Sam Kamaka Jr. "cigar box" uke anyone?!

I had an amazing morning & afternoon 1-8-2011 here in small town N. Alabama! I attended a "Cigar Box Guitar" workshop presented by William Jehle, author, luthier, historian & self-defined "detritomusicologist." He reveled us with the history of the genre with 50 of more of the collection including this amazing RARE Sam Kamaka Jr. uke.

Jehle has a fascinating history of this branch of the uke/mandolin/guitar world in his book: "One Mans Treasure: A History of the Cigar Box Guitar" which you can purchase directly off of his website here:

http://bellyjellymusic.com/

I know this sounds only vaguely related to uke's but as it turns out, this branch of stringed instrument has literally spanned the whole range from dulcimer, mandolin, ukulele, guitar. I will be posting several more examples of the craft from Jehle's collection in another thread.

Aloha!

I know that ukulele well plays great He obained it from my collection and it is in great hands as he is truly a cigar box uke collector

VEry, very cool!

I got to play the 1886 cigar box while at the Kamaka on 12/28. It had great tone. Glad you got attended a goo workshop on them. I even got to play it (although I still cannot play much)! Here is a Pic

My son built a cigar box uke at Aloha Music Camp. and it is wonderful. I wouldn't sell it for a million bucks. (Don't tell him that.)

But, if you'd like to build your own, Mike Da Silva will be teaching a workshop in building one at the upcoming West Coast 'Ukulele Retreat (May 18 - 22, 2011 at Asilomar on the Monterey Peninsula.) You'll come away from the workshop with your very own cigar box uke that you built youself.

MGM said:

I know that ukulele well plays great He obained it from my collection and it is in great hands as he is truly a cigar box uke collector

Click to expand...

I wondered where Bill got it! Figures that MGM's "private stash" yielded this beauty. Bill's the real deal.