Kamaka curiousity

bbycrts

bbycrts

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Is there a story behind the headstock shape on Kamaka concerts? All the other sizes have similar headstocks, but the concert is so different! Just curious...
 
Nope, no difference..........Howie
 
Howie1947 said:
Nope, no difference..........Howie
Click to expand...

I beg to differ:

Concert:
hf2headt.jpg


Standard:
hf1headt.jpg


Tenor:
hf3headt.jpg


Baritone:
hf4headt.jpg


I'm just curious why the concert has a different shape!
 
I have one of those old "Gumby" heads, a concert. Seem to be a lot of vintage pineapples with the same shape headstock too. I thought it was a vintage thing; a certain period where they did that.
 
Teek said:
I have one of those old "Gumby" heads, a concert. Seem to be a lot of vintage pineapples with the same shape headstock too. I thought it was a vintage thing; a certain period where they did that.
Click to expand...

That was kind of what I thought, too, until I was perusing Kamaka's website and noticed that the concerts had the "Gumby" style...the pics I posted above are all from Kamaka's current product list on their website.
 
the concerts look like koa pili koko headstocks, for what it is worth.
 
haha. funny thing. I just bought a new concert kk this weekend and am still debating on keeping it or exchanging for a tenor size. subconsciously, I think i'm drawn to the headstock. :eek:
 
Kamaka decided to shape only their concert headstocks after the shape of ancient polynesians sails. Go look at any old photographs of old hawaiian canoes and you will see that typical sail shape that the headstock has
 
MGM said:
Kamaka decided to shape only their concert headstocks after the shape of ancient polynesians sails. Go look at any old photographs of old hawaiian canoes and you will see that typical sail shape that the headstock has
Click to expand...

So...Let's say, hypothetically, if someone had a tenor with the sail headstock, what would that worth??
 
MGM said:
Kamaka decided to shape only their concert headstocks after the shape of ancient polynesians sails. Go look at any old photographs of old hawaiian canoes and you will see that typical sail shape that the headstock has
Click to expand...

You rock! Thanks for the info!
 
DeG said:
So...Let's say, hypothetically, if someone had a tenor with the sail headstock, what would that worth??
Click to expand...
I emailed Kamaka and they pretty much said what MGM said, also and I quote, "The concert headstock represents a sailing canoe sail. It was made that way to give it a different look. We only make concerts with that headstock. At one time some of the Tenors also had that shape."

So there are some tenors out there with that sail shape. Kamaka responded so promptly, they rock.
 
I love different headstock designs. I just like the "different" look rather than the same old headstock. i guess thats why slotted heads always struck my fancy.
 
I'd sent MGM a follow-up email before I saw his post here asking "why only concerts?" I hope he doesn't mind my putting his answer here:

"Fred said in the 70s only kamaka was producing concerts as martin stopped making ukes. They wanted to distinguish their model"

Thanks again to Michael and to Kamaka - they rock big time!
 
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