kawikasurf
Member
I bought this wonderful, pre-owned Kamaka four-string curly koa tenor ukulele about three months ago from a really nice older guy (like me). He purchased it new in 2004. He was a guitar player and thought he’d give the ukulele a try. He played this instrument only a few times, lost interest, and then let it sit untouched for several years in it's cozy case in a dark closet. He finally decided to sell it. Meanwhile, I had just lost my beloved 2007 Kamaka concert (please don’t ask - it’s just too painful to recount) and needed another Kamaka - QUICKLY - to (slightly) ease the sting of my loss. The newly-purchased Kamaka tenor is a lovely instrument but I guess I'm just too accustomed to concert ukuleles (I own several of them) - I found it hard to make the switch to a tenor. I played the “new” (i.e. used) Kamaka for a couple of weeks and then found myself drifting back a Koaloha concert which I’ve owned for years. I’ll probably buy another Kamaka concert eventually (I need to own a Kamaka). So far so good, right? But, here’s where the plot thickens. After remaining pristine for several years, the “new” (i.e. used) Kamaka tenor suffered - not a scratch really but pressure indentations in the finish (it does not extend into the wood) when I handed it to a very sweet lady who played it with while wearing a heavy bracelet. I made a special point to to show off the indentations in the photo - I had to turn the uke in just the way right way so that the light hit at an angle that made the indentation visible. Under normal circumstances, you’d never notice it (please note the photo immediately following the one that shows the indentations). Otherwise, the instrument is spotless. I paid $1,200 for this tenor Kamaka only three months ago - they’re very hard to find. Remember, too, that this is the premium koa model - Kamaka charges more for this. I’ll knock-off $100 for the indentation. The selling price is $1,100. Oh, and I put new Aquila strings on it (not a big deal - just thought I’d mention it). If you’re local and we can meet, there’s obviously no charge for shipping. If shipping is required, I’ll ship it to you in it's hard case (it isn't a Kamaka case) and take it to UPS to be professionally packed and shipped. I’ll pass along the direct cost of that to you (I’m guessing it could be around $40 but I’ll have to find-out for certain), along with the cost of insurance, which I’m afraid I’m going to have to make mandatory. Sorry about that - I just can’t afford to take the hit if this lovely instrument were to be lost or damaged in transit. If we get close on this, I’ll gladly make you a video and post it on Vimeo and/or set-up a Skype call so that you can hear it. But it’s a Kamaka - it sounds wonderful. Mahola nui for reading this ridiculously-long post. - David
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