UKULELES AND BANJO UKES
15-6365 C F Martin 1922 to early 1925 Style 5K ukulele, ISI-1761, in very good plus condition with original hard shell case.
C F Martin first priced the model 5K, top-of-the-line, ukulele in 1922, describing it as having a figured Hawaiian Koa wood body, ivoroid crème color binding on top, back and fingerboard, an ebony fingerboard inlaid with five etched diamonds in three fret positions, a snowflake on the third fret, twin horizontal ovals and an etched diamond at the 12th, and an oval at the 15th. The bridge is carved of Koa, the headplate is flame Koa; the bottom of fingerboard comes to a crème-bound carat (would that we all had that). It has “patent pegs” which means pegs are made up of yellow celluloid buttons, metal shafts and capstans with a screw at the end of each button. It has an abalone-bordered round soundhole with crème-black-crème on each side of the abalone, the same decoration on the perimeter of the face and back and crème-black-crème binding on each body side. In 1925 Martin went completely wild by adding abalone inlay on each of the two sides, which this doesn’t have so it’s 1922-early ’25. The condition of this example is lovely – it has no cracks and just shows normal light signs of use including minor scratches, smudges and dings. This uke shows some cloudiness in the finish on front and back of headstock and back of neck; it does not, however, show any cloudiness on the body. There is finish checking and in particular a minor disruption of the finish on the top at the bass edge of the fingerboard peninsula over the body where crazing abounds. The hard shell case is in equal condition to the instrument, exhibiting some pulling away of the interior fabric at the case pocket and the handle is wrapped in Scotch tape. This is the Prince of all Ukuleles, and can be the highlight of your personal collection and a joy to enjoy. Now On Sale. THIS WAS $10,500 but it is NOW ON SALE for $10,305 at our Discount Price, or $9,995 at our Cash Discount Price.
76-8164 C F Martin (used, post 1962) Style O ukulele, ISI-1851, in excellent plus condition with original semi-hard (lined chipboard) case.
This is Martin’s most simple model uke, being all mahogany all over with no white purflinga round the top, but it does have a five-ply soundhole rosette in crème and black fiber, it has an ebony nut and bridge saddle, a Brazilian rosewood 12-fret fingerboard that culminates in a bird’s beak, and Brazilian rosewood rectangular bridge. The all mahogany one-piece neck sports a small traditional black-bordered burnished gold script “C F Martin & Co. Est. 1833” decal logo. Tuners are the original plastic and metal machines with matching ivoroid buttons. The condition of this example is finer than most – it shows a few very small headstock dings (front and back), has an area on the edge of the back, at the widest part (lower bout) that appears to be a scuff and a ding, some other minor scuffs and surface wear from when the felt pick passed over the surface of the face. But on the whole this is a remarkably clean and original piece, worthy of both respect and the fingers of the facile to make the roof beams ring with both the music of our ancestors and the modern ukulele-equipped interpreter. $819 or, at our cash discount price, $795.
76-8125 C F Martin (new) Style 3 Soprano Ukulele, #1286531, with hard shell case.
The C F Martin Style 3 uke first came out in 1918 – the fourth highest in a field of 5 numbered ukuleles. It is described in the early catalogs as having been bound with celluloid, having an ebony fingerboard with pearl position markers, a celluloid ornament at the base of the top (in the form of a carat facing upward), friction pegs which changed to patent pegs in 1923. The current Style 3 came out around 22 months ago, and is described as being made of solid genuine mahogany for the top, sides and back, having a single ring rosette (“ring around the rosette?”), a black Boltaron® endpiece, a white Boltaron top inlay and a multi-ply black-white-black Boltaron top and back border. The scale length is 13.614” nut to saddle, the neck joins the body at the 12th, it has 17 frets total, a 1 13/32” nut width and a 1 41/64” bridge string spacing. Nowadays the fingerboard is inlaid with abalone diamonds & squares, the nut and saddle are bone, the finish is satin, the hand-shaped interior braces are solid Sitka spruce. Tuners are Grover brand nickel-plated with white buttons, and the case is a molded hard shell. It still has the carat facing up at the center bottom of the face. Can I hear a “Yay?” In all, this is an extremely professional ukulele and one that should be able to provide its owner comfort and joy for a century (or more) to come. The C F Martin List Price is $1340 and the C F Martin MAP is $1299.
76-8720 CF Martin (new) Style 3 Ukulele, serial #1274993 with molded hard shell case.
