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Original Post By:
TheOtherMarilyn
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Date: 7/20/2021 8:47:14 PM |
I have this beautiful antique Soprano uke from my mom. Circa 1916. Blond Koa wood. Abalone small round inlay on 5th and 7th frets. Rope binding is around the sound hole, and up the middle of the fretboard to the very top of the headstock. It has a crack on the lower front of the body and 2.5" of the rope inlay trim is missing on the bottom front edge of uke. I do not play, but have been thinking about starting. Would you have someone fix the crack and leave the pegs as is? Or fix the crack and add new tuning pegs? Or sell it to a collector and let them decide?
Inside label says
Ukulele O Hawaii
Made by Leonardo Nunes
Especially and Exclusively for
Geo. J. Birkel Co.
446-448 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, Cal.
Thank you in advance. All opinions appreciated. |
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Posted By:
ed w
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Date: 7/21/2021 6:47:08 AM |
| I would find a good luthier and ask for their assessment of what it would need and the cost. Many old instruments have a variety of problems that are not obvious to the average person. Knowing exactly what you are dealing with will help you decide.
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Posted By:
Ukeguy
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Date: 8/6/2021 10:43:40 PM |
ed W's response makes sense to me. Find a good luthier who will give you a realistic assessment of what you have and how much it would cost to make the instrument playable and within your budget.
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Posted By:
Ernie
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Date: 9/2/2021 2:32:29 AM |
| Your uke sounds like a high-end Nunes, almost certainly worth restoring. Take it to a luthier who really knows ukuleles (not a guitar guy who will see it as a novelty). I recommend keeping it all original-same pegs and don�t refinish it. It may or may not be a good player. Once it�s fixed up, see if you enjoy playing it or see it as a thing of beauty that you�d like to keep around. If either of those things are true, keep it. If not. Sell it and get yourself a nice entry-level uke that IS a good player to learn on!
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