Christmas 2023 - Delivery Cut-off Times

For ukuleles in the UK to arrive before Christmas

The cut off for ukulele orders is noon on Wednesday the 20th of December. In theory - I can dispatch on the 21st of December for delivery on Friday the 22nd too - but that doesn’t give any leeway should there be any unexpected holdup. I can certainly try though, and I use a next working day service as standard.

This applies to mainland UK excluding the Highlands, where an extra day should be allowed.

For accessories orders / magazines in the UK to arrive before Christmas

The cutoff for smaller items sent by mail is also noon on Wednesday the 20th. This follows Royal Mail’s guidelines for the post - with 1st class items sent by the 20th arriving before Christmas according to them.

For ukuleles to the USA to arrive before Christmas

I use FedEx to send to the US and they are fast. Often taking 2 days, but allowing for a busy period, the cut off here is 9am (UK time) on Tuesday the 19th of December. (The cutoff is a little earlier here so I can arrange for FedEx to collect the package on the same day).

For ukuleles to the EU to arrive before Christmas

This is more difficult to summarise, because different countries have different timescales. Customs are busy across the EU - and my packages have to be assessed. Monday 18th of December at noon should be OK.

One more thing…

I will dispatch orders, if received by these deadlines, in time for couriers / postal services to deliver to their destinations on time. However, I am dependent on these services to do that and stick to their own published deadlines. This information tells you what is possible, and I’ll certainly do my part! But the earlier you can order the better, of course!

UKE Magazine Issue 36 - Competition / Survey

In UKE Magazine Issue 36, you can win one of a number of kindly donated ukuleles by answering a reader survey about the future of UKE Magazine and the content you’d like to see.

Entries are only considered from UKE Magazine readers (winners will be chosen at random, but status as a reader checked, to make sure only people who read the magazine can get one of the prizes). This needs to be done by 1 February 2024 to be in with a chance of winning.

UKE Magazine Issue 36 - Ask Andy

A discussion of how to approach chords with lots of extensions - a video that accompanies the ‘Ask Andy’ section of UKE Magazine Issue 36, with performer and teacher Andy Eastwood.

UKE Magazine Issue 36 - Matt Stead, Aurelian

A demonstration of the fingerstlye ukulele piece Aurelian, written and perfomed by Matt Stead.

UKE Magazine Issue 36 - Sam Muir, Moderato

Sam Muir discusses and plays the piece Moderato, one of the tabs in UKE Magazine Issue 36.

Temporary Store Closure - 15th to 20th November

World of Ukes is closed until the 20th of November

You are welcome to place orders while I am closed for a short while, and I’ll do my very best to get things on the way as soon as I return.

It’s a busy time of year for a ukulele retailer, so not the normal time to be away! I am travelling to Berkshire to visit my best friend, who is very ill. His condition can no longer be treated and the situation is sadly now close to the end. I want to spend some time with him and try and help him sort some things out at home before, well… it’s a sad scenario and I think you get the picture.

I just wanted to write a bit of an explanation as no retailer would normally take a break from work as things start to ramp up for the festive season. I won’t be away long, and I will work very hard to get caught up as soon as I return. I fully expect all orders to be dispatched by close of business on Tuesday the 21st.

I don’t want to put you off from ordering, but wanted to just let you know the situation.

Thank you,

Matt

UKE Magazine Issue 35 - Win a ukulele competition

In Issue 35 of UKE Magazine there is a chance for one lucky reader to win an Enya Nova U Pro tenor ukulele.

It’s quite a straightforward entry this time, with the name of a ukulele brand required.

Simply use your copy of Issue 35 to decipher the clues and enter the uke brand on the form below, with entries needed by 1 November, 2023.

UKE Magazine Issue 35 - Paul Mansell Tutorial

In this video, Paul Mansell provides a tutorial for ‘What if a day or a month or a year’, the tab of which appears in Issue 35.

