It's a doomed existence playing musical instruments. Well, I'll correct that, it's a doomed existence playing musical instruments that you can own many of, unlike say pianos for example.
Unless you own a mansion, most people could not consider buying several pianos, but with, say, stringed instruments, things get tricky.
There are a couple of afflictions to be aware of. Firstly, there is UAS, more commonly known as Ukulele Acquisition Syndrome, and there is it's stablemate, the unfortunately named GAS (Guitar Acquisition Syndrome). I have both and I probably need help!
Let's look at the former. In my uke collection I own a Mahalo cheapy, a Vintage cheapy, two Makala dolphins, a Mainland concert, a Flea a Fluke and an Ozark banjolele. Over time I've also owned more but sensibly sold them to fund others. So why would I want any more??
One comment that does annoy me is 'you can't play them all at once'. That's simply because they all sound different, they all have different uses. But I suppose that argument only takes me so far.
You see, I DO want more ukes, more of the same.
Presently I have a strange desire for the following
- a Kiwaya Japanese laminate uke. Pricey but beautiful!
- a Goldtone banjolele with resonator.
- a Kala U Bass.
- a Tanglewood Union series concert
- another Makala dolphin (in black)
- pretty much every other uke in the Mainland line
And that's just the moderately sensibly priced stuff. Give me carte blanche and you can add in high priced Hawaiian instruments that begin with K, a Pono, a Honu, a vintage Martin and maybe one of those carbon fibre body ukes.
It gets worse. I've recently started thinking about a Irish tenor banjo down tuned to GCEA (same as uke tuning you see)
And it goes on....
So, if I buy every one of them, you'd presume I'd get over the affliction? Well no, you see that's not really the point. And because of that, there is no helping me or many like me.
Perhaps it's the smell and feel of a new instrument, perhaps the satisfying pile of cases clogging up the spare room, or perhaps it's just madness.
So there we go, I'm afflicted. I can only try to appease my wife pointing out it's better this than PAS (piano acquisition syndrome)...
See, before I bought a uke I had quite a few guitars, as you do, but these got sold to fund a house and other dull stuff.. So when I got bought a mahalo for my bday and that was it.. I worked the S.U.S stall at wukulele and if I had a pound for everytime a husband or wife said "it's okay, theyre small" i'd have three quid.. But the point is I now own 5 ukes, two of which Ive made from scratch and one cigar box, and a mahalo and a Kala tenor.. And I shit you not I am just getting warmed up.. I cannot wait to own more ukes.. And to make more.. Stay strong brother.. U.A.S is a heavy cross.
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