Aloha, UU.
I purchased this gold label Kamaka via an estate sale on eBay in the hopes it would fill a gap between my two main players, a mahogany Timms 0 and a spruce/walnut Bruko. Unfortunately, this Kamaka doesn't quite have the sound I'm after. I can return the uke, but before I do I thought I'd post it in case anyone is looking for something similar.
Here's the specs:
Solid koa top, back sides
Koa neck
Koa fretboard (in the Ka Lai style)
Koa headstock
Rosewood bridge (koa saddle)
Rosewood nut
Vintage friction tuners
Strung with Southcoast mediums
Chipboard/faux leather case
Here's all the bad news:
1. There's a repaired crack running from the bridge (below the first string) down towards the bottom of the lower bout. It seems stable, but some dirt/grime makes it stand out (perhaps more than it should).
2. The back separated slightly from the sides at the seam. This too has been repaired, but it's not as nice a job. (To my mind, it's worth having done again.)
3. There's a bit of glue on the bass side of the bridge. If I had to guess, the bridge was re-glued at some point.
4. The whole uke needs a bath. (Seriously -- and it's kind of a shame, because it could look really, really good. There aren't really any nicks, rash, or strum marks to speak of, although maybe they're hiding under there somewhere!)
5. The tuners are functional and hold well, but there's some tarnish of the bushings.
6. The case is functional, but it's dirty and its buckles are tarnished.
And here's the good news:
1. It plays well -- exactly as I'd expect an old Kamaka to: it's mellow, has decent note separation, and definitely has that Hawaiian sound.
2. The playability is better than I expected for a fifty-odd year old instrument -- the action is nice and low, the frets are even, the intonation is clean up the board.
3. It sounds good in C tuning, but mmstan put me on to Bb tuning, which I was admittedly skeptical about for a soprano. It sounds awesome! I don't understand why, but there's no booming quality to the bass notes, and the trebles still ring out, even with less tension. (I'd probably try different strings if I were going to keep it in Bb, just to get a bit more tension.)
More pics to follow, and perhaps a sound sample if I can steal a few minutes this evening, but for now:
$340 gets this shipped to your door, CONUS. I've allotted for $20 shipping; if it's less I'll reimburse you. International buyers: shoot me a PM and we'll figure something out.
Cheers.
I purchased this gold label Kamaka via an estate sale on eBay in the hopes it would fill a gap between my two main players, a mahogany Timms 0 and a spruce/walnut Bruko. Unfortunately, this Kamaka doesn't quite have the sound I'm after. I can return the uke, but before I do I thought I'd post it in case anyone is looking for something similar.
Here's the specs:
Solid koa top, back sides
Koa neck
Koa fretboard (in the Ka Lai style)
Koa headstock
Rosewood bridge (koa saddle)
Rosewood nut
Vintage friction tuners
Strung with Southcoast mediums
Chipboard/faux leather case
Here's all the bad news:
1. There's a repaired crack running from the bridge (below the first string) down towards the bottom of the lower bout. It seems stable, but some dirt/grime makes it stand out (perhaps more than it should).
2. The back separated slightly from the sides at the seam. This too has been repaired, but it's not as nice a job. (To my mind, it's worth having done again.)
3. There's a bit of glue on the bass side of the bridge. If I had to guess, the bridge was re-glued at some point.
4. The whole uke needs a bath. (Seriously -- and it's kind of a shame, because it could look really, really good. There aren't really any nicks, rash, or strum marks to speak of, although maybe they're hiding under there somewhere!)
5. The tuners are functional and hold well, but there's some tarnish of the bushings.
6. The case is functional, but it's dirty and its buckles are tarnished.
And here's the good news:
1. It plays well -- exactly as I'd expect an old Kamaka to: it's mellow, has decent note separation, and definitely has that Hawaiian sound.
2. The playability is better than I expected for a fifty-odd year old instrument -- the action is nice and low, the frets are even, the intonation is clean up the board.
3. It sounds good in C tuning, but mmstan put me on to Bb tuning, which I was admittedly skeptical about for a soprano. It sounds awesome! I don't understand why, but there's no booming quality to the bass notes, and the trebles still ring out, even with less tension. (I'd probably try different strings if I were going to keep it in Bb, just to get a bit more tension.)
More pics to follow, and perhaps a sound sample if I can steal a few minutes this evening, but for now:
$340 gets this shipped to your door, CONUS. I've allotted for $20 shipping; if it's less I'll reimburse you. International buyers: shoot me a PM and we'll figure something out.
Cheers.