Could this be an unlabeled 1927 Martin?

...And we're back in the room. Thanks for your patience.

Fascinating thread and a nice uke.

Play nicely, kids. Pack your egos away for the holidays.

Best wishes to all.

I am not an expert on Martin, but I think all the points made here are excellent. My first thought was that this ukulele may have been refinished many years ago (as previously stated). The years different tuners were used is relative as tuners are easily replaced so it is no guarantee a ukulele dates to the same time as its tuners.

My only other thought that I did not see mentioned here is that the mahogany looks different as compared to the mahogany I've seen on most Martin ukuleles. Is anyone saying this is koa? I really haven't seen Martin use mahogany with a bunch of figure to it, as this ukulele has. Again, I am no expert on this but usually Martin mahogany ukuleles used amazingly consistent mahogany with very little figure. Could the top and bottom have been replaced, and the whole uke refinished? Likely not given the binding but that could explain the absence of a hot stamp inside.

One thing I have learned in regards to vintage ukes with no label or identifying mark is that you will virtually never know more about that instrument than you do now. Some ukes defy all attempts to attribute them to a particular builder (I have several like this). What you do know is that it is a fine instrument and you should use it to make a lot of great
music.

-Vintage Ryan

There were companies in the 1920's making Martin copies, including Stadlmair of New York. Most of these Martin copies are easy to spot as their attention to detail is lacking. This uke not so.

As others have said, it might well be an employee model and this is probably the most likely explanation and might also explain the bridge.

While none of us can be 100% sure, my feeling is that this was made at the Martin factory.

Vintageukes said:

I am not an expert on Martin......... Is anyone saying this is koi?-Vintage Ryan

Click to expand...

Yep. Most certainly looks like koa to my eye......doesn't look like mahogany at all. The bridge does look very much like the one on my '22-23 Martin-made Wurlitzer 2K, but the binding does look funny: is it b-w-b as it appears in the photos? Not seen a Martin with this binding arrangement, but I haven't seen everything.

I'm away for the holidays, but am going to pick up an inspection mirror when I get back to see if I can find anything identifying inside the uke.

I'm glad it's providing a mystery for everyone here. Having an easy answer would be satisfying, but not nearly as much fun.

Have you considered contacting Martin directly? They would know better than anyone else. Maybe take a day to go up to the factory and have them look at it.

We haven't been there in a few years, so we're thinking that will make a good trip regardless. So we'll see if we can set up a meeting with someone there to see what we can learn.

Captain Simian said:

Have you considered contacting Martin directly? They would know better than anyone else. Maybe take a day to go up to the factory and have them look at it.

Click to expand...

Vintageukes said:

<snip>
My only other thought that I did not see mentioned here is that the mahogany looks different as compared to the mahogany I've seen on most Martin ukuleles. Is anyone saying this is koa? ...

... What you do know is that it is a fine instrument and you should use it to make a lot of great
music.

-Vintage Ryan

Click to expand...

Buc-a-Roo said:

Yep. Most certainly looks like koa to my eye......doesn't look like mahogany at all. The bridge does look very much like the one on my '22-23 Martin-made Wurlitzer 2K, but the binding does look funny: is it b-w-b as it appears in the photos? Not seen a Martin with this binding arrangement, but I haven't seen everything.

Click to expand...

The auction listed it as rosewood and we were just a little focused on "hmm, wonder if this here is any possibility at all this could be a Martin" so just automatically jumped to mahogany and moved on the inspecting the other details.

While a refinish is certainly a possibility, top and back replacement seems unlikely. This binding/purfling combination does show up in the Martin book we keep referencing and I've seen it in a couple other pictures of the early ones.

We did indeed find a great instrument that will be well cared for and played... Ongoing sleuthing and a road trip to Martin in the near future are bonuses.

Im a little late to the Party, but to my eye the top and back appear to be Birch-not mahogany(definitely not Koa) Heel is different from any other Martin I've seen.
None of this matters if you like the sound!!!

I've had a few other people look at it and their consensus is that it is a Martin 1K of some sort, likely employee built. It has all of the features of one made between 1927 and 1934.

It's off having its cracks checked and getting a closer going over so I hope to know more in the next few weeks when it works its way up the repair queue.

Have you been able to get Dick Boak's or some other Martin reps impressions, Dan?

coolkayaker1 said:

Have you been able to get Dick Boak's or some other Martin reps impressions, Dan?

Click to expand...

We had to delay the trip to the factory, but are planning to get there sometime before the summer.

I did send it to Jake Wildwood to have the cracks repaired and get his impressions. He wrote about it here:
http://antebelluminstruments.blogspot.com/2016/02/1920s-martin-unlabeled-1k-soprano.html

I also sent him this one at the same time as it had a crack running down the entire back of the uke. It's currently my favorite to play - I love how beat up it is.
http://antebelluminstruments.blogspot.com/2016/02/1950s-martin-style-1-soprano-uke.html

this is a beauty, for what its worth, being from Hawai`i, this looks like koa to me

Lovely, Dan. Please do ressurect this thread whenever you get to Martin. Fascinating.