You'd only get a fairly budget-level baritone uke with that price range.
I'd say go for a decent tenor or soprano uke, if that's what tickles your fancy.
A Baritone Ukuklele.....yes.......a top idea.
I have 3 of these,all bought on e-bay from US$25.00 to $100.These are Vintage instruments made in the US in the 1950's...made from Mahogany.You can get Chinese made ones ,brand new for about $40.00 or so but IMHO,are characterless,made from plywood and not as nice as the vintage ukes
Type in Baritone ukulele on the ebay to get a rough idea of prices..There's a nice looking one on the UK site at the moment sitting on 36 quid with a few days to go.
Simply put..these instruments are FUN.I cant walk past mine without picking one up for a tune.They're tuned like the four top strings on a guitar DGBE so if you know Guitar chords......you are well and truly on your way...
I guarantee you'll love your new Baritones Ukes.....for 200 quid you'll get a nice one each..
Let us all know what instruments you ended up with..
Thanks for the sensible suggestions and the laughs.
I think I'll try to get her to give me the baritone ukelele. More my style.
I got her the antlers and the halo for last christmas, so it will either have to be the overton/goldie whistle or the baritone ukelele.
A couple of last questions if I can. If I go for the flute, is it wise to choose something tunable? If I go for the baritone uke can someone suggest a make and a price for a reasonable.instrument (in the UK)?
As a serious answer, the trip to a music workshop/festival is a good one. My friends clubbed together to send me to Boxwood for my 40th Birthday. Got to meet my earliest wooden flute hero - Chris Norman. There are plenty of other alternatives though - should be something to fit most price ranges.
Getting snobby over the price of an instrument (as per Mr G Pete's comment) is nonsense! Many a cheap instrument of any type turns out to be a gem whilst often a highfaluting well known expensive item may turn put to be a pig. Think overrated and priced Fender and Gibson six string devils.
I've got two cheap Romanian Baritone Ukes from the factory that seems to supply the world with lots of cheap bouzoukis and mandolins (with flowery inlays- you know the ones!) and they are great!
One cost ~£40 at Hobgoblin in London, Europe and the other was $30 from a shop in Portland Oregon. I also purchased a Mahalo baritone in the USA, cost ~$40. This is an OK model but maybe not as good as the Romanian! I’ve tried some up market models (can’t remember the makes) but they were not worth the extra 150 odd quid plus they had guitar tuners that make the neck so heavy it renders the instrument useless- easier to tune perhaps- but unplayable.
Some time ago I bought an Ashbury tenor uke (~£120). It is a bit quiet but has a nice harpy tone. It also came with guitar tuners which I replaced with four 99p proper uke tuners and thus converted it from absolutely bleeding useless to quite good! But not really worth the amount I paid. It has a lovely finish (mother of pearl inlays, binding and stuff) but sounds and plays averagely.
I currently have three treble/ concert ukes. One was free as it was given to me as a boy. It’s Italian, made in the twenties I would guess by Carlo Ricordo. There are some bowl back mandolins out there by him. It is fabulous. I also have a Mahalo treble (£18 from Surrey Strings last spring) it’s OK. Third one is a gimmicky orange uke with more horrid guitar tuners. This, like all ukes in the gimmicky-funny-let’s-have-a-laugh-with-a-pink-flying-vee-Spongebob-pineapple-uke-t’ing market is c r a p.
By the way, the baritone is especially suited to a bit of Trad Irish backing but that’s another story!
There yer go Greg n'shiels........some good advice from yhaalhouse...
If you go the vintage Ukulele route,the American company,Harmony makes nice ones (under many different brands too) ...here's a link to a site that is helpful in identifying Ukuleles.. http://www.tikiking.com/
What to buy
What to buy
Coming up in a few weeks is my wife' and my 24th wedding aniversary.
Out of interest, I looked up the type of gift associated with it and found it was musical instruments.
So, what do we get each other?
