1950s Kamaka "Gold Label" Soprano Uke

Yessir, I like me them Kamaka ukes. This one is a customer's that came in for service and he'd had it since a kid when it was appropriated for $7. It's had bad damage for a long time (open crack and seams on the back, neck broken right off with a gash near the neck block, etc.) but I patched that all up for him and now it's back to singing sweetly in the moonlight.

Like almost all Kamakas, it's built of Hawaiian koa and, you know, made in Hawaii, too. It's got the familiar "wide" Kamaka mini-dreadnought/jumbo sort of shape and because it's a 50s variant of the Kamaka pattern, the top plate is slightly thicker and the bracing is a little simpler. These are (and were) handmade and so they vary a bit instrument to instrument, but all share the sparkly, sweet, and carrying sound you'd expect from the name.

Work included a neck reset (bolt-reinforced -- this one has a doweled joint that went bad), board plane and refret, new saddle, seam/crack repairs to the back, and general cleaning and setup. It plays perfectly, now, and I'm happy to see it back in good order. These are worth the effort.