4 comments about Washburn Koa Ukulele.

1. I bought my husband this uke for Christmas,2006, and he absolutely LOVES it! The abalone inlay around the edge is very attractive. He did have to keep retuning it every so often, as the strings stretched, but now it's just fine. He just has to "tweek it" once in a while.
   
   I had looked at a simalar uke at our local guitar center, but they wanted $149 and that was without the abalone inlay. My husband and I both agree it was a "super buy'!



2. I can hardly be considered a musician and playing the ukulele is only a pastime involving some enjoyable minutes of strumming through a few cords, but I must say a few words about the Washburn (Oscar Schmidt) OU-5 ukulele I just bought from Amazon.com.
   
   My previous ukulele was a nice low end soprano box that served me well for several years. It looked OK, it stayed in tune and sounded fine to me. However, I wanted something a bit better and the concert sized OU-5 caught my eye. I researched the heck out of ukuleles in the same price range and decided the Washburn OU-5 was the best.
   
   When the ukulele arrived I opened the box and was absolutely amazed. The uke was a beautiful thing--a work of art. Its highly lacquered finish and distinctive Koa wood construction was stunning. I was looking at a true musical instrument. At that moment I knew my old ukulele was a piece of junk--a toy. I suddenly hated it.
   
   The OU-5 sounds ten times better than my previous ukulele and the somewhat larger size makes it easier for me to "play" and move about the fret board. The mellow and resonant tones that come from the OU-5 are stunning. I know my judgment about that is not based on a lot of musical know-how, but the contrast with my old uke was certainly remarkable. I can recommend this Washburn ukulele to anyone who appreciates fine workmanship, a great sound and wants an fine instrument at a bargain price.
   
   Oh, one other thing--the picture of the Washburn OU-5 ukulele in the Amazon.com description is not a picture of the OU-5 with the Koa wood top. The illustration is probably (a mistake) the Washburn OU-13 with a spruce top. Don't be put off by this apparent error. The product is indeed a Koa wood OU-5.



3. Just a warning. If you think you are going to get a Washburn ukulele from Amazon, you will not. As in my case, you will recieve an OSCAR SCHMIDT ukulele by Washburn. a nice ukulele but you could get it for only $99. I got very little empathy when I voiced the issue with Amazon directly. Maybe I should have caught on when there was no picture available for this item.
   
   MW



4. One night I'm watching Joe Versus the Volcano... and Joe is afloat on his steamer trunks playing the Cowboy Song on his ukulele... and it hits me: I want to learn to play the ukulele just so I can play that song! I've played guitar casually for many years, but I had no clue about the guitar's little cousin. I knew that I wanted something better than a toy ukulele, but also knew I had no plans to play this professionally. After looking around online, I decided to order the OU-5 Oscar Schmidt by Washburn from Amazon.
   
   Summary: I could not be happier. This is a wonderful instrument for both the first time user and the semi-serious amateur. The ukulele is beautiful. The woodwork is gorgeous. Everyone who has seen it says "wow". It sounds just like a ukulele should. And it is a blast to play!
   
   The worst thing about this ukulele is the product description page. The description provided by Amazon is terrible. At the time of this writing, there is no photo of the product (I bought it on faith based on reviews of a couple others here). The product description is a single, incomplete sentence and uses the word "founf"... and the description is so bad, it's not at all obvious that you're getting an OU-5 (look in the item details under model number), but that is what you get. But please, don't be fooled by what may be the worst page on Amazon's otherwise wonderful site... this is a great product.
   
   One user complained about the strings not holding their tune, and I've seen at least one complaint about the tuners. Well, the ukulele comes with nylon strings, and there is a fair amount of stretching before it will stay in tune. My first couple of attempts were frustrating... the top string would be badly out of tune by the time I had tuned down to the bottom string. It took a couple of days of constant tuning before the strings were properly stretched. There's probably some trick to pre-stretching nylon strings, but I just kept at it and eventually prevailed. Now it stays in tune comparable to my guitar. The chrome tuners appear to be of good quality. They are solid and have a good feel.
   
   The Koa wood is stunning, and has a wonderful finish, especially for an instrument in this price range. The detail in the inlay really makes this uke visually impressive.
   
   I grabbed a chord chart off the internet to learn chords and fingering... there are plenty out there. I decided to learn to play songs from movies featuring the ukulele. A quick search and I found the chords (all two of them) for Joe's Cowboy Song... awesome! It sounds great! Tonight You Belong to Me by Steve Martin was next, followed by Forgetful Lucy featuring Adam Sandler on the uke. I suggest looking for ukulele performances on YouTube for inspiration. You haven't really, truly played a string instrument until you've played Rawhide on the ukulele.

4 comments about Grover Sweet Potato Diatonic Ocarina.

