Ukulele Rescue

Hardpanman

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Although I'm not much of a player I do enjoy rescuing and repairing busted ukuleles and guitars. I need your help in possibly identifying this ukulele I recently brought back from the dead.
This old soprano ukulele had been severely abused with the head stock literally wrenched off and the back and one side split. There is a possible model number stamped into the wood on the top of the headstock; 4004. There seems to be some care taken with the binding and there may once have been a small rectangular label inside, about 2’’ wide and 1” high. Overall length is 21-15/16”. Scale is 13”. Any ideas on that 4004 number?IMG_6375.jpgIMG_6376.jpgIMG_6378.jpgIMG_6380.jpg
 
It looks a nice instrument, good luck with the restoration and thanks for sharing.

I notice is that it has 13 frets to the neck joint and that, I think, is unusual; the bridge looks higher up the body too than is typical and there are no position dots either. There is a separate saddle fitted but the older Ukes I see on here don’t have that. Although the serial number (?) indicates otherwise maybe it was a custom build from a few decades back?

I don’t know for sure that it will help but if you could add some dimensions then maybe it might prompt some extra comment.

There is a member that goes by the name of ‘lardyfatboy’ ( http://database.ukulelecorner.co.uk/nopq-1 ) who has a database of Ukes and he might be able to point you in the right direction to identify your Uke.
 
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Welcome to the forum, Hardpanman. That does look like a higher quality level instrument. I hope you get your information.
 
Nut to the 12th fret is equidistant with the 12th to the bridge, so that's correct. On close inspection this ukulele was well played as the soundboard finish is worn away on the high side. And the wood nut looks like a replacement (see photo). It has been built high on the low side to compensate for the warp on the headstock. That tells me the original owner learned to live with the warp. Maybe a subsequent owner was the one who tried to "unwarp" it with a vise or something. Upper body width, 5-11/16"; lower body width, 7-5/16"; depth at bottom, 2-3/4", depth at the top, 2-1/2". Thickness of the neck at the nut is about 3/4". Thanks for your comments. I have seen that lardyfatboy database but have not fully explored it yet.IMG_6383.jpgIMG_6384.jpg
 

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Good of you to restore old ukes.
There is a guy here named mm stan who is really a good ukulele detective. Maybe he'll chime in.
 
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