Cocobolo Ukulele Lottery Sale

Ben Mobi

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I've been on the list for Lottery notification for several weeks and now have an invitation to participate in an upcoming lottery, signed up for every instrument they are offering. Seems odd when you have to win a drawing, in order to purchase an instrument, but it's probably better than having a five-year waiting list (or whatever it would be).

Has anybody in these forums won this lottery sale before? How many times did it take before you got an instrument? Somebody please sprinkle some fairy dust on me, or something (anything) for me to get one of their ukes.
 
I won one, and love it...and need to bring it out and play it. Like all instruments, some people aren't fans...but it may be the best balanced ukulele I own in terms of sound, and it is either the best looking or second best (my Flight Spirit is also a thing of beauty...and I have other stunning instruments, too).

I wanted a second (which still ended up being $575 or so for a concert after shipping and the mandatory case), and after many failed bids over time, I won it. And I'm quite happy with it.

One thing to watch for is after an auction. People occasionally drop out after winning, and instead of going through the auction again, sometimes Keith (or Scarlett, who is the business manager) will just list them as available for immediate purchase. You could also drop them a note and let them know the next time that happens, they can e-mail you immediately. They might not do that, but hey, it can't hurt to try.
 
Thanks for the heads up on that! I'll follow-up and let them know I'd buy any welcher's uke, sight unseen. Funny you mention Flight Spirit ... I have a Mustang, which is kind of like a Tenor version of the Spirit.
 
I did not win mine directly through the lottery. On the Facebook group, I noticed a comment under one of the lottery posts about a private owner wanting to sell theirs, and we brokered a deal outside of the thread. It might be worthwhile to keep an eye on that as well if you're looking to find one. I've also seen people make a post here in the Marketplace looking for a particular uke. You never know if someone is willing to sell theirs but wasn't actively trying to.

I like mine a lot (Tenor). A bit on the quiet side, as Cocobolo is a hard wood being used for the top. But I really like the mellow tone. Action and intonation are spot on and it looks awesome.
 
I did not win mine directly through the lottery. On the Facebook group, I noticed a comment under one of the lottery posts about a private owner wanting to sell theirs, and we brokered a deal outside of the thread.
I like mine a lot (Tenor). A bit on the quiet side, as Cocobolo is a hard wood being used for the top. But I really like the mellow tone. Action and intonation are spot on and it looks awesome.

That's what I'm bidding on (Tenor). I've bid on all Tenors in the lottery. Thanks for the advice, I'll keep an eye open and an ear to the ground, as to other sources mentioned.
 
I came in second place and got the call when the winner backed out. Now I have a really cool ukulele and they don’t.

I don’t recall it taking terribly long to win, but I was neither bidding on tenors nor paying attention. :)

You’ll win one. They are great instruments and you’ll be glad when you get it.
 
I had great luck.
I bought a concert earlier this year.
The first one I opted into the lottery for, and after the first draw backed out I got to buy it. One shot was all it took, and I only bid on that one.
 
I was selected twice.

I "won" the opportunity to buy a tenor after about 5 months. I was the first alternative and the person who had been selected backed out of buying. A nice instrument. It sounds great. But the design is a bit busy, for me, with the elaborate rosette. Cocobolo is a beautiful wood. It can stand on its own without much added bling.

Several months later, I decided that I would opt for a tenor design I really wanted. I skipped a month or two. And I was selected the third time I participated. I was able to purchase a tenor cutaway that caught my eye.

Be patient. Most people who enter are eventually selected.
 
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I entered the lottery either 2 or three times before I won my Concert, and then a few months later when a "Second" (It is more brown than red) went up for the lottery, I entered and won.

Both are good, but I do prefer the the string- through bridge to the tie bridge.
 
I’ve entered maybe ten times (maybe more) and have won twice. The first was a super soprano; the second is a baritone that is being built now and should be finished in a week or so.
 