1. It is a little known fact that Beethoven (and many of his peers) actually wrote the majority of their work specifically for this instrument. Tragically, the corrupt governments of the time viewed this behaviour as subversive insanity and ordered an extensive rewrite for the more socially acceptable 'orchestra'.
   This was a massive blow to our civilization, resulting in the modern world's shamefull ignorance of this majestic tool of art. I find it difficult to contain my outrage when some ill-educated neanderthal asks questions such as:
   
   "why sweet potato?"
   "diatonic ocarina, is'nt that a tool used in colonic irrigation?"
   "who's grover and why would I care?"
   
   The mind boggles!



2. This Ocarina literally saved my life !
   It was a lovely summers day. The birds we're singing sweetly, the sheep were frisky. I was walking to the local Walmart for a quart of freshly squeezed Sunny D. Suddenly out of the blue a 10 foot Elephant burst through a nearby hedge row. The elephant, who I found out later belonged to "The Elephant Man" from the circus that was setting up in the field next to me, paused and looked into my eyes. I could see it had a thirst for blood so averted my gaze. I was later told that breaking eye contact is the worst thing you can do when faced with a rabid animal but, alas, I didn't think of this at the time. The elephant raised up onto it's back legs trumpeting wildly and returned to earth with a thud. By this time I had decided I should find some cover and had dived into a nearby Birch wood. The elephant began to charge toward me. He'd got my scent ! I ran as fast as I could into the wood but unfortunately I didn't notice a root that was sticking up and caught my foot in it. Before I knew it I was on the floor with a broken ankle !. Nelly, as I had affectionately named him, had reached the outskirts of the wood. He came thundering through the trees knocking them to the right and left. As I lay there I thought "This is it Davinci, what have you done with this life of yours.". As Nelly grew closer the ground was shaking and so was I. At last he reached me and towered over me his front legs lifted in the air. I closed my eyes and awaited my fate...... but death never came. A high pitched sound that I immediately knew to be a Grover Sweet Potato Diatonic Ocarina broke through the silence of the wood. Then almost immediately Nelly turned and ran back the way he'd come. I opened my eyes and saw a strange little fellow wearing some kind of robes. He came over to me and checked that I was OK. I thanked him for his help and enquired about the Grover Sweet Potato Diatonic Ocarina that had just saved my life. Within a week Amazon had delivered one to my door and to this day I never leave home without it. Just in case !



3. I am a musical instrument collector and when I saw this for such a low price I knew it had to be a toy. I just couldnt stop myself from getting it because I really wanted to know if I could get a good sound out of it. I can! I can play some simple tunes already. Its not the best sound in the world, but it is pretty fun. Its rather small fitting into the palm of my hand. I wear mens large gloves. It fits into any pocket. The placement of the holes are not too complicated to figure out. Your on you own because it doesnt come with any sort of guide but i didnt have too much trouble getting it. There are plenty of tabs on the internet for this thing. I think its a fun toy. For the price of it thats all you should expect. Good for children if you could find a guide on the internet.



4. The product is really just a toy, but it's priced appropriately so I have no complaints. Someone looking for a real musical instrument should expect to pay much more, and look for a wooden or ceramic version.

1 comments about Latin Percussion LPM199 Mini Tunable Bongos.

1. I purchased this set of bongos as a birthday present for my 7 year-old son. They came out of the box pretty much ready to play, just a few turns of the tuning wrench had them good to go. I was pretty impressed by the sturdy construction and the real skin heads.
   
   My son has been happily beating on this set for a couple of weeks now, and he seems to really be enjoying them. The skins have broken in now with the frequent playing, and that has softened the tone a little. This set really packs a good sound into a small package. Highly recommended if you want a good set of starter bongos for yourself or your kids. Would also make a good travel set or something to keep in your office for those days when you just want to bang your own drum.

No comments about Hohner 560/20 Special 20 Marine Band Harmonica, w/ FREE Book, Key of C.

2 comments about Remo 7" x 2.25" Thunder Tube, Starry Night Design.

1. If you like making sound effects, this would be a great instrument to have. It's a lot of fun. You can vary the loudness and it makes an impressive sound.



2. This is an excellent little sound maker to add "color" [i.e. unique voice] to events, parties, shows, get-togethers, rallies, home videos, podcasts, drum circles, and theater performances. With a small flick of the wrist or well-placed finger rub, one can make surprising variety of big sounds--anything from a thunder-like clap to weird alien whizzing--from creaking doors to spooky scratches or a hand saw. There seems no end to the type of sound discoveries that users can make. The holder / player can actually feel the power of the vibrations as the product's spring dances, activated by the wrist flick or finger rub. NOTE: Science teachers and students would enjoy this product as a "how and why it works" lab.

No comments about Lee Oskar Harmonicas - Major Diatonic - Key of C with Bonus Soft Carrying Case.

