Tiple Artwork, Mele Soprano, Harmony Baritone

Here's my pesky Regal tiple again: this time "finished" -- until I can find a nicer tailpiece that I like better. Since its last appearance on the blog I've painted some 1920s-inspired bunnies in a canoe (I have the glasses, my Bonnie dear has the smashing dress).

Closer...

And there it is! Functional "art" too, as it covers the repairs where there used to be a pin-style bridge (I had to do a lot of structural work since the top was obliterated by some home-style "bolt-on-bridge" repairs).

Here's the newest "store" vintage: a c.1925 made-by-Harmony "Mele" soprano uke. All-solid birch all over, new 12th fret, fresh bridge reglue, neck reset, and lots of little crack and seam repairs. Brass original frets. Plays like a champ, very loud, very fun. Nice binding for an all-bircher, too!

Top.


Headstock has detail of hula-skirted lady & her uke.


Clean fretboard (now) and polished frets.


Soundhole.


Newly-reglued bridge and nylgut strings.


Soundhole label.


Side. As you can see -- the finish cleaned up almost perfect!


Back.


Back detail.


Weary bakelite pegs are original and function just fine (now with 100% more washers).


Repaired top hairline.

And here's a c.1955 or so Harmony baritone ukulele, all-solid mahogany with rosewood fretboard, mop dots, and rosewood bridge. Tortoise binding, great player, strung low-D DGBE with nylgut guitar-gauge strings. Quite punchy and super sustained, very much a "classical" feeling baritone, despite the super-cozy fast neck.

Headstock. Transition era from bone nut to plastic nut.


Rosewood with MOTS? markers. Frets are actually brass.


Soundhole -- and check that mojo pickwear!


Bridge.


Nice battle-scarred (but not abused) top.


And here you can see how she still has some gleam left!


This is a repaired side-crack, probably about 5-6" long.


Other side.


Original plastic pegs with metal bases.


Back.


Back again.


Tortoise!