fake Kamaka on eBay

Saw that - a POOR quality fake as well - looks incredibly sub-par even for the Yamaha name on it as well.
 
Hard to imagine anybody falling for that... Wow.
 
Gmoney said:
Saw that - a POOR quality fake as well - looks incredibly sub-par even for the Yamaha name on it as well.
Click to expand...

Yamaha are well known for making extremely high quality instruments even at lower levels.... maybe this is before Japan was so vigilant.
 
Looks like the listing has been updated:

"*3/24/2011 - Please note questions and answers; I received a comment from a buyer stating this is not a real Kamaka. I know nothing about Ukuleles and described only what is marked on the Ukulele."

And they posted the Q&A:

"Q: You DO know that this isn't a REAL Kamaka?? Kamaka never made ukes w/Yamaha, Japan. This is a FAKE, perhaps an example of the ukes that Kamaka sued for copyright violation. Mar-24-11
A: No, I wasn't aware that this wasn't a real Kamaka. I don't know anything about Ukuleles and was only going by what is on the Ukulele. This was part of an estate that we are trying to liquidate. Thank you for your input."

At least the seller is honest and includes this information on the listing.
 
I was told the Keiki's were made for school music programs in Hawaii. "Keiki" means "child."

alternatively

I had also previously heard or read that Kamaka had sent parts to Japan for a time to be assembled in Keikis (what Jane writes about). I think I remember seeing one that looked like a Kamaka (the one on Ebay does not) but had a "Japan" sticker on the back of the headstock.
 
hmgberg said:
I was told the Keiki's were made for school music programs in Hawaii. "Keiki" means "child."

alternatively

I had also previously heard or read that Kamaka had sent parts to Japan for a time to be assembled in Keikis (what Jane writes about). I think I remember seeing one that looked like a Kamaka (the one on Ebay does not) but had a "Japan" sticker on the back of the headstock.
Click to expand...

From 1963 to 1970, to compete against unscrupulous ukulele manufacturers who tried to sell fake "Kamaka" ukuleles in Japan, Kamaka & Sons Enterprises collaborated with Tokyo Stringed Manufacturing Co., Ltd. to produce ukuleles for sale in Japan. Called "Keiki Kamaka," the ukuleles were made of mahogany, and were only available in the standard (soprano) size. "Keiki" means "child" in Hawaiian, a fitting name for the lowest-priced, beginner's model.
 
hoosierhiver said:
Almost looks like they wrote "KAMAKA" with a sharpie.
Click to expand...

Yeah, my first thought was somebody had used one of those movable-letter rubber stamp kits from a dime store...
 
Kkeiki

had a KKeiki. it is very lightly made, a lot like a Kiwaya. nice tone too. sold it here on UU a while ago. it was my first uke. had it about 20 years. the inside label they used was their standard gold one, which causes confusion.front.jpghead.jpgKEIKI label.jpg
 
Seems like an honest mistake by the seller. I guess we can't all be experts at everything ukulele. ;)

But I'm pretty sure that uke isn't going to trick anyone...or at least I hope not.
 
experimentjon said:
Seems like an honest mistake by the seller. I guess we can't all be experts at everything ukulele. ;)

But I'm pretty sure that uke isn't going to trick anyone...or at least I hope not.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I didn't think it was the seller's intent to pass it off as a real Kamaka. But I did think it was interesting to actually see one of the 1960s fakes from Japan - I would have expected a far more accurate copy!
 
:eek:
angrygnome said:
Looks like the listing has been updated:

"*3/24/2011 - Please note questions and answers; I received a comment from a buyer stating this is not a real Kamaka. I know nothing about Ukuleles and described only what is marked on the Ukulele."

And they posted the Q&A:

"Q: You DO know that this isn't a REAL Kamaka?? Kamaka never made ukes w/Yamaha, Japan. This is a FAKE, perhaps an example of the ukes that Kamaka sued for copyright violation. Mar-24-11
A: No, I wasn't aware that this wasn't a real Kamaka. I don't know anything about Ukuleles and was only going by what is on the Ukulele. This was part of an estate that we are trying to liquidate. Thank you for your input."

At least the seller is honest and includes this information on the listing.
Click to expand...

Gulp... :eek: that was MY comment to the seller. I didn't think he'd post that, but shows some chutzpa that he did - I thought that if it IS actually one of those contested/Fake Kamakas that some uke collector might pick it up anyway. But not me! I'm now officially saving for a new Kamaka Pineapple.

(though I think I'm really going to be watching this auction as well as that vintage Ohta-San that has just showed up on eBay too.
 
If that is all it takes to own a "Kamaka", somebody better hand me a Sharpie! After that, I'm going to write "BMW" on my car.
 
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