Am I shallow for judging ukuleles almost entirely by how sexy their headstock is?
Clockwise from top left:
Martin 3K: It’s a classic shape. Sharp, sleek and sexy. Been ripped of a million times.
Gibson Mele ukulele Inelegant in comparison.
Fluke: Part of the rip it up and start again approach of the Fluke. One thing most people prefer about friction tuners is they don’t stick out to the side ruining the line of the headstock. But, because it’s so unusual and distinctive, the Fluke gets away with it.
Ukulele Ike plastic ukulele: Good, old fashioned celebrity endorsement. There’s a bit of a mystery as to who made this ukulele. Tiki King (who would have a much better idea than me) says it’s, “probably made by Mastro or Carnival.” I was under the impression that all Maccaferri (Mastro) ukes had a zero fret (which the Ike doesn’t). And the headstock is different to most Carnivals’ rounded design. To me, it looks closest to the Mauna Loa. If anyone has more information on this, I’d love to know.
KoAloha Superconcert: The KoAloha headstock is instantly recognisable. It’s a very modern design. I thought it had a slight air of satanic menace about it, but Ukulele Ghetto pointed out that it’s actually inspired by the Okami’s Christianity. Superconcert is the brunch of ukulele sizes.
I like the headstocks on the Ohana long-neck soprano, and Mike Dasilva’s Santo reproductions.