I've been thinking about buying a ukelele. Seems like a pretty simple instrument to learn, and looking around Amazon a pretty affordable one too.
I have a couple of cheap acoustic guitars sitting around and I tried to learn a few years ago but ended up sitting them in a corner and now I've forgotten everything. I just bought new Martin SP strings for them and a clip on tuner but I'm going to let a friend of mine re-string and do some adjustments to both of them to make them better. I still want to learn to play them and it shouldn't take too long to get the basic chords and stuff back.
With time, job, and life getting in the way though, I think learning the ukelele might give me a quick fix to be a bit musical and might make me get more serious about learning guitar.
George Harrison was a huge Uke fan, and used to tote a pack of them around with him (so I am told), and would occasionally be seized with the urge to have a uke fest, and would break out the ukes and pass them around, and lead a sing along play along.
Lots of uke performances to be found on youtube. There was a local guy here who got into doing a busking act doing all the old classic music hall numbers, dressed up in a very thirties looking suit and bowler - Ralph Shaw. Rapidly became very popular and successful. He's still doing it, but I think he may have moved south to the big time, at least he has been seen more out in the wide world than here at home for the last few years.
If you can play guitar at all you should not have much trouble with the transition to a ukelele. I did note in your post though that you said you had "cheap" acoustic guitars. Not sure what you mean by cheap, but some "cheap" "no-name" guitars are next to un-playable by a beginner, while a decent "inexpensive" guitar can make a world of difference.
Don't forget acoustics are MUCH harder to play/learn on than an electric.
You didn't say why you stopped playing though. I have been a player for 25 plus years so my advice would be pick up a electric and try it again.
They are much easier to play, have better action, better sound possibilities, and you can go straight into your pc with headphones (with a killer sound available with the likes of Guitar Rig etc)
By cheap, I mean I didn't pay much for them. I have a Harmony 01010 acoustic (made in the mid 80s best I can tell) that I bought at a flea market for about $50 about 10 years ago. It actually has a decent sound, and should sound better when I strap on the new Martin SP light strings and get her cleaned up. I think the old strings were the 30 year old originals...lol.
The second is an Ovation Applause AE-36 electric acoustic (by Kaman). I think it's also from the mid to late 80s but have seen price quotes of around $130ish and up. I bought it from a friend who was moving for $20. I did just buy a small Fender amplifier from Amazon, so I've had it this guitar since around '04 and have never plugged her in. I'm looking forward to the amp. Neither one really sounds bad. I have a musical buddy who said he'd clean them both up, make adjustments, and restring them.
One reason I stopped practicing I guess was because of time...plus like many have said acoustics are just harder to learn. When I moved to the country in '08 I had no internet so I was starting to get a little good at chords and stuff, and playing around with my full sized keyboard. Then about a year later I got the evil internet and got back into online racing and gaming.
Now as far as the Uke, I've been watching a lot of YouTube stuff and have really been digging the sounds. I'd like to get one to play around with and get to a point where I could just grab it when I felt the urge to sing a long with something...lol.
Another reason is that I'm probably going to be heading overseas for a long deployment this year in the Air National Guard and I think that the small size of a uke I could bring it along and have something to do in my free time. Plus a couple other buddies are thinking of taking mandolins, so we could jam...lol.
I have been playing and learning the Uke for about a year now,I have a Lanikai LS21 Soprano and as the uke has only four strings G,C,E,A, picking up the chords is quite easy.Master 4 to 5 chords and there are literally hundreds of songs you can play.
That`s where I started off and fair play every one is as friendly as this forum is when it comes to asking for help. Get one that is not expensive to start with just to make sure you get along with it but before you buy pop into a music shop that sells Ukes and hold one in your hands because they come in 3 sizes - Soprano (small) , Concert (larger) and the Tenor (largest) ,find which is the most comfortable to hold and feel right.
Have fun !! Paul
Mae hen wlad fy nhadau yn annwyl i mi, Gwlad beirdd a chantorion, enwogion o fri; Ei gwrol ryfelwyr, gwladgarwyr tra m�d, Dros ryddid collasant eu gwaed. Gwlad, gwlad, pleidiol wyf i'm gwlad. Tra m�r yn fur i'r bur hoff bau, O bydded i'r hen iaith barhau.
"College graduates should not have to live out their 20s in their childhood bedrooms, staring up at fading Obama posters and wondering when they can move out and get going with life" - Paul Ryan
The issue with cheap guitars is not the quality of the sound, which can be dire, but more the action - the ease of fretting the strings. Cheap guitars will often conceal poor workmanship in the alignment of the neck, by installing tall frets, which make fretting difficult, and are vicious on your fingertips. It was a great revelation to me when I first encountered a good quality electric, after struggling with early '60s mail order dept store junk. I suddenly realized that one could actually play good music without first having to put in six or seven years of practice to turn your fingers into clamps of steel.
A good action allows your fingers to slide easily over the frets, and fret clean notes without putting you in danger of carpal tunnel. The good thing about ukuleles is the short neck means the strings will not be strung as tight, and it is easier to build a flat fretboard even for a cheap instrument, so even a cheap one should be pretty easy to play.
"College graduates should not have to live out their 20s in their childhood bedrooms, staring up at fading Obama posters and wondering when they can move out and get going with life" - Paul Ryan
Went ahead and bought an Oscar Schmidt OU2 concert uke with kit (polishing cloth, tuner, and gig bag) for $80 plus some Aquila strings from Amazon. Most of the reviews were pretty positive, but a lot mentioned to change the strings.
While I'm waiting for it to arrive (Tuesday ETA) I've been tinkering with my guitar again after I changed strings on my Harmony guitar. Sounds much better...just need to get my fingers calloused up again. Fingers hurt a bit right now...lol.
Aquila`s make a very noticable difference W_K.Enjoy and have fun !
Paul
Mae hen wlad fy nhadau yn annwyl i mi, Gwlad beirdd a chantorion, enwogion o fri; Ei gwrol ryfelwyr, gwladgarwyr tra m�d, Dros ryddid collasant eu gwaed. Gwlad, gwlad, pleidiol wyf i'm gwlad. Tra m�r yn fur i'r bur hoff bau, O bydded i'r hen iaith barhau.
Ah, where would a uke thread be without Tiny Tim? I remember talking my parents into letting me stay up to watch his wedding to Miss Vicki on Johnny Carson's show. One of a kind.
I have a Harmony 01010 acoustic (made in the mid 80s best I can tell) that I bought at a flea market for about $50 about 10 years ago. It actually has a decent sound, and should sound better when I strap on the new Martin SP light strings and get her cleaned up. I think the old strings were the 30 year old originals...lol.
