Need opinion about this Craigslist Ad

Just saw another Ad in my local Craigslist, this time for a Kamaka.

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/msg/4225337707.html

Wondering if anyone has ever played this Uke. The price seems a bit high but still thinking about getting it to add to my collection. Any opinions would be great.

450 for a vintage kamaka!!!! wow thats an amazing price kamakas go for thousands, especially being its vintage this is a heck of a price. its a real legit kamaka and you have the money i say go for it.
 
I say go check it out in person. If it looks to be in good condition and sounds good to your ears. I still remember a Kamaka gold label soprano someone loaned me for a few weeks. The tone was there and it really inspired me. Sounds from the ad like you could offer $400 and they would be happy. The only way to judge it is in person. It is worth the drive to do that.
 
wow thats an amazing price kamakas go for thousands

Depends on the Kamaka. An original 1920s pineapple, maybe. Something like this, not so much - I'd estimate a fair price to be $350-$600 depending on condition and other factors. Most of the folks I know with gold label/white label Kamaka sopranos have spent around $400.

I'd say this is a fair, but not great, price for this uke. I haven't looked at this particular uke myself but I'm pretty familiar with Kamakas and since I'm local as well, I watch the Kamaka CL postings pretty regularly - I'm pretty sure this one has been posted on CL several times and has not sold yet (but I could be confusing it with another one).

Bottom line: as with all vintage/antique items, it's worth what someone will pay for it.

Oh and - in my experience as a Kamaka fangirl, vintage Kamakas are wildly inconsistent with each other. Some sound amazing. Others don't sound particularly special at all... but then I'd also say this about their modern production ukes as well.
 
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Thanks Newportocal, I'll contact the seller and see if he would be willing to lower it to $400.00.

Janeray, as a self admitted Kamaka Fangirl, have you played or seen this design? It doesn't seem to have a different design to it but it does it the image from the Kamaka website.

Didn't know that there were so many people around the area. San Fernando Valley! Yes... I know... Grody.
 
Janeray, as a self admitted Kamaka Fangirl, have you played or seen this design? It doesn't seem to have a different design to it but it does it the image from the Kamaka website.

Didn't know that there were so many people around the area. San Fernando Valley! Yes... I know... Grody.

Not 100% sure if it was the exact model, but I think some years ago when I was shopping for my first Kamaka, I played a 1950s gold label *after* having played a 1930s model and a contemporary model - and of the three, the 1950s one was the most unremarkable. (I ended up buying contemporary.) But like I said - every uke will be different, the only way to know is to actually try it. Personally though - the soprano figure-8 is my least-favorite Kamaka; the soprano *pineapple* is what I'd recommend.

I'm actually in Santa Monica but it seems there are a lot more uke players out there in the Valley than here on the west side! If you haven't already, you may want to check out the Jumping Fleas - they're a fun group.
 
Janeray is spot on! I think I paid $300 for the one that I had (sold it later to buy something else). I have a pineapple from this time period & its a great little uke, but I sent it to Kamaka for some TLC, so I actually have more than that price in it - BUT, it was probably built approximately the same time that I was "being built" in my mamma's tummy, so I kind of like it for that reason too.

Go check it out, expect hairline cracks (check the back, sides, top & especially around the bridge & sound-hole. The tuners will likely need disassembling & cleaning (they probably won't hold tuning well w/o). Quite common to find that the string slots are wallowed out from using steel strings instead of plastic/nylon.

Depending on condition, I'd expect to pay no more than $400 myself.
 
I'm not sure I'd pay more than 250, if that. Those plastic tuners are crap. Looks like the neck has dried out and the frets are a bit concave. No where near the quality of the ukes they make now.
 
Just saw another Ad in my local Craigslist, this time for a Kamaka.

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/msg/4225337707.html

Wondering if anyone has ever played this Uke. The price seems a bit high but still thinking about getting it to add to my collection. Any opinions would be great.

not sure if it is a high price or not. I seem to remember kamakas going in that price range. If you can get there, then get there to try it out. Offer what you think is a fair price. Gold labels aren't that rare so do a little research and then see what it sounds like.
 
It's an early first or initial year gold label ....450 is a great price...these usually sell for more, I'd try it before commiting to buying it..price negociations comes after you like it..ha ha :)
look at my avatar...
 
Definitely play it. Look for cracks - Koa is easy to develop cracks (especially around the bridge) if not humidified. Does the front have dips or is it level plane. Is the neck straight? Are the frets worn? If the tuners are original (Schallers) they will give you fits with micro-adjusting. Test the tuners out to see if there is slop. And does it come with the original case? (I love my 1980 Kamaka Pineapple with the orange "velvet" liner) If you are still in love with it - make an offer. Good luck.
 
Janeray is right on the pricing, they run $400-$550 on eBay depending on condition and eye appeal, this one does look as previously mentioned like the neck has some concavity but it could be the camera (cellphone) fisheye lens. It looks like it has a finish issue on the top. I second that the vintage pineapples have a better sound, I had one from 1939 that sounded great. I also have a white label concert that has a super sound. If it looks funky but is solid and sounds awesome then dicker for it and take it home. If it's got crap strings on it and sounds pleasant and you like it, take it home and restring it and it may knock your socks off. Tuners can always be replaced if necessary, there are still a lot of these around so just save the old ones. It may not have been humidified and if it is really dry and you humidify it properly the bridge could eventually pop off, lol, but that is fixable too. One thing is that they have brass bar frets so if your fingers like smooth half rounds it will feel rough. When you check the neck check for rough fret ends, that would mean shrinkage in the neck and then you might need to check that the frets are still level. Any of that is fixable with a good luthier. Take $450, put 4 $100 bills in your pocket and pull them out and say would you take $400? Especially if they are the new bills it will be tempting, that should be an easy sale for Craigslist, everything has to be listed at at least 20-25% over the real rock price.
 
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