic. There are specialist stores out there, so use them. (Try calling Amazon Customer Support lines to explain that you have a problem with a fret or nut action and see if they have a single clue as to what you mean....)

So go carefully people. Question anybody suggesting you buy from 'WeSellAnyUke.com' just because they are a dollar or two cheaper. Understand that dealers can only do so much, but their reputation rests on you being happy so work with them if things go wrong. And most of all, support your local specialist shops!

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What is a PROPER ukulele shop

In a lot of advice I give on this blog, and on forums, I urge ukulele beginners buying their first ukulele to buy from a 'real and proper' shop. But what do I mean by that?

Firstly, like most things in the modern age, you can buy pretty much anything you like online.  That means convenience and in many cases a price reduction. I can't argue with that.  In addition, as we are in a ukulele boom, that means lots and lots of cheap instruments flooding the market from the Far East - THAT I have more concern with.

I know that at the present time, money is tight for many people, and naturally you (and I) will want to grab the very best bargain that they can. When buying a  musical instrument though, I would urge some caution unless you know what you are doing or the risks.

At the cheaper end of the ukulele range, you are going to find a whole host of instruments that have been put together pretty shoddily. That isn't to say there are not some gems amongst them, or ukes that can be rescued, but generally speaking the majority will require a once over. So, you are sat at your PC without a music store nearby and you search around for the absolute cheapest uke you can find and click buy.  When it arrives, unless you are extremely lucky you will find a uke that needs attention, perhaps a high action (or an action so low it buzzes) with cheap strings and perhaps some more serious issues.  If that happens it means you bought from a box shipper like Amazon who simply take your order off the shelf unopened and ship it to you, or you bought from a terrible dealer.   With a bit of digging around you CAN do better.

I would say at the outset to any new player - if you have the opportunity to buy your first uke from a real shop (i.e. a shop you can walk through the door to and have a play before you buy) then that is without a doubt the surest way you will avoid tears. Have a strum and look over every single inch of the instrument. Compare it to others in your price range and ask for advice. How do they sound to your ears? Which feels better? Spend some time with them. If you find one you like - great - now ask the salesman to give it a professional once over to check the intonation and the action. If he refuses, I'd avoid the shop as that is really poor service - its a quick job for an experienced tech and he should be happy you asked and to check.  You might also see if he stocks better quality strings and ask pretty please if he will fit those too.  By going that route you are likely to get some good results.

But back to the real world. Many of us don't live in cities with a music shop on every corner, and you may be finding travelling expensive so its natural to rely on the internet - I know I do.  This is fine too though, so long as you try to avoid the faceless dealers who are not really instrument people, just warehouses selling boxes.

Most good music shops in your country will have their own website, or at the very least you can telephone them.  Do you research beforehand and settle on a few ukes you like and start calling them.  Don't just click the BUY button, actually call them and talk to them.  Ask them for their opinion on your choice and listen to their views. If they are unhelpful, reject them.  If you like what they say, make sure you ask them to give the uke a quick once over to check the same things as above, intonation and action before shipping.  You might also want them to upgrade the strings, and Aquila strings are the obvious choice for the beginner with a cheap uke.  Expect to pay for those strings (of course) but they should be happy to fit them in my opinion.  Again, any store who says 'no' to a check on setup should be avoided.  I've bought many this way, and you get to know the shops that give a damn and those that don't..

That isn't to say you shouldn't buy blind - either from that big wholesaler, or from sites like ebay where the seller can't warrant what they are offering - just make sure you ONLY do that if you know what you MAY be letting yourself into, and have people (like me!!) to turn to for advice  if it arrives with setup issues.  Many ukes CAN be improved if there are tuning problems, and bear in mind, even high end ukes can be shipped this way!

So, take care, and make sure you can ask or play if you possibly can - let us not forget, there was a time not that long ago where the internet didn't exist, and to buy a ukulele you had no choice but to go into a real shop or at least phone one!

Good luck!

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What's your favourite ukulele store?

I was having a discussion with friends recently about stores I have had good service with. There are many shops out there, but some have a real specialism with the ukulele and as such provide expert advice. I thought I would share my favourites with you and let you tell me yours.

Bear in mind that I am based in the UK so for shipping cost and import duty reasons I havent risked ordering from the USA. That's where you come in. Add your comment to this post letting me know your favourite store and why they offer good service.

So, on to my favourites...


Southern Ukulele Store - probably the best known uke seller in the UK and they must also have the largest stock. They are based in Bournemouth and managed by Paul Tucker, a uke player himself, their advice and range is wonderful. Everything from cheap entry ukes to beautiful handmade instruments. They also have a great range of strings, and I think their prices are competitive. Speak to these guys and you know you are speaking to ukulele experts!


Eagle Music - a great store based in Huddersfield that sell a range of folk type instruments. They don't have as wide a range as SUS, but do carry some nice ukes and are the approved UK dealers of Mainland instruments. Their service really shines, and if you pick the phone up to them you can speak to an instrument lover who really understand their products. I had a problem with one instrument and their after sales service was superb.


Highly Strung - A wonderful little shop based in Wantage that offer the same expert advice from an owner (Nigel) who knows his instruments. Their range sticks to the beginner to intermediate category, and I recommend them often as being the uk's most reliable stockist of the Makala Dolphin.


