SOLD -- Favilla Baritone - EXCELLENT condition

[ookooleilei]

I just can't get along with baritone ukuleles, not for a lack of trying... this one came closest to winning me over, but I started out with sopranos, never played guitar, and the tone is just too boomy for me...

These are revered instruments among baritone players, and this one is in really nice condition... a couple of bumps and scratches that come with 60+ years (most notable scratch is a small string end gouge under the bridge) -- you can also see in the photos a crack along the finish on the bottom seam of the instrument that doesn't effect the instrument structurally.

The finish is in amazing shape, with a small amount of checking here and there, and this Favilla has been upgraded from simple friction pegs to Gotoh UPT tuners.

Currently strung: (High)D GBE (Lyle Ritz tuning)...

Ships in the pictured hard case.

$599, shipped, to the CONUS.

Album — Postimages

postimg.cc

 

[ookooleilei]

Dropped to $525, shipped, to CONUS. Will list on Reverb if no sale here soon, so if you're interested...

 

[don_b]

My baritone is strung the same way. I love Ritz but I guess i didn’t know he tuned it that way or even played baritone. Cool, I will check it out. Thanks

 

[ookooleilei]

My baritone is strung the same way. I love Ritz but I guess i didn’t know he tuned it that way or even played baritone. Cool, I will check it out. Thanks

I'm not 100% sure he did, either, but it has something to do with re-entrant tuning on a longer scale ukulele -- might have been that he played a tenor with re-entrant tuning. There's a video out there with James Hill explaining the tuning and calling it Lyle Ritz tuning...

 

[SoCal]

I just can't get along with baritone ukuleles, not for a lack of trying... this one came closest to winning me over, but I started out with sopranos, never played guitar, and the tone is just too boomy for me...

These are revered instruments among baritone players, and this one is in really nice condition... a couple of bumps and scratches that come with 60+ years (most notable scratch is a small string end gouge under the bridge) -- you can also see in the photos a crack along the finish on the bottom seam of the instrument that doesn't effect the instrument structurally.

The finish is in amazing shape, with a small amount of checking here and there, and this Favilla has been upgraded from simple friction pegs to Gotoh UPT tuners.

Currently strung: (High)D GBE (Lyle Ritz tuning)...

Ships in the pictured hard case.

$599, shipped, to the CONUS.

Album — Postimages

postimg.cc

Is this a 19” or 20” scale?

 

[ookooleilei]

Is this a 19” or 20” scale?

It's 19" from nut to saddle, I just measured it.

 

[Jag-Stang]

I got interested in ukulele as I am a guitar player and I kind of inherited a Martin baritone which sat around for years and as I stared getting a bit of arthritis I picked it up and fell in love. It was easy to play, familiar as I already played guitar, easy on my hands. I know how fair you are as I bought your Kamaka Pineapple which I am currently setting up and it’s great. I had a Favilla Soprano which I liked but passed on when I got my 80’s Kamaka (my avatar) I can say this in support of your Favilla they are well built instruments and sound great, similar to Martins as they have that deep mahogany sound. I don’t have any interest in another Baritone, one is enough for me, and I love my Martin. What you are offering is a lot of bang for the buck, great build quality and nice sounding and the tuners alone are a $70 upgrade. A guitar player that wants to transition to ukulele would love to have it and Favilla Baritones just do not surface all that often. I watch the vintage marketplace and the Favilla Soprano’s are catching on and fetching $200-300 for the vintage ones in good shape. I think along with the early Gretsch Soprano’s they are coming into their own as Ukuleles that were made on the Mainland and sound good. I like mahogany but then again I started out a guitarist so I am used to mahogany and that sound. . I have started gathering pictures and prices of Vintage ukuleles and someone needs to do a Vintage ukulele price guide. I thought you might have interest in a project like that. Let me know if this is something that might interest you.

