Archive for the 'Articles' Category

Hand shaped custom instrument hangers – Grip Studios

Check out these made to order resin and steel reinforced wall mounted guitar hangers from Grip Studios. They are available in different colors and shapes, including human hands, skeleton hands and monster hands. They are priced from $39.99 up to $119.99. Although they are made for guitars, I’m sure they will work fine for ukuleles [...]

Jake Shimabukro to release a 2 song mini-EP

Ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro new mini-EP “Annon” will be released on September 1st as Part of the Shin Buddhism Founders 750th memorial.
The Shin Buddhist path was founded by Shinran Shonin (1173-1263) during the Kamakura period, and in several centuries grew into one of the largest and most influential schools of Buddhism in Japan, a position [...]

A guitar pick with training wheels? – ZeroGravity Orbit Guitar Pick

During my normal Saturday morning routine of hot tea, steel-cut oats and magazine browsing, I happened upon the ZeroGravity Orbit Guitar Pick in the latest copy of a Musician’s Friend catalog. Guitar Picks really haven’t changed much over the years, so this one easily caught my eye. Attached to the actual pick is a soft [...]

Oscar Schmidt Visit

I just finished reading Tim Szerlong’s article about his trip to the U.S. Music Corp factory in Illinois. This factory is a parent company to Washburn and Oscar Schmidt among others. Go check out the article and Tim’s new site at Ukeeku.

The economy might suck, but ukulele sales don’t

Leo Biovin sent me the link to this nice article on NPR (National Public Radio) yesterday. According to the article (which also has an audio version if you prefer to listen instead of read), overall instrument sales are down around 20%, but not for the uke. Apparently, ukulele sales at Elderly Instruments are up 10-15% [...]

Ukulele World Congress Rules

It was an event entirely guided by one mans karma. Mike, alias hoosierhiver on Ukulele Underground, didn’t organize this event. He just cleared the way to let the cosmos manifest it into existence. Back in January Mike, owner of the recently-opened Mainland Ukes in Nashville,  posted on UU that he had a great site for [...]

Southern Indiana Ukulele Luau 2009 Report

The second Bushman Ukulele Luau turned out to be an intimate crowd again with a few more attendees than last year. Those who did come were treated to some great informal and impromptu performances Saturday by Zoe who flew in from Toronto, Jodi Mathews, Wade Johnston (who Julia Nunes has dubbed “The Boy Me”), and [...]

Help Wanted – Ukulele Bloggers Apply Here!

My day job and my other site (The Gadgeteer) have caused me to severely neglect this site for awhile now. I want to turn that around ASAP and am hoping that some happy volunteers to help me do it. I’m looking for a few people that are interested in writing ukulele related news items, CD [...]

A closet of ukes is way better than clothes

The Guitar Hanger is a pretty ingenious way to store your guitars in a regular closet. Just throw all your clothes on the floor (that’s where half of them are anyway right?)  and dangle your Strats and Les Pauls in glorious splendor. I need 7 of these for my ukuleles!

Ukulele Luau 2009

If you’re going to be in the Southern Indiana area May 8-9th, be sure to stop by the free Ukulele Luau being put on by Bushman.
I attended last year’s luau and had a lot of fun watching all of the performances!