UKE Magazine Issue 35 - Lil Rev Alternating Thumb Pattern Exercise

A video from Lil Rev to accompany his article on the alternating thumb pattern in UKE Magazine Issue 35.

Big House in the North - Luxury Ukulele Weekend - Coming Soon

Update - This event is now on sale in the Events Store.

The Big House is back! And it’s going to be more luxurious than ever. Top ukulele artists, strumalongs, workshops, open mics and lots of good food - all in 4 star accommodation. If the strumming gets too much, you can use the spa! It’ll be taking place at a new location between the 9th and 11 of February, 2024.

If you’d like to be the first to hear about tickets going on sale, fill the form in below and we’ll let you know when the details are available.

Warehouse of Thieves - Home Now - Now Digitally Available

The new EP from Warehouse of Thieves, Home Now, is available to download from Bandcamp.

You can download the EP in its entirety, individual tracks, or listen before you buy here: Warehouse of Thieves on Bandcamp

The more old school amongst us can get a hard copy CD in the Accessories & Merch Store.

UKE Magazine Issue 34 - Win a ukulele competition

From Issue 34 of UKE Magazine, you have the chance to win a Kala KA-SMHT tenor ukulele by answering the anagram, using the competition photos in the magazine.

There are some clues below too, and entries are needed by 1 August 2023. One correctly answered entry will be drawn at random and announced in Issue 35 of the magazine in September.

CLUES - TAKE THE FIRST LETTER OF EACH BRAND

1) An Indonesian made brand, owned by Hawaiian company Ko’olau

2) A Taiwanese brand, advertised in the magazine on page 19

3) Famous for making classical guitar, named after a city in Spain

4) This brand is also the name of an artist who recorded ‘Orinoco Flow’

5) A new venture from aNueNue, and the name of a sewing machine manufacturer too

6) A German company, advertised on the back page of the magazine

UKE Magazine - Ning Cai - Drowned Church of Potosi

Here’s a recording of Ning Cai’s composition, Drowned Church of Potosi, a tune you can learn in UKE Magazine’s Issue 34.

UKE Magazine - Jenny Preece - Smash The Windows

This is a demonstration from Jenny Preece of her arrangement of Smash the Windows, a piece you can learn to play in UKE Magazine Issue 34.

UKE Magazine Issue 34 - Sam Muir - Poco Allegretto

Here’s a video of Sam Muir playing her ukulele arrangement of Carulli’s Poco Allogretto, a tune you can learn to play in UKE Magazine Issue 34.

UKE Magazine Issue 34 - Lil Rev Agility Exercise

In Issue 34 of UKE Magazine, Lil Rev provided a warm up exercise.

Here’s a quick video of it in action.

UKE Express 2023 - Sign Up For News

We hope to bring back The Uke Express in Autumn 2023.

We are negotiating with the North Yorkshire Moors Railway about a return of this amazing steam railway and ukulele experience, in Pickering, later this year.

If you complete your details below, you’ll be the first to know when tickets (hopefully!) go on sale.

UKE Magazine Issue 33 - Technique Zone - Soloing in any Major Key

A video to accompany Technique Zone in Issue 33

In the video I’ve used one of Phil Doleman’s 12 bar blues ukulele playalongs. You can find these on YouTube, in all major keys. Click here to see those.

UKE Magazine Issue 33 - Competition

In Issue 33, readers have the chance to win an Ohana SK-75R soprano ukulele.

The competition, open to UKE Magazine readers only, can be found on page 31 of issue 33. Here, you have to match a number of previous cover stars to their particular cover. You can enter below, before 1 May 2023, to be in with a chance to win.

There’s also an optional text box on the form, where I am asking you to say what you like most about UKE Magazine. You don’t have to fill this bit in to enter, but if you can it would be very helpful!

UKE Magazine Issue 33 - Mike Haysom - Reggae Syncopation

Here’s the accompanying video from Mike Haysom to accompany the Reggae piece he wrote to accompany his article on the theory behind syncopation in Issue 33 of UKE Magazine.