Musique 83 - moving in to Europe we find this excellent store in Giraud, near the south coast of France. Their range is huge and includes many high end ukes at very competitive prices. Even with shipping you may find their prices can't be beaten. They offer a nice service where each uke is photographed in detail and they guarantee to ship you the actual uke you are viewing in order that you know what grain pattern you are getting. I recently had a tech support issue with them and Patrick at the store handled it perfectly. In fact it was beyond perfect. Highly recommended.


Thomann - A German large volume dealer of a bewildering array of musical instruments. I don't often recommend this sort of store as you can't speak to an actual expert in their field, only sales reps. It's the reason I would never recommend buying a uke from Amazon. They also ship boxed as the ukes arrive from the factory, ie no set up. As such I would not recommend them for cheap ukes unless you are prepared to adjust setup yourself. So why are they on this list? Well, their prices are good and they ship the ever popular Eleuke models. Delivery is quick and reasonable and the instruments come in the best packaging I have ever seen.


So those are the stores I have had the best experience with. I would be delighted to hear about yours!




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

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15% of my T-shirt store today (17th March!)

Cafepress have advised me of a short term offer - for orders over $45, you can get 15% off today, 17th March on my Got A Ukulele merchandise!

Just enter code TMAR1145 at the checkout!

You can visit the store HERE

Tell the world you GOT A UKULELE!

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Got A Ukulele shirts

Another big thank you to those who have bought the official Got A Ukulele T-Shirts - I like the idea of people telling the world that they have Got A Uke!

A life in modelling ain't for me....

I recently got hold of the shirt in brown which I think goes really well with the yellow text.  What I like about them is they are decent 100% cotton, and despite several washings DONT shrink.  Added to that, the print is a screen print application and not one of those transfers that peel off or shrink when you iron them - as such the image will last.

Loads of other merchandise too (but I like the T-Shirts best!)

You can see the range here - Got A Ukulele store

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Ukulele ebook now on Amazon Kindle

Pleased to report that my ukulele ebook, What Ukulele Players REALLY want to know is now available on the Amazon Kindle store


For UK customers, it can be found HERE

International customers, click HERE


Feedback gratefully received!

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Ukulele ebook published!

I am pleased to announce that my ukulele ebook, titled "What Ukulele Players REALLY want to know" is published in ebook format.

I have been toying with this idea for a while now, and for the past few weeks have been collating, expanding and re-writing a host of beginners guides for people to download and read on their ebooks.  It's a book aimed at absolute beginners that tries to break away from the rigid rules of the normal tuition books and answers questions those guides just dont deal with.

The idea is that it becomes a resource that is always available, when the internet is not around.

I have also added a useful glossary section and reference guide.

For those of you with an Amazon Kindle:

ukulele book - UK Kindle store

ukulele book - US store

if you dont have a Kindle, its available for other e-readers, pdf etc at SMASHWORDS

Reviews appreciated!


Enjoy!

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Ukulele T Shirt store

Hi folks, and thanks ever so much to my visitors who have visited the Got A Ukulele merchandise store.  Done a little bit of business and thats great news!

The store is run by Cafe Press and uses my logo on a range of products from the silly to the useful (like the T-Shirts).  I have a couple of the Tees and they are great quality and have stood up to the washing machine just fine! (the print is lasered on, and not a transfer liable to peel off under the iron!)

Hope you like them - any questions or product suggestions, get in touch.

The store can be visited here GOT A UKULELE T SHIRT STORE

Got A Ukulele standard T Shirt in green

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Broadcast your love of the Uke!

Big thanks to those that have bought the Got A Ukulele T-Shirt!  I have visions of lots of you wearing these.

With the UK uke fest coming next year - what better way to show your love for the Uke?  I think I may actually attend the fest wearing mine!  (the T shirts are produced by Cafe Press, are 100% cotton, and having now worn and washed one, I can confirm they are decent quality - no shrinkage and really decent logo print (not something that will peel off))

Visit the shop HERE and tell the world you Got A Ukulele!

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Got A Ukulele T Shirt

Rather pleased with my new blog branded T Shirt!

Order from HERE

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Really pleased with these - ukulele t shirts!

Pleased with these - have a look at the store - any suggestions, let me know

Store can be found here - http://www.cafepress.co.uk/GOTAUKULELE

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New Got A Ukulele Merchandise

Feeling daft? want a Got A Ukulele T Shirt (or badge, sticker, mug or hat for that matter?)

Have a look at the store - would look great at a ukulele festival?

To visit the store - click HERE

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New gig report

Another week, another jam session. Again, for inspiration purposes, I will list a selection of what we played. These were both ukulele and guitar songs, but you can play on both!


Folsom Prison Blues
Bad Moon Rising
Have I Told You lately That I Love You
Brown Eyed Girl
One man Guy
St Swithins Day
Great Balls Of Fire
California Dreamin
Dream A Little Dream of me
Wonderwall
Crazy
Summertime
Under African Skies
Labelled With Love
American Pie
Ring Of Fire
Get Rhythm
Your Cheating heart



twas fun!

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UKE stickers

Few people have asked me over last few weeks where to get the UKE sticker as seen on my case (the one that looks like a car country id sticker)

They are from the wonderful Tiki King here http://www.tikiking.com/uke_stuff.html

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