c.1920 Fancy Koa & Maple Banjo Ukulele

This is one of the purtiest and sweetest sounding little banjo ukes I've ever had the chance to work on. It's definitely seen a lot of play and more power to it for that. There are bits of missing binding at the headstock and on the back/side seam's rope edging. Otherwise it's all there -- and totally original save the bridge, which is an ebony 1920s mandolin bridge I modified for use on this uke (giving it a nice mellow but precise tone).

The rim is a block-style turned type, made of sections of solid maple and Hawaiian koa wood. The neck is a 3-piece maple/koa/maple job.

Oops. Forgot to mention that the nut is more than likely a later replacement. There's a profusion of rope binding all over this fellow and inlaid rope/herringbone right down the center of the neck. It all adds up to a handsome instrument that echoes early very Portuguese-influenced Island-made ukes.

Koa fretboard and headstock veneer. The fretboard is "bound" with rope binding.

A looker, huh? Head's good to go, too!

Here's that old mandolin bridge I modified for this uke. Original bridges for these guys were more similar to this than the much-used Grover-style tenor bridges most have for replacements. As a result, the instrument sounds sweeter and mellower but still with decent volume.

Fancy trim!



Bakelite-buttoned pegs.

Here you can see all that pizazz coming together.

Mahogany three-ply arched f-hole "resonator" back.

Simple tailpiece.