 

[ookooleilei]

I got interested in ukulele as I am a guitar player and I kind of inherited a Martin baritone which sat around for years and as I stared getting a bit of arthritis I picked it up and fell in love. It was easy to play, familiar as I already played guitar, easy on my hands. I know how fair you are as I bought your Kamaka Pineapple which I am currently setting up and it’s great. I had a Favilla Soprano which I liked but passed on when I got my 80’s Kamaka (my avatar) I can say this in support of your Favilla they are well built instruments and sound great, similar to Martins as they have that deep mahogany sound. I don’t have any interest in another Baritone, one is enough for me, and I love my Martin. What you are offering is a lot of bang for the buck, great build quality and nice sounding and the tuners alone are a $70 upgrade. A guitar player that wants to transition to ukulele would love to have it and Favilla Baritones just do not surface all that often. I watch the vintage marketplace and the Favilla Soprano’s are catching on and fetching $200-300 for the vintage ones in good shape. I think along with the early Gretsch Soprano’s they are coming into their own as Ukuleles that were made on the Mainland and sound good. I like mahogany but then again I started out a guitarist so I am used to mahogany and that sound. . I have started gathering pictures and prices of Vintage ukuleles and someone needs to do a Vintage ukulele price guide. I thought you might have interest in a project like that. Let me know if this is something that might interest you.

A vintage ukulele price guide sounds like a great idea! And thanks for the helpful information on Favilla baritones... I have had a Favilla Soprano, and I liked it quite a bit -- beautifully made instruments, for sure... will have to keep my eye out for a nice Gretsch soprano...

 

[SoCal]

It's 19" from nut to saddle, I just measured it.

Thanks so much. I'm pondering.

 

[Jag-Stang]

A vintage ukulele price guide sounds like a great idea! And thanks for the helpful information on Favilla baritones... I have had a Favilla Soprano, and I liked it quite a bit -- beautifully made instruments, for sure... will have to keep my eye out for a nice Gretsch soprano...

will have to keep my eye out for a nice Gretsch soprano...

I know of one in a local shop …Only those 30’s or ‘40s ones are worthwhile not that new stuff since Fender took over Gretsch…
I will ask him what he will take, I already have one, not parting with mine I kinda like it as I paid very little and it has become the beach cottage ukulele…. He likes trading maybe I can trade him out of it I have a bunch of good vocal microphones and cords I am not using I am getting too old to play in rock bands!

 

[ookooleilei]

will have to keep my eye out for a nice Gretsch soprano...

I know of one in a local shop …Only those 30’s or ‘40s ones are worthwhile not that new stuff since Fender took over Gretsch…
I will ask him what he will take, I already have one, not parting with mine I kinda like it as I paid very little and it has become the beach cottage ukulele…. He likes trading maybe I can trade him out of it I have a bunch of good vocal microphones and cords I am not using I am getting too old to play in rock bands!

I know Jake Wildwood is fond of those old Gretsch sopranos as well…

 

[Jag-Stang]

I know Jake Wildwood is fond of those old Gretsch sopranos as well…

I sent a very interesting ukulele to Jake, that was just too much for me to do the work on. I am amateur compared to him. i love his videos and blogs. My wife’s family lives about an hour or so away from him in VT.
I got around to looking into the Gretsch soprano from the ‘40s It needs some attention and a set up. It has a tight back crack that I will need to address and new strings a set up and maybe some other minor things I might take the tuners apart and clean them up but they seemed to work OK. I would need to address this stuff but all in all it is a good candidate to bring back to life. The crack is a minor grain crack and I think I can make it nearly invisible. His asking price to me is $65 so I placed a hold on it and will see if I have something to trade or if I have to fork out cash. There is an odd but original cloth snap case that offers little protection but as it is original it is neat to have it. When I finish with it I will let you know. I am still pretty new here not ready to offer anything and I rarely sell much anyway but more likely place things. This will be more time consuming than anything else. I have seen these in this shape fetch in the $100-150 range plus shipping when they turn up on the Bay and there is a beat up one on Reverb now for $95 plus shipping but it is more like 1950’s and cruder And pretty beat with a major crack. so at $65 and local I have to grab it. I already have one so as I do not need 2, I will let you know once I have some time to work on it. It’s no big deal and as I have a closet full of ukuleles that I should be working on I put it towards the top of the list. I finished the cracks on the White label Kamaka Soprano custom order with Sitka spruce top. Someone and although I don’t like to use the word idiot but it is all I could think of, tried to pull a stuck string that had a small knot out from the bridge and cracked the top In two places below the bridge. Then he decided to sell it on Reverb This was a while back. I think I gave almost $400 for it as I love the one I have and wanted to hear what a Sitka spruce top sounded like with a koa ukulele. I haven’t addressed filling in the finish over the repaired cracks yet. I do not believe in re-finishing but I think I can do some magic on the already pretty clean work I did on the cracks. They were a mess and now here they are sealed and tight. (Pics) I plan on filling in the area with a very clear quick drying glue ( I have a few that were suggested) Then taping out the area near the crack and slowly wet sanding the excess glue. I have also seen someone tape the edges of a razor blade and slowly bring the excess glue down then wet sand. I have a set of miniature spoke shaving planes used mostly for violin making that might do the job. The crack lines won’t ever vanish but I can make them look even better than they are now with no refinishing.
I am no Jake Wildwood but getting more courage as I try new things. The more I try the less fear I have of making some horrible mistake.