4 comments about Lee Oskar 7 Place Harp Pouch.

1. This is a good case, well made, holds 7 diatonic harmonicas very nicely. It does what it says.



2. This is a high quality, rugged case: heavy duty zipper, canvas-like outer, soft liner, inside pocket for set lists or notes, and wide elastic straps to hold your harps. Room for seven harmonicas which means you can carry the keys most serious players use--G,A,Bb,C,D,E&F. Too bad they don't make a larger case for all diatonic keys. This baby will last forever and looks professional--a definite yes.



3. I'm very happy with this harp case. It's thicker than you might imagine, judging from the picture. Each harmonica is held by its own strap, which fit perfectly. The zipper feels like a very good quality. I expect to be using this for years.



4. I really couldn't have asked for anything better. A solid, well made case that protected my set of harps through quite a few mishaps. It is much less expensive than a hardshell, and though it will not fit a microphone or anything else other than the harmonicas and a few pieces of paper, it was well worth it. A strap would have been nice, and the large "LEE OSKAR HARMONICAS" on the front could have been smaller.

3 comments about Hohner 7545 CX12 Chromatic Harmonica.

1. Perhaps the most striking feature of the CX-12 is the playability, with this harp I find it easier to locate holes via tonguing than with any other harp. The ability to quickly disassemble the harp and tease stuck reeds is nice. The sound quality, to my ears, is just about the same as the 270. Another nice aspect of this harp is the finish, made as it is of black plastic, will not tarnish. So, pluses: far easier to disassemble than any other chromatic, keeps its good looks, easier (for me) to tongue accurately. Minuses are the sound isn't much different than a 270, and the price is nearly twice as much.
   
   If you are looking for higher quality sound, you might try a Super 64.



2. Despite its plastic case, this is not a toy harmonica. Everything about it is first rate: the smooth mouthplate, the superb slide, the quality of the reeds. This is the first significant design change in over a century. This harmonica allows the player a wide range of dynamics, from very soft to about the loudest chromatic harmonica you can buy. The mouthplate is oversize, and takes a little getting used to, but it's very player-friendly. The slide has a coil spring, unlike any other design, and appears to be unbreakable, which can be a real headache in a standard chromatic. Being a three-octave instrument, covering the range of a modern flute, it sits well in the hands. By contrast, the four-octave instruments, like Hohner's "The 64", can be unwieldy. Hohner's "Super Chromonica" model 270 is also a three-octave instrument, highly favored by many players, and far less expensive; but it has a wooden comb that can dry out and crack, and is much harder to disassemble and service than the CX-12. Summarizing, this is a serious musical instrument that should give you years of service with minimum fuss.



3. I've played harmonica for 55 years, most of these professionally. I'm fussy, and tight with compliments. They're earned, not given. I'm quite particular about my harmonicas, expect a lot, demand a lot. I've owned some that were junk, or required much work to get up to my standards.
   
   The CX-12 isn't one of these.
   
   I bought mine when they first came out several years back. Out of the box with no tweaks, it played beautifully. Unlike most chromatics, the CX-12 is wonderfully air-tight, with windsavers on the lower two octaves. I can get double, maybe even triple the time per lungful compared to other chroms I've played. The slide is smooth, precise, flawless. The one piece cover gives the CX-12 a HUGE sound. The reed action is firm, exactly as it should be. A tab holds the slide, and a slideable metal retainer holds in the comb assembly. Snap, slip, and the comb comes right out for cleaning and maintenance. Yes, THAT quick!
   
   And the look is cool ("Darth Vader"esque), although I'd play it regardless of looks. The embouchure is nicely rounded, with no sharp lip-slicing edges, and is by far the most comfortable chromatic I have ever played.
   
   [...]

2 comments about Learn to Play Ukulele.

1. I am a total beginner and that is what this instructional DVD is obviously for. But after watching it I came away wishing there was more to it. If you are a total beginner you can definitely pick up some good information but there isn't a whole lot of material covered. In addition to this DVD, I would also consider two others by Ralph Shaw: The Complete Ukulele Course taught by Ralph Shaw & Essential Strums for the Ukulele.



2. This video will be great once I learn to tune my Uke, but in the video he goes right into playing the first note, and nothing on how to make sure the Uke is tuned. A new uke's strings stretch and it takes allot of tweaking to get it tuned in, so buy tuner to help you before trying the video...

5 comments about Deering Goodtime Banjo.

1. This is the best inexpensive banjo on the Market. It was my first banjo. The key thing is that it is built to sound like a real banjo, hold together and make an appropriate sound. Deering used some technologies that are not standard for a five string banjo to do this, which may make this not look as nice as comparable models put out by Rover or even the Gold Tone lower end models which are not bad. However, this banjo sounds and plays very good.
   
