1921 Lyon & Healy Early "Camp Uke" Ukulele

Browsing the archives of "Music Trade Review" the first reference to Lyon & Healy's "new Camp ukes" is in 1921. That puts this particular Camp Uke in that first year because it's the original version of this model from L&H. The difference with the more typical model(s) seen is that it lacks a front soundhole and instead has a turned, rear-mounted banjo-style resonator design which as far as I know is unique in the uke world for a wood-topped instrument.

To see some of the more typical Camp Ukes, check here, here, here, and here. They're old blog posts. And yes, blog followers -- I do work on a lot of these because I typically buy any of them up when I see them. They're one of my favorite curious uke designs from the '20s because they tend to sound like a nice Hawaiian uke with the addition of durability and a really, really accessible fretboard.

Anyhow, like most of these Camp Ukes, this one has a solid nyssa (black gum/tupelo) wood body with black celluloid top binding and position dots. These have the cool "smile" bridge design and like usual this one needs no regluing. For whatever reason these L&H smile bridges hold on so much better than the competition's bridges. I've only had to reglue one of them on old L&H ukes out of a couple dozen L&H ukes I've worked on.

Note that the top has hairline cracks -- all cleated, some through, others not -- and all stabilized, now. This is typical for these thin nyssa-topped instruments. I think it's just tropical wood shrinkage. I see at least one on most Camp Ukes.

Note the tiny hole in the headstock. There's another at the "end pin" area and there was a bit of twine left when I cleaned this uke up -- probably the vestiges of an original strap.

Note the ebony nut. Also, aside from crack repair, I've tightened up the neck to the "pot," given it a fret level/dress, and a setup. Fortunately all the hardware is also original, including the nice L&H patent tuner pegs.

Celluloid black dots.

Cute mahogany "smile" bridge.

Here you can see that resonator-back design. Nice!

The tone definitely changes with this build -- it's more midrangey and brighter vs. sweeter and mellower. It's great for chording (and I'd imagine for recording chord-playing) but isn't as nice a fingerpicking instrument, though plucking out chords with fingerpicking sounds nice.

Pretty wood on that rear!

Various L&H stamps/model #s at the headstock back.

It's cute!