Anyone know anything about Lark Ukuleles from Shanghai

velofille

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Picked up a couple of these old Ukuleles cheap as chips for people in our group to use as 'loan' ukuleles or to try things.
Anyway they seem a bit vintage from my googling, and look like some cheap vintage ukuleles, but i cant find much out other than that.
I was debating sanding and doing them up a bit (perhaps even a new top thats not plywood!), but figured i should find out more about them before doing so.

Anyone here know anything about them?
Its identical to this http://www.vonweirdos.com/sold/70s-Lark-Ukulele_465.htm
 
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I've just found one in my loft! Also wouldn't mind a bit more info. What did you do with yours in the end ?
 
Picked up a couple of these old Ukuleles cheap as chips for people in our group to use as 'loan' ukuleles or to try things.
Anyway they seem a bit vintage from my googling, and look like some cheap vintage ukuleles, but i cant find much out other than that.
I was debating sanding and doing them up a bit (perhaps even a new top thats not plywood!), but figured i should find out more about them before doing so.

Anyone here know anything about them?
Its identical to this http://www.vonweirdos.com/sold/70s-Lark-Ukulele_465.htm

Hey bro

What group? You holding out on us?

Cheers

Cliff
 
I have a Lark, and it's not much more than a toy. They are very cheaply built. The main reason I wouldn't get one ready to play is the fret spacing isn't right, and the frets are slim pieces of plastic glued into a plywood fretboard. At least on the one I have. I was just going to use it as a decoration. Here's mine, not sure if the ones you purchased are similar. Pay attention to the fingerboard so you can get a sense of what I'm talking about.
Lark.jpg


Dan
 
I have a Lark uke that was given to me as a Xmas gift in the mid 70s. It's a bit worse for wear having been given a damn good thrashing by my young self at the time. I'd like to refurbish it for old times sake even though it's just a cheaply made "toy". If anyone has info on where I could get some replacement friction tuning pegs of the same era I'd appreciate it. The head board is 11 mm (7/16") thick.
 
I bought one as a "wall-hanger". I quite like the look of the friction pegs, though they can be a pain to tune. Mine sounds quite "muddy" or "boxy" tuned cGEA, then it occurred to me that it may have actually been designed for dAF#B, and sure enough, it really comes to life with a bit more tension in the strings :)
 
Get a Bugs Gear uke from Mim's Ukes. They take a lot of beating and sound pretty good. $45
 
Picked up a couple of these old Ukuleles cheap as chips for people in our group to use as 'loan' ukuleles or to try things.
Anyway they seem a bit vintage from my googling, and look like some cheap vintage ukuleles, but i cant find much out other than that.
I was debating sanding and doing them up a bit (perhaps even a new top thats not plywood!), but figured i should find out more about them before doing so.

Anyone here know anything about them?
Its identical to this http://www.vonweirdos.com/sold/70s-Lark-Ukulele_465.htm
Would you believe I bought my Lark ukulele in 1966! When I started work. BUT the instruction book doesn't say to tune to GCEA. It says A,D,F#,B. Still have the book its- EeasyZ Method for UKULELE and Ukulele Banjo. by J. Albert & Son cost 50c
Reezy
 
Would you believe I bought my Lark ukulele in 1966! When I started work. BUT the instruction book doesn't say to tune to GCEA. It says A,D,F#,B. Still have the book its- EeasyZ Method for UKULELE and Ukulele Banjo. by J. Albert & Son cost 50c
Reezy
Hope you realise that this is an ancient thread!
That aside, my first uke was a Lark, bought for the princely sum of one UK pound in 1968. As a dumb teenager I was guided by price alone but soon knew I needed to upgrade. The tutor book that I acquired from someone was a relic from the 1920's and, as yours did, used A,D,F#,B tuning.
Vintage
 
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