Roselynne
New member
PICS: Bad Uke Day -> New2Me Mystery Uke Day
A few nights ago, I felt a rough patch on the edge of my Kamaka's lower bout. On examination -- yup -- top separating from side.
Not wanting to send it home across the pond, 'cause who knows where UPS would send it when it returned, I found a local luthier. Whilst in the shop, he handed me a very old uke to play with. :drool:
I left it and the Kamaka there, to spend the next few days ukeless.
Now my Kamaka's home where it belongs. Still beautiful, and sounds better than ever. And, yup, its new older friend is here too.
:smileybounce:
Will add pics later, but for starters ...
Mystery Uke is a Nunes-style soprano uke with rope binding at the top and around the soundhole. Black all-wood tuners -- we're talking simple wooden pegs with slots; if not original, they're still old. There is no label or headstock decal of any kind, just "Made in USA" stamped into the heel block. So, definitely not made in Hawaii. No fingerboard; frets set directly into the neck. Wood may be mahogany, but it could also be darkened koa.
To my newbie eyes, it looks just like a Nunes, but the rope binding runs counterclockwise; the opposite of any pic I've seen. Then, of course, there's the whole no-name thing -- which is why I could afford it.
She's loud enough for rock 'n' roll! Right now, she's studying Green Day. :rock:
So ... while I get my pics together, I wonder if any wiser antique lovers know of any Nunes imitators on the Mainland back in the day?
A few nights ago, I felt a rough patch on the edge of my Kamaka's lower bout. On examination -- yup -- top separating from side.
Not wanting to send it home across the pond, 'cause who knows where UPS would send it when it returned, I found a local luthier. Whilst in the shop, he handed me a very old uke to play with. :drool:
I left it and the Kamaka there, to spend the next few days ukeless.
Now my Kamaka's home where it belongs. Still beautiful, and sounds better than ever. And, yup, its new older friend is here too.
:smileybounce:
Will add pics later, but for starters ...
Mystery Uke is a Nunes-style soprano uke with rope binding at the top and around the soundhole. Black all-wood tuners -- we're talking simple wooden pegs with slots; if not original, they're still old. There is no label or headstock decal of any kind, just "Made in USA" stamped into the heel block. So, definitely not made in Hawaii. No fingerboard; frets set directly into the neck. Wood may be mahogany, but it could also be darkened koa.
To my newbie eyes, it looks just like a Nunes, but the rope binding runs counterclockwise; the opposite of any pic I've seen. Then, of course, there's the whole no-name thing -- which is why I could afford it.
She's loud enough for rock 'n' roll! Right now, she's studying Green Day. :rock:
So ... while I get my pics together, I wonder if any wiser antique lovers know of any Nunes imitators on the Mainland back in the day?
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