Vintage Kamaka I was given

So my father recently married again...3rd times the charm (funny how they keep getting 10 years younger each time...good lord...38 to his 59...weee...) ANYWHO her parents were stationed in hawaii with the military and he bought a ukulele...he said he hadn't played it in heres and when they saw me again they'd give it to me...well i saw them at the wedding...and i got quite the shock...(i had my hopes it was something special...but figured it was gift store crap) Its a roughly 1960 Kamaka and i believe it koa...it seems kamaka only makes koa...it looks just like this one excepting it seems to have a darker bridge and fingerboard...(rose wood i'd imagine)(my camera chord has gone missing, real pictures soon)


anyway, i need new strings for it, as i think they are at least 25 years old (the last time he remembers playing it...) its quite the gem, it sounds pretty nice minus some fret tuning issues (especially when making a G chord....)

That's purdy damn sweet man!

Pics?

Fret tuning issues?

Spooner said:

That's purdy damn sweet man!

Pics?

Fret tuning issues?

Click to expand...

I will upload pictures tommarow my camera is out of commission and yes...it will be perfectly tuned to an Am7 or Bm7 (it sounds better tuned aDF#B) but the 2nd and 3rd frets on the bottom two strings are out of tune...likely a result of the strings being tensioned for nearly 50 years

bornagainjeeper said:

I will upload pictures tommarow my camera is out of commission and yes...it will be perfectly tuned to an Am7 or Bm7 (it sounds better tuned aDF#B) but the 2nd and 3rd frets on the bottom two strings are out of tune...likely a result of the strings being tensioned for nearly 50 years

Click to expand...

How do the nut and saddle look?

video of that bad baby in action please.
enjoy that thing brah

AWESOME!

Someday I hope to have a vintage Kamaka uke story.

Give your new stepmommy a big ol' kiss! Whooo-Hooo, you scored!

Only in the USA, folks. Only in the USA.

Man, that's a good chunk of unlimited possibility you got your hands on there. The combination gift by someone close + respectable instrument makes it a keeper. Another vote for some nice photos. And get some strings before complaining about the tuning :music:

Man thats awesome! But I guess they had to give you something beautiful to keep your hands buzy and off the old man's hot young wife... (she's 2 years younger than mine...)

SCORE!!!


Congratulations!

That's a sweet gift.

sweet as! you weren't joking when you said it was 'raining ukuleles'!

BAJ FTW man!!!!! wow.. i have to give props to your dad also.. my dad was 56 when he had me.. my mom was 26! 25 years of marriage until he died... age ant no thing!! great score.. for both of you