This professional quality soprano is a replication of the Style 3 ukes of the 1920s. It is made using mahogany blocks and a dovetail joint; the top, sides and back are all genuine mahogany, the binding is grained ivoroid, the top is inlaid with black-white-black Boltaron, the neck is “selected hardwood,” the nut and saddle are bone. It has 12 frets clear of the body and 17 frets total; it has a 1 13/32” nut width and bridge spacing of 1 41/64”. Tuners are Grover nickel plated with white buttons, the finish is satin, the solid black ebony pointed-end fingerboard is inlaid with abalone diamond and squares, and the headplate is solid mahogany. The C F Martin List Price is $2,249 and the C F Martin MAP is $1699.
76-8215 National (used, c. 1930) Style N ukulele, nickel plated over brass, #395, in very good plus condition with a newer hard shell case.
Extremely rare, prewar National ukuleles (of all models) simply do not turn up very often. This type of instrument was the primary focus of the collection of the late George Harrison, and in fact he got one from us back around 1992 and then visited our showroom in 1993 seeking to find more, but at that time we had none. In fact, most of the time we have none. We are extremely pleased to have found this! This is a small instrument, measuring 22 ½” in total length, 7” in width at the lower bout, 5 ½” at the upper bout with a scale length of 13 7/8” nut to biscuit saddle. It has a small ebony tailpiece held in place by three screws, one of which is replaced. It has a small nickel-plated cover plate that has 5 large diamonds, each comprised of 41 holes, and the diameter of the cover plate is nominally 6 ½”; This uke has been sent to National for a much-needed refret. Overall the instrument shows normal signs of wear and tear: the headplate shows light scratches; National has replaced the decal on the mahogany headplate; it shows finger wear and some scratches on the back of the ivoroid bound mahogany neck. The pear wood heel cap is bound in what appears to be maple; there is some oxidation on the nickel-plated brass body, and also dings and indentations. The important thing is that it sounds amazing, has the patina of age that everybody wants their vintage fretted instrument to have, and it’s as rare as a protester wearing a moose outfit trespassing in Sarah Palin’s back yard in Wasilla, AK. $4118 or at our cash discount price $3995.
78-7640 C F Martin (used, c. 1950s) Style O Soprano Ukulele, excellent condition, ISI-1839, came in with no case.
This presents as the all -mahogany body and back of neck, standard model, 6 7/16th" wide, 21" long soprano uke, having a Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and bridge, 5-ply black-white souindhole rosette, three ivoroid dotmarkers inlaid in 'board, small old style "C F Martin & Co., Est. 1833" black bordered, burnished gold headstock decal, standard machine tuners with plastic tulip buttons and metal capstans with grommets; the 12-fret fingerboard culminates in a bird's beak; the bridge has an ebony saddle and the nut is, also, ebony. Other than having a few minor chips and scrapes around the top and back border (of little consequence or distraction) and a few most minor scratches and infinitely small dings, this is one of the cleanest condition Martin ukes as we have recently seen. All body surfaces and the back of the neck are semi-gloss finished. It appears to be "new old store stock" - something that a store never sold but it's been hanging there on display for 53 or so years. Quite remarkable condition and sound it is priced at only $716 or at our cash discount price, $695.
78-7945, 78-7944 Kamaka (new) HF-2 Concert Uke, all koa, #081538, #081537, with hard shell case.
Each uke is $850 or, at our cash discount price, $825.
78-7929 National (new) Style O Concert Uke, nickel-plated brass bodied, #13898, with plush lined hard shell case.
$1749 at our Discount Price or, at our cash discount price, $1696.
78-7532, 78-7531 and 78-7533 Kamaka (new) HP-1 "Pineapple" model Standard Uke, #081139, #081138, #081140, each with hard shell case.
Each of these is $672 at our Discount Price, or $652 at our Cash Discount Price.
78-7838 Fluke (new) M-30 Soprano Flea Ukulele, #13027, in Moonlight Blue, with gig bag.
$169 at our Discount Price, or $164 at our Cash Discount Price.
78-7839 Fluke (new) M-30 Soprano Flea Ukulele, #13028, in Purple, with gig bag.
$169 at our Discount Price, or $164 at our Cash Discount Price.
78-7840 Fluke (new) M-30 Soprano Flea Ukulele, #13025, Pineapple, with gig bag.
$207 at our Discount Price, or $201 at our Cash Discount Price.
78-7841 Fluke (new) M-12 Concert Ukulele, #17968, in Natural, with K&K pickup and gig bag.
$255 at our Discount Price, or $247 at our Cash Discount Price.
78-7842 Fluke (new) M-10 Concert Ukulele, #17974, in Hibiscus Red, with gig bag.
$195 at our Discount Price, or $189 at our Cash Discount Price.
78-7843 Fluke (new) M-10 Concert Ukulele, #17973, in Ukelyptus, with gig bag.
$195 at our Discount Price, or $189 at our Cash Discount Price.
78-7844 Fluke (new) M-10 Concert Ukulele, #13027, in Moonlight Blue, with gig bag.
$195 at our Discount Price, or $189 at our Cash Discount Price.
