Check out my Centennial Style 1 Bamboo uke!

Ukecaster

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Oh man, kind of a cluster going on here. Ordered a Centennial Style 1 from a dealer on eBay, showing the same stock Centennial pics most all dealers do. It was listed as used, but as-new. Not sure, but I assume it was probably an open box return. Saved $57.00 off the usual $469.00 online/street price. It arrived yesterday. Imagine my surprise when I opened it and saw an OX Bamboo Natural, but with a Centennial Style 1 label inside. HPL body, stratobond neck, the whole Bamboo deal. Probably a factory snafu :rolleyes:, where the label guy was asleep at the switch. So much for QC.

I emailed Martin, hoping they'd want to take charge, getting this mistake off the street ASAP, and hooking me up with a proper Centennial Style 1. Nope. They suggested I go back to the dealer, let them find me another one (right), and come back to them if the dealer couldn't, and they would help.

Well, off to chase the dealer now, unless I decide to keep what is probably the only Bamboo Centennial Style 1 uke in the world! ;)

How that could happen at the factory, and how a dealer wouldn't know better, then try to pass it on again as a Centennial Style 1, after it was already returned once, concerns me.

However, this mis-labeled Bamboo is actually nicer than I thought it would be. Looks cool, plays very nicely, excellent action and intonation, decent tone for a non-wood uke, fun to play. The volume is less than a solid uke, as expected, with less bass, but well balanced, no booming C. But...it's not a Centennial Style 1.

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Ukecaster, that is really something! Johnny Carson might've said, "That is some weird, wild, stuff..."
In the nature of a collector's item, I suppose!
 
The dealer "should" have known better if it was an opened box. But when buying from an unknown ebay dealer Murphy's Law can come into place. Pretty unique none the less
 
Should only be 99 labels left then, I have one coming from Chicago Music exchange.. Hoping no surprises.. Yikes
 
Nice looking ukulele. I had the OXK with the colorect label. :)

I would be a bit gutted not receiving the centennial tho.
 
Did you get the Martin gig bag with it ? Do the bamboo ukes come with one ? Quite the mystery ..
 
Not exactly related to this mystery, but I am curious to know if the numbers of the 100 Centennial Style 1 ukuleles are sequential?
 
You might check Maury's Music. I think they have some.
Mine delivers on the 12th.
 
Steam the label out of it and stick into a S1 - voila!
Or keep the thing and your grand children might cash in on a one off mystery/mistake uke in a hundred years.
 
The Bamboo natural
2017 included a gray Martin gig bag.

Petey
 
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