Bought a new(used) uke, a few questions

diego429

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Bought a new(vintage) uke, possibly a Nunes

So I was out of town today and bought a uke from a small stall. Tried it out and it sounded great, got it really cheap (in USD it would be around 80-90?). This is my 3rd uke.
The thing is I did a little research and apparently leonardo nunes ukes are really rare and expensive, so Im a little skeptical whether this is authentic or not but either way I love this uke.

Any ideas whether this could be the real thing? also what kind of wood is it? I'm not good at determining that kind of thing.

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Wow! It looks pretty nice to me!! Well done. The buttons holding the strings at the bottom look a bit suss - tho they may be authentic/old? ...... but who cares! It looks great, sounds great ...... looking forward to a sound sample!
 
Quickly comparing it to the Leonardo Nunes ukes on this page (esp. the Radio Tenor) I'd say it could well be "the real thing" - but as long as you like the sound this is just icing on the cake.
 
The extra patterning around the sound hole & edges usually leans towards the top model of any brand, too! After checking google images for Leonardo Nunes ukes - I can't fine one with patterning around both the edge and the middle! You may have a real winner there!!

I'd be getting a quote for insurance for it!! Make sure you have a hard case for it.

Where did you buy it? What country?
 
The extra patterning around the sound hole & edges usually leans towards the top model of any brand, too! After checking google images for Leonardo Nunes ukes - I can't fine one with patterning around both the edge and the middle! You may have a real winner there!!

I'd be getting a quote for insurance for it!! Make sure you have a hard case for it.

Where did you buy it? What country?

Thanks! I'll be protecting it!
Im from the Philippines, I bought it in Cebu. Cebu is known for its guitars is my country.
 
Wow, if only that Uke could talk and tell you its history. I imagine some Portuguese sailor sailing between the Spanish Philippines and the Kingdom of Hawaii. He hasn't got his Cavaquinho with him, but he hears about a maker in Hawaii and invests part of his cut from his last voyage in one of the makers strange new Cavaquinhos, which the locals call a jumping flea. He returns to the Philippines where.... I feel a novel coming on - Look out Captain Correlli's Mandolin! ;)
 
......Wow, if only that Uke could talk and tell you its history..... Absolutely!! It is beautiful as well. Is there any damage to it at all? Cracks etc? Is there patterning in the bottom edge (or are the sides all in one piece, joined only at the neck?) Did it come with a case?

Feel free to Put my name on the next one you find for $80!!! :drool:

Roberta

This one is on ebay for US$7500!! And yours has more bling!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-VINTAGE-UKE-1930s-LEONARDO-NUNES-RADIO-TENOR-UKULELE-Ukulelefriend-com-/230911369526?_trksid=p5197.m1992&_trkparms=aid%3D111000%26algo%3DREC.CURRENT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D14135%26meid%3D5065405488184335530%26pid%3D100015%26prg%3D1085%26rk%3D1%26sd%3D230911369526%26
 
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......Wow, if only that Uke could talk and tell you its history..... Absolutely!! It is beautiful as well. Is there any damage to it at all? Cracks etc? Is there patterning in the bottom edge (or are the sides all in one piece, joined only at the neck?) Did it come with a case?

Feel free to Put my name on the next one you find!!! :drool:

Roberta
Theres patterning on the bottom edge. The only damage it has is a small ding on one of the higher frets on the fretboard. I actually used that to haggle the price down a bit.
 
Looks real to me, I'm not aware of anyone faking ukuleles like this. A treasure I would love to have in my collection!

I dream of finding something like this......
 
....I actually used that to haggle the price down a bit...... ;) Well done!!

Check out this thread too - a bloke recreated a couple very similar to yours after seeing/hearing of one in Hawaii
http://www.charguitars.com/2010/11/making-the-radio-teno/

Your uke has been chronicled in the book on Tony Ku's Ukulele Collection, but it is out of print & hard to find

What size is it? Is it a tenor?

Roberta

check out this one (click on the photo 3rd question from the bottom) it has even more bling than yours, right up the neck, but not down the bottom!
https://www.fleamarketmusic.com/uke-yak/default.asp?Page=33
 
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Great score! This thread needs a better title. Something with Nunes in it, so that it doesn't get overlooked by those with special knowledge/interest of these early ukes.
 
Yeah, you find more like that at that price, I'll take a dozen
 
Doesn't look at all like any L. Nunes I've ever seen. Odd shaped body, very different headstock, purfling on the back, end cap. Could be wrong, but looks like a fraud to me. Bridge Pins, really?
See below
nunes 1.jpgNunes 2.jpgNunes 3.jpgNunes 4.jpgNunes 5.jpg
 
I think those might be Leonardo Nunes ukes made in Hawaii.

Manuel Nunes was his son who moved to California (from memory) and made mainly mahogany ukes.

I can't see anyone faking one, as a luthier good enough to make a convincing copy would be charging more than the original would be likely to sell for. But you need an expert - maybe ask Chuck Fayne on fleamarketmusic.com via the Collector's Uke Yak pages?
 
Actually Manuel was the father, Leonardo was one of his sons. The one pictured on my posts is a California made Leonardo. All Koa.
 
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