Collings UT1 Ukulele

The UT1 is Collings 1-style mahogany tenor ukulele. Built with the same quality construction as their higher end models, the satin finish UT1 is undoubtedly one of the finest professional tenor ukes available in its price range. With solid mahogany top, back and side wood, its visual beauty rivals its sonic complexity.

First of all, whoa! This ukulele is so much fun to play! Until the last few years, most people still thought of the ukulele as more of a toy instrument. Then, with players like Jake Shimabukuro and others bringing virtuoso ukulele playing to a wider audience, it seems clear that most people now know the ukulele is most certainly not a toy. It’s a small scale instrument that you can take anywhere with you. With only four nylon strings; in the hands of a maker like Bill Collings, the ukulele becomes a fine instrument that is capable of playing a wide range of music, from simple folk tunes to music with great complexity.

The truth is, you just haven’t heard a ukulele until you have heard a Collings. It has a warm, full tone that is responsive to different attacks (pick or fingers). It has great sustain and it’s balanced across all the strings. This ukulele sounds especially beautiful when you play single note lines and let all the other strings resonate. With this instrument, fine guitar tone comes to the ukulele. It is very easy to play, with a great action that is consistent all the way up the neck, just like all of Collings' set ups. Tones just ring out and there is excellent separation and beautiful articulation of chords. And the tenor size allows your body to just fold around the instrument.

The tuners are wonderful to look at, geared for accuracy, and are perfect for the tension of ukulele strings, so tuning is very easy and accurate.

I think Collings says it perfectly on his website “We've concluded that there is simply no better way to escape the stresses of the world than by strumming a fine ukulele.”

Here’s another great quote about ukulele playing: “We hold this truth to be self-evident — if every citizen spent a little bit of time playing the ukulele, the world would be a nicer place.”

If you'd like to find out more about this item, just call or e-mail me. It would be my pleasure to talk to you about it.

ABOUT COLLINGS GUITARS
Bill Collings moved from Ohio to Texas in the mid 1970’s. Spurred by a lack of interest in medical school, this move enabled him to combine lifelong interests in both guitars and tools into the challenge of stringed instrument building and repair. After a couple of years in Houston, several guitars and a few banjos later, he headed west to southern California. Making it only as far as Austin, where he shared shops with fellow luthiers Tom Ellis and Mike Stevens. From there, he set up his own small shop in a wooden "one car" garage. His reputation for outstanding quality and meticulous attention to detail quickly spread. In 1989, he rented a 1000 square foot space and hired two helpers. Fast forward to present day where Collings craftsmanship is respected by professional and amateur musicians alike…anyone on the quest for quality. Some of these include artists; Keith Richards, Lyle Lovett, Pete Townshend, Emmylou Harris, Andy Summers, David Crosby, Chris Hillman, Joni Mitchell, Don Felder, John Sebastian, Lou Reed, John Fogerty, Tim O'Brien, Pete Huttlinger, Kenny Smith, Brian May, Joan Baez, John Prine, Nigel Tufnel of Spinal Tap, and Steven Spielberg to name a few. You owe it to yourself to try one.