Where to get a ukulele in Tucson
Don’t have a ukulele yet? Or want to get another one? You have a few local options:
The Folk Shop | thefolkshop.com | 520-881-7147
2525 N Campbell Ave, Tucson, AZ 85719Bookmans | bookmans.com | various locations
Guitar Center | guitarcenter.com | various locations
Instrumental Music Center | imc-az.com | 520-733-7334
7063 E Speedway Blvd, Tucson AZ 85710
There’s quite a range when it comes to ukulele quality and pricing. The cheapest ($30 range) will be the not-great, low-quality ukuleles, which are often made of plastic/dinky material. You could definitely get started on one of these, but eventually you will probably get frustrated/disappointed as they generally sound pretty bad and fall out of tune at the drop of a hat. That said, many of us started on one of these! They are also handy for travel since you don’t have to worry too much about them, given that your upfront investment is pretty small.
The next step up would be a laminate ukulele in the $50-$150 range. These are made with sheets of wood that are basically glued together. Not necessarily a bad thing — laminates are less prone to cracking than solid wood and don’t need to live in a humidor. Many are actually quite decent and sound great!
Pricier ukuleles tend to be solid wood. Some woods (“tone woods”) are more expensive than others and reputedly have better sound. The only problem with this is that in our dry climate, there’s a chance they could crack. Some people store them in a humidor for better humidity control. (We’ll have more on humidors later, along with DIY options).
Ukuleles also come in carbon fiber or “E-koa” flavors. These tend to be super expensive, but often sound great. They are also less affected by humidity, and are often indestructable (I’m looking at you, Klos!).
What kind should you get? That depends on your budget and preferences. If possible, try out a ukulele before you buy it! Your fellow Meetuppers/Uprisers are often an invaluable resource and might even let you try their ukulele out if you happen to be sitting next to them, ask nicely, and if you promise not to, like, drop it.
Your tastes may also change as your musical ear and your playing improve. Someday you may find yourself the owner of not one, but multiple ukuleles! Do not be alarmed, as this is very common. It even has a name: Ukulele Acquisition Syndrome (UAS). Look for a blog post about it.
For what it’s worth, I attended my first ukulele Meetup without actually owning a ukulele. As luck would have it, someone there had an extra that I borrowed for the session. I liked it so much I bought it from her on the spot and still have it to this day! Thank you, kind Meetupper (I don’t remember her name and never saw her again)!