Thinking about a vintage Martin...

I play lots of Tin Pan Alley music, and recently have started thinking about acquiring a vintage Martin mahogany soprano (probably a Style 1 because they're so pretty)--maybe from eBay, maybe from a vintage music store--and was hoping for some advice from experienced UUers on what questions to ask and what flaws & advantages to look for.

I know individual ukes can differ plenty even when built to the same pattern in the same year--but in general, is there a sound difference between the ukes made betwixt the World Wars versus the later ukes? Or was the mahogany or rosewood better earlier than later?

(I have looked at the web sites on dating vintage Martins, and also gotten a copy of the Walsh/King book on Martin ukuleles--so I understand the basics.)

Ask the same questions you would ask while buying any vintage 'uke - tuner condition, fret condition, cracks, etc. Play it if you can. I would recommend a 1960s Style 0. Best bang for your buck. You can find them for still for around $500 - maybe more, maybe less.

Regarding your other questions, you're bound to get plenty of opinions here and if you want more you can get them from the Martinheads on the Four-String Farmhouse here > http://theunofficialmartinguitarforum.yuku.com/directory#.Uvcp8kJdXoA

You are looking at the correct instrument for the style music you want to play. If you have read the Walsh/King book cover to cover, you know as much or more than most people know about Martin Ukuleles. The condition and prices are all over the map.

My best advice is to look at the ukuleles for sale carefully and use the book, go down the spec list item by item to assure the correct dating. Then pick one in the condition and price range you are comfortable with. Pre 1962 Style O's can be gotten at good prices. Use caution, many, many Martin ukuleles listed for sale are not dated correctly, have wrong tuners, etc. Do not go by their description. I have seen many being advertised as 1930's when they were clearly much newer.

There is an excellent book by ukulelezaza called "Happy Days Are Here Again," with some great old songs. Here are some of them played by a guy in France: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRFqlc7KSp4ZvlyBYW4ABSvBiW6hXYX0i

Here is my sweet 20's Style O: http://www.pbase.com/hb1840/vintage

Good luck, with some careful searching and patience you'll find the perfect Martin uke for you!

I recently played an Oliver Ditson soprano uke made by Martin. All Martin, including sound, except for the Ditson logo inside. I don't know if you can get a decent deal on one or not.

https://www.google.com/search?q=oli...8M6nlyQG3uYC4CA&ved=0CDQQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=559

Here's one on ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/291058383500?lpid=82

Many thanks for the replies!

I'm in no rush to acquire, and will go slowly till I find that magical one perfect uke for me. There are lots of instruments to look at from bricks & mortar stores as well as eBay (I'm the annoying person who keeps asking sellers there to post more pictures of soundholes, fretboards, bridges, and tuners). Auction prices on Style 0s and 1s have surprised me--much lower than I expected.

Don't discount Favillas. They're only incrementally less sweet-sounding at a fraction of the price.

KoaDependent said:

Don't discount Favillas. They're only incrementally less sweet-sounding at a fraction of the price.

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But...but...adding Favillas will complicate my beautiful auction price graph which is color-coded by instrument style and condition!

Just kidding. (Though I have indeed graphed sales prices on Martin Styles 0, 1 & 2 for the past three months. I may not play the uke terribly well, but I love doing research.) Favillas are tougher to find, but prices are so moderate that I will keep looking for them.

BlueSockMonkey said:

But...but...adding Favillas will complicate my beautiful auction price graph which is color-coded by instrument style and condition!

Just kidding. (Though I have indeed graphed sales prices on Martin Styles 0, 1 & 2 for the past three months. I may not play the uke terribly well, but I love doing research.) Favillas are tougher to find, but prices are so moderate that I will keep looking for them.

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I would love to see these graphs.

I wouldn't say Favilla is less sweet sounding (I have three), they are just a little different.

In general, Martin did an excellent job, consistently good ukes, and very easy to play because of the wide fretboard. Also, their wood is high quality, and build is excellent so overall that makes a great uke. Now, other builders did just as well, and some did much worse. I have a wonderful Martin which plays and sounds great but I have a Regal which has a fuller tone, a Favilla which is brighter and more balanced in tone, and others which stand out from Martin in different ways.

In general, one almost always does well with a vintage Martin.

dirtiestkidever said:

I would love to see these graphs.

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The graphs got quite messy with 50+ eBay auctions over a 3-month period crammed in. I'll summarize the results instead.

Style 0: The average price was $432, the median price just $395. Normal auction prices ranged from $238 to $677; there was an anomalous $999 sale for a mint condition uke from the 1960s. Many auctions included vintage cases, but these don't seem to have affected the final price much. Nor did age. The force which drove prices was condition.

Style 0 in fair condition (playable, but with multiple hairline or worse cracks, uneven or discoloured finish, and/or missing pieces, signs of amateur repairs): average price $302 (9 auctions)

Style 0 in good condition (minimal hairline cracking or professionally repaired crack, nice finish, no missing pieces): average price $411 (12 auctions)

Style 0 in excellent condition (beautiful appearance with few or no scuffs or dings, no cracks, no missing pieces): average $573 (10 auctions). If you exclude the unusual $999 sale, a more realistic eBay average for a Style 0 in excellent condition is just $526, which is about what a new Kiwaya KTS-4 costs.

Style 1: Price range over 12 auctions was $280-$820 for one in playable condition. The average price was $511, the median price $488. In fair condition, a Style 1 brings $360; good, $487; excellent, $753.

A very rare Style 1 made 1917-1918 and in near-perfect condition went for $1200; I excluded that sale from my calculations.

Style 2: There weren't many completed auctions for these. Prices ranged from $580 to $810 (all were in fair to good condition); a very rare Ditson Style 2 sold for $1800 in a "Buy It Now" (I excluded this sale from the averages).

So there you have it. A playable vintage Martin 0, 1, or 2 is as affordable as a good solid body soprano made yesterday.

Sidenote: Prices at brick & mortar stores for vintage Martins run at least 20%-30% higher. However, they usually offer a short approval period after you receive the uke, during which you can return it. And they'll probably strum it for you over the phone if you ask nicely. Choosing to bid on eBay for similar merchandise carries a higher risk.

If you do go in search of a vintage Martin, I highly recommend first reading The Martin Ukulele: The Little Instrument that Helped Create a Guitar Giant by Tom Walsh & John King, published September 2013. It includes a wealth of information about identifying and dating the ukes.

ETA: These prices are for USA-based auctions and shops, and do not include shipping charges.

Great post, thanks for compiling and sharing that info, BlueSockMonkey.

That is great. Thanks so much. I often see them listed a lot higher than those prices on Craigslist etc. Thanks for doing the research and sharing it with us.