Uke recommendations

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Tom, you're so sweet.  While I was in college (the 1st time) I played a steel six string guitar to accompany my friend who had an awesome voice and played a 12 string guitar. We played at several coffee houses in MN but that was decades ago. It will be interesting to see how much I remember but hopefully it will be easier than a steel six string guitar. 

I understand the the nylon string will need frequent adjusting at first.

I assumed that the sound hole strap might be a problem.  I think I read somewhere that the strap had been changed to a strap for the pre-installed strap buttons.

Many thanks for your guidance.
 
You can always ask questions, and several of us here will be pleased to help.

Personally, I wish I could do more than a simple down-up-down-up strum. But my singing usually helps cover up my simple strumming. However, I lost my singing voice after several surgeries in 2018, and I'm almost lip sync'ing.
 
Folks in both videos are masters at playing the uke.
 
I received my new beginner's Uke today.  I love the way it looks and although it's not tuned I sense that it will sound good for the price I paid.  So far I'm happy with my purchase.  The Uke's frets aren't sharp and it seems to have a low action but hey what do I know at this stage. I think I mentioned that decades ago I played a steel string guitar. It seems like I will need to build up some calluses again but nothing like the calluses I had when I played the guitar.  Is this usual for a Uke player? 
 
It seems like I will need to build up some calluses again but nothing like the calluses I had when I played the guitar.  Is this usual for a Uke player?
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For sure, but not as significant as calluses when playing guitar (nylon v steel strings). We warn newbies about calluses and maybe calluses on calluses. We also warn/insist on trimming nails on the left hand (which many ladies resist).
 
We also warn/insist on trimming nails on the left hand (which many ladies resist).
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I've often wondered how Dolly Parton plays the guitar with those long nails, but she does (or did -- haven't seen her perform in years, except on old TV shows).
 
I was blown away seeing Dolly Parton in a live show and she switched between several instruments.
 
So how do I tell if the strings on my new uke are too high? Yes, I'm much older but I don't remember the steel strings on my guitar being this difficult.
 
Did you get a tuner with your new uke? I got a new uke and found the strings were very loose. Actually my teacher found they were too loose. But a tuner should help.
 
MN Blue Skies said:
So how do I tell if the strings on my new uke are too high? Yes, I'm much older but I don't remember the steel strings on my guitar being this difficult.
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By "high", do you mean they're too far off the fret board? (aka the "action" is high).

I assume you've already gone through the callouses on callouses stage, and your fingernails are not too long?
 
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Tom said:
By "high", do you mean they're too far off the fret board? (aka the "action" is high).

I assume you've already gone through the callouses on callouses stage, and your fingernails are not too long?
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Yes I mean that the "action" seems high. Fingernails are short but haven't developed new callouses. I don't remember it being that difficult on my steel string guitar from many years ago. Maybe I've become a wimp? Anyhow what's the best way to determine whether in fact the strings are to far off the fret board.

Many thanks.
 
MN Blue Skies said:
Yes I mean that the "action" seems high. Fingernails are short but haven't developed new callouses. I don't remember it being that difficult on my steel string guitar from many years ago. Maybe I've become a wimp? Anyhow what's the best way to determine whether in fact the strings are to far off the fret board.

Many thanks.
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I don't know if there's a "correct" way to determine that, but I can usually tell by feel. Don't recall the action on any of my ukes (several different brands/models) being too high. I did get the action lowered on my banjo (it just felt that I had to press the strings down too hard/far).

Lowering the action would mean using a "lower" bridge, or trimming the existing one. If the action is too low, you'll get a buzz.

Apologies for asking this, but do you happen to have the strings tuned an octave high, and they're therefore "very tight")? But I suspect that if those Nylgut strings were tuned an octave high, they'd over-stretch.
 
MN Blue Skies said:
Yes I mean that the "action" seems high. Fingernails are short but haven't developed new callouses. I don't remember it being that difficult on my steel string guitar from many years ago. Maybe I've become a wimp? Anyhow what's the best way to determine whether in fact the strings are to far off the fret board.

Many thanks.
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Google finds a number of related articles, but here's one explaining how the guy lowered his bridge: https://ukulelego.com/articles/adjusting-action-ukulele/

Personally, I'd use a luthier to do this, but a luthier might be hard to find.
 
Your new ukulele may not have been set up properly. You could take it to a music store where they have a luthier, and have them check it out. They may be able to do a neck adjustment, or work on lowering the bridge. They would have the tools to measure the distance between the strings and the fretboard to see if it is tolerance.
 
MN Blue Skies said:
Yes I mean that the "action" seems high. Fingernails are short but haven't developed new callouses. I don't remember it being that difficult on my steel string guitar from many years ago. Maybe I've become a wimp? Anyhow what's the best way to determine whether in fact the strings are to far off the fret board.

Many thanks.
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A quick look at the Q&A on your uke on amazon found this. Not sure how much it helps, but you may wish to wade through other Q&As.:

Amazon.com: Customer Questions & Answers

www.amazon.com
 
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