I got mine before the lottery system was devised. It's a one-off, which Kevin said they didn't want to build anymore, but I don't mind.
Heck, all their ukes are one of a kind.
I play it more than all my other ukes put together. It took just over 1 month to build, and 3 months to ship. The Nicaraguan postal system was down....
The wood is amazing, it doesn't need any bling. At all.
 
I did 2 times and won a super soprano. I think maybe super soprano isn't as popular as like concert and tenor? so less competitor for me.
 
I won my concert on my second lottery try. I absolutely adore my Cocobolo, and it has become my most played uke. I had a MiSi pick-up added to mine. A beautiful looking & sounding uke for a decent price.
 
Based on the experiences in this thread, it seems like there is a pretty decent chance of getting to buy the uke you opt in for.
Which means that it shouldnt be necessary to Sign up for all of them to get one, just gambling on those you think is prettier will most likely not require years of waiting. Depending on how picky you are.
 
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I've been on the list for Lottery notification for several weeks and now have an invitation to participate in an upcoming lottery, signed up for every instrument they are offering. Seems odd when you have to win a drawing, in order to purchase an instrument, but it's probably better than having a five-year waiting list (or whatever it would be).

Has anybody in these forums won this lottery sale before? How many times did it take before you got an instrument? Somebody please sprinkle some fairy dust on me, or something (anything) for me to get one of their ukes.

I have won four of them, and I bought one that was offered for sale. I probably entered the lottery for over a year without winning. I was about to buy one form someone here, but I said, "Wait till the lottery drawing tomorrow in case I win." I won! I also won the following month and a few months after that.

He doesn't make many ukes, so a lottery is the alternative to charging $1,000 for them. His production is much faster than it used to be. The look beautiful, feel beautiful, and sound beautiful. Everyone should have one.

I just looked them up. I won in April of last year, June, October, November, January. One of them was an outright purchase that he offered.
 
Based on the experiences in this thread, it seems like there is a pretty decent chance of getting to buy the uke you opt in for.
Which means that it shouldnt be necessary to Sign up for all of them to get one, just gambling on those you think is prettier will most likely not require years of waiting. Depending on how picky you are.

Although I was waiting for a "second," I also had a preference about the look of the instrument...I like the sap wood on the body...some do not have it. So a number of models--fully priced or "second" were just not of interest to me.
 
Based on the experiences in this thread
The new system of adding entries for the lotteries you've lost is a huge boost to the patient.

I tried for about a year before giving up. I was being relatively picky and aiming only for a rare decent-looking baritone (much more rare on the baritone than the decent-looking, though there were a couple of stinkers I passed on)

From a quick back-of-the-envelope estimate, I had about a 1 in 3 chance to win one in the lotteries that I entered before losses started to accumulate votes. If that system had been in place my chances would have risen to 3 in 4 (ok - very sketchy stats, since I didn't take into account other people's chances going up, and I extrapolated the number of other entries from only one lottery. 87% of statistics are made up on the spot)

If you have other instruments and can be patient then hang on and wait. If you need something to play now then seek elsewhere.
 
Although I was waiting for a "second," I also had a preference about the look of the instrument...I like the sap wood on the body...some do not have it. So a number of models--fully priced or "second" were just not of interest to me.

I wish they would make solid colored fret boards. The cocobolo wood looks great but it gets to be too much of a good thing and starts to look a bit busy overall.
 
Based on the experiences in this thread, it seems like there is a pretty decent chance of getting to buy the uke you opt in for.
Which means that it shouldnt be necessary to Sign up for all of them to get one, just gambling on those you think is prettier will most likely not require years of waiting. Depending on how picky you are.

In my case, especially in the beginning, I clicked on each one being offered. I didn't see any bad ones.
 
In my case, especially in the beginning, I clicked on each one being offered. I didn't see any bad ones.

Yeah, none are bad.
But most people have preferences.
The tenors come with wood inlay rosette or without.
The concerts come with sapwood in the middle, sapwood on the edges, or without sapwood at all.
Might as well focus on the design one fancies.
 
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