The Spark that Started the First Ukulele Craze in 1915
The runaway hit of the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition came from a lei-bedecked ukulele quintet playing in the middle of the Hawaiian Pavilion.
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Winter NAMM 2015: Alvarez Launches New Uke Line
This year, the Alvarez brand is celebrating its 50th anniversary. While best known for its guitars, the company has just launched the intriguing new Artist series of ukuleles, which will feature solid soundboards, herringbone purfling, fan bracing, and a variety of…
Daniel Ho’s Update on the State of the Ukulele: ‘The Uke Has Come a Long Way Since Our Days of Hallway Serenading’
We are in the midst of a renaissance in ukulele design and repertoire, and the petite instrument is enjoying entire festivals dedicated to it around the world.
Pop-Fueled Uke Chanteuse Victoria Vox
If there hasn’t been a university study on the psychological and sociological benefits of playing the ukulele, now might be a good time—and Victoria Vox could be the Test Case.
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How to Choose and Use the Right Ukulele Pickups
There are several routes available to ukulele players who need to amplify. Here's how to choose and use the right ukulele pickups.
Winter NAMM 2015: Kalei Gamiao Dazzles on His Custom Kamaka
Next year, Honolulu’s esteemed Kamaka Ukulele company is turning 100 years old. For many players out there, Kamaka’s ukes are among the finest available. At this year’s NAMM show, we were quite fortunate to have a session with the great Kalei…
Winter NAMM 2015: What’s New at Luna
It’s been 10 years since stained-glass artist Yvonne de Villiers started Luna Guitars, and as the company continues to grow, so does its product line. While they’ve been offering ukes for several years, their uke catalog is now bigger than ever, including…
Winter NAMM 2015: Larrivée Returns to the Ukulele
Back in the late 1990s, Jean Larrive?e and company produced a large number of ukuleles, but eventually, they moved out of that space in order to focus on other instruments. Today, with the resurgence in popularity of the ukulele (particularly higher-end…
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Winter NAMM 2015: Kanile’a Announces Two New Models
About 25 years ago, Joe Souza had the opportunity to apprentice under the master luthier Peter Bermudez, one of Hawaii’s most revered ukulele builders. In 1998, Souza and his wife, Kristen, founded Kanile’a Ukulele, and their modest home-based operation produced only a handful…
Tips for Flying with Your Uke: You’ve Got Rights, and So Does Your Instrument!
Sponsored by CDBaby You’ve probably heard horror stories about expensive instruments being destroyed by air travel — maybe via careless baggage handlers, rapid humidity changes during flight, or something completely unexpected. These guitar-traveling tips apply to ukuleles too! In this…