What uke/ukes did George Harrison Play?

rockchic56

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I'm a guitar player who is new to the world of ukelele. I just got my 1st uke last week. Does anyone here know what models of uke/ukes that George Harrison played? I've read something about a banjo uke, but did he ever play a soprano, tenor or baritone ect..? Just curious. Thanks in advance for any responses!
 
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He had a beautiful home in secluded Nahiku, Maui so appreciated Hawaiian 'ukulele. I agree with Seeso he liked his Kamaka the best.
 
Here's a video of George Harrison playng the ukulele around the time the Beatles Anthology was being filmed.

 
Here's a video of George Harrison playng the ukulele around the time the Beatles Anthology was being filmed.
And if I'm not mistaken that's a Kamaka concert.
 
I actually read somewhere that he used to always travel with two ukuleles, so that he had one for himself and one for someone to jam with him.
 
Here's a video of George Harrison playng the ukulele around the time the Beatles Anthology was being filmed.



There's also a resonator laying on the blanket below in this clip. George no doubt had a big collection. There are many accounts of him passing out ukes at dinner parties in his home.
 
I know that this is an old thread, BUT.

Here is a Kamaka link that has some interesting George Harrison facts listed near the bottom, according to Kamaka:

http://www.kamakahawaii.com/funfaqs.html
 
I read somewhere that he used to clean Kamaka out of ukes, at the factory so he would have them on hand to give to people. I also read he had ukes in every room so he could play everywhere. Not sure where I read any of that.

Also, the book "Jumpin' Jim's '60s Uke-In: Ukulele Solo" has something that Harrison said about the uke in it, although I haven't seen the book. It seems the author of the book and Harrison met and talked ukes late in Harrison's life.
 
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I read somewhere that he liked to give ukes out as presents. Paul said he used to always get the ukes out when people came round.
 
Also, the book "Jumpin' Jim's '60s Uke-In: Ukulele Solo" has something that Harrison said about the uke in it, although I haven't seen the book. It seems the author of the book and Harrison met and talked ukes late in Harrison's life.

Here's what it said:

HarrisonUkeNote.jpg
 

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Thanks for that attached thumbnail! Very cool. I've been looking to get a Kamaka and George was one of my heroes in the day.
 
I was chatting with a friend of mine, an insanely wealthy fella, and he told me that at the last dinner party at George's house that Sir Paul went to, George went around with a wicker basket full of ukuleles, offering them to everyone to play. He gave one to McCartney who broke into "Something" instrumentally, playing it very grand and majestic, which he always said was the best song George ever wrote. George stopped him and said "That's not how you play it on the ukulele. This is how you do it." and proceeded to "happy it up". That's how Sir Paul has done it ever since.

I was like "Wow... that's so cool. Do you play?"
"No."
"Oh... so... was this just something you heard?" (Thinking he maybe went to a McCartney concert and heard him tell the story)
"Nah. We had the best time that night. We played until 2 in the morning."

My jaw was on the floor.
 
wow it sounds like George was realy obssesed (I can relate teehee) taking his ukes eveyrwhere, handing them out to people to get them to play them haha there is nothing cooler and more annoying than a pushy uker! hahahaha him giving them out as presents- i can just emagine the family talk at christmas time "I knew it , another ukulele from George again , same as last year, and the year before that and the year before that...." :D
 
Very Cool!

In listening to the live cut (great to watch him play), I also found a studio YT post where the 6 string is more easily heard. Here are both:





I once saw George's son interviewed on TV. He commented on George's uke obssesion, and described a very, very sizeable collection. Apparently George had a guy on his staff who scoured the world in search of suitable ukes.

Someday I'd like to own a Kamaka concert of a similar vintage as George's, just because....
 
George had a favorite Martin, a favorite Kamaka, and a Gibson that he gave to Paul. I am sure that he had many ukuleles in his collection.

I got to see the Gibson he gave to Paul. I went to a McCartney concert in Atlanta, and he had it with him. Of course, I was far away, and could only get a good look from the picture on the jumbotron.
 
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