What if “Ukulele Dick” Konter had owned a Martin guitar rather than a uke?

[Oldscruggsfan]

You know the uke… covered in all those fascinating autographs, faithful copies of which are still sold by C.F. Martin today.

It’s said that uke- playing “made Konter very popular among his peers”. Did I read that right? I haven’t experienced the same effect amongst my peers, but I digress.

How (and please be specific) might the outcome have been different if the famous and talented Mr. Konter had, in lieu of a soprano uke, taken a Martin D-28 along on the plane piloted by Italian aviator Umberto Nobile as part of Admiral Byrd’s arctic expedition?

 

[EDW]

How (and please be specific) might the outcome have been different if the famous and talented Mr. Konter had, in lieu of a soprano uke, taken a Martin D-28 along on the plane piloted by Italian aviator Umberto Nobile as part of Admiral Byrd’s arctic expedition

He would not have been able to fit it in his luggage or under the seat

 

[BigJackBrass]

Yes, the uke was apparently pretty much smuggled onto the 'plane, which would have been a considerably more difficult task with anything larger. Probably just as well he wasn't a pianist.

 

[Mike $]

I agree, it wouldn't fit. If he brought a D-28, it would have been spotted and left off the plane, possibly with Mr. Konter. But, let's say he had a first class seat with extra room and he didn't have to smuggle it aboard, the outcome would probably be that the guitar might have more signatures or larger ones than the uke has...I'm not sure the Konter uke changed humanity so much. I can't say that I ever heard anyone saying they started playing uke because of the Konter Uke. And maybe instead of Konter Ukulele songbooks, we might have Konter Guitar songbooks.

 

[TerryM]

↑↑↑ More right than I'd have guessed. Per this article, it was the only artifact/souvenir that was smuggled on board the Byrd North Pole flight and was wrapped in furs hidden under the pilot's seat.

The story of 'Ukulele Dick', his famous Nort Pole stowaway....

Edit: BigJack beat me to it.

 

[Wiggy]

What is the average relative humidity at the Geographic North Pole?
In the polar regions, temperatures are low, dew point temperatures are also low, and relative humidity is high. The air in polar regions is usually around 80% saturated. Even though the water vapor content of the air is low, the water vapor capacity is low as well. Saturation occurs in air that holds very little water vapor even when the air is relatively dry. As a consequence, the relative humidity is higher at polar regions.

I guess no Boveda pack was necessary.

 

[Oldscruggsfan]

I love the “stowed under the seat wrapped in furs” part. I envision the 1926 aircraft’s “seats” not in the way we now think of airliner (flying Greyhound bus) seats but more in line with the red webbed, aluminum- pole- framed benches of a C-130 or 141 troop transport.

Regardless, the plane never intended to land at or near the Pole in 1926. It was the world’s first flight over a Pole. Thus, it wasn’t as if Konter cheered his fellow expedition members by dragging out his Martin uke at any point. The uke remained safely under the “seat” until all were esconced back in their warm homes and only then did he seek signatures, disclosing “Uke on a plane”.

Aside from the fact that Konter was an experienced seaman and veteran of the Spanish- American war, he retired at the relatively lowly rank of Chief Radioman and had the arm ink to prove it. He was, at the time, far better known for ukulele prowess than for seamanship. Thus, why was he on the “Byrd plane” in the first place?

One interesting Wikipedia fact: On multiple 1929 Antarctic expeditions, by then relatively famous for such antics if only in Admiral Byrd’s broad sphere of influence, he packed multiple Favila ukes among his baggage.

 

[Mike $]

Chief is hardly a lowly rank. Above that are Senior Chief, then Master Chief, who are relatively rare. Chief is a normal rank to retire at. After 20 years, I'd be a bit embarrassed to retire as a Petty Officer (just below Chief), but Chief is a well respected rank in the Navy.

 

[Oldscruggsfan]

Chief is hardly a lowly rank. Above that are Senior Chief, then Master Chief, who are relatively rare. Chief is a normal rank to retire at. After 20 years, I'd be a bit embarrassed to retire as a Petty Officer (just below Chief), but Chief is a well respected rank in the Navy.

You’re 100% correct about rank. I was thinking in comparison to an admiral but even then, referring to a Navy Chief as “lowly” is every bit as wrongheaded as taking down an Army Master Sergeant (E-8). I intended no offense.

 

[ScooterD35]

I agree, it wouldn't fit. If he brought a D-28, it would have been spotted and left off the plane, possibly with Mr. Konter. But, let's say he had a first class seat with extra room and he didn't have to smuggle it aboard, the outcome would probably be that the guitar might have more signatures or larger ones than the uke has...I'm not sure the Konter uke changed humanity so much. I can't say that I ever heard anyone saying they started playing uke because of the Konter Uke. And maybe instead of Konter Ukulele songbooks, we might have Konter Guitar songbooks.

The D-28 didn’t exist at the time of the expedition‘s famous flight.

Scooter

 

[Eggs_n_Ham]

You know the uke… covered in all those fascinating autographs, faithful copies of which are still sold by C.F. Martin today.
View attachment 169299
It’s said that uke- playing “made Konter very popular among his peers”. Did I read that right? I haven’t experienced the same effect amongst my peers, but I digress.

How (and please be specific) might the outcome have been different if the famous and talented Mr. Konter had, in lieu of a soprano uke, taken a Martin D-28 along on the plane piloted by Italian aviator Umberto Nobile as part of Admiral Byrd’s arctic expedition?

I suppose he'd be Guitar er, Richard.

 

[Oldscruggsfan]

OK, for the sake of historical accuracy, let’s presume the alternative was a 1926 Gibson L-1. Same principle applies. He could never have smuggled it into the plane, wrapped in furs or not.
And, as to my prior negative comment as to his qualifications, everything I read about the late great Mr. Konter indicates that he had the wit, personality, outdoor skills and military experience to have been a welcome, even sought after, participant in any expedition.

Let’s take things a step farther and assume for a moment that Dick Konter had lived a century earlier and had been a fiddler. Had he been part of Lewis & Clark’s 1803 expedition through the Louisiana Purchase, and obtained autographs on his fiddle….

 

[Ukecaster]

If it was a Martin guitar, he would have gotten way more autographs, then it would been stolen in the arctic.

 

[Mike $]

The D-28 didn’t exist at the time of the expedition‘s famous flight.

Scooter

That's a good point, you should bring it up with the OP.