Wtf Uke

[don_b]

Any thoughts on this bad boy?

Petersen Polk-A-Lay-Lee Ukulele (used) 1960s | Reverb

Original 1960's Polk-a-lay-lee by Peterson with original box! Item does not seem to have been used much, most likely sat in the box most of its life. It does play just fine and the tuners work although they are squeaky. Be the life of the party with this ukulele oddity!

reverb.com

Really just trying to talk about how it’s weird lol

 

[mikelz777]

I don't really understand what they were thinking from the nut up. I'm just left wondering, "Why?". It's design looks to be influenced by Japanese folk instruments. The body looks to be made out of that hard, compressed fiber I associate with clip boards.

 

[rhiggie]

Talk about the opposite of a travel uke! There were 3 styles of these I believe, the surf-o-lele was a bit shorter and one had music notes for sound hole. The design was intended to be beach friendly in that when you weren't playing it, you could stick the point into the sand to keep the uke out of the sand! I've always thought they would look cool on my music room wall or fun to bring to Uke Jam! This one is in great shape for it's age, many have at least 1 broken tuner. I'd hate to pack it for shipping!

 

[Blank Williams]

Looks more like a weapon or a farming tool than a ukulele.

 

[badhabits]

What is it?

lots of those old vintage things around...

 

[Patty]

What is it?

lots of those old vintage things around...

The old reel-to-reel tape recorder shown in the ad might be worth more today.

 

[Patty]

Doubtful claim on side of box: “Hand made of solid wood by American instrument craftsmen.” And I’m the Queen of Rumania.

 

[Renaissance-Man]

I like it because it reminds me of the instruments my mother would bring home to me from Chinatown in NYC, in my childhood. My mom loved the orient.

 

[badhabits]

Doubtful claim on side of box: “Hand made of solid wood by American instrument craftsmen.” And I’m the Queen of Rumania.

why not? these are from the 60s... your highness

 

[Oldscruggsfan]

Looks like someone mugged the Grim Reaper while he was busking for lost souls. If Charlie Daniels had played a uke, he would've made this the prize instead of a golden fiddle in, "The Devil Went Down to Georgia". Now that calls for a bit of reflection, possibly even its own separate "finish the sentence" thread . . . if Charlie Daniels had played a uke...

 

[Patty]

why not? these are from the 60s... your highness

I think mikelz777 is right—it’s made of that compressed composite stuff they make clipboards out of.

 

[badhabits]

they made nicer ones, all solid wood even... there's a little about the design in this vid

 

[Charles Guy]

Amazing what you can find on YouTube.

Poke A Lay Lee Video

 

[Charles Guy]

they made nicer ones, all solid wood even... there's a little about the design in this vid

beat me to the post by That Much.

 

[Patty]

they made nicer ones, all solid wood even... there's a little about the design in this vid

Doesn’t sound as bad as I would’ve expected.

 

[ploverwing]

That is definitely one for the "alternative" ukulele crowd! @David W. Raber have you run across one of these?

 

[ripock]

If it had a longer scale, I would prefer it over the garden variety shape that you see used by a lot of K brands, Moore Bettah, or Mya Moe. Obviously all those ukes are unimpeachable but come on: another figure eight strummer. yawwn.

 

[Wiggy]

Doubtful claim on side of box: “Hand made of solid wood by American instrument craftsmen.” And I’m the Queen of Rumania.

And I am the King of Rum-mania.

 

[don_b]

Doesn’t sound as bad as I would’ve expected.

Right? Sounded like a uke and I got weirded out and closed the vid.

 

[don_b]

And I am the King of Rum-mania.

Rum-Mania is running wild.