World of Ukes

22/08/2026

Have you ever been to the Yorkshire Dales Ukulele Weekender?

I love this weekend. It's starts on the 20th of November in that period when nothing's happening, and before Christmas starts to get busy. Tickets are on sale now, for £60 for the weekend including gigs and workshops.

It's in Settle too, which is lovely. I always think, 'I'd come here for a weekend even without a ukulele event being on'. So the fact there is one, hosted in the world's oldest music hall, is a bonus!

https://www.ukuleleweekender.com/

(I am not organising it, I just really enjoy going)

We're back for 2026.

The Yorkshire Dales Ukulele Weekender.
Friday Nov 20th to Sun Nov 22nd 2026.

The weekend will be at our usual wonderful venue - The Victoria Hall in Settle.

Join Dead Mans Uke with our friends for another weekend of workshops, fun and performances - with our usual gang of Phil Doleman, Warehouse of Thieves and special guests John Archer and Julia Traser.

Thanks for your support, it means a lot - ticket link in comment below.

21/08/2026

An old uke, an overhaul, and some dull tales from the bench...

20/08/2026

What do you notice about this £99 Ohana soprano uke that's a little different?

https://worldofukes.co.uk/soprano-ukuleles/ohana-sk-3-ekolu-3-string-soprano-ukulele

20/08/2026

Before work this morning I was taking some photographs on a blank background at home, prior to them being cut out for use in UKE Magazine. See if you can find the odd one out.

20/08/2026

Some of the ukes that have been on the bench this week before going out to customers.

20/08/2026

EDIT - The customer couldn't choose between KTS-7 and the Moon Bird, so is going to sleep on it. (I said it would make the mattress lumpy, but they ignored me).

I have an appointment this afternoon to look at some nice soprano ukuleles.

This time I think I'll go right to left (which is also least to most expensive). I have a Kiwaya KPS-1M at £779, a Singer RS1K-IT at £829, Kiwaya KTS-7 at £1199, aNueNue Cedar Bird at £1199, Moon Bird at £1199, and aNueNue US3K at £1659.

19/08/2026

I have finally got to try the Kala Umbra tenor electro ukulele today, and get it on the website:

https://worldofukes.co.uk/tenor-ukuleles/kala-umbra-all-solid-acacia-and-black-walnut-tenor-electro-ukulele

It's probably one of the longest descriptions I've ever written as this thing has just about everything that any ukulele has ever had in terms of features and decorations!

19/08/2026

Spot the ukulele competition. It took me a while and I put it there!!!

18/08/2026

This is my Dad, me and Jerry at the weekend.

On occasion delivery drivers have asked if Jerry is my dad. My mum was at the show and someone asked her if she was my wife (she was pleased about that from an age perspective at least). She points out that if she's my wife and Jerry's my dad, that makes Jerry my mum's father in law.

All gets a bit confusing up here in Cumbria!

14/08/2026

Internal Dialogue: OK Matt, you've got a long drive to Cheltenham for the Ukulele Festival of Great Britain, then a long setup for tomorrow's trading. Go and pick up the van and take it calmly, don't do anything stupid.

Like drop a key down this hole. And have to go to the workshop to find a variety of tools and then lie flat on your stomach for 25 minutes fishing it out.

The only way is up!