Do I need a Favilla?

garyg

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Okay, I'm a vintage uke kinda guy, not that I don't love my KoAloha Pikake and A'NueNue and Black Bear, but you can't mistake or fall out of love with the sound of a good vintage mahogany uke. So I've got a Martin 1M, a very early Gretsch American (wooden tuners), a Gretsch from the 30's/40's, and a Gibson uke 1 from ~50's. All sopranos BTW. I keep reading and hearing good things about Favilla ukes but wonder if they're really that different from what I already own. I haven't been able to play any in the shops that I've visited and am hesitant to plunk down the relatively high prices that they seem to go for (~$400 on ebay). The vintage ukes that I have sound great, will the Favilla sound any different? Okay, we could end this with a discussion of need versus want, but let's postpone that. Actually I'm going to sell two of my ukes just because they don't fit my hands as well as the others. Mahalo, g2
 
I really like Favilla. Will it sound significantly different as compared to your other vintage mahogany ukuleles....not a lot, but it will feel different. The quality is really great and my plain Favilla soprano sounds as good as my Martin. My teardrop is outstanding. I'd put that teardrop up against any soprano for bark, depth, and sustain.

I'm a great ukulele enabler, so I will end with saying that any good collection of great vintage mainland made uke's is woefully incomplete without a Favilla! (this is how I rationalize my NEED of a Gibson and a Grestch)
 
Favillas are very sweet instruments. I suppose that it will be a little different from the rest, as no two instruments really seem to play alike. Maybe think of it as an overlap.

For a long time these instruments were a steal and were called a poor man's Martin. While nobody wants to pay a fortune, at the same time it is nice that people are starting to really recognize how good these are.
 
Favilla baritone

I've got an early 50s baritone and just love the sound that comes from it and it's also a nicely built uke. I've been thinking about buying a favilla soprano just because I want to have the baritone and the soprano plus I don't own a soprano. I've been watching eBay for them for a while now and a few put them on there at outrageous prices $350 to $450 and they never sell and I'll bet it's a business trying to get all they can out of them hoping some unsuspecting buyer will come along that don't know any better. If you keep an eye out for them individuals will list them at low prices on eBay and they go anywhere from $230 to $275. Just keep watching and you'll get one in that price range but watch out because you may be bidding against me.lol
 
A Favilla teardrop sold on eBay a few days ago for about $175.00. Someone got a good deal. It was a painted birch model, not mahogany but it looked really good and I bet it is a great player.
 
Favilla baritone ukuleles are very decent and worth the price. Martin baritone ukuleles are very good but not quite worth the price. My LoPrinzi baritone ukulele is better then all of them, by far.
 
Favilla baritone ukuleles are very decent and worth the price. Martin baritone ukuleles are very good but not quite worth the price. My LoPrinzi baritone ukulele is better then all of them, by far.
I've heard of Loprinzi and may just have to check them out.
 
Speaking as a collector of many things, the issue isn't whether or not it's significantly different from what you already own. The issue is that you do not own one! So, in that case, yes, you do need one!
 
collectors

My wife was telling me about something she saw the other day, we were probably talking about having more stuff than we actually need, and she said that someone said, "Do you really know any shopaholics?" and the response was "Yes, they're called collectors." <g>, g

Speaking as a collector of many things, the issue isn't whether or not it's significantly different from what you already own. The issue is that you do not own one! So, in that case, yes, you do need one!
 
Turns out that I did need a Favilla, this is an incredible uke almost as good as my 40's Martin 1M. cheers, g
 
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