UKULELES AND BANJO UKES
15-6545 Orpheum No. 1 (used, c. 1925) mandolin-banjo, #4137, in “as is” condition requiring work, reassembly, a new head, a dowel reset, with original hard shell case.
The Orpheum uke-banjo of the mid- ‘20s was made by William L. Lange of Paramount Banjo Company fame – Orpheum was his secondary brand. The inside of the birds-eye maple rim bears a decal crest that reads “Musical Instruments of Quality, William J. Smith & Co., 56 E. 34th St., N.Y. --” the retailer that sold it originally. There is a pressure stamp inside said rim that reads “Patented 724838” which patent dates to 1904. This is a classy old instrument whose pearwood headplate is inlaid “ORPHEUM No. 1” and then below that a large flourish of abalone flowers. On frets 3,5,7,10,12,and 15 are more flowers. The stretcher band has a trough into which all brackets are curled (like a Gibson ball bearing has) – one bracket and nut set is missing. Inside the pocket of the original hard case is what appears to be the original “Elite” brand tailpiece that bears a legend of “Pat. May 2, ‘99” and also a second device, an alternate tailpiece that has individual adjustments for each string and bears a banner that reads “EZE-Tune Trademark, Patent Apl. For 1696.” There are, as well, some other parts and accoutrements in the case including what may be the original bracket key. Two of the three components of the interior case pocket are missing. This banjo has a torn-apart head that some Mensa-reject painted white while it was on the banjo, affixing some white paint on the bottom of the fretboard as it overhands the head. Nice work. The same wizard glued the bridge to the whitewashed skin. Other than this reptile dentistry (not the worst we have seen by any means) the uke-banjo needs to have that dowel reset and a new head and a set-up, which isn’t the end of the world in terms of complexity, but for some reason that hasn’t been fully explained every repairperson to whom we’ve shown it has turned away from it as a vampire to the sunrise –throwing his cape around his face, turning obliquely and muttering “I must go.” And so, dear reader, we leave it to you to bring love and understanding to this bent but not broke morsel from another time, a quiet time, a time of reflection and contemplation by day and, well into the late night, buoyant, ebullient optimism. As Is: $515 or, at our cash discount price, $500.
15-6987 C F Martin (used, pre-1963, circa 1950s) Model 1-T Tenor Ukulele, ISI-1799, in very good condition with no carrying case, perhaps we can come up with a case for it.
This ukulele shows normal signs of use and wear including dings, mars, scrapes and scratches, a crack on the lower treble side, and another in the upper bout treble side. We cannot glue these cracks – because we cannot get a hand inside the ukulele. There is finish missing (a mar down to the wood) from the back at the lower bass bout. Tuners are the simple machine type, metal and black plastic with a large screw at the end to allow tightening. Our crack team of trained luthiers will have reglued the bridge, made and installed a nut, and restrung. We will also have to provide a case when we sell this piece. $1541 or at our cash discount price $1495.
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 Kamaka (new) HF-4 Baritone Ukulele, #073012, each with hard shell case.
Each uke is $948 or, at our cash discount price, $920.
15-6973 and 15-6972(sold) Kamaka (new) HP-1 Pineapple Ukulele, #073000 and #072999, each with hard shell case.
Each is $547 or, at our cash discount price, $531.
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.
15-6427 Kamaka (new) HF-2 Concert Uke, Hawaiian Koa wood, #071455, with hard shell case.
$696 or, at our cash discount price, $675.
15-6429 Kamaka (new) HF-2 Concert Uke, Hawaiian Koa wood, #071457, with hard shell case.
$696 or, at our cash discount price, $675.
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. $10,825 or at our cash discount price $10,500.
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.
48-4015 No Name (used, early 1920s) Soprano koa ukulele, very good condition with newer chipboard carrying case.
An anonymous but fairly fancy all-koa uke, interesting in that it has rope binding around top, both sides, back and up the center of the three-ply bound koa fingerboard and headstock. It has a simple rectangular wooden bridge, four apparently original wood button friction tuners, three old back cracks, all of which are glued, and some lovely figure in the koa wood. It plays easily and sounds great.. $923 or at our cash discount price, $895.
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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