Is the Uke making a comeback?

Subject: Is the Uke making a comeback?
From: marty D
Date: 19 Jan 02 - 03:17 PM

Just when I really start getting a handle on guitar, I start hearing ukelele music all around me. Three songs already on the radio today (No, I'm NOT listening to top 40!)

Is this a trend? Has anyone else noticed this? Should we be worried? Do we all have ukes just in case?

marty

Subject: RE: Is the Uke making a comeback?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 19 Jan 02 - 03:39 PM

I hope not!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Subject: RE: Is the Uke making a comeback?
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 19 Jan 02 - 05:57 PM

Well I'd hate to confirm your worst fears guys BUT....Yes it is!

How do I know for sure? 'Cause from 1990 to 2001 I had ONE uke student. In the last three months I've had FOUR!!

They're fine decent upstanding folks (one is actually a major Canadian celebrity) and they WANT TO LEARN THE UKELELE! Mine not to question why...mine just to show 'em how.

Cheers

Rick

Subject: RE: Is the Uke making a comeback?
From: catspaw49
Date: 19 Jan 02 - 06:11 PM

I think the Uke has been making comebacks for 50 years. Every so often there seems to be some splash about the uke and how it's about to take over the world and then they tend to fade off for awhile til the next comeback. Who knows ... This could be the big one!!! Or not.....

Spaw

Subject: RE: Is the Uke making a comeback?
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 19 Jan 02 - 06:26 PM

I'll know the revival is real, when Taylor and Larivee start...

A. Making Ukes

B. Installing Fishman pickups in them.

Think I'm joking?

Rick

Subject: RE: Is the Uke making a comeback?
From: M.Ted
Date: 19 Jan 02 - 06:51 PM

Not withstanding what some people think, there is a uke revival going on-complete with superstars--not that anyone in Ohio have his finger on the pulse--

Unfortunately, in a lot of places, guitar collectors just buy ukes, hang them on the wall, and take them down one a month to play--

If you want to hear the best, check the expanding Hawaiian music section at, say Borders, and look for "Facing Forward" by Iz--Israel Kamama'ole wiwa--singer,player, and songwriter--

Subject: RE: Is the Uke making a comeback?
From: Sorcha
Date: 19 Jan 02 - 06:52 PM

Run for the hills, boys, they're comin' after ya!!!

Subject: RE: Is the Uke making a comeback?
From: catspaw49
Date: 19 Jan 02 - 07:10 PM

Ol' dead Iz has come up a few times here before Ted. Alice had some info on him and I first ran across him in some movie where one of his pieces was a title or theme in the soundtrack. I don't remember the movie now, but Karen was especially nuts for the song which got me to looking for him. By that time he was dead which goes to show you're exactly right on the pulse here in Ohio!!!

Spaw

Subject: RE: Is the Uke making a comeback?
From: GutBucketeer
Date: 19 Jan 02 - 07:16 PM

As someone that over the last year has bought 4 banjo ukes and a baritone(no sopranos though).. YES!!! . I definitely think interest is growing. It's the music has much as it is the instrument, since Uke music (IMHO) seems to be sort of don't worry get happy stuff (I can't stand THAT song, but the term seems to apply).

Re-issues of Cliff Edwards help too.

There also seems to be sort of a alternative uke scene in L.A., I don't know much about it, and don't even really like what I've heard on MP3.com of it, but it's there.

So even if you don't like the instrument you have to admit that all of those tunes from the 10's and 20's are pretty cool.

JAB

Subject: RE: Is the Uke making a comeback?
From: 53
Date: 19 Jan 02 - 10:29 PM

i bought a johnson baritone uke about six months ago, and i just tune it like the top 4 strings of my guitar, is that correct? bob

Subject: RE: Is the Uke making a comeback?
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 20 Jan 02 - 12:19 AM

That's correct, Bob, the baritone is tuned DGBE, while the standard tuning for the soprano, concert, and tenor ukes is GCEA. At the risk of sounding like a spokesman for the Department of Redundancy Department...the instrument is an ukulele, it means "jumping flea" in Hawaiian, and the Hawaiian pronunciation is "oo-koo-lay-lay", not "you-ka-lay-lee"--though people in Hawaii also call it a "uke". The two most likely explanations for the name are: (1) The English sailor, Edward Purvis, who popularized the instrument in the Hawaiian Royal Court was nicknamed "Ukulele" because of his abundant energy and his being altitudinally challenged (which I personally feel is a mark of greatness). (2) The name refers to the nimble fingers of an accomplished player.

