What is the value of a Martin ukulele?
Depending on condition, dealers are getting up to $700 — possibly a little more if there’s a nice OE case. Players’ grade instruments are going for less, of course, but I’m not seeing them go for less than $375 or so. Another milestone date for Martin ukes is 1927, which is the end of friction tuning pegs.
How do you date a Martin ukulele?
The first Martin ukes, built in 1916, have serial numbers ranging from one to less than 200. Ukes made after 1916 do not have serial numbers and must be dated by specification changes. For example, in 1962 Martin added “made in usa” to the inside stamp. Ukes have the Martin stamp on the back of the peghead until 1935.
How Old Is My Martin ukulele?
Age can be tricky to determine. The Martin records indicate when certain changes were made in the manufacture. These usually allow the time frame to be narrowed down to about a five year window. If your Style 0 or 1 comes with peg tuners, it was made before 1927.
When did Martin start making ukuleles?
Martin first made Ukuleles in 1907, (I have read they were made for Bergstrom the big Honolulu Music shop), but the early versions were apparently not very good because they made them too much like a Guitar however in 1916 they had another go, got it right and became probably the most influential Ukulele maker ever.
Does Martin still make ukuleles?
Over a century later, Martin is now the oldest manufacturer of ukuleles, still building a wide range of some of the finest ukuleles on the market.
What are bar frets?
Bar frets are simple bars of nickel alloy that are tapped into precisely milled slots in the fingerboard. From the end they have a rectangular cross section: Once the frets are installed they must be leveled and individually rounded to form the nice smooth fret tops we need for good playability.
Where are Martin ukuleles made?
The 1K series are built in Martin’s Mexican factory, which is where they produce some of their more affordable guitars. I’ve played quite a few Mexican-built Martin instruments and feel that the craftsmanship of these products is nearly identical to their US-made instruments.
Did IZ play low G?
IZ uses Low-G tuning in his famous recording and he absolutely takes advantage of those 5 extra bass notes. If you’re playing something where all the bass notes needed are on the C string, then the extra bass note advantage disappears and it comes back to a matter of sound preference.