1920 Weymann uke

Yes over the years I have had a number of things come and go for a variety of reasons. There are a few that I have some regrets about, but I try to remind myself that it is just stuff.

Looking at your location, I think your bond to the Weymann is because of Philly! :D

Well, that doesn't hurt. I love old Disston saws too...but than again so do most woodworkers :)
 
vintage Martin concert vs. soprano

Around that same time I also owned a 1940s Martin Concert. I compared the two and was astounded by how much louder and fuller the Weymann was than the Martin (though generally my understanding is that, somehwat counter intuitively, Martin concerts are brighter and tighter sounding than their sopranos from the same period).

I'm glad you mentioned this. I have a Kiwaya KTS-6 and a KTC-2. Love them both, but the soprano is more open and less bright than the concert, which is jangly and wonderful in its own way. They're like earthenware and crystal. I could modify them--somewhat--with different strings, but that is their nature. I guess since they are essentially Martin copies, that's how it's supposed to be.
 
I'm glad you mentioned this. I have a Kiwaya KTS-6 and a KTC-2. Love them both, but the soprano is more open and less bright than the concert, which is jangly and wonderful in its own way. They're like earthenware and crystal. I could modify them--somewhat--with different strings, but that is their nature. I guess since they are essentially Martin copies, that's how it's supposed to be.

Jake Wildwood mentioned this in his blog post about the Martin Concert I had him work on.

I was pretty shocked to read that, but in my very limited experience I found it to be true.
 
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Jake Wildwood mentioned this in his blog post about the Martin Concert I had him work on.

I was pretty shocked to read that, but in my very limited experience I found it to be true.

If Jake said it, it must be true.
 
Sitting with my 1920s Weymann this morning--damn I love this uke. It is jangly as jangly can be. Elder has this one for sale---someone should jump on it Iand not me, just bing bought a mint 1950s Martin 2, lol

https://www.elderly.com/products/weymann-style-15-soprano-ukulele-1925
Here is another one out there https://reverb.com/item/35627452-1925-weymann-keystone-state-soprano-ukulele

They are very nice instruments. Glad you are enjoying that one!
I saw that one too- but it is not in good shape for the price, IMHO.

They are fun, and have a cool story/history.
 
8 bills is kinda pricey for that one, at least for me. YMMV.
Probably why it has sat there for a while. I think it is a bit overpriced as well. $600 or $650 seems more in line.
Did someone say Weymann?
They're crawling out of the woodwork! https://reverb.com/item/46282529-weymann-style-120-soprano-ukulele-1925-ser-37018

Wicked expensive at $1350. These high-level Martin copies are very appealing. Dunno why.
Looks like they cleaned up this one (same wood grain, I think) that sold on ebay for $381 (I almost bid for it). https://www.ebay.com/itm/1651131535...=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

They can ask that much for it, but I would be shocked if they got it.
 
Both of those are a bit steep. Cool to see so many different Weymanns out there, especially since they are not that common. They are well made and have their own charm.
 
I was seriously looking at that Martin, & came close but you snatched it up first. Is it as nice as it looked? Enjoy!
It is better than it looks!!! It is really in mint shape, with the kind of strumming marks you see in an instrument that has been strummed lightly for a year--you have to move it around to see. Everything else is perfect. I had another Martin that I liked a lot, but it did not sing to me. This sings--it is plucky and warm at the same time, with great action. A total impulse buy, but one that worked out. I also did not figure to lose much if I did not resonate with it given its shape. I have bought a bunch of instruments for that reason-to play and then sell after I sat with them for a while. This one is not going anywhere.
 
It is better than it looks!!! It is really in mint shape, with the kind of strumming marks you see in an instrument that has been strummed lightly for a year--you have to move it around to see. Everything else is perfect. I had another Martin that I liked a lot, but it did not sing to me. This sings--it is plucky and warm at the same time, with great action. A total impulse buy, but one that worked out. I also did not figure to lose much if I did not resonate with it given its shape. I have bought a bunch of instruments for that reason-to play and then sell after I sat with them for a while. This one is not going anywhere.
That's really great!
But if you should ever change your mind, let me know...😉
 
I do indeed love the Weymann you sold me. Based on my research I believe it is a 1918. It is crazy loud and the lightest ukulele I've ever held. It is so light that it is almost unnerving to hold...when I hold it my brain flips back and forth between thinking I'm holding chintzy toy and a fine fine instrument. I've played it and heard it played next to a 20's Martin and a Kiwaya KTS-7 and while all 3 sound different it holds it own with both.

Whats interesting is that I have seen Jake Wildwood mention in a blog post that most Weymanns he's played feel heavier and stiffer built than Martins but this one is soooo lightly built. Maybe the heavier builds came later or maybe the stiffer heavier ones were just coincidently ones Jake ran across.

Other interesting tidbit. I've seen it suggested (don't recall where) that Weymann and Martin, given their close proximity, actually gave eachother instruments to copy and that it is likely that the early Weymanns were nearly direct copies of Martin's or of a particular Martin. There are differences I've observed in my limited experience but it is hard to know if those were consistent differences or just particular to certain instruments or years of production. What I can say about my Weymann is that the neck feels both thinner (front to back) and wider (side to side) than the vintage Martin's I've played. This is one of the things I particularly love about it.

Tracie is right about the pegs. They were troublesome, when I got it from her. I was able to improve them greatly with some peg dope and by rewinding the strings so they sit against the faceplate and hold the pegs at close to an ideal tension. I still find them a bit finicky and go back and forth about installing Peghead tuners but they work well enough for me for now and I do love the nostalgia of them.

Anyway, congrats on a great find. You've got a fantastic uke there.
I am very late to the party here but Weymann made a style 10 prior to Martin‘s “O” back in 1917 so no binding first appeared on a Weymann ukulele in 1917. Martin copied Weymann and came out with the “O” later in 1922…So the question is who copied who not Weymann copying Martin. I believe that as these Companies were only 50 miles apart they often copied each other.
 
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I recently came across this 1920 Weymann soprano uke. You don't find these around too often. These were made in Philadelphia. It is a very nice quality well built instrument of lovely mahogany. It is pretty much the same dimensions as a Martin, but with some subtle differences. It is in lovely shape, other than a small chip out of the sound hole. I spent some time cleaning it up and putting it into shape. The wooden pegs work very well.

It has plenty of ring and that classic "bark" that you hear in instruments of this era. Volume and projection is exceptional with nice note separation and it sounds great fingerpicked or strummed. Intonation is good up the neck, which you will notice has dots at 5,7 and 9.

Since I have a nice Martin from the same era it is probably a bit redundant to have both as they are so similar. I'll see if I hold onto it, but it is a lovely instrument that is a lot of fun to play.

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That's very nice. It's good to bring the oldies back to life.
 
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