   I was about 52 when I got my first Good Time, but I was like a kid, taking it to bed with me. Even after I acquired a fine Bacon Belmont vintage banjo, I found that there were tunes and applications that I prefered the Good Time for. It had a bluesier twang and worked better for slide playing.
   
   Moreover, if you follow the banjo literature on banjo-l listserve and other places you will find that there are many modication plans to improve the Good time by adding a skin head, changing the bridge etc. This is like the Volkswagen Beetle of banjos with a whole sub culture of people working to make it even better.
   
   I have two more expensive banjos now that my Good Time was stolen, but if I had the extra money, I think I would buy a Good time for travelling.



2. I have been playing Bluegrass and Clawhammer banjo for a number of years and have owned quite a few banjos. Once I discovered Deering's Goodtime, I got rid of all my other banjos, I was smitten. Owning a Goodtime raised the bar for me in regards to quality of sound and playability.
   
   The Goodtime banjo has a great sound, is easy to hold and easy to play. It has a very natural feel to it. I use this banjo as my work horse. I have since bought other higher end banjos ($1000+) that sound good too but I always fall back to my Goodtime.
   
   My daugher and son are starting to learn the banjo too, and I've found that the Goodtime is perfect for them. Because they are children, I use a capo on the 4th fret of the neck and then retune the banjo to open G (as I say to my kids, "just like a parents banjo") and then they are off and running.
   
   Banjos will come and banjos will go but in my little stable of banjos, the Goodtime will alway be present.



3. Bought one of these as a raw beginner a few months
   ago, and am very happy with it. My main concern
   in buying a banjo, as an amateur, was to avoid a
   crummy "student" instrument. This ain't it.
   
   The Deering is well made, sounds great, and plays
   really well. I'd buy this model again in a heartbeat.



4. I agree with all the reviews. I decided to try learning banjo at age 53, after playing guitar for 30 years and mandolin and fiddle for 2 years. I took classes at the Old Town SChool of Folk Music in Chicago, and rented a Goodtime from them through a couple class terms. My family wanted to buy me a good banjo for my birthday and I said I'd rather just pay the rest of the cost and keep the Goodtime. I'm no master player, and I'm still learning, but this is a good solid banjo and sounds and plays great.
   
   Pros:
   * It's light and well balanced so it's a pleasure to hold and play.
   * It has good solid feel and quality construction, with heavy nickel plating on the hardware, nice light laquer, and clear maple in the neck.
   * The neck and frets are dead on balls accurate so the notes sound good all the way up the neck.
   * The tuning machines (open gear guitar style) are modest, but don't slip and work fine. Fifth string has a good geared tuner.
   * The tone is surprisingly loud for an open back banjo, so I get plenty of volume doing Scruggs style, and even have to damp it a bit with some folded foam behind the head for clawhammer style.
   * There's a nice harmonic point right where your hand falls for clawhammer, which gives a nice meaty "pop/ring" sound for clawhammer.
   * It's relatively humidity- and cold weather- tolerant without needing a lot of retuning.
   
   Cons:
   * No arm rest! I didn't mind it so much for Scruggs style but got bruises from the brackets when I switched to clawhammer, until I bought an armrest (They have them at Elderly Instruments for $18, and it's easy to attach with a small wrench by loosening two of the brackets and sliding it through them.)
   * The already-mentioned cheesy peg head design, which some have called "Art Deco" but I call Ronco. But what the hell. You could always go for the Special model that has a more traditional shaped peghead.
   * The nut has sharp corners which can make for sore hands when you hit it a lot with the pad of your index finger. But maybe that's a sign of poor form on my part.
   
   All in all, I see no need for a fancier banjo for quite some time. I did fine with a Sears Silvertone guitar for ten years, so maybe I'm easy to please. But maybe I'm unimpressed by showing off wicked instruments too. (My mom had a pre-war Gibson five string but my grandpa donated it to the USO during WWII. So people bragging about their Gibsons just stirs up pain from before I was even born, and I slowly back away.)
   
   By the way, I agree that it's best if you can to buy a banjo from a friendly neighborhood music store, where they can help you get it set up and adjusted. The Different Strummer at the Old Town School beat the price here by quite a bit, cause they sell a ton of these things for Deering, to their students.



5. I bought a used goodtime 2, removed the flange, resonator, tighten the head, changed the strings, and WOW, what a great sound. I can not let it down. I am a clawhammer/frailing banjo player. I have an old open back ODE, a Jubilee Open back, a Baldwin Long neck, and they all sound great. The Goodtime feels so natural, almost like an extension of my hands for playing. I noticed that the sound quality has improved over time (a few months). I changed the tuners to more traditional geared banjo tuners and now it is a great sounding banjo.
   
   Good job Deering.