theabsurdman
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2013
- Messages
- 101
- Reaction score
- 9
Couldn't resist this when I spotted it a little while back: a balalaika-shaped ukulele/banjolele. English-made, I think it's 1950s-60s era, maybe earlier. I haven't been able to find out much about it anywhere. Not even sure what it's made of, definitely laminate, maybe mahogany. It's very light-weight in construction.
It had some problems -- easily fixed. Missing its bridge, I swapped in a cheap maple banjolele one from eBay which was a bit high and needed sanding down at the base.
Also parts of the top and bottom were separating from the sides -- sorted with a bit of hot hide glue.
And the nut was a mess -- slots in the wrong places and action too high. It was unlike any nut I've seen before -- more like a saddle, a strip of purple plastic-like material sitting in a slot. I wedged it out managing to break it into 2 pieces in the process but the pieces superglued back together nicely and I was able to re-mount it upside down and file some new slots from scratch on the fresh surface.
The fretboard (14 frets) and tuners were in good nick for their age, with just a bit of oxidation that I haven't bothered to remove. one slightly annoying thing is that the 3 fretboard markers are in the wrong places at 4, 7 and 12.
I fitted Aquilas, with which it plays wonderfully well -- loud and resonant considering the depth of of the body, with good note separation and intonation and the strings all nicely balanced, with none dominating. The triangular body also sits very comfortably in the crook of my arm.
Was half expecting this to be a bit of a toy or a "show uke" but no, it's a serious instrument.
I'm super-pleased with the Uka Lyka after its make-over Anybody else got one?
It had some problems -- easily fixed. Missing its bridge, I swapped in a cheap maple banjolele one from eBay which was a bit high and needed sanding down at the base.
Also parts of the top and bottom were separating from the sides -- sorted with a bit of hot hide glue.
And the nut was a mess -- slots in the wrong places and action too high. It was unlike any nut I've seen before -- more like a saddle, a strip of purple plastic-like material sitting in a slot. I wedged it out managing to break it into 2 pieces in the process but the pieces superglued back together nicely and I was able to re-mount it upside down and file some new slots from scratch on the fresh surface.
The fretboard (14 frets) and tuners were in good nick for their age, with just a bit of oxidation that I haven't bothered to remove. one slightly annoying thing is that the 3 fretboard markers are in the wrong places at 4, 7 and 12.
I fitted Aquilas, with which it plays wonderfully well -- loud and resonant considering the depth of of the body, with good note separation and intonation and the strings all nicely balanced, with none dominating. The triangular body also sits very comfortably in the crook of my arm.
Was half expecting this to be a bit of a toy or a "show uke" but no, it's a serious instrument.
I'm super-pleased with the Uka Lyka after its make-over Anybody else got one?
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