 

[ookooleilei]

I sent a very interesting ukulele to Jake, that was just too much for me to do the work on. I am amateur compared to him. i love his videos and blogs. My wife’s family lives about an hour or so away from him in VT.
I got around to looking into the Gretsch soprano from the ‘40s It needs some attention and a set up. It has a tight back crack that I will need to address and new strings a set up and maybe some other minor things I might take the tuners apart and clean them up but they seemed to work OK. I would need to address this stuff but all in all it is a good candidate to bring back to life. The crack is a minor grain crack and I think I can make it nearly invisible. His asking price to me is $65 so I placed a hold on it and will see if I have something to trade or if I have to fork out cash. There is an odd but original cloth snap case that offers little protection but as it is original it is neat to have it. When I finish with it I will let you know. I am still pretty new here not ready to offer anything and I rarely sell much anyway but more likely place things. This will be more time consuming than anything else. I have seen these in this shape fetch in the $100-150 range plus shipping when they turn up on the Bay and there is a beat up one on Reverb now for $95 plus shipping but it is more like 1950’s and cruder And pretty beat with a major crack. so at $65 and local I have to grab it. I already have one so as I do not need 2, I will let you know once I have some time to work on it. It’s no big deal and as I have a closet full of ukuleles that I should be working on I put it towards the top of the list. I finished the cracks on the White label Kamaka Soprano custom order with Sitka spruce top. Someone and although I don’t like to use the word idiot but it is all I could think of, tried to pull a stuck string that had a small knot out from the bridge and cracked the top In two places below the bridge. Then he decided to sell it on Reverb This was a while back. I think I gave almost $400 for it as I love the one I have and wanted to hear what a Sitka spruce top sounded like with a koa ukulele. I haven’t addressed filling in the finish over the repaired cracks yet. I do not believe in re-finishing but I think I can do some magic on the already pretty clean work I did on the cracks. They were a mess and now here they are sealed and tight. (Pics) I plan on filling in the area with a very clear quick drying glue ( I have a few that were suggested) Then taping out the area near the crack and slowly wet sanding the excess glue. I have also seen someone tape the edges of a razor blade and slowly bring the excess glue down then wet sand. I have a set of miniature spoke shaving planes used mostly for violin making that might do the job. The crack lines won’t ever vanish but I can make them look even better than they are now with no refinishing.
I am no Jake Wildwood but getting more courage as I try new things. The more I try the less fear I have of making some horrible mistake.

Yes, let me know about the Gretsch, thanks, and nice work on those cracks on the Kamaka!

 

[ookooleilei]

Last drop before I list on Reverb -- $500, shipped to CONUS only.

 

[ookooleilei]

Bump. Really don't want to list this one on Reverb -- it's a beauty, with upgraded Gotoh UPTs -- can't believe I'm having trouble selling one of the most desired vintage baritones you can find!

 

[Jag-Stang]

$450 not to put it on Reverb and I think I know where to place it

 

[EDW]

Bump. Really don't want to list this one on Reverb -- it's a beauty, with upgraded Gotoh UPTs -- can't believe I'm having trouble selling one of the most desired vintage baritones you can find!

Yes, great playing and sounding instruments. I know players who love them. Good luck!

 

[ookooleilei]

$450 not to put it on Reverb and I think I know where to place it

Send me a PM, and we can discuss. Thanks!