re: anyone know about Ukulele Mfg. Company of Honolulu?

entfred

Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2010
Messages
20
Reaction score
0
re: anyone know about Ukulele Mfg. Company of Honolulu?

I just acquired a great sounding vintage uke by Ukulele Mfg. Company of Honolulu.
It is a soprano uke with probably koa.
It has no label, but the seller said it was from that company.
It has friction pegs. It sounds a little like a Martin uke, but this uke has its own unique sound. Anyone own one of these
or know something about the company? Somebody on a web site said it was a U.S. mainland company and that is basically
it. I'll post some photos of it soon.
 
It is possible this is a model made by the KUMALAE company. Headstock looks familiar.

You might try posting pictures to Chuck on Uke Yak at fleamarketmusic.com. He would know or no one knows!
 
Thanks, pdxuke. I think you might be right, since the headstock looks like several KUMALAE ukes. Here is one uke:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-7KauHy24Y

Although hard to tell out of a youtube video, it sounds something like mine.

I will post pics to fleamarketmusic.com and here, too.
Although the seller thinks it is from Ukulele Mfg. Company of Honolulu, without a label, I think Kumalae is in the running.
 
Just found this link:

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...en&sa=N&start=40&um=1&ei=ZaNcS7tiz9HwBuyQ0OsE

The rossette on the sound hole of mine looks plainer than the above link. The link says that the style 1 was the lowest graded uke of this brand. So, that would
point to the original theory that this is a U.S. made uke with a name saying that it is made in Honolulu. But, Chuck on Uke Yak will have a more educated
opinon than mine on this!

Kumalae Style 1 Model Soprano Ukulele, c. 1920, made in Hawaii, natural varnish finish, koa wood body and neck.

An very nice early Kumalae ukulele, relatively plain but extremely clean. The Style 1 was the lowest graded Kumalae, having no ornamentation except a contrasting wood soundhole ring triple line inlay. This is a fairly early example bearing a wonderfully preserved "Gold Award P.P.I.E. 1915" headstock decal. A very fine sounding Hawaiian uke from the beginning of the first ukulele craze!

Overall length is 21 in. (53.3 cm.), 6 1/4 in. (15.9 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 2 1/2 in. (6.4 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 13 in. (330 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/16 in. (33 mm.). All original including the oft-missing carved violin-style tuning pegs. Some typical Hawaiian construction anomalies, a small back crack and a spot of slightly stained finish ...........
 
A Kumalae style 0 uke is mentioned at this like, below, so Kumalae is still in the running:

http://www.nalu-music.com/ukulele-miscellany/

Sherman, Clay & Co. Catalogue 1922-23
Kumalae “Gold Medal” Ukuleles

Sherman, Clay & Co. catalogue numbers 21 through 25 correspond with Kumalae models A through E, or 1 through 5, respectively. Described but not shown in the catalogue is a style 20, a plain, “straight grain koa” ukulele with one inlaid ring around the soundhole which sold for $9.00. This model is also known as a Kumalae style 0 (zero). All models of Kumalae ukuleles were french polished. Celluloid and mechanical friction tuners could be ordered in place of the stock ohia wood pegs at additional cost.
 
Chuck didn't know who made the uke, but he thinks it could be Hawaiian.

For Chuck's analysis and photos of uke I purchased, check out

in Collector's Uke Yak at
http://www.fleamarketmusic.com

Subject: re: maker and woods used?
Question: Hello Chuck, I Recently purchased this soprano uke. I Was told that it probably is made by Ukulele Mfg. Company of Honolulu. Could not find any info. on this company. Someone told me that it also could possibly be a KUMALAE uke. Finally, the seller thought Koa and maybe Mahogany is used. Can you tell what woods were used? Or, is this impossible to tell from the photos? Thanks so much for any info. on this uke!
....
....
 
Top Bottom