2000s Sceptre-a-Like Tenor Ukulele

Update 2022: this is back here and this time for sale so I've added a video, checked its setup, and redone the writeup and photos (originally posted in 2018). Now back to the post...

So, the story told to the owner of this when he bought it is that it was made by a US violin builder dabbling in ukes. It's a sort-of copy of the KoAloha "Sceptre" model in outline save that it doesn't have carved edges and is... completely different... in overall build.

It's got a solid spruce top over solid mahogany-ish (or maybe acacia-ish?) back, sides, and neck. The fretboard and bridge appear to be rosewood and it has a bone nut and saddle. It's extremely well-built with lots of attention to detail and precise cut and fit throughout. The neck is comfy and fast and feels retro-Hawaiian (think: mid-'70s Kamakas, sort-of). To judge fit and finish, just check the photos of the back/heel interaction and the endblock-area interaction. It's nicely-made.

Soundwise it's bright and chipper with a bit of lingering sweetness. It's sort-of "flamenco-ish" and works really well strummed eagerly behind a voice. The owner has it in low G with some Aquila-like strings and I suspect that it would sound a lot more island-y and sing-song with fluorocarbon strings.

It's clean and good to go after a light setup and plays quick.

Repairs included: setup.

Top wood: solid spruce

Back & sides wood: solid mahogany-like

Bracing type: fan

Bridge: rosewood

Fretboard: rosewood

Neck wood: mahogany-like

Action height at 12th fret: 1/16" overall (fast)
String gauges: low G

Neck shape: slim D

Board radius: flat

Neck relief: straight

Fret style: smallish

Scale length: 17"

Nut width: 1 1/2"

Body width: 9 3/4"

Body depth: 3 1/4"

Weight: 1 lb 1 oz

Condition notes: it's very, very clean with only the most minor of (essentially invisible) wear to the finish. The headstock shows some tuner-grip wear right where the back of the tuners meet the headstock. It currently has friction pegs and a nice upgrade would be to Gotoh UPT pegs at about ~$70 for 4:1 functionality and ease-of-use.

It comes with: a nice gigbag.