Info on decades-old Martin...?

kukailimoku

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Aloha from the island of Oahu,

A friend brought over a Martin ukulele yesterday evening for me to play and I was wondering if any of the elders out there could shed some light on the model. It's either a small tenor or a soprano, has a white binding and an interesting logo inside. Under the curved "C.F. Martin & Co." and above the straight "Nazareth, PA" is a capital "H" between two horizontal lines. Kinda like this, with solid lines instead of dashes:

---- H ----

The sound is just off the charts, crisp, loud, full...it doesn't seem possible to get that much music out of an instrument that small. It was probably built in the late 1940's and has been lovingly cared for. The owner (yes, the original owner) is just curious if the model is something special, what it might be worth and any nuggets of info that might turn up. And before you ask, no...he'd never sell it. It'll be in the family for a long, long time.

Many thanks and keep the Underground alive...

Mahalo,

BC in Kailua
 
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The sound is just off the charts, crisp, loud, full...it doesn't seem possible to get that much music out of an instrument that small. (/Quote )

I'm sure that it sounds that way because it was very well built, and that the builder but their heart into its construction.
As to any info, sorry I don't know much. Only that martins in good condition are worth a good deal of money.
 
Aloha from the island of Oahu,
It's either a small tenor or a soprano, has a white binding and an interesting logo inside. Under the curved "C.F. Martin & Co." and above the straight "Nazareth, PA" is a capital "H" between two horizontal lines. Kinda like this, with solid lines instead of dashes:

---- H ----

Between a Soprano and a Tenor would be a Concert, but white binding would make it a Style 2 or 3 and almost definitely Soprano (I believe a concert 2 or 3 would have to be a custom and the original owner would surely remember ordering it).

The pics here aren't great quality, but scroll down to see the Style 2 with white binding, and the Style 3 with white binding, black and white purfling, and stripe down the fingerboard. Both were made in mahogany and koa.

The H means nothing to me, but the UU member I can think of that knows the most about unique Martins would be Shawn "Ukulele Friend"

EDIT: Forget the crappy pics above and check out Shawn's Martin inventory.

Also try the collector's uke yak on fleamarketmusic.com, and the four string farmhouse forum at umgf.com for more good Martin info.

Even a completely stock Style 2 or 3 would be worth well over $1000 US in good condition, especially in Koa. Nice 3Ks go for $2500 and up regularly.
 
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Bingo...it's a 3M. Big mahalo for the link to the inventory.

The UU comes through yet again.
 
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