Vita Uke Collection

katysax

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https://app.box.com/s/u7ij1pveul1d4fd8xgd0

This is a link to my Vita Uke Collection. Yesterday I received my Pete Howlett Concert Vita to complete the collection.

The ukes are:

1. Frisco Uke
2. Ukiyo Uke
3 Original Vita Uke
4. Pete Howlett Vita Tribute
4. Ohana Vita Uke

This collection came about by serendipity. A friend of mine who is a very talented amateur luthier had restored a Vita that he bought on ebay. I became enamored of his Vita and started shopping for one.

Before I found the original Vita I found a Ukiyo uke on ebay. I bought the Ukiyo and contacted the seller. It turned out that he had acquired a collection of ukes and had several ukes. Among them was the Frisco uke. The Frisco Uke badly needed a setup and it took me a long time to get around to fixing it, which I finally did. Then, I found an original Vita locally on Craigslist. It has a few cracks on the back and some splitting at the feet of the seals. The bridge had been home repaired and badly. It had no strings. To my surprise its a decent player. There are no cracks in the top.

When I wrote on UU about the Vita, Pete Howlett contacted me and shared his love of the Vita uke. We started corresponding and Pete offered to build a Vita for me. So I commissioned a Vita from Pete, for which I waited a year and now it is here.

So what is the appeal of this uke? Well to me the original Vita has a resonance that is unique. It's very loud for its size, and the notes seem to echo in the chamber. There is just something about it that, if it grabs you it doesn't let go. I don't know that I could capture it on the web because it is subtle, and a lot is in how the instrument feels.

That said, none of the copies, until I got the Howlett captured the spirit of the Vita uke. They are all fun in their own way, but the Howlett does capture the sound of my Vita. At some point I will give the Howlett its own review because it deserves to be discussed on its own.

The Ohana is very loud, and not very subtle. It is really an inexpensive laminated uke with a unique shape. On its own terms, for what it is, it is a nice uke. However, it doesn't sound or feel anything like a Vita when played.

The Frisco uke is something of an oddity. The work on it is beautiful and the wood is really nice. The shape is kind of awkward as it is quite large relative to the Vita uke. And it sounds nothing like it.

The Ukiyo has the look of the Vita and is nicely built but it doesn't have the volume or the resonance.

I wanted to put together a collection of some kind of ukes that was a "different" collection. The Vita uke seemed like something unique. It's also cool because with the exception of the Howlett (and even the Howlett is in its own way when you realize the level of Pete's skill relative to what he charges), these ukes were all surprisingly inexpensive. Both the Original Vita and the Frisco were unplayable when I got them, and the Frisco was pretty much rescued from the trash.
 
Nice Collection. I just have the Ohana version but like it a lot and changed the tuners to regular friction for a more traditional look. (or should I say Uke ;-) )

I know the feeling of wanting to focus on a specific sound, feature etc. this is similar to my growing Sopranino\Piccolo collection. I'm waiting for a TV Pal Ukelet and Hopefully in January I will be getting a hand made Nano Uke Scale of 6.8"\172mm - 1/2 the size of a soprano and 1/3 the size of the Iuke.

While small ukes don't have the resonance I really like them with piccolo strings, as well as the challenge of playing cleanly and bright like a music box, specially since my other extreme is 6 years of Classical Guitar with a scale of 25"\650mm which is still a very personal and serious effort.

Thanks for sharing the pics and the history of how it came about. :shaka:
 
nice collection! I've played around with an Ohana and they are surprisingly loud. Love your original one!
 
Pete Howlett's looks great. I love my vintage Vita, and the fact that Pete's tribute is a concert size is very intriguing.
 
Great Vita collection! I read that there's a Glyph Vita by Dave Means out in the universe somewhere. Maybe one more for you? Howlett's is the cream of the crop!
 
I also know of a Dave Talsma - I think I'm finished buying these though. This is enough of a collection. The size difference between Pete's concert and the traditional Vita is very small. The only other Vita I think I'd buy would be if I found a really pristine, excellent condition original and it wasn't absurdly expensive. That's probably unlikely though. The originals were very lightly built and I don't even know if one exists without any cracks of any kind. They tend to start to split at the end of the tail in the Seal and at the flipper. I think the Vita type models I have are the only ones made in any significant number. For me the Howlett is like the cherry on the top. Pete Howlett is incredible.

Olarte - The tuners on the Ohana really do seem out of place. I'm keeping them because I'm leaving them original for my collection. The Ohana is a sound cannon. I'm glad that Ohana made it - kind of keeps the tradition alive.
 
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My Ukiyo Vita has plenty of volume (It is probably my loudest) but short on sustain, which I believe was intentional. I've never seen an Ukiyo with out his trademark on the headstock like yours.

My Frisco Uke still looks new and has a very nice unique tone and respectable volume. I still like it alot...probably the most stunning wood figuration that I've ever seen.

My original Harmony Vita was unfortunately sold this summer only due to a personal situation that arose, however I agree with you that those are very special instruments with incredible volume and tone...(not to mention some of the most beautiful mahogany I've ever seen!)

I, like you, have been bitten by the Vita bug very early on!

Wm.
 
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Kepasa Ukulele also makes a variation on this uke which he calls the "Kevita". I came close to buying that one too. Kevin makes incredible ukuleles.
 