She plays guitar very well. Flute a bit, whistle a bit, fiddle a bit
I play mandolin and bouzouki ok, concertina a bit, piano/keyboards ok.
Although it's nice to have the best, we already have ok instruments. If we bought more of the ones we already play we would be spending serious money.
So, what should I get with a budget of £100 to £200 ish?
# Posted on September 8th 2009 by greg n'sheils
Re: What to buy
A pair of antlers and a fluffy halo for Christmas gigs.
Some women look quite fetching in these.
# Posted on September 8th 2009 by nicholas
Re: What to buy
A comb and a lifetime's supply of greaseproof paper.
# Posted on September 8th 2009 by OrganicPeatCreature
Re: What to buy
I'd buy an HD radio, or perhaps a Bose Wave radio. It sounds like you already have all the instruments you need.
# Posted on September 8th 2009 by Greg the Piano Tuner
Re: What to buy
If you love her you could get an Overton D by Colin Goldie, if you don't you could buy her a Cheiftain.
# Posted on September 8th 2009 by bogman
Re: What to buy
Buy each other a baritone ukulele and you might just have enough left over for a couple of Stylophones.
# Posted on September 8th 2009 by yhaalhouse
Re: What to buy
Maybe I'll just buy her a bodhran and get her to give me a set of ear plugs
# Posted on September 8th 2009 by greg n'sheils
Re: What to buy
I like the baritone ukelele idea though. Thanks
# Posted on September 8th 2009 by greg n'sheils
Re: What to buy
Get her a digital Zen Alarm Clock or a Zen Timepiece.
http://www.now-zen.com/
# Posted on September 8th 2009 by joesmith
Re: What to buy
I'm disappointed, the digital Zen Alarm Clock and Zen Timepiece tell the time and make a noise to wake you up.
I was hoping for a plain block of wood or something like that!
Ah, perhaps the problem is my attachment to the idea that....
# Posted on September 8th 2009 by TomB-R
Re: What to buy
She's already got a personal sun dial.
# Posted on September 8th 2009 by greg n'sheils
Re: What to buy
Eight gramophone records.
# Posted on September 8th 2009 by lazyhound
Re: What to buy
You'd only get a fairly budget-level baritone uke with that price range.
I'd say go for a decent tenor or soprano uke, if that's what tickles your fancy.
# Posted on September 8th 2009 by Guernsey Pete
Re: What to buy
An i-pod, and have it full of tunes before you give it to her.....
# Posted on September 8th 2009 by seaniemcg
Re: What to buy
Nothing is more romantic than a whole slew of stupid Irish music tee-shirts
http://itmgoodies.com
# Posted on September 8th 2009 by Reverend
Re: What to buy
Tickets for a music festival or workshop or something. Or a weekend trip to somewhere with lots of sessions.
# Posted on September 8th 2009 by Mike Floorstand
Re: What to buy
Music lessons or a master class.
# Posted on September 8th 2009 by CarolWhitaker
Re: What to buy
A book of scales and a metronome.
Followed by a trip to Reno very soon after,lol.
# Posted on September 8th 2009 by biggus dave
Re: What to buy
A Baritone Ukuklele.....yes.......a top idea.
I have 3 of these,all bought on e-bay from US$25.00 to $100.These are Vintage instruments made in the US in the 1950's...made from Mahogany.You can get Chinese made ones ,brand new for about $40.00 or so but IMHO,are characterless,made from plywood and not as nice as the vintage ukes
Type in Baritone ukulele on the ebay to get a rough idea of prices..There's a nice looking one on the UK site at the moment sitting on 36 quid with a few days to go.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BARITONE-UKULELE_W0QQitemZ190331893063QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Sting_Instruments?hash=item2c50aa3547&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14
Simply put..these instruments are FUN.I cant walk past mine without picking one up for a tune.They're tuned like the four top strings on a guitar DGBE so if you know Guitar chords......you are well and truly on your way...
I guarantee you'll love your new Baritones Ukes.....for 200 quid you'll get a nice one each..
