Ok, guys. I'm not sure why I feel compelled to respond to the above comments, but I'd just like to clarify my thinking and intentions, and put any other speculation to rest. The MB for sale, as nongdam kindly pointed out, is mine. I am listing it now as now seems an opportune time to capitalize on the very high demand for these instruments. I have several points I'd like to make clear, however.
First and foremost, is that I have the utmost respect for Chuck Moore, both as an artisan/craftsman, as well as a human being. I am not sure that I have ever dealt with a nicer, more compassionate person in my life. I have only had minimal dealings with Chuck, but I can honestly say that even in those few conversations, I was blown away by his good vibes and positive influence. With this potential sale, I mean absolutely no disrespect to Chuck, or his creations.
Also, I absolutely feel honored and privileged to have owned this instrument. It's incredible in every way. I've owned many fine instruments in the past, and none were the equal of this MB tenor. During my ownership, this uke has been played extensively, albeit gently. I mostly finger-pick, so I've kept strum marks to a minimum, and have always tried my best to keep it in top condition. In fact, I've been so obsessive about making sure it is well cared for, that I had the custom Ameritage case made for it (at over $400), it's always kept at proper humidity, and the only time it has ever left my house was when I moved to a new one last fall. Today, it still looks like it did the day I got it, but the sound has since opened up nicely. Please understand, this uke was not purchased as an investment at all. It was purchased because I love ukuleles, I wanted to try the best ukulele money can buy, and I had the seriously good fortune to have the opportunity to buy it.
Now, the reason(s) I decided to test the market.... Obviously, the recent two ebay auctions went shockingly high. I swore I'd never sell my MB, but that was when it was a $2000 ukulele. Now that it's become a $5000+ ukulele, I actually feel a little uncomfortable with it in my house. I've got 3.5 year old twin girls, and a 1 year old son in my house - that makes me even less comfortable with the MB. I've found myself leaving it stored more and more often just out of fear of the cyclone of destruction that my kids seem to generate. If anything happened to the MB, I'd feel awful about it. Additionally, since my family has grown, we'd like to finish some space in our basement to create an additional bedroom, and a small music room for me. To do this, I need to raise some cash. I've always loved and revered my Moore Bettah, but at the end of the day, it's still a material object. So, while on the one hand Chuck's ukes have gained a near religious following (and deservedly so!), I am trying to keep some perspective on what's most important in my life - my kids and family. I'm the only one in my house that loves ukuleles so much, and my severe UAS has sometimes been perceived as me putting my passion for ukes above my family, and I really never want to do that. When I think of how this kind of money could benefit my family, it starts to make more sense.
As far as my pricing goes, I did not list it at that price to anger anyone. I know it's an insane amount. I know that it is more than the "Tree of Life" went for a couple days ago. At the end of the day, it was more of a question of, "What will it take to convince me to sell it?" So, if anything, my pricing is a reflection of what value I place on this particular uke. It's not what I think it should be worth, it's not what I think Chuck should charge (although he really should raise his prices), and it's not what I would ever want to pay. However, there are many people out there who have a lot of money, and might be willing to pay it. Over the past year, when I had my list of ukes in my UU signature, I received numerous unsolicited offers to purchase my Moore Bettah. It actually was a little frustrating, because I would be trying to sell a different uke, and the only interest I would get would be for my Moore Bettah, which was not for sale. Because of that, I removed my signature.
So, there is my reasoning and qualifications/justifications. Even after all this, I am struggling with this sale, and am not sure I will go through with it. I started the listing last night, and actually lost sleep thinking about it. I'm trying to separate emotions from logic/business here, but it's tough. I have received one very respectable offer that I've yet to respond to, but I am considering it. I hope I don't come across as too defensive in this post. The bottom line here, is that I just want people to realize that I'm not just trying to flip a quick deal, or that I'm trying to pull some sort of scam. I genuinely love ukulele, and love to play ukulele, none more than this MB. I also love this community and don't want to rub anyone the wrong way. I just saw an opportunity and thought I would test it out. Life will go on whatever happens, and either I get to keep playing a Moore Bettah tenor, or someone else will get the chance to play it, and my kids won't have to share a bedroom anymore.
-Steve
for making some of the most sought after ukuleles in the world. I need to raise some cash, and my choices are to sell all my other ukes, or just this one. Virtually every uke sale I have ever made was for a loss, so this is a rare situation where demand is so high that I can turn the tables and pull myself closer to even. I'm not sure I'm making the right choice, but I'd be curious to know what others would do in this situation - #1. Keep the Moore Bettah, or #2. Keep the spruce/maple Collings UC3 (in my avatar), the walnut Collings UC2, and the adirondack/cocobolo Compass Rose micro jumbo tenor. Even if I sold all three in option #2, I would not be able to generate the funds that the Moore Bettah will bring. Of course, the best option is to keep all, and be better with my money in general. 
