c.1955 Kamaka Koa Soprano Ukulele

This is a gold-label, Hawaiian-made Kamaka and was purportedly bought by the owner's father in the 50s. That matches up with its looks, feel and fantastic sound. Work on it included hairline crack cleating/repairs to the front and back, a fret level/dress, slight bridge slot adjustments, and setup.

At any rate: who doesn't love an old wide-body koa Kamaka? These things are killer. Now if only I can get the fellow to sell to me, huh?

What's nice is that the hairline cracks on both the back and the front were tight enough after repairs that you can barely see them. They appear as a line of disturbed finish in the right light but nothing else.

I love the non-fretboard look and feel of this guy. It's very "30s Hawaiian." It's got a wide board with a very thin front-to-back depth.

The simple bridge reminds me of Weissenborn ukes.

Gorgeous simple koa, huh?

Sorry, Kamaka, we don't have black sand beaches here... but our pebbly river beach might feel sort of like home, right?