Here's a fascinating site that explains chord theory and construction on the ukulele; if you go to the main page of Ukuleles by Kawika, you'll find a wealth of additional information by a Hawaiian instrument builder.

I love the old "hapa haole" and Tin Pan Alley tunes, but I'm hoping to learn more traditional Hawaiian music as well. The "chord melody" style that's very popular here is a bit beyond me. Also, I'd recommend the series of books by Jim Beloff (Jumpin'Jim's Ukulele Tips and Tunes is the "primer") as a good introduction and song resource for the beginning player.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Is the Uke making a comeback?
From: 53
Date: 20 Jan 02 - 12:25 AM

thanks mark, now i wont feel so dumb when i take it out to play, cause i'll know how to tune it, i don't know how to say aloha, in southern talk, so i'll just say so long. BOB

Subject: RE: Is the Uke making a comeback?
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 20 Jan 02 - 12:35 AM

It's easy, Bob: "Aloha, y'all!"

Mark

Subject: RE: Is the Uke making a comeback?
From: 53
Date: 20 Jan 02 - 12:41 AM

that's good mark, and by the way i wrote a song using my uke tuned the way i asked about, and it's called no shit today. BOB

Subject: RE: Is the Uke making a comeback?
From: GUEST,GUEST
Date: 20 Jan 02 - 12:58 AM

Take a look at the Hootchulele on This page. That's the only uke you'll ever catch me playing, and odds are that I'll be bustin' out that black label before you can say "my dog has fleas"...

Subject: RE: Is the Uke making a comeback?
From: GUEST,Lionel
Date: 20 Jan 02 - 08:11 AM

Well by all accounts the 4th Annual Ukelele festival was held in 2001 in New Jersey see www.jugbandrag for a review. This means there must be one another coming up in 2002. Beware.

Subject: RE: Is the Uke making a comeback?
From: M.Ted
Date: 20 Jan 02 - 11:00 AM

Guest,Guest--very funny concept, though it costs quite a lot for a joke ($425)--I got the joke about being a Tippler-

Subject: RE: Is the Uke making a comeback?
From: Fasteddy
Date: 20 Jan 02 - 11:08 AM

As I've said on another thread, I have a Yasuma tiple which is a copy of an instrument that C.F Martin started producing around 1920. This is in effect a 10 string uke and is a really a great wee machine and produces a really nice sound. The only trouble is that,as far as I know,only Martin make tiple strings,so they have to be imported to UK.

Subject: RE: Is the Uke making a comeback?
From: catspaw49
Date: 20 Jan 02 - 12:12 PM

FastEddy, you are obviously not familiar with The Great Tiple Thread....a Mudcat classic, an oldie but a goodie.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Is the Uke making a comeback?
From: M.Ted
Date: 20 Jan 02 - 03:03 PM

As a one-time tipler, I will share another tragedy of the instrument with you, Fasteddy: Those ten steel strings, tuned as they are to very high pitches, exert enormous tension on all parts of the "wee machine"--and it is prone to give way, sometimes dramatically, and at inopportune moments--the Martins are bad enough, but the copies can be downright hazardous--

Subject: RE: Is the Uke making a comeback?
From: Fasteddy
Date: 20 Jan 02 - 03:51 PM

Thanks again catspaw ! yes you are right, I'm still new to this game. And OK M.Ted thanks too but I've used my tiple for 26 years with no problems so if she fell apart tomorrow - well nothing owed - as she cost me all of £18!!

Subject: RE: Is the Uke making a comeback?
From: M.Ted
Date: 20 Jan 02 - 10:06 PM

My wife's grandfather(who passed away last year at age 91) was part of a ukulele orchestra back in the 1930's--he said that at any given time, at least one of the three players' instruments was out of commision--

Subject: RE: Is the Uke making a comeback?
From: 53
Date: 20 Jan 02 - 11:06 PM

i enjoy playing mine, its real different than the guitar, and thats a challenge for me. BOB