Kamaka 100th anniversary plan - WOW $$$$

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macfish

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Just for grins sent an email if they had plans. Boy do they ever!
No way in hell a uke is worth 10 grand. Glad I'm working with a well known builder for $1500.
Wow, just wow.

Thank you for your interest in Kamaka Hawaii, Inc.. The 100th anniversary custom model is still in the planning stages. We will announce it on our website as soon as we are ready to take orders. As of today, all we know is that it will be more expensive than the previous $5500 Jake Signature Model (maybe double the price), and it will be a limited edition, first come-first serve model. The best way to get a jump on it is to keep an eye on our website, because that is where we will announce it first. As of today, the plan is to make it available for order on January 1, 2016. No pre-orders, no lottery. Again, this is the plan today. It could change.

All of our stock models shown on our website (plus the new slotted headstock deluxe slated for release in September/October), as well as the deluxe model now available in all sizes, will be "anniversary" editions in 2016. Both the label and the headstock will have a specific 100th Anniversary design. Only stock models will be sold in 2016. We will not do any special or semi-custom ukuleles in 2016.

Have a wonderful week.
 
Thanks for posting this - I've been wondering what was in the works.

I dunno, things are only "worth" what people are willing to pay for them - I'm guessing Kamaka has a bit of a collector fan-base that this will be aimed at. While I love my Kamakas (and don't play anything else!), I can't imagine ever wanting to pay extra for any sort of special-edition flair - but then I'm a player, not a collector.

But I might be tempted by a stock "anniversary" model if it was about the same cost as a non-anniversary-year model - it would be kind of a cool thing to have :)
 
Initially, I was confused by the response. On one hand, it says, "The 100th anniversary custom model is still in the planning stages...all we know is that it will be more expensive than the previous $5500 Jake Signature Model (maybe double the price), and it will be a limited edition, first come-first serve model."

Then, it says, "Only stock models will be sold in 2016. We will not do any special or semi-custom ukuleles in 2016."

I guess what they mean is that other than that 100th anniversary custom model, everything will be stock without any other special or customized ukes.
 
Thanks for the info macfish. I agree that a $10k 100th Anniversary Kamaka Custom is out of the question.
The 100th Anniversary edition of stock models sounds interesting.
 
Hummm... good to know but on my budget I'm just hoping they'll have "100th anniversary" tee shirts for sale!
 
janeray1940 said:
Thanks for posting this - I've been wondering what was in the works.

I dunno, things are only "worth" what people are willing to pay for them - I'm guessing Kamaka has a bit of a collector fan-base that this will be aimed at. While I love my Kamakas (and don't play anything else!), I can't imagine ever wanting to pay extra for any sort of special-edition flair - but then I'm a player, not a collector.

But I might be tempted by a stock "anniversary" model if it was about the same cost as a non-anniversary-year model - it would be kind of a cool thing to have :)
Click to expand...

"The more you pay, the more it's worth" - Don McLean.
 
Interesting info, macfish. Definitely won't be getting the 100th Anniversary Kamaka Custom! Maybe a Kamaka Spruce or Cedar Top Ohta San though.

Definitely interested in a 100th anniversary uke.
 
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I won't be getting any special 100 anniversary ukes. I have my nice little pineapple and I'm not looking to buy any more Kamakas. If I were, though, I'd be buying one this year before the prices go up next year (which I'm sure they will on the production ukes). Kamakas are expensive enough, honestly.
 
The demand for Kamakas are higher than the supply so they will have no problem selling the production ukes with the special decal next year. I would defintely pay extra for a 100 year anniversary production uke vs. buying one this year if I was in the market for a new Kamaka. I would most likely buy a Kamaka over a custom builder in the same price range.
 
nongdam said:
I would most likely buy a Kamaka over a custom builder in the same price range.
Click to expand...

Agree completely, especially after having done both. I still have the Kamaka and play it daily; I re-homed the custom.
 
I'll probably buy one of the 100 anniversary models just to have one with the decal. It depends on how much a of a premium it will cost. I'm kind of hoping for a cedar topped ohta-san.
 
:wallbash: I have a new HF-3 coming in a couple weeks, I'm gonna be the guy who bought one 6 months before the 100 year anniversary models. Hopefully it at least means I will be paying less...
 
The 100 Anniversary models might sell out really fast and not be that easy to get.
 
katysax said:
The 100 Anniversary models might sell out really fast and not be that easy to get.
Click to expand...

That statement alone makes me want to buy one. I am in sales and they call that the law of scarcity, when there is a limited supply it causes you want it even more. I understand this..........but I am still powerless over it :p
 
To me, 11k seems insane, but I also thought that 5.5k was crazy when the jake ukes came out. And not so long after the jake ukes came out on the market, second-hand vendors were selling them for 10k+. We might be kicking ourselves for not getting the anniversary models for 10k! But i can't take that risk--would rather renovate my house for that kind of money.
 
Stevelele said:
To me, 11k seems insane, but I also thought that 5.5k was crazy when the jake ukes came out. And not so long after the jake ukes came out on the market, second-hand vendors were selling them for 10k+. We might be kicking ourselves for not getting the anniversary models for 10k! But i can't take that risk--would rather renovate my house for that kind of money.
Click to expand...

Flip That Uke! Yeah, I'm not going to do that, but you know some folks will.

I bought my pineapple last year knowing that Kamaka was likely to change things up in 2016 and do a special anniversary thing; I would have been shocked if they didn't. I'm glad I didn't wait. I think my Kamaka pineapple is plenty special; if I had to get rid of all my ukes but one, I would keep the pineapple.

Kamakas sell like hotcakes no matter what, and I'm sure the company is going to be doing very very VERY well next year with the special models, which makes me happy. I'll just be in line for a t-shirt.
 
We should start taking bets. I'm guessing that if they're going to charge 11k that it's going to have inlay all the way up and down the fretboard. And it'll be done by someone like larry robinson. Or maybe it's just a plain ukulele but comes with Jake, himself

wayfarer75 said:
Flip That Uke! Yeah, I'm not going to do that, but you know some folks will.

I bought my pineapple last year knowing that Kamaka was likely to change things up in 2016 and do a special anniversary thing; I would have been shocked if they didn't. I'm glad I didn't wait. I think my Kamaka pineapple is plenty special; if I had to get rid of all my ukes but one, I would keep the pineapple.

Kamakas sell like hotcakes no matter what, and I'm sure the company is going to be doing very very VERY well next year with the special models, which makes me happy. I'll just be in line for a t-shirt.
Click to expand...
 
It's beginning to sound like having a very nice uke is soon going to be out of range for most players. I think that's sad. I deserve one but can't have it, cause it's all about money.

Wah!
 
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