old uke..

http://www.flickr.com/photos/64194884@N00/5462549126/in/set-72157626096363328/

found on kijiji, payed 50 bucks for it. had to glue back - was in tough shape! no markings on it.. can anyone tell me anything about this guy?

thx

MAN! That's a GREAT find! Can't tell you what it is, but its a beaut. You can probably get a good answer from Chuck "Frets" Fayne of "Uke Yak" here:

http://www.fleamarketmusic.com/uke-yak/default.asp

Post as many photos of it there & Chuck will give you his expert information.

Very spiffy. Good deal....not sure about the Koa though. Looks like mahogany. Hope I'm wrong. Great vintage soprano. Congrats.

That is cool. Good find. I am pretty sure the neck is mahogany, but the body I'm on the fence. Kinda looks like mahogany too, and seeing the neck is, odds are the body is too, but the grain looks like it "could" be some sort of acacia or something else. The grain doesn't "quite" look like mahogany, but it probably is. If ya want your money back, let me know <wink>

Show us more pics - the back, back/neck join, heel, back of headstock, sides, especially where the sides join at the tail. All these can help identify/date it.

The body shape is very like a Hawaiian 20s/30s uke, as is the narrowing at the nut end and the very thin nut. The fretboard isn't typical, but on its own that's not diagnostic.

Hard to tell what wood because its very matt in the photo- either the finish has been dulled over the years or your photo doesn't show the shine and colour accurately. Could be dark koa, or pale mahogany, or something else!

Wherever it was made and whatever its made from, it looks very nice indeed. Does it sound nice and play nice - that's the important thing?