78-7846 Fluke (new) M-22 Tenor Ukulele, #17975, in Natural, with K&K pickup and gig bag.
$275 at our Discount Price, or $267 at our Cash Discount Price.
78-7848 Fluke (new) M-20 Tenor Ukulele, #17976, in Macadamia, with gig bag.
$215 at our Discount Price, or $209 at our Cash Discount Price.
78-7837 Fluke (new) M-30 Soprano Flea Ukulele, #13043, in Macadamia, with gig bag.
$169 at our Discount Price, or $164 at our Cash Discount Price.
78-7684(sold) and 78-7683 Kamaka (new) HF-4 Baritone Ukulele, all Hawaiian Koa, #080379 and #080266, each with hard shell case.
Each of these is $995 at our Discount Price or, at our Cash Discount Price, $965.
78-7681 and 78-7682 Kamaka (new) HF-36 Six-String Tenor Ukulele, all Hawaiian Koa, #080378 and #080554, each with hard shell case.
Each uke is $914 at our Discount Price or, at our Cash Discount Price, $887.
15-6988 Lyon & Healy (used, c. 1920s) Soprano Koa wood ukulele, in “good” condition, “as is,” ISI-1800, with no case.
“As is” means that we won’t be doing any work on this piece. Sadly, this ukulele was, in the past, placed too near a lamp and the heat from the lamp made a darkened burn mark on the face in the lower treble area near the bottom. Other than that, and the 12 or 13 top cracks, 6 back cracks and the repaired heel crack, and that it has no case, it’s in decent enough condition, a good player, and is quite beautiful with its gold leaf semi-circular wreath of leaves and vines in the lower portion of the face. It has a raised lip of celluloid around the central round sound port, grained ivoroid top and back, an East Indian rosewood fingerboard, terminating in a carat (or birdie’s peak) at the bottom, inlaid with four pearl dotmarkers having 12 frets to the body and 17 frets total, having a 13 11/16” scale length, 1 3/8” nut width, a Koa wood headplate with an inlaid ivoroid diamond, and four friction original tuners with grained ivoroid buttons. It shows normal signs of use and wear. The back of the headstock is stamped “U.A.,” “Pat. Apld For” and “Washburn.” Does anybody know what “U.A.” stands for, other than the name of a movie and television company? This Koa wood product of a highly prestigious company, sans case, is only $510 or at our cash discount price $495.
15-6977, 15-6976(sold) Kamaka (new) HF-4 Baritone Ukulele, #073012, each with hard shell case.
Each uke is $948 or, at our cash discount price, $920.
15-6700 Ovation (new) Acoustic-Electric Applause Model UAE-148 Tenor Ukulele, natural top, #7017231 with a zipper gigbag.
The Ovation List is $662.45 and yet this can be yours for only $512 or, at our cash discount price, $497.
48-4461 N. Turturro (used, c. 1920s) “Peanut” Ukulele, ISI1659, all mahogany body, with Brazilian rosewood fingerboard, in excellent minus, with a canvas bag.
This superb uke has violin style friction tuners, a crème bound round soundhole and possibly spruce purfling around the top, a widow’s peak end-of-fingerboard, a wooden nut. The back of the headstock is stamped “N. Turturro, NYC, Manufacturer” and also “Pat. Pend.” The headplate is stamped “C. Bruno, New York.” The piece would be called excellent condition but for the following: light finger wear on the fingerboard, two glued cracks on the face, one from the end of the fretboard into the top and the other from the sound hole upwards. There is also the hint of a former, but now glued up, seam sep on the bulbous back from the area under the heel downward. Our repair shop has dealt favorably with all of these minor fissures. What you’re left with is a remarkable and brilliantly-designed prewar instrument of a type that you just don’t see any more. Much has been written about this amazing maker, for example, go to www.mugwumps.com and see, among other references, an article titled “The Turturro Turnover: A Ukulele, Mandolin Combination.” We are, like yourself, fascinated by the wacky excesses of the distant past, and, if you’re into such diversions, this ukulele is an affordable vintage fretted instrument that is sure to please the most jaded prince being wooed out of his torpor with extravagant presents by his bejeweled princess. $1,850 or at our cash discount price, $1,795.
48-3983 C F Martin (used, circa 1928) Style O ukulele, ISI #1633, in fair condition with original corduroy lined hard shell case.
This is the standard Martin all mahogany body soprano ukulele having no bindings on body, but a 5-ply black-white ring around the soundhole, having a Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and bridge, four ebony violin-style friction tuners. It has an ebony nut. This uke has a long-ago-repaired crack on the bass side, a short crack under the bridge between first and second strings, two incipient hairlines near the waist on each side of the back; it has a replica bridge that you’d never think was replaced. $716 or, at our cash discount price, $695.
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