YOUR MGM UKES: Post a Picture

pdxuke

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I'd love to see, all in one place, a visual representation of the influence MGM had on all of us.

So I'll start by posting two of the ukes Mike sold me; lovingly set up.

From a Dolphin to a Kamaka.

Thanks, Mike.

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(My First Ever Uke.)

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Nice thread to keep the memories of Mike alive.
This is a little twist on the thread but i hope it still qualifies.
I never bought an uke from Mike but he bought many from me back when he had his ebay business. Here is the first one he bought.
 

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I bought 3 ukes from Mike over the years. The first two found new homes.
But the last uke I bought from Mike in January 2011 will always stay.

A flamed cherry Compass Rose tenor that sounds as good as it looks!
https://app.box.com/s/2eg3kizo2q7rj8pqrly7

There is a YT video of Mike playing this very uke. I think of Mike whenever I play it.


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I bought this Kala from Mgm back in 2008, I thought it was a toy and I was going to hang it in my tiki bar for decor. While it was in transit I found out it was a good starter ukulele rather than a toy and thats where it all started for me.
At a later date I saw a Honu Deluxe in MGM's store I had to have, he had the best offer option on it at the time, so I placed an offer & he replied back with a phone number & said to call him.
I did call & he gave me his best price, I said I wanted it and I had the money in my paypal account but I needed to wait & build a little more money first, he asked why, I told him I was a hobbyist/seller on ebay and I like to keep a little money in my account in case of a lost package I might have to refund, he said oh ok and he said to give him what I was comfortable with & mail the rest with a personal check to his shop address when I can, at the time he did not even know me & he sent the ukulele out with just a partial payment!
That is the kind of person MGM was and since his passing every time I look at my ukulele cabinet I can't help but think of him.
I attached a pic of the Kala he sold me, it was my first ukulele and I still have it.
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I never bought a uke from MGM but he had played all my favorite ukes in the last 9 months....
I did order a Ko'olau from Noa on Oct. 8 2013 and told Mike about it when he was in the hospital...and since Ko'olau is a part of HMS I will always remember Mike when I play/see this beautiful uke....
 
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I bought a couple amazing holy grail vintage ukes from him in the past....I will play them in honor of him while remembering what a great friend and nice guy he was....>>>>> :)
While I would post pictures, I may not....I am a too private guy, so sorry gang....
 
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This is the video I did as a 'get well' wish for MGM for the "Healing Powers of the Uke for Musicguymic" contest that chrimes organized a couple of years ago. I'm playing the Makala Dolphin that I got from Mike's ebay site.

 
I was lucky enough to snag this custom KoAloha cedar-top concert. And the best part is, I was able to share Mike's aloha, and gave this uke to a good friend.

 
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I no longer have the first uke I bought from Mike. But he went above and beyond in getting me this Kanilea. He drove it from HMS to Kaneohe so Joe could install my pickup, and it would be easier for me to pick it up in person. Plus, after he forgot to include the case, he drove one to my hotel in Waikiki. His customer service and aloha were incredible.

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I bought six ukes from Mike. Here are four of them. After playing a sub par uke for three months, the Kanilea super concert he sold me started me on my uke journey.

RIP MGM



 
I bought this Kelii from HMS. Naturally, it's a group effort when it comes to buying a uke online, so more than one person had a hand in it. MGM was one of them, I know, and he certainly left a legacy at HMS in his short time there.

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I got a Kala tenor from MGM (via eBay). It had a solid wood top and was my first uke with any solid wood.

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I had the Kala Acacia Tenor - the first solid wood uke I owned - until just a few weeks ago. Mike set it up perfectly and strung it up low-G. I loved that uke! Just recently sold it on to another enthusiastic beginner so Mike's work will continue to draw people in the aloha of the ukulele world.

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When I told Mike I wanted to buy this Ana'ole ukulele with Hawaiian Islands sound holes, he pointed out a minor blemish on the front that I hadn't noticed before and gave me a discount. There are things way more important than a minor blemish on an ukulele, such as honesty. I knew I could trust Mike...
 
My wife and I went to Hawai'i for our 30th wedding anniversary. While we were there we went by Mike's shop and I fell in love with this little KoAloha soprano. So my wife bought it for me for my birthday, which just happens to be two weeks after our anniversary.
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After couple of Chinese made uke, I bought my first K brand uke (a Sceptre) from MGM in 2010. Love his Youtube videos, his Ebay photos - really class act with the black background.
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Still have it in my collection. Keep coming back to play it every now and then.

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By the time I joined this wonderful community, Mike was already with HMS. I never had the pleasure of meeting him or speaking to him on the phone, but in August he started a thread here about some Takamine tenors HMS had received. Believe me, the last thing I needed was another uke, but I was intrigued by his description and so I ordered one. It has become one of my favorites, and it's my go-to uke, always on the sofa, always ready for some chord practice. I'm not much of a player, but I have improved more in the 7-1/2 weeks that I've had it than in the previous eighteen months.

Here it is:

 
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