Any idea what this is? (uke ID)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200932935663?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

I was thinking about bidding on this but it went a little rich for me in the end for a blind punt.

Looked sort of interesting though. Have I missed out on a bargain or dodged a bullet?

Haven't the faintest idea. It's totally new to me.

hmm, me too - the body looked like it might be decent solid wood.

The end of the fret board looks vaguely reminiscent of some Kamaka ukes - maybe this is a knockoff attempt? In any case, I've never understood that treble-side fret board extension when there are no frets on it (when you see one with partial frets it at least makes some sense).

John

I agree with OldePhart, it is at least Kamaka inspired, although the headstock does not look like Kamaka and it is not Koa - probably mahogany. The body shape looks like Kamaka too. It does look relatively well made, but it's a pig in a poke. You couldn't know without playing it. I wonder if it is one of those things where a guy working in Kamaka's shop makes a uke for himself using Kamaka's jigs and his own wood, but because it is not made for sale or using the company's wood stock, it never gets the Kamaka label.

Looks like a Kamaka to me. Body shape, fret board, headstock, tiny sound hole... If it's not, it's a great copy.

Damn now I wish I had bid on it. Even a good kamaka copy would've been cool!

A Kamaka Keiki with both label and decal gone? Those were made in Japan and sold there, and they were mahogany (I believe they were solid, but I won't swear to that in court). If it's a complete knock-off, it looks like a pretty good one ... but if one's looking for a pure collectible, there's probably no way to establish provenance.

OldePhart, I don't really understand that treble-side fretboard extension, either. Guess it's there to look "hep" or "streamlined." Even so, I have been known to try to use my Kamaka's extension when the tab calls for a fret or three above the twelfth.