FS: Mystery vintage pineapple

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Jeffisme

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I have had this for a year or so, and while I love it, I just have to continue to pare down my uke list. I was hanging around my local luthier in Portland, Oregon, when I pulled this off the shelf, and I don't know whether it was the pineapple shape or the sound in his shop, but suddenly while I was plucking the uke, I didn't sound so horrible.

Kerry didn't recall from where he got it. There are no indications or markings on it, so it could be homemade. If so, it was done very nicely. It is concert-sized. There's a repaired seam at the bottom, and I had two buttons installed. The tuners are friction, and a couple of them are on the tight side (better than too loose, it seems to me). It's in great shape for what appears to me to very old uke.

There is no case.
Price would be $175, including shipping.
I've uploaded a bunch of pictures https://www.dropbox.com/sh/e98yb9toftnblqk/WfjbiI0IhX/papple2.zip

P1020015.jpg
 
Is it all mahogany or Koa?
 
it is mahogany, but the fretboard looks like koa, although it's hard to imagine that it would be but it might.
 
It sure looks like Koa to me, all of it. That is a nice vintage uke for the price.
"Home-made" might not be the right way to describe this. It probably came from one of the Hawaiian shops in the 20's or 30's and has lost its label or decal.
It has an awfully deep body, and its tone is going to reflect that.
Neat find, someone wants this one.
 
Thanks. I think you're right. It certainly is a wonderful piece.
 
Nice! It looks like an older Kamaka or maybe more likely a Louis Gaspar due to the general wonkiness, looks like it's all koa or monkeypod on the original wood, and that the flamey koa fretboard has been added because circa 20s and 30s frets are either brass or silver skinny bar frets and those are more modern fat frets. Also the nut and saddle would have been ebony so those also look newer. The fretboard markers are also very modern looking. Older ukes more often had smaller dots if any.
 
I would go no farther, even though it looks Kamaka, than to ask Kerry what he thinks about it. There is one straight shooting, dead on honest person. If he didn't think it was worth it, he wouldn't have it for sale.

I'm in Salem.If you do determine it is Kamaka, you can probably get a double K from them.
 
Could you give a description of the use's playing condition? String height, neck straightness etc.
Bar frets?
Thanks
 
The neck is straight and the frets appear to have been worked on recently. I tried to photograph both the back and front as best I could. If you would like me to take different or more closeup photos, I would be happy to. I can say that Kerry Char (Charguitars.com) in Portland, Oregon, is a wizard and an extremely honest man and wouldn't let anything out of the shop without his ok. it shows evidence of wear, no question and there are places where Kerry repaired it, but it plays well, and the pineapple shape gives it a fuller sound.
 
i just heard from Kamaka. they said it was not one of theirs.

The neck is straight and the frets appear to have been worked on recently. I tried to photograph both the back and front as best I could. If you would like me to take different or more closeup photos, I would be happy to. I can say that Kerry Char (Charguitars.com) in Portland, Oregon, is a wizard and an extremely honest man and wouldn't let anything out of the shop without his ok. it shows evidence of wear, no question and there are places where Kerry repaired it, but it plays well, and the pineapple shape gives it a fuller sound.
 
This is still for sale, and I've dropped the price to $150, including shipping.
 
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