In Defense of UAS

UAS… IS THAT USA MISSPELLED?

When peeking around on the internet or conversing with fellow ukuleleists, the conversation inevitably turns to UAS. That’s right. UAS: Ukulele Acquisition Syndrome. As one who “suffers” from this condition, possibly at a higher level than some, I have decided to undertake the task of defending the need to own multiple ukes. Okay, so maybe “need” should be switched to “want”, but let’s not argue over small details. 

BUT WAIT! I THOUGHT I LOVED THIS UKE...

Maybe this only happens to me, but it is not uncommon for me to have a favorite uke that seems to hit every mark: wood-tones, feel, and (of course) sound. And yet, some days - out of the blue - I can find myself struggling to “feel the love” with that particular ukulele. I can be in love with the deep warm wood and tone of a certain ukulele today, and by tomorrow that same ukulele just doesn’t sound right to my ears. I’ll be very honest with you here: I have had days where it takes going through 4 or 5 ukuleles before finding the one that works for me.

THE CULPRITS

Early on, I often wondered why this was the case. I have since learned that there are several factors that can influence how and what I may be hearing on any given day. These factors can be subdivided into two categories: physical influences & emotional influences. 

FACTOR #1: GETTING PHYSICAL

For example, there are some days where I find myself feeling congested. Whether the culprit is my nose, my head, or even my ears, that congestion changes how I hear and experience a particular ukulele. This is a perfect example of a physical influence.

In a case like this, a uke that is normally warm and pleasant-sounding may “all of a sudden” sound muffled, dead, and lifeless to my ears. On those days, a brighter, more vibrant spruce top ukulele might ring a little more pleasant to me. On the flip side, that brighter sound may just grate against my whole being, thereby calling for something softer and warmer. 

YOUR UKE IS UNDER THE WEATHER

In addition to the physical state of one’s body, certain atmospheric conditions can impact the sound of these instruments - and some instruments handle shifting atmospheric conditions better than others. For instance, all-solid wood ukuleles will change more readily than laminate instruments. Consider, as an example, how conditions inside the home and outside the home will change several times in both temperature and humidity throughout the course of any given day.

THEY DON’T KNOW ANY BETTER

Unlike humans (who can add or subtract clothing for comfort), your ukuleles are more vulnerable to their environmental settings. As a result, your solid wood ukuleles are likely to change fairly quickly in both sound and tuning when moving from inside the house to outside. Conversely, an all-laminate or laminate back & sides ukulele will be less susceptible to such changes in atmospheric conditions. All of this is of course to say that these types of changes will add just another variable to the playing experience of any given ukulele.

SPACE… THE FINAL FRONTIER

One final physical factor may be the actual space in which you are playing. Inside, outside, empty room, full room, auditorium ...bathroom - each will have its own acoustics. Sometimes the instrument we loved in the store may not sound as nice when we get it home. Acoustics often play a part of that dynamic. Did the store where you were first playing have acoustic padding?

Many music stores have padding in the instrument rooms engineered in such a way that you can hear all the nuances of each instrument to their fullest. Compare this to your living room, which might have padding as well - but that type of padding will often absorb sound rather than allowing it to ring out.

Open windows vs. closed windows in your house can change the acoustics, too. Empty rooms can make the sound of a brighter uke seem annoying and fuller spaces can make even the brightest sounds seem dull and muted. On top of all that, you will have personal preferences weighing into the balance, too - which leads us quite nicely in to our second category of consideration: emotional factors.

FACTOR #2: THE EMOTIONAL ROLLER COASTER

It sure would be nice if we could feel the same everyday instead of the ups and downs that seem to make up our lives. Some days we might feel bright and happy and want our ukulele to reflect that feeling. Some days our mood might call for a sound that’s warm and mellow, something just a little subdued to relax our stressed minds and hearts. These differing emotional states can cause us to favor one ukulele over another, or find one sound appealing while finding another practically unbearable. 

A CACOPHONY OF VARIABLES 

In the end, these factors seldom influence us one at a time, but rather in combination. The ukulele is a fun and happy instrument, and for many it is a wonderful friend that can incite joy and good feeling, providing therapy for stressed lives lived in a busy world. Having more than one instrument adds variety and flavor to our playing experience, giving us the opportunity to choose one that fits the particular mood and circumstances of the day.

SAYING “NO” TO UAS MAY BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR EXPERIENCE

The downside with owning only one ukulele is that when your instrument isn’t sounding as good as you would like, it is easy to conclude that the fault is yours. That unfortunately does not encourage us to keep pressing on with the learning process. As with many other things in our lives - food, clothing, types of entertainment and sports - each individual instrument provides a special option suited to meet a particular feeling, place, or moment. In the end, UAS can genuinely enhance and encourage your ukulele experience. As an added bonus, it can also make available an extra instrument for a friend should they stop by to visit and play. 

CONCLUSION

So our advice is: get rid of that guilt and set your mind at ease. Ukulele Acquisition Syndrome is not a disease to fear but rather therapy for life. UAS can support the best and most relaxing playing experiences, making you a happier and more pleasant person to be around along the way. At least, that’s the story that I am telling MY husband - and I’m sticking to it!