Weakness for Old Instruments

tolona

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Once i caught the virus one of the first i bought off ebay was a Roy Smeck circa 50's plastic fretboard job. made by Harmony, Chicago. Got the original case, about $55. total. Tuned it up. tuners bad, didn't sound good , put it under the bench and forgot about it......... Then after a few mos. i got it out again and really looked at it . Buffed it off with 4 ought steel wool then Old English polish. This is old school beautiful shimmering mahogany. That yellowish goldish irridescent old timey mahogany. There's no reason why this shouldn't be a fine sounding soprano. I'm working on it.... steve from outside Peoria IL
 
Once i caught the virus one of the first i bought off ebay was a Roy Smeck circa 50's plastic fretboard job. made by Harmony, Chicago. Got the original case, about $55. total. Tuned it up. tuners bad, didn't sound good , put it under the bench and forgot about it......... Then after a few mos. i got it out again and really looked at it . Buffed it off with 4 ought steel wool then Old English polish. This is old school beautiful shimmering mahogany. That yellowish goldish irridescent old timey mahogany. There's no reason why this shouldn't be a fine sounding soprano. I'm working on it.... steve from outside Peoria IL

Yes, that is a classic uke. I have one I got from a friend who used it music class in school in about 1940. I've never seen another one quite like mine. The end of the fretboard is painted on.

01 Roy.jpg
 
Jerry, you have a beauty there, with a regular wood fretboard. Mine is the 50's version with the brown molded plastic one. I have also just figured out the Plastic FB which is held on by four little woodscrews was mounted about 3/16" high on the neck. That right there will make it sound strange for sure. So i got that moved down where it should be. Now i have to come up with some better tuners...
 
Once you learn how to get them back up, you'll never look back to those high-gloss fancy overbuilt and overpriced new ukuleles ;)
 
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