Let us all know what instruments you ended up with..
# Posted on September 9th 2009 by zoukboy
Re: What to buy
An ocarina
# Posted on September 9th 2009 by hotsauce
Re: What to buy
Thanks for the sensible suggestions and the laughs.
I think I'll try to get her to give me the baritone ukelele. More my style.
I got her the antlers and the halo for last christmas, so it will either have to be the overton/goldie whistle or the baritone ukelele.
A couple of last questions if I can. If I go for the flute, is it wise to choose something tunable? If I go for the baritone uke can someone suggest a make and a price for a reasonable.instrument (in the UK)?
# Posted on September 9th 2009 by greg n'sheils
Re: What to buy
how about a melodica? Or one of these:
http://cgi.ebay.com/1980S-CASIO-VL-TONE-ELECTRONIC-KEYBOARD-SYNTHESIZER_W0QQitemZ200378925366QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_MusicalInstr_Keyboard_RL?hash=item2ea783c136&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14
# Posted on September 9th 2009 by airport
Re: What to buy
Wow. The latest technology never fails to impress! I wonder where the USB port is.
I wonder what it sounds like.
# Posted on September 9th 2009 by greg n'sheils
Re: What to buy
As a serious answer, the trip to a music workshop/festival is a good one. My friends clubbed together to send me to Boxwood for my 40th Birthday. Got to meet my earliest wooden flute hero - Chris Norman. There are plenty of other alternatives though - should be something to fit most price ranges.
# Posted on September 9th 2009 by Crackpot
Cost and value/ Baritone Ukes...
Getting snobby over the price of an instrument (as per Mr G Pete's comment) is nonsense! Many a cheap instrument of any type turns out to be a gem whilst often a highfaluting well known expensive item may turn put to be a pig. Think overrated and priced Fender and Gibson six string devils.
I've got two cheap Romanian Baritone Ukes from the factory that seems to supply the world with lots of cheap bouzoukis and mandolins (with flowery inlays- you know the ones!) and they are great!
One cost ~£40 at Hobgoblin in London, Europe and the other was $30 from a shop in Portland Oregon. I also purchased a Mahalo baritone in the USA, cost ~$40. This is an OK model but maybe not as good as the Romanian! I’ve tried some up market models (can’t remember the makes) but they were not worth the extra 150 odd quid plus they had guitar tuners that make the neck so heavy it renders the instrument useless- easier to tune perhaps- but unplayable.
Some time ago I bought an Ashbury tenor uke (~£120). It is a bit quiet but has a nice harpy tone. It also came with guitar tuners which I replaced with four 99p proper uke tuners and thus converted it from absolutely bleeding useless to quite good! But not really worth the amount I paid. It has a lovely finish (mother of pearl inlays, binding and stuff) but sounds and plays averagely.
I currently have three treble/ concert ukes. One was free as it was given to me as a boy. It’s Italian, made in the twenties I would guess by Carlo Ricordo. There are some bowl back mandolins out there by him. It is fabulous. I also have a Mahalo treble (£18 from Surrey Strings last spring) it’s OK. Third one is a gimmicky orange uke with more horrid guitar tuners. This, like all ukes in the gimmicky-funny-let’s-have-a-laugh-with-a-pink-flying-vee-Spongebob-pineapple-uke-t’ing market is c r a p.
By the way, the baritone is especially suited to a bit of Trad Irish backing but that’s another story!
# Posted on September 9th 2009 by yhaalhouse
Re: What to buy
There yer go Greg n'shiels........some good advice from yhaalhouse...
If you go the vintage Ukulele route,the American company,Harmony makes nice ones (under many different brands too) ...here's a link to a site that is helpful in identifying Ukuleles..
http://www.tikiking.com/
# Posted on September 10th 2009 by zoukboy
Re: What to buy
Thanks for all the good advice and links.
Expect an update at the beginning of december
# Posted on September 10th 2009 by greg n'sheils