Brent, I found another super easy song for you tonight at a little jam session.

 

Guns n' Roses "Used to Love Her"

 

 

Would be a super easy song for the family and would be hilarious to teach the kids to play it for their mom.  

Hahahahaha. Win.

I talked to Zoë about Justin Guitar and told her she can use the 710 just to be careful not to bump or bang it on things (sometimes a little clumsy, she.) I went to band tonight but forgot something and ran back in the house. She had the guitar in her room with some chord website up already. <3

**BRENT**

...just sold.

That seems like an outrageously annoying guitar to play.

You mean, because it's fretless?

 

I crack me up.

 

EDIT:  No, seriously, it looks like something someone imagined and described as a joke, and some artiste said, "yeah! someone make me one!"  Some experimental crackpot like Caspar Brotzmann...or Glenn Branca...

For anyone that is interested and has the time, I could use your ears and eyes to help me out.  I am getting another Stansell uke, and am going back and forth between these two:

 

 

 

 

 

The first one is very figured Myrtle top back and sides with ebony binding, board, bridge, and headplate.  The second one is very figured black walnut top back and sides with myrtle binding, board, bridge, and headplate.

 

Below is a video with audio clips.  Would love to hear your thoughts on which one you find more aesthetically pleasing as well as which one sounds better to you.  I am literally 50/50 and can go either way.

 

https://youtu.be/77QjHFqAEGw

I am literally 50/50 and can go either way.

Those are the hardest.  My approach has been to get all three, with the intention of returning the two lesser, and then...keeping all three.

 

Visually, I like the former over the latter, but only by a small margin, they're both exquisite.  Definitely a no-lose choice.

 

In the video, they're the second and the fourth, yeah?  I'll listen after you respond.

 

In other news, I bought another purple 7-string.  Guitar Center sent it without the case or the original pickups which were supposed to be in the case, so it was just wrapped in bubble wrap.  Which in itself is fine -- it survived the journey -- but they packed with peanuts.  <monster voice>  I HATE PEANUTS. </monster voice>  I emailed them.  That's $320 for the case and the pickups right there, if I had to replace them, which is almost half what I paid for the guitar.  Expensive mistake on their part.

Thanks dusty. You are correct, the 2nd and 4th in the video. Oh and down with peanuts.

The black walnut sounds far better to my ears -- and that's coming from someone who usually can't tell the difference.

 

To Guitar Center's credit, they found the case and are shipping it to me.  I had to call, but I know how it is -- some people just can't handle email.

Sound wise I slightly prefer the black walnut one too. Not sure about which one I like better aesthetically. Probably the Myrtle, but I'm rather sure that if seen live I might think otherwise.

Thanks for the input guys. The black walnut is definitely more lush, fatter tone and has a nice low end with a very full midrange. The myrtle is probably closer to what we think of a ukulele sounding like, with very crisp highs. I definitely lean towards the walnut sonically, but the myrtle is very striking aesthetically.

The Stansell I own currently is like the 5th one in the video, which i still feel is the best of them all

Yeah, that's it exactly.  I didn't want to insult it, but the word "pedestrian" came to mind when I heard it.  And perhaps just a little strident.  Strident's too strong a word, just a little, which I'm sure could be overcome through playing.  I definitely prefer that middy, lush sound.  Sets it apart, in my mind.

I think that's a fair description. It is definitely on the better higher end of what ukes can sound like, but it's still within that realm of "uke sound" if that makes sense. The walnut is on the complete other end of the uke sound spectrum, it has a vintage warm classical quality to it I find appealing.

It sounds like you've chosen one of them, Ryan.

Not yet lol. I asked les to send me better pics of the black walnut. Myrtle is truly my favorite wood aesthetically, but in the end it comes down to sound and playability. I should also add I already have a Myrtle mya moe

Join the dark side, Ryan 

Yours?

No.  Just a spectacular shot of a guitar.  It sparkles!

 

If I ever get a private stock (PRS' custom shop, where you can specify everything, which that one is), it'll be a crossfade red-purple/purple-blue/blue-green.

 

This one may or may not be mine (I'll know when I get it):

Also not mine, but someone collected the whole set, Earth, Air, Fire, and Water:

Found out I need to work at PRS for a year or two -- every employee of PRS gets their own guitar.  The guy I spoke with (ex-PRS, worked at a crab place around the corner) told me about his -- Mr. Yuck green with green footprint inlays.

 

I want to be able to design my own guitar.  That'd be awesome.

I think I actually applied there after college before I found a job.  But not in person, so maybe I just thought about it.  Can't believe that was like 10 years ago.

What are people using for amps? I'm getting a pickup installed, a misi acoustic trio, and looking at getting an acoustic amp. On the uke forums everyone recommends the Fishman loudbox mini.

I have a Fishman Loudbox Performer, but I'm using an extended range guitar -- I fully concur with the recommendation of a mini for a uke.  

 

Carvin also makes some acoustic guitar amps which are made to order, so would go with your boutique approach to things..  Rivera makes the Sedona.  There's also the Fender Acoustasonic and SWR Strawberry Blonde.  But I would start with the Fishman Loudbox and be done unless you feel you're missing something.

Thanks Dusty.  If anything the fishman loud box is overkill for my needs, which means in head-case terms its perfect.  An Uke doesn't need all that much power obviously and the mini is an active pickup so there should be no signal issues.  The Fishman mini has more than everything I could need, so I think we are good.