My Ukiyo is unquestionably authentic. It might be an early one. It is identifiable from the stickers inside. It came with wound Guadalupe strings but they were old and no longer usable. I have since put various strings on it. Right now it is strung with Aquila Pearls which are nylon wound. I haven't really found the right strings for it. My Frisco uke has an entirely different sound. The wood is very beautiful.

Thanks for pointing out the Kevita. It's another interesting variation - doesn't have the seals, instead it has an oval sound hole. I'm sure it sounds great.
 
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I have Aquila Nylguts on my Ukiyo Vita and it's as loud as my tenor ukes. I play tenors 80% of the time and then the Ukiyo for a refreshing change. I would love to mix a Howlett Concert Vita in there ASAP.

I will also always be on the lookout for a mint Harmony Roy Smeck Vita. Maybe Marc Schoenberger would consider making them again as well? I liked the spruce/maple one he had in his Three Questions video with Jim D'Ville.
 
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Love the Vita ukes - I have two of the Ohana Vitas - one I won from making Music magazine, and the other (Rosewood laminate) I bought from a forum member, who got it from Mim. The tuners are not the same on the two models, and frankly are the only thing I'm not thrilled with on the instruments. When I decided to change the strings on my first vita, I used Worth Clear _Tenor_ strings. Love the sound, a joy to play, and as so many people have noted, it is _loud_!!! Even so, the quality of the sound is very nice

I've had a lust for the original Vita Uke for years, but have yet to run across one I would like, when the funds are available.

As far as the Pete Howlett Vita, well all I can say is



{drool!}​



-Kurt​
 
I spent three years looking for my original Vita, checking ebay, Craig's list and various for sale marketplaces. I found a few, but most people wanted $$$ for them, and they were all far less than perfect. A friend has two Vitas, one of which is restored. I have even tried getting him to trade me one. Alas I finally found one locally on Craigslist. When I went to see it it had no strings and the bridge had obviously been glued on in a very amateurish repair. It had several cracks in the back. I really didn't think it was going to be playable. To my surprise once I freed up the tuning pegs they worked and the bridge did not come off when strung. It actually stays in tune and plays with decent intonation. The top is kind of wavy. It's definitely not pristine but it's held up for a year. And it doesn't seem so bad to me any more. Someday I might get it restored or maybe I'll find one in better condition. The one I have seems to have cured my lust to search for another. I've been more interested in finding other interpretations.
 
Thought I'd check in here....yes indeed there is a Glyph Vita Uke and I was playing it this weekend. It seems Dave Means only made one of these and I'm fortunate enough to own it. I also have a Frisco Uke I bought from another UU member a while ago and it's a keeper. Lastly, I have an original Vita Uke on its way to me .... I'm really looking forward to getting it as I've only played copies.

Really like you're collection, Julie! How about some videos? I'll try and post something with my Glyph Vita by the weekend.

Cheers!
 
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Katysax...keep the one you've got. Mine had all kinds of amateur repaired "Seal" cracks and even a partially lifting bridge that was shimmed on the lifting side and it sounded absolutely FANTASTIC! It looked well played and well loved...not to mention that it looked it's age. I took it to Marc Schoenberger for restoration/repair and he told me flat out to JUST PLAY IT.
 
Very cool! Until now, I knew nothing about the Vita ukes. The only one I've ever seen was a new Ohana, and it was LOUD as heck....louder than my loudest concert uke!
Congrats on a fine collection!!!
 
These look great. I've never really seen anything like the Vita. For the uninformed - going left to right . starting with the Ohana - can you identify the different models! Also, are they tenor scale except the Pete Howlett because the end one on the right seems bigger in the body! Any sound sample? Looking forward to the review of the Howlett!
Thanks
 
Hi S,

I am so excited that you got delivery. Per our conversation, I will be flying to the West Coast on business in about 2 weeks. I would like to stop by and salivate over your new acquisition.

I am assuming that you will love it......................I have seen him work in his shop, and would put all his builds in the "A-list, Ferrari level". Even the instrument that I personally built with Peter's guidance is on the "Cadillac" level. (And a year ago, I didn't even know what a dowel was.) His soul processes the secret sauce.

David
 
None of them is a tenor. The one on the right is a Frisco uke. It has a huge body but small neck. I think it's a concert if you classify it as anything. The Ohana has a concert sized body and is sold as a concert but has more of a soprano neck. The Ukiyo is pretty much the same size as the Original Vita. They are identified in the same order right to left as listed in my original post.

David, I'm looking forward to your coming over and seeing what I've got here. I'm thinking you're going to be bringing something with you also. The uke is every bit as good as you described Pete's work as being. I think he's on a surreal level at this point - up there with Chuck Moore and maybe a couple of other guys. Pete has been a really nice guy to deal with too. He doesn't take a lot of orders any more but he does build quite a few ukes on spec, and his prices for what you get are a bargain. I'm planning to get two more Howlett ukes spaced out over the next two years. I want to get his new contemporary series tenor and his traditional Hawaiian Tenor. So eventually I'll have a Howlett collection overlapping with my Vita collection. Maybe I need to get one of his Marmite ukes to fill out the collection :).



Sherry
 
Wonderful Vita collection you have. Thanks for sharing it with us. The group picture is awesome.
I'd love to hear your review of your new Howlett, congratulations!
 
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